Good news!

Recent studies show that sunlight exposure may actually reduce the risk of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is a nervous system disease that affects the brain and the spinal cord. It damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects your nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks the messages between the brain and the body, leading to the symptoms of MS. Although it has been though to occur mainly among adults, more and more adolescents and children are being diagnosed with MS.

There is no cure for MS. However, recent studies show evidence that MS can be prevented by exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency which is caused by lack of exposure to sunlight has been suggested as a probable cause of MS. This is most likely the reason why MS is rare in tropical countries. Animal studies also showed that an injection of Vitamin D3 can prevent MS in animals but is accelerated in animals deficient in Vitamin D. The researchers concluded that vitamin D supplementation, at levels higher than are currently recommended by the Institute of Medicine, may help to reduce the risk of MS.

Some famous people who have MS are Richard Pryor (actor), Dan Carnevale (footballer), Teri Garr (actress), Judy Graham (author), Marianne Gingrich (ex-wife of Newt Gingrich), and Alan Osmond (of the Osmond brothers).

Sources:

Semininars in Neurology 2008;69-83

Seminars in Neurology 2008; 28: 17-28Mult-sclerosis.org

Exposure to sunlight may reduce kid?s chances of becoming short-sighted. Australian researchers found that exposure to sunlight may reduce incidence of myopia, a condition caused by excessive eye growth. It seems that sunlight exposure encourages the release of dopamine which inhibits eye growth and reduces the chances of shortsightedness.

According to Dr Ian Morgan of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Vision Science, there has been a dramatic increase in myopia incidence in East Asia during the past 30 years. Ninety percent of young males in Singapore are now myopic compared to 20 to 30% in 1960s and 70s. Incidence of myopia is not directly related to ethnicity since Indians growing up in Singapore are as myopic as the Chinese and Malay populations.

Research findings showed that myopia incidence is 10 times higher among Chinese children living in Singapore compared to those living in Sydney. The Sydney-based children spend more time in near-work activity, reading twice as many books per week. However, the key difference was that Sydney-based children stay outside almost four times longer than their Singapore counterparts. This suggests that children who spend more time outdoors are less prone to myopia, thus, outdoor activities should be used as a public health strategy for preventing the disease.

Source:

ABC News 5 Dec 2007.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding at this time of the year, you better stock up on your vitamin D supplements. Sunlight exposure is a good source of vitamin D however, those of you living in the colder regions won’t be seeing much of it for the next few months because of the winter season. Occasional peeks from the sun may not provide the dosage of Vitamin D necessary to benefit pregnant women and women who are nursing.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B rays. It plays an important role in the maintenance of the body’s system. It regulates calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood to maximize absorption in the body. It also promotes bone formation and helps in strengthening the body’s immune system.

There are very few foods which naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. These include fish liver oil, fatty fish oils which are found in salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna and eel, mushrooms and egg. Most of the dietary sources of vitamin D come in fortified form hence we have fortified milk, soy milk, cereals and the like.

The U.S. Department of Health strongly encourages pregnant and breastfeeding women to take Vitamin D supplements in the winter months to ensure that babies will not develop rickets or seizure. The Department has also noted a rise in the number of cases of Vitamin D deficiency among children in Asia, the Middle East, and in the Afro-Carribean regions. This is due to the fact that skin color also influences vitamin D absorption. The darker the skin, the less sunlight is absorbed. But fret not, the deficiency can also be remedied by taking Vitamin D supplements.