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Most news, doctors and dermotologists have been lecturing the public on the sun’s harmful rays—its premature aging effect and the risks of skin cancer.
So this new study might leave the sunblock-obsessed scratching their heads. It revealed that as we age, we actually require more sun on our skin since naturally occurring levels of vitamin D taper off as we get older.
The article in Healthy World states that among the study of 3,262 people between 50 and 70 years old, 94 percent had low vitamin D levels and 42 percent had metabolic syndrome—a disorder linked to vitamin D deficiency that increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Whether that’s due to the aging process or because you’re less likely to get outside as you age is yet to be determined but one thing is for certain—sunshine is the best source of the vitamin. And according to study leader Dr. Oscar Franco from the Warwick Medical School, if we don’t get enough of it, the world could possibly face a global health problem.
I have yet to come across any solid sources that state just how much sun we should get but my personal routine involves ten to fifteen minutes of sun-exposed, sunscreen-free skin daily. Anything beyond that and I slather on the sunblock (an eco-friendly one, of course).
More on Vitamin D:
What's Your Green IQ?
How to Go Green: Eating
Why Vitamin D is Good and How to Get it
Eat These Vitamin D Rich Foods and Recipes to Boost Optimal Health
How to Go Green: Eating
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