The best source of Vitamin D and its benefits

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which is part of a family of compounds. These compounds include vitamins D1, D2, and D3. Vitamin D affects almost 2,000 genes in the body.

What are the benefits of Vitamin D?

1. Vitamin D is a very important but often overlooked vitamin that our body needs. Here are a few benefits of Vitamin D.
2. Vitamin D absorbs calcium
3. It brings a glow to your skin
4. It helps fight depression
5. It strengthen bones and teeth
6. It helps in reducing the risk of multiple sclerosis
7. Decreases the chances of a heart attack
8. It even helps protect you against the common cold and flu

In olden days, people did a lot of outside work and hence got a daily dose of Vitamin D from the sunlight. But over time, lifestyles have changed and people these days are often deficient in Vitamin D. Some of the reasons why people have a deficiency in Vitamin D are:

1. Staying indoors most of the time. Even when people go out, they get into air conditioned or heated cars, with their windows rolled up and many cars have tinted glass, making it impossible for the sun’s rays to reach them.
2. Most people work in air conditioned offices, under artificial light.
3. People don’t play outdoor games as much as they usd to.
4. For people living in cities, there is one more disadvantage. High rises block the sunlight from falling on their houses.

How does one get a good dose of Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is available in some fruits and vegetables, but in minimal amounts. Now, fortified foods add Vitamin D to their product to help people ensure that they get a good supply of this compound. The best way of getting free, healthy Vitamin D is by exposure to the sun. Here are some ideas on how you can get Vitamin D from the sun: 

1. Do some kind of outdoor activity. Yes, the exerc ise craze has caught on and the number of people hitting the gym is increasing everyday. But the gyms are temperature controlled and work under artificial light. It is good to go to the gym but instersperse your exercise with some outdoor activity like running, jogging, swimming, cycling etc, so that you have exposure to the sun. Early morning is the best time to soak in the rays of the rising sun.
2. Make sure that your home and office space are mostly lit up by natural sunlight during the day. Have large bay windows and use skylights to let natural light in
3. Consider investing in a daylighting system. They can fill your rooms with natural sunlight.

What should one know about daylighting systems?

Daylighting systems offer a lot of benefits and are a really good way to bring light into your home. Here are just a few of the multitude of reasons on why you should install a daylighting system 

1. You and your your family are exposed to natural light the whole day
2. In commercial places, it actually increases worker productivity
3. It is easy to install
4. There is no necessity to make structural changes
5. It catches the optimum light of the sun
6. It can be sent through the tubing to light even dark spaces like closets and corridors.
7. The reflecor in the roof dome is made of a material that absorbs as much of sunlnight as it can
8. It comes with a control switch so you can regulate the amount of light that comes into your home.

Where does one buy daylighting systems?

Sunlight Concepts, is the leading dealer for Solatube daylighting systems in the Bay Area. 

You can check out their websites at http://www.sunlightconcepts.com/.