Vitamin D is extremely important for our health. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that increases the resistance of our immune system against various viruses and pathogenic bacteria. Vitamin D suppresses the development of autoimmune diseases and helps the pancreas to produce insulin. Combined the two substances play a major role against the development of diabetes.

The main function of vitamin D is also to regulate the metabolism of the minerals calcium and phosphorus in the body, thus it is one of the most important elements for maintaining healthy bones and teeth.

How to get vitamin D from the sun?

Our body only produces vitamin D by synthesizing it directly from the sun's rays that fall on our skin. We can also get the vitamin from special vitamin D3 supplements in the form of tablets or capsules, which are especially recommended during the winter months, when the sun rarely appears above the horizon and it is difficult to get the vitamin from it.

To get vitamin D directly from the sun, we just need to spend enough time under the light and heat of its rays (we can not get vitamin D through the window). In the summer, this can be done very quickly and easily. We do not need to bask for a long time or get a tan to provide the necessary daily doses of the important vitamin. 15 minutes to half an hour during the summer months is enough for almost every one of us, which means nothing more than a simple walk during the day.

Exactly how much vitamin D we get from the sun depends on the individuality of our skin. The lighter our skin, the faster we synthesize the vitamin from the sun's ultraviolet rays. Conversely, the darker the skin and the easier it is to tan, the longer it takes to get vitamin D. In addition, the larger the area of ​​our skin we expose to the sun, the more vitamin D is produced by our body.

When is the best time of day to get vitamin D from the sun?

When the sun's rays enter the Earth's atmosphere at a smaller angle, it blocks the type B (UVB) ultraviolet radiation needed to synthesize vitamin D from our body. This happens in the early and late hours of the day, so the best time for us is between 11 and 3 in the afternoon. The closer to noon, the better the angle at which the sun's rays fall and vitamin D is produced. If when standing under the sun your shade is longer than your full-length body, then you are not producing a large amount of vitamin D. You may notice that in winter your shade is longer than your body almost all day, while in summer your shade is quite shorter for hours in the middle of the day.