Vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins everyone needs.
Past generations were more likely to either work outside, or play outside, therefore they received vitamin D the natural way...
through sunlight.
But in today's age of technology, fewer people are exposed to even a slither of sunlight throughout their day.
This has resulted in a virtual shortage of vitamin D across the board...
from children all the way through to seniors.
Studies have shown people newly diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes have much lower blood levels of vitamin D than healthy people.
Vitamin D is essential for many reasons.
Besides offering a blanket of protection against many ailments, this vitamin also helps to keep your bones strong.
While it can be received in limited portions through certain foods or supplements, the most preferred way is through the sun.
But this type of exposure poses a problem.
We are all aware of the dangers of being exposed to too much direct sunlight which, over time, can lead to skin cancer.
The recommended exposure rate is approximately 15 minutes of direct sunlight per day.
But this poses a problem: too much exposure is dangerous: not enough is unhealthy.
For those individuals who live in areas with limited sunlight, there is an ongoing problem of receiving the right amount of sunlight.
In the North, even if sunlight is available, colder temperatures prevent skin from being exposed long enough to benefit from the sunlight.
For those who have darker skin, absorbing the necessary amounts of vitamin D can also be a problem.
The darker a person's skin, the harder it is for vitamin D to be absorbed due to the increased level of pigment.
While nature designed the additional layers of pigment as a means of protection, it actually can work against the individual by preventing vitamin D absorption.
Scientists believe this could be one contributing factor as to why races of darker skin color are more prone to diabetes.
Research has also shown vitamin D helps the body to produce more insulin.
Some data shows the vitamin may even be responsible for increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.
This would help to explain why Hispanics and African-Americans in particular, are prone to Type 2 diabetes.
This also further validates why it is important for these individuals to receive the right amount of exposure of sunlight on a daily basis.
Unless an individual has access to enough sunlight daily, they should resort to receiving the recommended dosage of vitamin D through the right foods and/or supplements to help protect their body against developing diabetes.
Past generations were more likely to either work outside, or play outside, therefore they received vitamin D the natural way...
through sunlight.
But in today's age of technology, fewer people are exposed to even a slither of sunlight throughout their day.
This has resulted in a virtual shortage of vitamin D across the board...
from children all the way through to seniors.
Studies have shown people newly diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes have much lower blood levels of vitamin D than healthy people.
Vitamin D is essential for many reasons.
Besides offering a blanket of protection against many ailments, this vitamin also helps to keep your bones strong.
While it can be received in limited portions through certain foods or supplements, the most preferred way is through the sun.
But this type of exposure poses a problem.
We are all aware of the dangers of being exposed to too much direct sunlight which, over time, can lead to skin cancer.
The recommended exposure rate is approximately 15 minutes of direct sunlight per day.
But this poses a problem: too much exposure is dangerous: not enough is unhealthy.
For those individuals who live in areas with limited sunlight, there is an ongoing problem of receiving the right amount of sunlight.
In the North, even if sunlight is available, colder temperatures prevent skin from being exposed long enough to benefit from the sunlight.
For those who have darker skin, absorbing the necessary amounts of vitamin D can also be a problem.
The darker a person's skin, the harder it is for vitamin D to be absorbed due to the increased level of pigment.
While nature designed the additional layers of pigment as a means of protection, it actually can work against the individual by preventing vitamin D absorption.
Scientists believe this could be one contributing factor as to why races of darker skin color are more prone to diabetes.
Research has also shown vitamin D helps the body to produce more insulin.
Some data shows the vitamin may even be responsible for increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.
This would help to explain why Hispanics and African-Americans in particular, are prone to Type 2 diabetes.
This also further validates why it is important for these individuals to receive the right amount of exposure of sunlight on a daily basis.
Unless an individual has access to enough sunlight daily, they should resort to receiving the recommended dosage of vitamin D through the right foods and/or supplements to help protect their body against developing diabetes.