Sunlight contains vitamin D which plays an important role in maintaining a healthy body, especially bones. More precisely, sun exposure is needed by the body to form vitamin D naturally.
When the skin is exposed to direct sunlight, the body will produce vitamin D by burning cholesterol in skin cells. This is why, the right amount of sun exposure is considered very important for maintaining vitamin D levels in the body.
Apart from sunlight, you can also get vitamin D from certain foods, such as fish, eggs, and milk and processed products (cheese and yogurt). Vitamin D can also be obtained from vitamin D supplements and fish oil.
Tracing the Benefits of Sunlight
Sufficient sunlight can stimulate the production of natural vitamin D in the body. This fat soluble vitamin contained in sunlight has many functions, including:
- Helps absorb calcium and phosphorus
- Helps the growth and development of bones and teeth
- Maintaining muscle health
- Improve mood and prevent depression
- Maintaining heart health
- Make the immune system work normally
List of Diseases due to Vitamin D Deficiency
Sunlight contains vitamins that are needed by the body. If lack of sunlight, the body will have difficulty producing vitamin D. As a result, various health problems will come.
Some diseases that can arise due to lack of vitamin D are:
1. Arthritis (arthritis)
According to research, vitamin D deficiency is commonly experienced by people with arthritis or arthritis. One risk factor for developing this disease is the use of corticosteroid drugs in the long term. This drug can reduce levels of vitamin D and calcium in the body, thus making bones and joints become weak.
2. Bone disease
Vitamin D is useful for helping the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the body. Both of these minerals play an important role in maintaining the health and strength of your bones. If vitamin D intake is not met, the following bone diseases can occur to you:
- Osteoporosis, which is reduced or loss of bone density and strength. This disease makes the bones weak, thinning, aching or aching, and prone to fractures.
- Osteomalacia, a condition in which bones become soft. This disease can cause pain in the lower back, pelvis, hips, legs, and ribs. The pain can feel heavy after activity or at night.
3. Respiratory disorders
Vitamin D plays an important role in maintaining the immune system to be strong against viruses and bacteria that cause disease and infection. If your body is deficient in vitamin D, you can be susceptible to infectious diseases that attack the respiratory tract, such as flu and pneumonia.
4. Heart disease
Several medical studies so far have shown that people who are deficient in vitamin D are more prone to heart disease and hypertension. This is thought to be because low levels of vitamin D in the body can make a person more susceptible to inflammation which can damage blood vessels.
In addition, vitamin D deficiency can also increase renin levels, which are substances that contribute to raising blood pressure.
Because sunlight plays an important role in providing vitamin D, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that your skin be exposed to sunlight for about 5-15 minutes for 2-3 times a week. But, not recommended sunbathing at 10:00 to 16:00, because the skin will be more susceptible to burning.
Come on, maintain bone health from now on. Start by basking in the sun that contains vitamins in the morning, and eating foods high in vitamin D.
You are also advised to do a bone density test if your height has shrunk, have had a fracture, used corticosteroid drugs for a long time, have hormonal disorders, and have received organ transplantation or spinal cord.
To find out if your body has enough vitamin D, don't hesitate to consult a nutrition doctor.
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