Salute sun, gain vitamin D

Manama

 Running to hospitals is not rally necessary for every little deficiency issues your body faces. A leading physician of Bahrain suggests that the deficiency of Vitamin D, one of the most common health problems people face, can be treated by nature’s greatest doctor- the sun.

 Consultant Gynaecologist, Consultant Homeopath and Ozone Therapist at the Middle East Medical College, Dr. Syed Shamsuddin Babbar said that, women, who do not expose themselves to sun, are the major victims of vitamin D deficiency.

 Very few food items like oily fish, egg yolks, milk, orange juice, some breads and cereals contain vitamin D, he said adding that more than 90 per cent of the vitamin D comes from casual exposure to sunlight.

 Vitamin D deficiency among children not only causes a disease called rickets (bowed legs or knocked knees), but also could prevent children from reaching their genetically programmed height and peak bone mass.

 Among adults, vitamin D deficiency may cause diseases like osteoporosis, where bones break easily. On the other hand, intake of sufficient vitamin D helps in keeping in bay the ailments like heart disease and cancers of the breast, prostate and colon. Sunlight has other hidden benefits like protecting against depression, insomnia and overactive immune system, said Dr. Babbar, who is also a member of the European Cooperation of Medical Ozone Societies- Germany.

 Meanwhile, he asked people not to apply sunburn cream while exposing their body to sun. “The rays won’t reach your skin if the sunburn cream is applied,” he said.