Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin.” ©John T. Andrews.
The astoundingly low levels of Vitamin D found in our nation’s children have garnered a lot of attention this week, due to the publication of two recent studies. In the past several days, news media such as The Washington Post, CBS News, and Time Magazine, among others, have released articles blaming the nutrient shortage on the increased hours today’s children spend watching TV and playing video games and on a tendency to drink soda instead of Vitamin D-fortified milk.
Often called the “sunshine vitamin,” Vitamin D could as easily be called the “outdoor vitamin.” For the past two weeks, articles in this column have looked at the health and environmental hazards our children are susceptible to if they have a reluctance to go outdoors, including attention deficit disorder and an underdeveloped conservation ethic. The evidence continues to build that nature travels can help us live longer, ailment-free lives and make us more responsible citizens toward the Earth.
Make sure your family gets a daily dose of the “outdoor vitamin.” ©John T. Andrews.
Read “Sending kids outdoors: a dose of nature may protect against health and environmental threats (#1) and (#2), then use the following list of Wisconsin science and nature centers to make sure your family enjoys taking a daily “outdoor vitamin” now and long into the future:
The Great Outdoors/Science & Nature Centers, provided by travelwisconsin.com
Looking for places to travel into nature? Check out these stories:
Hemlock Draw, Baraboo Hills
Olbrich Gardens Thai Pavilion and Bolz Conservatory, Madison
Henry Vilas Zoo, Madison
Muir Woods, University of Wisconsin-Madison
For More Info:
“Studies: Millions of U.S. kids Lacking Vitamin D” by Rob Stein, The Washington Post
“Kids Aren’t Getting Enough Vitamin D” by Kathleen Kingsbury, Time.com
Eco-Ethical Issues While Traveling Through Nature
Comments
It's kind of a catch 22 though, isn't it? They warn people to stay out of the sun because of skin cancer, but you also need the sun for Vitamin D!
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