Do we know how to get adequate Vitamin D? Did you learn about vitamins, minerals and sources of such in K-12 or university? I don't recall getting the 411 in health class on this subject.
When I was in my early twenties, I began my journey in the medical sector. Notice I did NOT say health sector. Looking back, very little useful information came out of my 30+ years in the medical field as it pertains to staying healthy, eating nutritionally sound foods and sustaining my body for longevity. I did learn a lot about drugs (pharmaceutical), side effects, ICD-9 and CPT-4 codes for billing patients. The multi-specialty medical practices I "grew up" in never had staff meetings about showing compassion, educating the patient on healthy lifestyle, mind-body-soul balance or anything of the sort -- it was and still is a BUSINESS! How could I have failed to see that at the time? Well, I did...
Like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, I have emerged as a survivor. Eyes becoming ever increasingly open to what has been transpiring. The more wise I become, the more humility I possess. I was a cog-in-the-wheel of a business that puts profits over people - part of the problem, not the solution. I digress...
Let's talk about Vitamin D - as this particular vitamin seems to be one so many today suffer from deficiency in and many don't even realize its the underlying cause of a lot of symptoms such as fatigue, reduced endurance, sleeping problems, depressed mood, hair loss, dizziness, and the list goes on. We are not deficient in Prozac ... We are not deficient in Tylenol or Aleve ... Many, however, ARE deficient in Vitamin D.
So how do we get adequate amounts of Vitamin D? It's so simple that it borders on the ridiculous...go outside when the sun is shining exposing your arms and face to sunlight for 10-15 minutes WITHOUT SUNSCREEN! If you easily burn or live in a very hot climate, shorten your exposure to five minutes three to four times a day. That's It, your body will take care of the rest. By the way, our eyes absorb light as well so during your "Vitamin D" walks, nix (go without) the sunglasses.
Our body has the ability to take sunlight in and convert it into Vitamin D. Much the same way that plants take sunlight in and through photosynthesis, produce chlorophyl.
How did we get here? We, as a society, spend most of our waking hours at a desk, on a computer, in front of a television or on our phone (like I am right now). We slather ourselves with this gooey lotion known as sunscreen because it was pushed so ardently in the media, pharmaceutical industry and medical field (an arm of the pharmaceutical industry really). Fear mongering that implied that if you didn't use your sunscreen that the big, bad sun was going to give you skin cancer. Well the "C" word usually does the trick. I don't want to get the big "C" so I better do as I am told...
Now...if you do go outside and get your Vitamin D but suffer a little too much redness as a result - grab your Silver Sensei Silver Gel and apply it to the affected area. It will soothe, cool and heal very quickly. Note: Shameless Plug ...
