Run In The Sun



I mention in one of my last blogs about how running gets you outside and helps you get your needed Vitamin D.  Dr. John Whitcomb, Aurora Sinai Medical Center stated 'I believe [vitamin D] is the number one public health advance in medicine in the last twenty years.' 
People throughout the past generations made their livings outside on farms and on boats getting ample doses of Sun light (Unless you live in a region above latitude 40, between Sept-May, at this latitude the sun can't trigger the creation of Vitamin D).   Sadly, today the large majority of the people today don't get enough of Vitamin D and don't know it. 
A deficiency causes include; heart disease, chronic pain, Fibromyalgia, hypertension, arthritis, obesity, cancer, MS and other autoimmune diseases.  While men can experance problems with Vitamin D deficiency - woman are more prone with problems.  Also mood related problem of depression, PMS mood changes, parathyroid problems, fatigue, and sleep problems.  Vitamin D levels are inversely related to those of melatonin, a mood-regulating hormone. Melatonin helps modulate your circadian rhythms, with darkness triggering melatonin secretion by the pineal gland within your brain, bringing you down gently at night for sleep. Insomnia, mood swings and food cravings are influenced by melatonin. 
According to the Vitamin D Council (vitamindcouncil.org), if you are someone who completely avoids the sun you will need to take approximately 4,000 units of Vitamin D per day. You would have to drink 40 glasses of milk a day or take 10 multivitamins a day to get the required amount of Vitamin D.  That is a lot of milk or multi vitamins!   On the other hand most people typically make about 20,000 units of Vitamin D after only 20-25 minutes of sun exposure.  This is about 100 times more than the daily amount of Vitamin D the FDA says we need. 
The most accure way to find out if your Vitamin D deficient is to take  a 'VITAMIN D,1,25-DIHYDROXY - (16493E)' test which will tell you the amount of Vitamin D in the blood stream.   This test can be done through Quest Diagnostics (questdiagnostics.com) for less then $200. 
In short - there is a crisis in modern societies with getting the needed dose of vitamin D.   I would look into subliments or tanning parlors if you need to - but the most natural way to get you vitamin is to get outside under the Sun.   A walking or running exercise routine would best keep you outside and God willing, healthier.

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2)

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