The Importance of Vitamin D and Sunscreen

It is vital for our health to get a certain amount of Vitamin D daily, but so many of us overdo it in our many years leaving us looking leathery, wrinkly, and aged. Vitamin D is crucial to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Too little calcium and vitamin D can cause soft and brittle bones, leaving them fragile and misshapen. There are other health reasons why Vitamin D is important such as protection from heart disease, prostate, colon, and breast cancers, and even mental illnesses such as depression, but the sun's UV rays are also very dangerous for our skin's health. Too much sun exposure causes age spots which can cause cancer. The sun is responsible for most of the wrinkles and age spots on our bodies. Actually the color we get from the sun or tanning bed can accelerate the effects of aging which in turn make us a higher risk for skin cancer. It is very important to get 200IUs daily up to age 50, 400IUs from 50 to 70, and 600IUs daily for those over 70 years old. We should sit in the sun for about 20 minutes daily without using sunscreen, but this is about all it takes to get the necessary amount of the D vitamin. In the winter months we do need to use a supplement to make sure we are getting an optimal amount. Sunscreen is extremely important to put on our skin daily, even in the winter months. The wind and sun can even be harmful to our faces in the cold months. Wind chapped skin can be protected with sunscreen, as well. Even on a cloudy day, when we don't think it is possible to overdo it, we need sunscreen. Some of the worst sunburns happen on a cloudy day. Sunscreen is the most important anti-aging skin protectant. The ozone layer is depleting so therefore we aren't as shielded from harmful UV rays.  We need an additional protectant. Even some of the natural oils I have talked about previously, such as coconut oil, have a natural sun protectant when used on the skin. We obviously want to refrain from using those harmful chemicals on our bodies which most sunscreens contain, which is why we need to only use the organic, all natural sunblocks and sunscreens on the market. In order to keep our young skin and protect it from premature aging, blotchiness, brown spots, wrinkles, and skin cancer this is a very important part of our daily beauty regimen.