{"id":9288,"date":"2021-06-22T18:43:26","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T18:43:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.digitalschools.com.au\/?p=9288"},"modified":"2026-04-15T19:39:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T19:39:18","slug":"vitamin-d-the-benefits-of-a-daily-dose-of-sunshine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wandinnorthps.vic.edu.au\/upschool\/guest-contributors\/vitamin-d-the-benefits-of-a-daily-dose-of-sunshine\/","title":{"rendered":"Vitamin D – the benefits of a daily dose of sunshine"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Vitamin D - the benefits of a daily dose of sunshine
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We all know sunlight is good for us, and we all know that it gives us Vitamin D, and even the idea of a day spent outdoors in bright warm weather is enough to make us feel good.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

We are a continent wrapped in a blanket of searingly high UVA and UVB rays, and health experts heavily caution us never to bake in the sun, for the risk of skin cancer is very real.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>But is our effort to avoid premature ageing and skin cancer making us sick in other ways?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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It’s Winter in Melbourne<\/h2>

It is now winter in Melbourne, and the sun is hidden in a perpetual blanket of grey.
It is a difficult time for many, as winter can trigger depression in those with lower levels of happy chemicals in their brain.
A natural booster to the missing sunlight therapy we all need to feel well and maintain mental equilibrium is Vitamin D.\u00a0
Doctors and pharmacists recommend soothing winter blues with extra Vitamin D during the winter months, but how much exactly should we take, and which of us really need it?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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It is estimated that at least 1 billion people don't get enough Vitamin D. Could the spike in depression, auto-immune diseases, and ADHD be related?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Australia is a sunbaked continent.<\/h2>

We have grown up being trained by mass media campaigns and schooling to be conscientious of our time in the sun. Our country is well known for a sun that bites, and to avoid the sting and agony of a summer sunburn, we vigilantly follow the advice of years and years of social conditioning to; “slip, slop slap”.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

Australian schools adopt a policy of – ‘no hat, no play! As the primary intervention for teaching a ‘Sun Safe’ attitude in a country with summers that can reach the high forties. The risks are high for many with fair skin as well as the elderly – but we need the sun to stay healthy and mentally balanced.\u00a0<\/p>

In\u00a0our efforts to protect our appearance and save lives – combined now with a dramatic shift in the way we live, socialise and work, Australians young and old are increasingly at risk of a Vitamin D deficiency.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Your Headaches Might Be a Vitamin Deficiency?<\/h2>

Vitamin D deficiency can cause depression, fatigue, body aches, headaches, insomnia, back pain, bone fractures and osteoporosis. Vitamin D is essential for healthy brain function, cellular renewal and memory and getting enough time outside can improve concentration and focus in kids with ADHD.<\/p>

Because Vitamin D is essential for a healthy immune system, without enough of it, you will get sick all the time and wounds on your body will take longer to heal. Lower Vitamin D makes you more susceptible to colds and flu, so it’s a good idea to get your Vitamin D checked by a doctor, especially if you live in a place like Melbourne, which has long grey winters and is further from the equator.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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How Much is Enough?<\/h2>

To get enough Vitamin D, we need at least 10 – 30min direct sun exposure daily (it depends where you live in the world). To gather Vitamin d from the sun, you need UVB, and to get that, you need to be outside; light filtered through glass only delivers UVA, which is only going to burn your skin.<\/p>

Other ways of introducing Vitamin D into the body are through a dietary supplement or eating foods like oily fish, beef liver and eggs.<\/p>

Watch the film to learn more.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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