With so much recent news surrounding the importance of sufficient levels of Vitamin D, many people are wondering the same thing: is it better to get your Vitamin D needs from the sun or from various supplements?

While doctors around the world and non-profit organizations like GrassrootsHealth.org are advocating increasing one's daily intake of Vitamin D by as much as 2,000 IU per day, the little research that has been done regarding Vitamin D and its full effects on the human body lead to mixed opinions about what source of Vitamin D is the best.

Many people recommend Vitamin D supplements because they are found in many common foods, like fortified milk, and can be taken at one's convenience. Skin care advocates also push supplements because getting Vitamin D this way lets you avoid potentially harmful aspects of UV rays in sunlight.

What these supplemental Vitamin D activists don't tell you is that Vitamin D is not actually a Vitamin at all. It is a hormone that is synthesized naturally by the body to strengthen bones, fortify organs, and perform many other functions at the center of mounds of research. Thus, ingesting supplemental Vitamin D, whether through milk, fish oil, or comprehensive vitamins, is unnecessary if the body is meant to make them on its own.

Fifteen minute strolls in the sun, or 10 minutes in the tanning bed, are effective ways to naturally produce more than enough Vitamin D that your body needs daily. Synthetic Vitamin D, which is found in supplements, is actually harmful to your body when taken in large amounts because it can cause too much calcium to build up in the blood. The body, when making its own Vitamin D from light, regulates the amount of Vitamin D it makes, storing the extra for later, and prevents harm from being done by making too much.

Until more data is gathered and results can be verified, utilize tanning salons, such as Sunday's Tanning Resorts, or walking outdoors for 15 minutes a day to get your daily Vitamin D.

A respected British oncologist has published an article in The London Daily Mail encouraging moderate indoor tanning as a means of manufacturing vitamin D reliably - adding to the growing list of defectors from Big Dermatology's anti-sun, "sun scare" dogma.

Professor Tim Oliver, a Medical Oncologist at Barts and the London Hospital, made his statement very clear: "Current medical advice is to cover up in the sun, but I believe the health benefits of exposure to its UVA and UVB rays greatly outweigh the disadvantages, even if that means using a sunbed during winter months," Oliver wrote. "This is because the body converts sunshine into Vitamin D, a substance that helps build a healthy immune system and strong bones, and may even fight off depression and cancer. Seen the light: Using a sunbed carefully during winter months will boost your Vitamin D levels."

A growing number of doctors are starting to do the math: You can't make vitamin D naturally and reliably any other way than by getting regular UV exposure.

"In Britain just after the turn of the 19th Century, children in cities had less exposure to sunlight and became crippled by rickets. It was also discovered that TB - which was commonplace - could be treated with cod liver oil, another good source of Vitamin D, and sunlamps - early versions of sunbeds that provide artificial UV light similar to sunlight," Oliver continued in his article. "But in more recent years, antibiotic-resistant strains of diseases such as TB are emerging, proving that medicine may no longer be enough."

In other words: Good day, sunshine.

"In 2009 we are simply not getting enough sunlight to make the Vitamin D we need to stay healthy," he writes. "Dietary sources of Vitamin D include oily fish, liver, eggs and fortified foods such as cereals, margarine and powdered milk. There are supplements, such as cod liver oil, but it's almost impossible to get sufficient Vitamin D from diet alone. A person would have to drink ten tall glasses of Vitamin D-fortified milk each day just to get the minimum levels."

To read the entire story click here.

Researchers have recently found evidence that people living in Northern countries may be at a higher risk for Vitamin D deficiency. In northern countries such as Canada, the low level of light during the winter months may lead to Vitamin D deficiencies among the population. The majority of Vitamin D within our bodies is produced by sunlight (UVB rays) hitting the skin.

