School paper talks about the importance of vitamin D in the winter months

• Vitamin D is one essential nutrient that goes by many names: Calciferol, viosterol and ergosterol.
• Under sunlight, ultra-violet sunrays react with the oils found on the skin to produce vitamin D. It is then absorbed and utilized by the body.
• When taken as a supplement or derived from food, the intestinal walls absorb it with the fats present in that environment.
• If you do not get enough from your diet, ten minutes of sun per day in the summer is enough to produce a supply that will last throughout the winter.
• The most important role of vitamin D is its relationship with two important minerals: Calcium and phosphorus.
• As mentioned previously, vitamin D plays an important role in the intestines.
• More importantly, this vitamin interacts with the fats found there to ensure that calcium and phosphorous are properly absorbed.
• Vitamin D also ensures that calcium is brought from the bones and into the blood.
• Finally, it ensures that the kidneys reabsorb the vitamin from the blood.
• Because of its interaction with these two minerals, this vitamin is essential for growing children to ensure strong teeth and healthy bones.
• Unfortunately, due to the large amount of smog and the increasingly thickening carbon dioxide deposits into the ozone layer, if you live within a busy city such as Toronto, it is important to acquire a supplement or to enrich your diet with foods high in this vitamin.
• Because of its role in keeping bones strong, growing children should increase their intake.
• Also, dark-skinned individuals should consider drinking a supplement or rearranging their diet.
• Other facts Each summer, there is an influx of information pointing to the negative effects of overexposure to sunlight.