The Sunshine Vitamin: Best Ways to Boost Your Vitamin D

Vitamin D works wonders in our bodies: it can halt the progression of osteoporosis, improve sleep quality, lower blood pressure, help prevent different types of cancer, boost mood, alleviate depression and schizophrenia, strengthen the immune system, reduce high blood sugar levels, lower "bad" cholesterol levels, and more.

So how do we get it? It's important to know that two main bands of ultraviolet radiation from the sun affect us daily: UVA and UVB.

UVA radiation, which makes up the majority of sunlight, is present all day, all year round, penetrating clouds and glass windows (like in cars). It penetrates deeply into the skin, reaching the dermis, which is the layer beneath the epidermis. Its damage is less visible immediately, but overexposure can cause long-term problems: skin aging, wrinkles, spots, and expanded veins.

UVB rays stop at the epidermis (the outer skin layer). Overexposure to UVB can burn the skin and cause visible skin damage. Most UVB radiation hits us during the hottest times of the day. These rays do not penetrate clouds or glass windows. We’ve learned that the sun helps our bodies produce vitamin D through UVB rays. The best times to soak up the sun for adequate vitamin D are roughly between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Once your skin starts to redden slightly, it's time to step out of the sun or protect your skin, as additional vitamin D won’t be produced, and prolonged exposure is harmful. Therefore, it's crucial to choose sunscreens that block both types of rays (excessive use of sunscreens is not recommended as their chemicals can be toxic to our bodies).

For the average person, about 15 minutes of sun exposure a day is usually sufficient. However, in today's world, three additional conditions are needed to produce enough vitamin D from the sun:

1. A sufficient presence of natural skin oils that aid in vitamin production (over-soaping every body part is unhealthy and unnecessary).
2. Avoiding skin care creams containing petroleum products, which interfere with vitamin D creation.
3. Chlorinated and fluoridated tap water disrupts vitamin D production (some companies provide good water filtration).

For booking home workshop sessions with naturopath Ruth Liat Or-Paltz (free of charge), call 073-2221290