| Sun is the free source of energy for us. In ancient | | | | atherosclerosis and the consequent heart attack. It |
| India, there was a custom of, "Surya Namaskara", | | | | reduces vascular resistance and thereby |
| the offering of prayer to Sun God, early in the | | | | hypertension. Vitamin D may ease autoimmune |
| morning; practiced by the saints to remain healthy; is | | | | disease like multiple sclerosis. |
| seldom practiced now-a-days. The air conditioned | | | | Its role in respiratory health has been confirmed, |
| cars, heavily curtained offices and busy life styles | | | | researchers say. This action helps patients of asthma |
| seldom give chance to sun rays to fall on our skin. | | | | and other obstructive lung diseases. The expiration |
| The over protected children of ours prefer more to | | | | eases due to relaxation of muscles in respiratory |
| remain indoors, engage themselves in study, | | | | tract and symptoms of airway obstruction decreases. |
| computers and televisions; than to go outdoors and | | | | It makes the respiratory epithelium more sensitive to |
| play. Whatever sun exposure comes cannot act on | | | | steroid which is the mainstay of treatment in acute |
| our skin due to over use of sun screens. Exposure to | | | | attack of asthma and may actually help the cells to |
| sun rays diminishes further in the winter and | | | | fight the bacterial infection. |
| particularly in the regions of higher latitudes. In the | | | | Vitamin D also reduces insulin resistance and |
| equators, excessive pigmentation in skin acts as an | | | | pancreatic epithelial cell inflammation in type II |
| effective sun screen and prevents ultraviolet rays | | | | diabetes; and improves glycemic control. |
| reaching the interior of skin. These are responsible for | | | | It may be helpful in the treating tuberculosis. Makes |
| low vitamin D level in the blood, as this vitamin is | | | | lymphomas more sensitive to the chemotherapy; |
| synthesized in the skin by the effect of ultraviolet | | | | may also prevent prostate, breast, pancreas, ovary |
| rays from sun. | | | | and colon cancers. |
| There are mounting evidences to show that Low | | | | All these good effects to take place may require a |
| vitamin D level may be responsible for a host of | | | | high blood level of vitamin D around 50 nanograms |
| diseases both in adult and children. The diseases | | | | per liter. A level less than 25 ngms/Liter may be |
| range from benign to malignant ones. Traditionally, | | | | responsible for aggression of diseases mentioned |
| vitamin D is linked to calcium absorption from gut and | | | | earlier; and diseases like rickets and osteomalacia. A |
| its metabolism in the body; but now it has been seen | | | | dose of 400 IU for people aged below 60 years and |
| to be responsible for a number of processes in the | | | | 600 IU after that may be sufficient to maintain good |
| body, controlling about 200 genes. | | | | vitamin D level in blood. |
| Vitamin D is responsible for keeping integrity of | | | | It is available from foods like fish oils, green chilies |
| epithelial cells intact; maintaining cell to cell | | | | and eggs. Vitamin D fortified foods are now available |
| communication live. It also keeps timing of cell death | | | | for consumption, but not everywhere. Moreover, it is |
| regulated, thereby preventing autonomy in cell | | | | freely available from sun. An exposure of 10 minutes |
| proliferation. It works to reduce inflammation in the | | | | to 30 minutes under intense sun (10 AM to 3 PM) |
| endothelium generated from various processes. Its | | | | with exposed limbs may be sufficient to have good |
| anti-inflammatory action on vascular endothelium | | | | amount of vitamin D synthesized in our skin. |
| decreases the chances of atheroma, a plaque | | | | A word of caution; overexposure to sun may lead to |
| composed of bad fat, calcium and some other call | | | | sun burn and more dreaded skin cancers from UV |
| components; building up in endothelial cells. This | | | | rays. |
| prevents blockade of blood supply to heart from | | | | |