Is tanning that bad?

[Raven1]

The available supplements on the market are not metabolized by the body in the proper way to make a difference to the Vitamin D levels. As for getting it from "foods rich in vitamin D" think again. You could never eat enough of these foods to maintain proper levels. (and you don't want to get me started on the lack of nutrients in the food today) The vitamin D in milk is not natural and as such not metabolized properly to dramatically effect levels.

As with most things moderation is key. The amount of time spent in the sun is specific to an individual, but the important thing is to avoid a burn.

The chemicals and preservatives in sunscreen are carcinogens themselves, if you insist on sunscreen use something like coconut oil.

Firstly, talk to your doctor and TELL him/her that you would like a mineral/vitamin blood screen. You may have to pay for it as they aren't standard tests, but well worth the money to find out what you are lacking. We are all lacking in the vitamin and mineral department, but the medical community would rather give you a "pill" than offer you the chance to alter your diet or lifestyle.

[WeatherWoman]

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/a ... code=2zefr

This woman wants you to see what tanning did to her face

"This is what skin cancer treatment can look like," she said on Facebook when she first posted the picture on the right. "Wear sunscreen and get a spray tan. You only get one skin and you should take care of it. Learn from other people's mistakes."

[Silverstarqueen]

Saying that Vitamin D supplements are not absorbed by body is poor advice for people with fair skin who don't want to risk skin cancer. Take your advice from more reliable sources, such as the Vitamin D Council, which actually researches the many benefits of Vitamin D and how best to acquire it.

"You can also get vitamin D by taking supplements. This is a good way to get vitamin D if you can’t get enough sunlight, or if you’re worried about exposing your skin. Vitamin D3 is the best kind of supplement to take. It comes in a number of different forms, such as tablets and capsules, but it doesn’t matter what form you take, or what time of the day you take it.

Different organizations recommend different amounts of vitamin D supplement to take each day. The Vitamin D Council recommends taking larger amounts of vitamin D each day than other organizations, because smaller amounts aren’t enough to give you what your body needs. Most people can take vitamin D supplements with no problems. However, if you have certain health problems or take certain medicines, you may need to take extra care.

Your body gets most of the vitamins and minerals it needs from the foods that you eat. However, there are only a few foods that naturally contain any vitamin D. Most foods that contain vitamin D only have small amounts, so it’s almost impossible to get what your body needs just from food.

Because there are only small amounts of vitamin D in food there are only two sure ways to get enough vitamin D:

Exposing your bare skin to sunlight to get ultraviolet B (UVB).
Taking vitamin D3 supplements."
It is also helpful to get adequate magnesium since Vitamin D requires this mineral to do its work properly.