About Vitamin D Day

Vitamin D deficiency is a world problem.

This November 2nd is Vitamin D Day!

Vitamin D Day is a day to recognize vitamin D deficiency as a world problem.

Researchers agree that at least one third of the world is deficient in vitamin D, and some scientists even think a greater percent of people are deficient in vitamin D.

Why are so many people deficient, you might ask? It’s simple really. We get vitamin D from sun exposure. And now, more than ever, the world’s population lives an indoor lifestyle, avoiding the sun daily.

Doctors are beginning to discover that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

Furthermore, they’re discovering that vitamin D deficiency may make some diseases more severe, like respiratory diseases and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and lupus. And they’re discovering that vitamin D can be an important piece in the treatment of some illnesses and diseases, including multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, asthma and many other diseases!

Please take the time and learn about vitamin D deficiency this November 2nd, and share what you know with others. Learn, educate and participate; let’s get the word out!

“Vitamin D deficiency is a global pandemic that has serious health consequences for children and adults. Improvement in the world’s vitamin D status could significantly reduce risk of many chronic illnesses including cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and many deadly cancers as well as infectious diseases including upper respiratory tract infections, influenza and tuberculosis.”

-Michael Holick, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine

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What you can do

Learn. Educate. Participate. This global issue starts with better awareness.

Step one: Learn more about vitamin D

Eight key things to know about vitamin D:

1. Vitamin D comes from sun exposure, not your diet.

When you expose your skin to the sun, your body makes vitamin D, lots of it. On the other hand, there isn’t much vitamin D found in foods. This means that getting enough vitamin D depends on getting frequent and moderate sun exposure, not eating a balanced diet.

2. Scientists and doctors agree that at least a third of the world is deficient in vitamin D.

Some scientists think even a greater percentage are deficient. This is because we live in an indoor society, more so now than ever before in human history.

3. If you don’t get frequent moderate sun exposure or take a vitamin D supplement, you’re likely deficient in vitamin D.

Some people get tested for vitamin D by their doctors and are shocked to find out they’re deficient. But unless you get frequent moderate sun exposure or take a supplement, it shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. These are the only reliable ways to get the vitamin D your body needs. While there is a little bit of vitamin D in fish and fortified milk, there isn’t enough to make sure you’re sufficient in vitamin D.

4. Moderate midday sun exposure is the best for making vitamin D.

In order to make vitamin D, the sun needs to be high up in the sky, high enough so that your shadow is shorter than you. If your shadow is longer than you, the sun isn’t intense enough to help your body make vitamin D. Midday sun exposure is best; this is when the sun is high and your shadow is shorter than you are.

5. You don’t need to burn to make vitamin D.

To make good amounts of vitamin D, you should spend half the time out in the sun that it would take for your skin to turn pink.

6. Vitamin D supplements are a good option in the wintertime to get the vitamin D you need.

In the northern hemisphere, the sun starts focusing more on the southern hemisphere. The sun’s rays strike the northern hemisphere at a different angle, an angle that isn’t quite as intense as during the summer. In consequence, your body has a harder time making vitamin D in the winter compared to the summer. The further north you live, the more difficult it is to make vitamin D in the winter.

Remember you can always check to see if you’re making vitamin D by looking at your shadow. If it’s longer than you, you aren’t making much vitamin D. And in the winter, your shadow is often longer than you.

Have no fear that you can’t make vitamin D! Vitamin D supplements are a good option in the wintertime. Low-pressure sunbeds and UV light units are also options to help you make vitamin D during the winter.

7. Vitamin D is important for many things, including your bones, heart, respiratory system, brain, and likely cancer prevention.

Scientists are still discovering the effects of vitamin D on disease prevention, but researchers believe it may play a central role in preventing autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and type I diabetes, preventing cancers like breast and colon, and keeping the heart healthy, by influencing muscle function and hormones involved in heart health.

8. Consider getting tested for vitamin D, to see if you’re getting enough.

Vitamin D tests are pretty easy. You can ask your doctor to add it to your next routine blood panel, or you can order an in-home test online through the Vitamin D Council.

While not all doctors agree how much vitamin D you need, a group of 42 of the world’s top vitamin D researchers think the optimal vitamin D level is between 100-150 nmol/l, a level the majority of northern populations fall well below. You can visit the Vitamin D Council site right below for more information.

To learn more about vitamin D, please visit www.vitamindcouncil.org, wwww.vitamindsociety.org and www.grassrootshealth.net.

Step two: Educate and participate

Take action! Use these ideas for activities to help educate your friends and family and get them involved this Vitamin D Day.

Individuals

If you can get out in the sun, take a midday walk or eat your lunch outside (between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM) and expose your legs, face and arms to the sun for a safe, sensible amount of time
Pledge to support and spread the Vitamin D Day message
Print out the Sunshine Calendar. Use it to keep track of when you will be able to produce vitamin D from the sun
Read a book from this Fall’s Vitamin D Reading List
Show off your support for vitamin D with a Vitamin D Geek t-shirt
Challenge yourself to learn one new fact related to vitamin D every day
Measure your vitamin D levels with an in-home test or by visiting your doctor so you know your levels going into winter
Print out the Taking Matters into your own Hands PDF to get some quick tips on how to become vitamin D sufficient.
Share what you did on Vitamin D Day through social media using #VitaminDDay

Families

Have your family take the vitamin D quiz. Use it as a fun way to help yourself and them know if they are getting enough vitamin D
If you can get out in the sun, plan a picnic, take a bike ride, or go on a hike with your family and get safe sun exposure
Pledge to support and spread the Vitamin D Day message
Hang up the Sunshine Calendar in your home so your family knows when they can make vitamin D from the sun
Choose a book to read together as a family. If you have young children, read a book aloud. If your children are teenagers, choose a book to discuss and evaluate together.
If you can get out in the sun, purchase a UVA+B monitor for your whole family so they can practice safe sun exposure.
Create a scavenger hunt for your children in your home or outside and include vitamin D facts on each clue
Take the Vitamin D Challenge with your family
Ensure you and your family have adequate vitamin D levels heading into winter with an in-home vitamin D test kit
Share what you and your family did on Vitamin D Day through social media using #VitaminDDay

Schools

If you can go out in the sun, teach your students about their shadow. If it is shorter than they are tall, then they are making vitamin D from the sun
Print out the Sunshine Calendar for your students so they can know when they can make vitamin D from the sun
Read a vitamin D fact each day in the morning announcements
If you can go out in the sun, plan a class picnic or encourage students to eat their lunch outside
Go through the vitamin D quiz with your class as a fun way to help them know if they are getting enough vitamin D
Share what you and your students did on Vitamin D Day through social media using #VitaminDDay

Workplace

Host a coffee or tea break, print out materials and educate your coworkers on the importance of vitamin D
Pledge to support and spread the Vitamin D Day message
If you can go out in the sun, organize an outdoor picnic with your coworkers or walk to your favorite restaurant during the week
Post the Sunshine Calendar in your break room so you and your coworkers are aware of when you can make vitamin D from the sun
Encourage your coworkers to take the Vitamin D Challenge
If you can go out in the sun, organize a workplace hike or beach day on Vitamin D Day
Include vitamin D information and facts in your company’s newsletter or next memo
Share what you and your coworkers did on Vitamin D Day through social media using #VitaminDDay