Alright, if you’re still looking for a good reason to get outside and play try this one. Vitamin D, you need it, everyone needs it, and exposing your skin to the sun is the best way to get it.

Vitamin D deficiency affects large groups of society especially homebound individuals. The windows in your car and house filter out UVB radiation and in turn disable any Vitamin D benefits so don’t depend on your daily commute or opening the blinds while you watch TV. Obese individuals are also at risk, not because their skin can’t synthesize the vitamin D from the sun but layers of fat reduce the circulation of the vitamin. Adults over 50, people with dark skin and breast-fed infants are also high risk.

Proper Vitamin D intake has been linked with the prevention of colon, prostate and breast cancer. Osteoporosis a bone debilitating disease can also be prevented through proper intake of Vitamin D which increases the bodies ability to absorb calcium. In the 1930’s the United States went as far as fortifying all milk with Vitamin D to combat rickets which was such a huge problem at the time.

It is possible to get your Vitamin D from a few different foods besides milk. Fish including salmon, tuna and mackerel are good sources of the vitamin along with egg yolks some cereals and beef liver. Supplements are available and are particularly valuable for infants whose skin cannot be exposed to very much sun early on. Care must be taken not to over supplement which can cause several symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, poor appetite and weakness so be sure to read labels or consult physicians.

The good news is you can’t get too much Vitamin D from direct sun exposure. Because of differences in UV ratings at different latitudes general guidelines for adequate sun exposure are limited but 5-30 minutes of sun to the face or other body parts without sunscreen between 10am and 3pm twice weekly is sufficient. This dosage could be covered by a quick walk at lunch, a stroll around the block with the dog, a few minutes in the garden weeding or soaking up some rays on a patio while enjoying a pint.

Of course getting a sunburn or skin cancer doesn’t do anyone any good either so know your own limits and use sunscreen when exposed for long periods. Keep in mind that Vitamin D is probably being synthesized to a lesser degree even through sunscreen. Shade and cloud cover can cut UV ratings by only 50% so keep that in mind as well.

» Office of Dietary Supplements