Today, I want to talk to you about a simple yet extremely beneficial activity: going outside to soak up some Sun.
Wherever you carry out your activity: online or offline, go outside for a few minutes and soak up some Sun!
The benefits of this activity are not limited to the natural intake of vitamin D.
You also gain other benefits that enhance your well-being, such as:
-the production of beta-endorphins, which will make you feel more relaxed.
-the formation of nitric oxide, which naturally reduces blood pressure, and in the brain, nitric oxide acts as a neurotransmitter that facilitates faster transmission of information along neural pathways.
Just as serotonin and dopamine in the brain induce a good mood, nitric oxide has a calming effect, triggering a chain reaction at the cellular level, through which blood vessels relax and dilate.
Vitamin D has recently come under the scrutiny of specialists and the general public alike. I often hear about 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 being measured (even though the active form is 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3), with values being sought, analyzed, and supplemented.
It is one of the numerous nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy.
It seems to be more than just a vitamin, ranking at the level of hormones in terms of importance in physiology and metabolism, playing an essential role in regulating calcium and phosphorus homeostasis.
There are three major sources of vitamin D:
-UVB radiation from the Sun
-Dietary sources (eggs, dairy, fish)
-Supplements
By far the most efficient source is the first one, the source of cutaneous synthesis, when the skin is exposed to the sun (UVB radiation) without filters.
A few minutes of sun exposure at the right place and time provide the body with the daily requirement.
American endocrinologist Dr. Michael F. Holick, a specialist in bone metabolism, calcium, and vitamin D, gives us a benchmark for exposure.
If 24 hours after exposure in a swimsuit, the skin is slightly red, having a slight erythema, then we have obtained the equivalent of 20,000 IU of ingested vitamin D.
Normally, we don't need that much; he recommends somewhere around 5,000-6,000 IU per day regardless of the season.
Therefore, if you know how long you stayed until you got red, you can logically and mathematically reduce the exposure time and surface area by four times.
Of course, other factors also matter: skin pigmentation, season, latitude, position on the globe, etc.
In Romania, from November to March, sun exposure is reduced, and the percentage of UVB radiation is very low.
Thus, during this period, we will rely on the other two mentioned sources.
Vitamin D plays a role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the small intestine, as well as in their fixation in bones and teeth, resulting in proper mineralization.
In deficiency, the absorption of calcium is inadequate and does not meet the body's needs.
As a result, the production of parathyroid hormone increases, and calcium is mobilized from hard structures to maintain optimal serum concentrations.
It's a vast topic; here you can find some additional information about it, which still does not exhaust the subject.
And a useful link to dr. M.Holick speech:
I wouldn’t linger too much on the theory; let’s go outside and soak up some Sun, to "wear it like a chain around our neck" as the song says, for vitamin D, well-being, and a smile!
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