Is Your Family Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Dear Friends, I originally wrote this post back in February. Still, whether it is the bitter winds of winter or spring's April showers that are keeping you indoors, it pays to make sure that you and your family are getting enough of the sunshine vitamin. Enjoy!nnWho knew that a week at Disney World could be good for your family’s health?n nWe are happily spending two weeks in Florida right now. While the kids were equally excited about the prospect of spending time with Grandma, Grandpa and Mickey Mouse, I was looking forward to something else: Sunshine. n nI love my parents dearly, but I was craving the sunshine... and I knew that my children and I all needed a healthy shot of the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D.nnWho Needs Vitamin D?nnWe all need adequate amounts of vitamin D. It is an essential ingredient when it comes to absorbing calcium and building healthy bones in children and adults. It also plays an important role in creating a strong immune system by helping your body defend against chronic low grade inflammation.n nAccording to new research, vitamin D may even help protect against serious conditions such as cancer, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.1n nUnfortunately, about 40% of the US population suffers from a vitamin D deficiency.n nHere is the good news: Our bodies produce all the vitamin D that we need, when our skin is exposed to adequate, periodic sunlight.n nThe bad news? Many people don’t get enough healthy sun exposure.n nIn fact, if you live above a line drawn from Los Angeles, CA to Columbia, SC, chances are good that you and your children do not receive adequate sunlight to produce needed amounts of vitamin D throughout the year.2nnHow to Ensure Your Family Gets Enough of the Sunshine Vitamin nn1. Know Your Numbers. Vitamin D is a hot topic of research right now. There is an ongoing debate about how much vitamin D is required to build those healthy bones in our children. Last fall, the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommended daily dosage of vitamin D to 400 IU per day for children from infancy to adolescence.3 nn2. Optimize Sun Exposure. It’s not called the sunshine vitamin for nothing. Your body is designed to create vitamin D from sunlight. Exposing your face, legs or back to the sun for up to 30 minutes, two or three times a week, will usually allow your body to produce all the Vitamin D that you need.nnSome caveats: The further you are from the equator, the weaker the sunlight and the more exposure is required. Also, darker skinned family members will absorb sunlight at a slower rate and therefore need additional exposure time.4 nn3. Be Smart in the Sun. Your body will not absorb the healing benefits of sunlight through a layer of sunscreen, so you need to go “au naturel.” Healthy sun exposure means that if you are planning to generate your daily dose of vitamin D on a family ski outing, you must monitor your exposure time carefully. Apply sunscreen before the glare off the snow gives your beautiful child an unhealthy sunburn.nnFor those of you lucky enough to live on the beach in Mexico, increase your sunscreen applications accordingly. And invite me for a visit, please. nn4. Have Fun in the Sun. If you live in a cold climate, getting healthy sun exposure can feel more like torture. That cold, bitter wind cuts right through my four layers of fleece and long underwear and freezes everything it finds. nnWhy not create your own “après ski” space right in your own backyard? Find a spot that is protected from the wind, but exposed to the sun. Put out a couple Adirondack chairs and throw a log in the fire-pit. Blast some party music through your outdoor speakers. Circle the troops and turn your faces into the sun. nn5. Supplement with Vitamin D from Healthy, Cultured Butter. Many parents turn to milk and orange juice products fortified with vitamin D, but this may not feel like the right solution for families following a Body Ecology lifestyle. Butter – organic, cultured butter – is a great alternative source of vitamin D. Teach your children to make healthy butter for your family, using the Body Ecology Culture Starter.nn6. Supplement with Vitamin D from Healthy Fish Sources. Do your children eat fish? Introduce them to the delicious, healthy benefits of salmon. Look for pure, sustainable, wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon. Yum.nnKeep in mind that it takes time (months) to reverse a chronic vitamin D deficiency.5 Start now, to help your children build healthy bones and healthy habits to last a lifetime.n nAnd now, I think I’ll go take a walk in the sun. n n n nRelated Posts:nnI write about the joys of getting outdoors in, How Do You Know When It's Spring?nnYou can absorb vitamin D on cloudy days, too! Read about April showers in, Me and My Mandalas.nnn nnSources:n n1 Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, Kathleen M., “Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?”, WebMD.n n2 DeNoon, Daniel J., “Supplement Your Knowledge of Vitamin D: Here's the Scoop on Vitamin D, From Fun in the Sun to the Debate Over Dosage”, WebMD.n n3 Barclay, MD, Laurie, “American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Guidelines for Vitamin D Intake”, MedScape Today.n n4 DeNoon, Daniel J., “Supplement Your Knowledge of Vitamin D: Here's the Scoop on Vitamin D, From Fun in the Sun to the Debate Over Dosage”, WebMD.n n5 Adams, Mike, “Vitamin D myths, facts and statistics”, NaturalNews.nn nnOriginally published as Conscious Parenting with Meg Brown for www.BodyEcology.com.