Sun safety and the prevention of skin cancer is taken so seriously in Australia that it is the main focus of the Cancer Council, an independent advocacy, education, research and support organisation.
The Sun Sound was commissioned in 2009 and is used to remind people at the beach or the pool that they must reapply sunscreen regularly if they engaging in outdoor activities such as water sports.
Australian's are so conscious of the dangers of the sun that Vitamin D deficiency is common, with around 30% of the population affected. All you need to keep your Vitamin D dose up to recommended levels if you have pale skin is 20 minutes of sun per day (less in the middle of the day in summer) on the unprotected skin of your face and forearms. However, because of the heat and the risk of skin cancer, Australians tend to stay indoors or in the shade and habitually smear sunscreen on any exposed skin. It's a dilemma most people solve by taking an oral supplement, and the law now requires that oil based spreads are fortified with Vitamin D.
The consequences of Vitamin D deficiency are diseases of the bones such as rickets and osteoporosis, and it seems likely, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis and some cancers.
My own levels of Vitamin D are probably dismal, especially at the moment. Since we've been back I reckon we would be lucky to have had 10 hours of sunshine in 15 days. All over Europe there are record lows for January sunshine hours being recorded.
Fortunately, I love oily fish, which are an excellent dietary source of Vitamin D. We also eat other foods that will give you 10 - 20% of your daily requirements, such as raw milk, eggs and mushrooms.
Australian's are so conscious of the dangers of the sun that Vitamin D deficiency is common, with around 30% of the population affected. All you need to keep your Vitamin D dose up to recommended levels if you have pale skin is 20 minutes of sun per day (less in the middle of the day in summer) on the unprotected skin of your face and forearms. However, because of the heat and the risk of skin cancer, Australians tend to stay indoors or in the shade and habitually smear sunscreen on any exposed skin. It's a dilemma most people solve by taking an oral supplement, and the law now requires that oil based spreads are fortified with Vitamin D.
The consequences of Vitamin D deficiency are diseases of the bones such as rickets and osteoporosis, and it seems likely, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis and some cancers.
My own levels of Vitamin D are probably dismal, especially at the moment. Since we've been back I reckon we would be lucky to have had 10 hours of sunshine in 15 days. All over Europe there are record lows for January sunshine hours being recorded.
Fortunately, I love oily fish, which are an excellent dietary source of Vitamin D. We also eat other foods that will give you 10 - 20% of your daily requirements, such as raw milk, eggs and mushrooms.
5 comments:
It's a conundrum. During the sunny months I wear sunscreen whenever I'm going to be out for longer than 15 minutes, but otherwise I skip it. This time of year.... Hopeless. But your doc can give you the supplement for winter - ours does.
I'm experimenting with taking a supplement this year for the first time. I'm inclined not to believe in them, but we'll see how it goes.
the supplements do help my D was low and then I took 1000mg/day for a couple mos & it's back within normal.....I will keep taking ...in the summer I am out much more so possible can stop then...
Two years ago, my doctor suggested I take vitamin D supplements, because I don't get enough sun. Since then, I have been faithfully taking a pill every day. I haven't the slightest idea what the effect should be or how it would show, but better safe than sorry! I still eat fish and drink milk. Too much of a good thing?
A tricky choice. Probably better a diet rich in the foods which naturally contain or a supplement of the vitamin D than dealing with a cancer.
There hasn't been much sun around Stafford in the last month or so. However, we have noticed the nights 'drawing out'. Strange expression...
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