Vitamin D awareness week
It has been estimated that 1 billion people worldwide have a vitamin D defi ciency (4). What does this actually mean, and how does it effect you? The issue of vitamin D deficiency is becoming more significant and an area of diet and nutrition we must address. We should not be allowed to be kept in the dark any longer.....
Read on and allow us to show you the light!
Since 1990 The Tanning Shop has been promoting a responsible approach to UV exposure, both indoor and outdoor. For us, wellness is as important as how you look. We have always tried to educate and inform our customers about the benefits of UV light and in particular, vitamin D production. Tanning is fun, and most importantly makes you look and feel good too! How fantastic is that!
Tanning is fun, and most importantly makes you look and feel good too! How fantastic is that!!
Vitamin D is both a vitamin and pro-hormone and is rarely found in natural foods. It is manufactured in the skin when exposed to sunlight, yet today we are developing an ever increasing rate of deficiency as our diets change and modern, stressful lives keep us indoor for longer. (1)
Why is vitamin D so important?
Vitamin D is vital for our health, without vitamin D we cannot survive as a species. “The importance of vitamin D for people in the UK has been recognised by Bupa, Britain’s biggest supplier of private healthcare. Bupa’s expert assessment, made “after analysing years of independent research”, is that: “Vitamin D helps protect against certain cancers such as breast, bowel, prostate and colon. For people to obtain enough vitamin D naturally, they need to expose their skin to lots of summer sun.” (3)
“The Government and Cancer Research UK have until recently warned only of risks of sun exposure while largely ignoring the benefi ts.” (3) This has now been changed. Cancer research UK are now advocating exposure to sunlight around noon without the use of sun cream. (2)
Vitamin D defi ciency has been linked to a growing
number of health conditions: (4)
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Muscle weakness
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Cardiovascular diseases
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Multiple sclerosis
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Diabetes Type 1 & 2
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Depression
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Immune system problems
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Internal Cancers
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Obesity problems
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Osteoporosis and hip fracture
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Bone disease and Dental decay
How does this affect us in the UK?
The English language has 32 words for rain and another 12 for cloud or fog! Feeling left out of the light? Here in the UK it will come as no surprise a lack of sunlight leads to increased vitamin D deficiency.
We have less sun exposure in our modern lives. Is this your lifestyle?
“Few other foods contain much vitamin D. There are small amounts in eggs, meat and margarine, but it is impossible for people with typical modern diets to get more than about 5% of the vitamin D they need for optimum health from food. So in Britain we are dependent on the sun for our vitamin D.” (3)
Are sunbeds a viable supplement?
It is called ‘The Sunshine Vitamin’for a reason!
According to Canadian research published in the journal Public Health, by Edmonton vitamin D researcher Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg, regular sunbed users and those who take high-dosage vitamin D supplements, have the highest vitamin D levels in Canada . Those who do not take supplements and who report receiving minimal sun exposure had the lowest vitamin D levels. (5)
“It is called ‘The Sunshine Vitamin’ for a reason,” says Joint Canadian Tanning Association Director Steven Gilroy. “Over 90 per cent of sunbeds in use today mimic UVB and UVA in summer sun, which is why sunbed users make vitamin D as a by-product of their tanning sessions. Many sunbathe primarily for that reason.” (5)
A single sunbed session can trigger the production of up to 20,000 IU of vitamin D in the skin in a single visit — 200 times what is present in an
8-ounce glass of whole milk. (5)
“Almost half of sunbed centres in the USA say that more doctors are utilizing tanning services in the past year according to a SmartTan.com survey conducted this month — another indication that many in the medical community are catching on to a balanced message about UV exposure.” (6)
The Tanning Shop teaches sunburnprevention instead of sun abstinence.
You will be aware that sunbeds have attracted a lot of negative media attention; however as with anything there are always two sides to any story. Quite simply the use of sunbeds and exposure to UV light is not the danger. Most sensible people recognize that it is the abuse of sunbeds that is the problem. The philosophy of The Tanning Shop is that UV light is a vital ingredient to general well being; abstinence potentially can be more harmful than the moderate risk associated with UV exposure. What’s more, we are currently upgrading all our equipment to ensure we are 0.3 euro norm compliant, meaning our sunbeds will provide the equivalent exposure to the midday Mediterranean sun - how good is that!
Free Tanning Day is Available at the following locations:
• Chatham
• Chiswick
• Clapham Junction
• Derby
• Fulham
• Guildford
• Hammersmtih
• Harrow
• High Wycombe
• Holborn
• Islington
• Kings Cross
• Kings Road
• Leeds
• Leicester
• Lincoln
• London Bridge
• Luton
• Manchester
• Milton Keynes
• Nothampton
• Nottingham
• Oxford
• Oxford Circus
• Palmer St
• Peterborough
• Putney
• Richmond
• Victoria
References:
(1) Vieth R Vitamin D supplementation.Am J Clin Nutr 1999 May: 69 (5): 842-56
(2) CancerresearchUK.com (2009) Vitamin D
consensus statement.
(3) Gillie O. Sunlight robbery: A critique of public
health policy on vitamin D in the UK . Mol Nutr
Food Res 2010. 54 (1-16).
(4) Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D. The UV
advantage. 2007.
(5) JCTA (2010) Sunbed users tops in ‘D’ levels:
Study. Smarttan.com
(6) Smarttan.com. (2010) Doctors Flocking to
sunbeds: Survey.
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