Have you had your Vitamin D today?

There are many benefits to tanning that far outweigh the risks. Below we take a look at some of these items and hope that you think twice the next time you hear negative remarks about tanning from the media.
Vitamin D – The Sunshine Vitamin!
For the first time in years, scientists are coming out from behind the clouds and giving us some good news about sunlight – in the form of vitamin D. What they want you to know is this: healthy vitamin D levels are being associated with lower risks of several forms of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis and other diseases. And how do you get more vitamin D? From sunlight.

Most Americans living north of Atlanta are either vitamin D deficient or are at risk for vitamin D deficiency, because of the northerly latitudes and relatively weak sun exposure. Vitamin D is necessary for the body to properly absorb calcium and phosphorus. Only in the past decade have researchers discovered that vitamin D also plays an important role in regulating cell growth in the body – including slowing or retarding the growth of many cancer cells. Vitamin D comes naturally from sun exposure to the skin, and to a limited extent is available in milk, fatty fish and cod liver oil.

Your body makes vitamin D naturally when exposed to the sun. Expose yourself without damaging your skin by practicing sunburn prevention – not total sun avoidance. Sunscreens should be used only to prevent sunburn – not overused as year-round daily products. Doing so isn’t natural and it almost completely blocks your body from making any vitamin D.

For more information on vitamin D, visit the following websites:
www.VitaminDcouncil.com
www.VitaminDSociety.org
www.UVAdvantage.org