FOUR IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF VITAMIN D IN THE BODY We live is a society that fears the sun. We hear medical advice saying that sun exposure leads to skin cancer. This has led to a many people wearing sunscreen when they are outdoors, covering up when they are outside in the sun or avoiding going in the sunlight altogether. Let’s expose the truth on this topic and really understand the facts. Overexposure to the sun leading to repeated sunburns does put us at risk of skin cancer, but if we are not getting enough sunlight to manufacture Vitamin D in the skin, low vitamin D levels are associated with many health conditions including heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, depression, dementia, and leaky gut syndrome. The UVB rays in sunlight interact with cholesterol in the skin and convert it to vitamin D in the body. The other problem is that most sunscreens are filled with toxic chemicals that get absorbed into the bloodstream and can cause various health issues in the body, including cancer. Some of the most problematic chemicals are oxybenzone which absorbs UV light but is a hormone disruptor and causes cell damage, retinyl palmitate (vitamin A derivative) when exposed to sun increases malignant cells, parabens are a synthetic preservative that is a hormone disruptor, phthalates are a synthetic preservative in many fragrances that is carcinogenic and a hormone disruptor. Perhaps the advice to completely avoid the sun (and deplete your vitamin D stores) and put on (toxic) sunscreen may be putting you at more risk than the sun itself.
Dr. Melina Roberts (@drmelinaroberts) is a Naturopathic Doctor, Author of Building a Healthy Child and Clinic Director of Advanced Naturopathic Medical Centre in Calgary. She is a leading authority in the field of naturopathic medicine specializing in European Biological Medicine effectively treating digestive issues, chronic disease and cancer.