Getting enough vitamin D can be a bit tricky and with so many "experts" pointing to using more sunscreen and avoiding the sun altogether, you may even be a little afraid of our natural sunlight. While too much sun exposure has been linked to melanoma, they've found that it is mostly the burns acquired in young adulthood that cause most melanomas.

More recently, science has also proved that it is not as simple as sun causing melanoma, but that a host of other things contribute to skin cancer as well, such as immune system dysfunction.

So, in order to put your fear at bay, it is important to understand why you should get 10 min. of sun exposure a day over your hands, face, and arms. Vitamin D (which comes from sunlight) is absolutely necessary for optimal body functioning and is an important steroid hormone that promotes health, strength, and well being. 

Today a lack of the vitamin has been linked to a host of other maladies, including cancers of the colon, prostate, and breast; tuberculosis; schizophrenia; multiple sclerosis; hip fractures; and chronic pain. How can one vitamin play a role in so many diverse illnesses? The answer seems to lie in the fact that most tissues and cells in the human body (and not just those in the intestine and bone that help fix calcium) have receptors for vitamin D, suggesting that the vitamin D is needed for overall optimal health. In addition, some cells carry enzymes for converting the circulating form of vitamin D to the active form, making it available in high concentrations to the tissues locally.

The recommended allowances are significantly increasing.

Currently, the median vitamin D intake of adult Americans is only about 230 IU a day; Lappe was prompted by the study’s findings to recommend the dose be increased to 1,500 to 2,000 IU. “It’s low risk, with maybe a high payoff,” she told the Canadian newspaper in June. Vitamin D comes from three sources: the sun’s ultraviolet (UV rays penetrating the skin, a few D-rich foods like fatty fish and some fortified foods, and supplements. The Canadian Paediatric Society has already recommended that pregnant or breast-feeding women get 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily.

And the benefits don't stop there. It may also reduce incidences of multiple sclerosis (MS) and reduce the risk of infections, tuberculosis, and influenza virus.

BTW, check out Miss Melanoma, she's a sweet girl who's been through quite a bit of suffering and is now on a personal journey of promoting melanoma awareness.

Get a little sunshine and a healthy dose of "D" to feel your best, today!