by Stephanie Carnes
OHN Contributor

Vitamin D deficiency is an epidemic in our modern society due to the widespread misinterpretation of UV ray exposure on our health. Safe amounts of UV exposure are key to optimizing Vitamin D levels in the body! If your vitamin D level has not been tested, you may have a serious risk of many health imbalances.

According to a research study from the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), 600,000 cases of breast and colorectal cancers could be prevented each year if vitamin D3 levels among populations worldwide were increased!

In addition to this vitamin’s positive effects on cancer, many other ailments could be improved and prevented if optimum levels were achieved such as:

• Depression & Alzheimer’s
• High Blood Pressure 
• Diabetes 
• Osteoporosis 
• Rickets 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis 
• Pain Relief 
• Immune function

How can I optimize my Vitamin D level? 

The best way to optimize Vitamin D is from natural sun exposure. This means getting outside and enjoying the rays, not from behind a window! Most windows filter sunlight only allowing UV-A rays to pass through, which does not create Vitamin D in the body. Only UV-B rays generate this vitamin after reacting with the cholesterol in our skin.

Secondly, a safe tanning bed is recommended during times of the year when sun exposure is limited, such as the Optimal Health Center Bronzing and Red Light Vitamin D Therapy Bed. With either approach, avoiding over exposure and sunburn is always advised. You may also have a need for Vitamin D supplementation depending on your test results and if UV exposure is a limited option.

How much Vitamin D do I need?

Tracking your vitamin D level is one of the easiest and most important ways to optimize your health! If you want to be healthy, you MUST be aware of your vitamin D level. It should never be below 32 ng/ml, and any levels below 20 ng/ml are considered seriously deficient increasing your risk for all of the above.

Vitamin D levels should be above 50 ng/ml (125 nmol/L) year-round in both children and adults. If you're still thinking about getting tested, make the choice for yourself and your family today by obtaining a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test, also called a 25(OH)D, from a medical clinic or the Optimal Health Center.

For additional information on the benefits of Vitamin D, get a free copy of The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D: an exclusive interview with Dr. Michael Holick by Mike Adams the Health Ranger.