A recent research study conducted in Great Britain has indicated that 87% of the population around 45 years of age has a Vitamin D deficiency during the winter months. This is a staggering statistic. This deficiency can have serious consequences if it is not corrected. With a Vitamin D deficiency you are at more of a risk to develop certain types of cancers. This deficiency has also been linked to increased numbers of heart disease cases in Northern regions compared to regions closer to the equator.

So now you may be wondering, "How can I correct a Vitamin D deficiency?" Some people may substitute real UVB rays with herbal Vitamin D supplements. This works, but it is not always the best answer. The best way for your body to correct a Vitamin D deficiency is to supply it with the light it needs. Natural production is always the best correction method. An easy way to start correcting this deficiency is through the use of a tanning bed such as those used by Sunday’s Blue Box Tanning Resorts. This will supply the UVB rays which will help to increase your daily intake of Vitamin D and defend against potentially life-threatening diseases.

Visit the American Academy of Pediatrics for additional info on Vitamin D and its uses in protecting against disease.

No wonder the sun was worshipped as a symbol of life by ancient civilizations. New studies from the Yale University School of Medicine show that infertility, a problem associated with women who have polycystic ovary syndrome, may be linked to a deficiency in an essential vitamin produced from absorbing sunlight

Vitamin D, an essential vitamin developed by the body when it is exposed to UV rays such as those from the sun and tanning bed, could be an important factor in reducing the chance of women getting polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The study also posits that sufficient Vitamin D levels could be an important factor in restoring fertility in women with the syndrome as well.

Since Vitamin D can be synthesized in the body when it is exposed to UV light, receiving concentrated doses from a tanning bed is a perfect way to create this life-giving vitamin in your own body. By using a tanning bed regularly, one could safely intake the amount of light needed to produce adequate levels of Vitamin D, and remain healthy.

With so much new research being done on how important Vitamin D is for the human body, there is no better time than to check out Sunday’s Blue Box Tanning to start creating Vitamin D today.

Read more about this new study from Yale

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released a new report that suggests new recommendations for one's daily intake of the all-important, disease fighting Vitamin D. While many people know that Vitamin D helps to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis, new studies show it may also play a large role in reducing risks for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

While current guidelines set by the Institute of Medicine call for 200 units of Vitamin D daily, the new report suggests 400 units daily, and researcher Adrian Gombart of Oregon State University claims that no less than 800 units of Vitamin D daily is necessary for adults under 50 to remain healthy.

Most of the time people will think of substances such as milk or fish as natural providers of Vitamin D, but adults would have to drink more than 8 glasses of milk a day to get the recommended amount! So how does one get the Vitamin D needed to prevent serious diseases?

Light given off by the sun and tanning beds is the most efficient way to get the suggested daily dose of Vitamin D. The body can synthesize Vitamin D from light in order to keep your body's vitamin levels at an adequate level. Think about how plants create food through photosynthesis.

10 to 15 minutes per day in a tanning bed, such as those at Sunday's Blue Box Tanning Resorts, could be the answer to increasing your daily intake of Vitamin D, and defending against potentially life-threatening disease.

Read more about this news story here and find out information straight from the professionals at the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Labels: cancer prevention, health and wellness, healthy tanning, vitamin D

Many news outlets have published articles recently highlighting the benefits - and risks - of Vitamin D. A study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that those with the lowest vitamin D levels have more than double the risk of dying from heart disease and other causes over an eight-year period compared with those with the highest vitamin D levels. Newspapers across the country are picking up on this and are writing highlighting the correlation between decreased outdoor activity and the increased-risk of heart disease stemming from low levels of Vitamin D.

Here's a roundup of some articles we've seen published recently:

• Wall Street Journal: Defending Against Disease - With Vitamin D
  
• US News and World Report: Time in the Sun: How Much Is Needed for Vitamin D?
• Dallas Morning News: Don't run from the sun's Vitamin D benefits, experts say
  

We encourage you to read through these articles and get a better understanding about the health benefits of Vitamin D that we highlight at Sunday's Blue Box Tanning Resorts