Get More Sun and Live Longer

Almost half of the elderly population worldwide suffers from Vitamin D deficiency, when it is one of the easiest vitamins for our bodies to absorb. It's known as the sunshine vitamin, because the UV rays from the sun trigger its synthesis in our bodies. So not only does the sun make us feel nice and warm on the outside, it seems to trigger some important processes in our insides that make our bodies happier and healthier.

Researchers in Austria have discovered a link between Vitamin D deficiency and mortality rates among the elderly, especially when it comes to death due to heart disease. The deficiency also seems to be connected with several types of cancer and death in general, so it seems this is an extremely important vitamin to our bodies in more ways than one. It's long been known that getting enough Vitamin D is an important part of keeping bones strong and healthy, but now it seems that it plays a very important role in heart health, too. It's still unknown exactly what the connection between Vitamin D with heart disease, cancer, and death in general is, but it seems to also be an important part of keeping our immune systems strong, as well. So while how the sunshine vitamin exactly works in our bodies is unknown, these studies have shown that it is definitely helping us stay healthy somehow.

Some doctors believe that elderly patients should take Vitamin D supplements and that they don't get near enough in their diets (it's hard to get enough Vitamin D from food sources), but others warn that too much Vitamin D can be dangerous, too. So what's the best way to get enough?