Vitamin D: The Sunshine Hormone That Fights Cancer

Vitamin D, more commonly recognized as the hero for maintaining bone health, is also a ferocious enemy of cancer.

Where you live can have a big impact on the levels of sunlight you should be getting. Luigi Estuye/Unsplash

And the first tip is to step outside your door.

Location, Location, LocationThe amount of Vitamin D that our bodies can produce is keenly dependent on the latitude at which we live and the amount of sun exposure we get on a daily basis. Studies show that those who live in northern latitudes and colder climates have a higher risk of developing cancer than those who live in warmer climates and southern latitudes.

If you live north of 37 degrees latitude (anywhere north of Los Angeles, California, for example), then your ability to generate vitamin D from November to March is negligible and you should consider additional ways to obtain optimal amounts of this vital nutrient.

Here is a handy “sunshine calendar” that will help you determine if you’re living in a geographical area where sunlight is enough to promote vitamin D along with the optimum time of day for adequate exposure.

How Much Is Enough?

As I wrote in my book, I Used To Have Cancer, it takes about twenty minutes of sunlight daily to optimize your vitamin D levels. You need enough sun exposure to turn your skin a light shade of pink, which means you will produce about 20,000 units of vitamin D. Longer exposures will not necessarily produce any additional vitamin D.

Your body requires different amounts of vitamin D at different ages. But getting a daily dose of direct sunlight everyday is a great idea. Dan Burton/ Unsplash

If you’re over age 65, you typically produce only about one quarter of Vitamin D as younger people do. And those with dark complexions (such as African Americans) average about half as much Vitamin D in blood tests as do Caucasians.

You’ll want to expose as much of your skin as possible to the sun. And you’ll want to ditch the sunscreen when you’re outdoors getting your daily dose of Vitamin D, as it inhibits absorption of the sun’s rays. Do beware of commercial sunscreens, as many contain harmful chemicals that are directly absorbed into the skin, your body’s largest organ.

Plan your outdoor sunlight exposure from 10 am until 2 pm local time, or when your shadow is shorter than you.

Know Your Vitamin D Serum Blood Level

As with anything else, it’s important to know where your starting point is. What is your vitamin D serum level right now? Find out with a very simple blood test that your healthcare practitioner can order for you.

Vitamin D researchers recommend a serum level of 40-60 ng/ml, but your healthcare provider will be able to determine what is right for you.

Foods and Supplements

The recommended daily value (DV) of vitamin D is a minimum of 800 IU per day. If you are unable to get adequate sunlight daily whether due to your location or your circumstances (if you’re housebound, for example), your supplemental vitamin D intake should be a minimum of 1,000 IU daily.

In addition to sunlight, you can also get vitamin D from various foods including certain fish and mushrooms. Caroline Attwood/Unsplash

Food sources of vitamin D include:

• Pasture-raised eggs (one egg yolk contains 37 IU of vitamin D, or 5% of the DV)
• Wild-caught salmon (contains about 988 IU of vitamin D per serving, or 124% of the DV)
• Fresh herring (provides 216 IU per 3.5-ounce serving, or 27% of the DV)
• Canned sardines (one 3.8 oz. can of sardines contains 177 IU, or 22% of the DV)
• Wild shiitake and button mushrooms (contain up to 2,300 IU per 3.5-ounce serving, nearly three times the DV)

James Templeton founded Uni Key Health Systems in 1992 and now the Templeton Wellness Foundation as a way of giving back and helping others achieve the health and wellness they are seeking.

This article was originally published on the Templeton Wellness Foundation website.