Vitamin D

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is found in foods in two main forms, mostly as cholecalciferol and in small amounts as ergocalciferol. Vitamin D is converted into another (active) form in the liver and then undergoes further changes in the kidney. In this form it works as a hormone in controlling the amount of calcium absorbed by the intestine. Vitamin D is also made by the action of ultra violet rays on the skin and this is the most important source for the majority of people since few foods contain significant amounts of vitamin D.
Experts say going outside for 10-20 minutes in the midday sun—in shorts and a tank top with no sunscreen—will give you enough radiation to produce about 10,000 international units of the vitamin.

Sunbeds do not provide you with Vitamin D.

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis consider going to one of our remedial classes https://healthygenerations.org.uk/osteoporosis/ Instructor Petra Hind was trained at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London and we originally set the classes up after seeing research done at Loughborough University called the Hip Hop Study. They said, “The findings suggest that exercise could be used to target bone gains in areas of structural weakness. Further study found that the exercises also increased hip bone density in postmenopausal women.” Go to https://www.ncsem-em.org.uk/research/optimising-health-wellbeing/projects/the-hip-hop-study/ and have a look.

Vitamin D is essential for proper bone mineralisation. Poor diet or inadequate exposure to sun are viewed as the two main factors in Vitamin D deficiency.

VITAMIN D CONTENT OF SELECTED FOODS

(Average adult RDA is 400 IU, or 10 mcg)