“I would challenge anyone to find an area or nutrient or any factor that has such consistent anti-cancer benefits as vitamin D. The data are really quite remarkable.” saysDr. Edward Giovannucci indicated.  He is a Vitamin D expert Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at the Harvard University School of Public Health.

February’s here and it’s black history month. It’s also cold, dry, and dark outside. If you haven’t been on vacation lately, it’s probably been a while since you’ve had a chance to soak up any sun. What do you say we brighten things up a bit with a sunny little article about vitamin D?

Vitamin D is one of the most unassuming vitamins that exists in the world today. It’s extremely powerful, yet hardly anybody makes a big deal about it. And that’s probably because it’s free. The body makes vitamin D naturally when skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from sun.

It’s extremely difficult to get enough vitamin D from your diet, even if you drink milk that is fortified with the vitamin. It would take drinking approximately 10 glasses of fortified milk every day in order to get close to the requirements. The only reliable way to get vitamin D is by allowing your skin to be exposed to the sun.

Did you know that people with dark skin need anywhere from 20-30 times more sun exposure in order to make the same amounts of vitamin D as a person who has lighter skin? The pigmentation in dark skin acts sort of like a natural sunscreen.

When you look at the history of people with darker skin and the typical weather in their countries of origin, you realize that having extra pigmentation in the skin would definitely come in handy. Tropical weather leads to a beautiful life in the sun with lots of skin exposure, and therefore, adequate amounts of vitamin D. The farther you live from the equator, the longer your skin needs to be exposed to the sun in order for you to make vitamin D. So what happens when a person with darker skin is no longer living in the homeland of their ancestors?

Canada, the United States, and the UK are far from the equator, and these populations often have to endure cold winters with very minimal skin exposure to the sun. One of the reasons colon cancer is so common among black men is because of vitamin D deficiency. The connection between vitamin D deficiency and cancer was first made by Drs. Frank and Cedric Garland of the University of California, San Diego. You can learn more about their findings from vitamindcouncil.org.

I promised you a sunny article, so let me give you some practical tips. Before making assumptions, you should pay a visit to your doctor. If you live in Canada, and you have dark skin, and you’re not taking any supplements, it’s pretty safe to say that there is a strong chance you may have a vitamin D deficiency. It’s extremely difficult to diagnose a vitamin D deficiency without a blood test. So when you go to see your doctor, tell him I said hello.

Once you get your results back, make a trip to your local health food store and pick up some Vitamin D3 if your blood levels are low. Vitamin D3 is much more easily absorbed by the body than Vitamin D2.

A vitamin D deficiency cannot be reversed overnight. It can take months to build your levels back up again, so it’s a good idea to visit your doctor to get your blood work done much sooner than later.

If you’re already taking vitamin D supplements, it would be wise to get your blood work done as well, just to make sure that you’re not getting too much. It is not possible for your body to generate too much vitamin D when you get it naturally through sun exposure. Our bodies have the ability to self regulate and it will only generate as much vitamin D as it needs when it comes from the sun. The same cannot be said for oral supplementation. Although it’s rare, it is possible to develop vitamin D toxicity.

I hope this article has helped you to become more aware of the connection between dark skin, cancer, and vitamin D. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me from my blog. We can set up a time for your free initial health consultation.

About the writer:

Rochelle Hanson is the author of the free ebook, Breaking Cravings. She is currently enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is studying to become a Health Coach. Rochelle offers practical tips on natural health and wellness both in this column and on her blog Simply Natural Ideas. Write to rochelle@simplynaturalideas.com for a free health consultation or connect with her on Facebook.

Internet site refererence: http://swaymag.ca/lifestyle/health/simply-natural-ideas-dark-skin-and-vitamin-d