Of Vitamin D, sun exposure and falls

      June 27, 2012 was a a tiring day, having arrived in Seoul, Korea after a midnight flight for a 2- day meeting. Sleepy and trying to get a bath and some sleep after, I slipped and fell in the bathroom, hitting the left side of my face against the tub, which opened a 1 cm gash just at the side of the left eyelid. In ten days, July 7, 2012, after celebrating my Mama's birthday, I fell down the stone steps of our boulevard in Dipolog City and landed on my buttocks and right side of the face.

     Series of falls like these, in a post-menopausal 56 year old female should alert one to the possibility of a significant decrease in the bulk of Type 2 skeletal muscles, which are the fast acting, quick response muscle groups - especially those in the thighs. Type 1 muscles are retained and give the bulk of our body, arms and legs as we grow older, but  are slower  in responding to changes in position and balance.

From: Microsoft clip art

      Type 2 muscle fibers are known to be maintained by many factors, among these - Vitamin D. One can have his/her blood Vitamin D levels checked and take a daily dose of Vitamin D per your doctor's prescription.

     Sun exposure activates skin Vitamin D and supplies us with ample levels to maintain our muscles, especially Type 2, and improve calcium absorption from our food - when we are younger. But as we age, this is not as efficient.

      Still for the young and not so young out there, have a 15 minute noontime sun exposure daily (if the sun is out) for your Vitamin D. Sorry, it's not the early morning sun as previously thought.

                                          Careful.....