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Despite the fact that we live in one of the highest UV environments in the world,
in recent years, the number of people diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency is actually on the increase.
Starting at the very beginning, why does the body need Vitamin D?
The body needs Vitamin D for, basically for bone and muscle function.
The thing that Vitamin D does is help you absorb calcium
and we know that you need decent levels of Vitamin D to have normal muscle function.
So how does the Sun help the body make Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is not really a vitamin, because you can make it in your skin.
So this is chemical that we all have in our skin and when it absorbs energy from the Sun,
it gets converted into Vitamin D which is then absorbed into the body.
So what happens if our body don’t actually have Vitamin D?
If you’ve got a moderately low Vitamin D, you might know absolutely nothing about it.
If you’ve got severe low levels of Vitamin D,
you are at much greater risks of having falls and fractures that’s bad news for bones and muscles in particular.
That’s if you’re able to get up from the chair in the first place.
It just doesn’t make sense; we are the sunburnt country and yet we’re Vitamin D deficient.
Yeah, well, look where we are.
Good point.
We are indoors a lot of the time
and we know that that’s likely to be the big factor
because kids age 7
have plenty of Vitamin D,
same kids at 14
have about half the levels.
They’re on their nitendos inside.
Yeah, that’s what we kinda assumed.
So if you are diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency, what do you do?
If you’re actually able to get outside,
then there’s the “Get Alive” option.
Actually, getting out a few days or—
Would you write me a script for that? Just get alive!
Get out a little bit more, if you possibly can.
Okay, and the other thing is that any old sunlight won’t do.
You’ve gotta have enough Sun energy in the Sun to make Vitamin D.
So if you go for a run, 6 o’clock in the morning, do great things for your cardiovascular system but you won’t make Vitamin D.
So you need that energetic sun.
It’s a little bit of conflict with the Cancer council and Vitamin D.
How do you merry the two?
There isn’t really a conflict.
Sunlight, like everything else, should be enjoyed in moderation.
A few minutes, morning till you’re afternoon tea time in Summer is fine.
But don’t stay out there too long, because where Skin cancer is the capital of the world.
The sunlight, if you stay out too long, actually starts breaking down the Vitamin D, so it’s not so good for the Vitamin D either.
And the amount of time that you need to be outside varies wherever you are in the country.
So in Cannes, it’s about 7 minutes.
Down in Melbourne, it’s about 30 minutes.
For 347 days.
So if we had a streak at the cricket, we can say
“Well, Your Honor, I was just trying to get some Vitamin D.”
Exactly, because if you expose the whole body, streaking, you only need a couple of minutes.
Just summing up, what advice would you give people about Vitamin D?
If you’re able to go outside moderation and everything, a little bit but not too much.
Clearly there are some people for whom telling to get outside is not an option they seek.
Older people find it hard to get outside.
There are some cultures or cultural rules that cannot, you know,
don’t want to uncover skin, then supplements are not a bad way to go.
So if you are concerned of your Vitamin D levels,
make sure you do speak to your doctor, and remember, you don’t want to get sunburnt.
So get your daily dose early in the morning, or late in the afternoon.