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East Lancashire doctor's concerns over lack of vitamin D

DARK SKIES  A typically  sunless day in East Lancashire DARK SKIES A typically sunless day in East Lancashire

A TOP doctor is concerned that people in East Lancashire are not getting enough vitamin D, which is putting their health at risk.

Dr David Grimes, a consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, said a lack of vitamin D could be linked to multiple sclerosis and cancer.

He is author of the book Vitamin D and Cholesterol – The Importance of the Sun, which explores the benefits of vitamin D, which is found in sunshine and some foods.

According to research, a quarter of all toddlers in the UK are lacking the vitamin.

Vitamin D supplements are recommended for those at risk of deficiency, including all pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under five, and the elderly.

But research showns that 74 per cent of parents know nothing about the need for supplements and more than half of healthcare professionals were also unaware.

Dr Grimes, who has spent 20 years researching the issue, said: “All advice about avoiding the sun is a lot of nonsense.

“It is said the benefits of the sun outweigh the dangers by a factor of 10,000.

“A lack of Vitamin D is making people pre-disposed to conditions such as MS, diabetes, heart disease, cancer of breast or colon and chronic lung disease.”

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The people most at risk were those in the North West, especially in hilly areas – because of cloud cover – people from ethnic minorities and poor people.

The recommended daily amount was 2,000 international units and that supplements were available on prescription.

Dr Grimes said: “In Blackburn we have the highest uptake of Vitamin D supplement during pregnancy in the country. It's thanks to the Surestart Campaign and it’s very successful.”

He said there were still cases of the bone disease rickets in East Lancashire but there was no evidence to suggest it was escalating.

In the 60s there were clinics where people could get a dose of ultra violet light, but they went out with the decline of rickets.

Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said the Government would be reviewing the issue.

Comments(25)

Armchair Warrior says...
4:07pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Two cod liver oil capsules a day will give you all the vitamin D you need together with plenty of vitamin A - there cheap to buy too

Lifeinthemix says...
4:24pm Wed 25 Jan 12

the SUN, that's all you need

Izanears says...
4:29pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Lifeinthemix wrote:
the SUN, that's all you need
How can some people get the sun when they go out with their faces covered up!!

Dave_P says...
4:33pm Wed 25 Jan 12

stop using sun block and go out in the sun sensibly

sean_brfc says...
4:45pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Izanears wrote:
Lifeinthemix wrote:
the SUN, that's all you need
How can some people get the sun when they go out with their faces covered up!!
Hoodies?

kojak10 says...
5:06pm Wed 25 Jan 12

i had loads of sun throughout my life and still got Multiple Sclerosis. Wish to god i hadn't got it but hey we have to take what's thrown at us.

dom jolly says...
5:53pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Izanears wrote:
Lifeinthemix wrote: the SUN, that's all you need
How can some people get the sun when they go out with their faces covered up!!
LOLOLOLOLOLOL well said

Keep Darwen Green says...
5:54pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Lifeinthemix wrote:
the SUN, that's all you need
Thats okay but when can we have the sun round here, its always p1ssing down. Now if we got vitamin D through rain we'd all probably overdose

woolywords says...
7:18pm Wed 25 Jan 12

sean_brfc wrote:
Izanears wrote:
Lifeinthemix wrote:
the SUN, that's all you need
How can some people get the sun when they go out with their faces covered up!!
Hoodies?
I spawned two girls that loved going out plastered in make-up, rarely in daylight, apart from the 2 weeks 'family holiday', where they evaded the beach/poolside, 'because it's full of perverts'..
Painted the bedrooms in dark colours, rarely if ever, opened the blinds..
And when they became school-leavers, spent little or no time in the sunshine, except at sunset or dawn...as they were students.
And as for race, they only did it to the bathroom, when it was free, then 'camped' in there, for hours.

Absolutely love hearing them complain about thier own offspring habits...such an echo.

Armchair Warrior says...
7:27pm Wed 25 Jan 12

woolywords wrote:
sean_brfc wrote:
Izanears wrote:
Lifeinthemix wrote: the SUN, that's all you need
How can some people get the sun when they go out with their faces covered up!!
Hoodies?
I spawned two girls that loved going out plastered in make-up, rarely in daylight, apart from the 2 weeks 'family holiday', where they evaded the beach/poolside, 'because it's full of perverts'.. Painted the bedrooms in dark colours, rarely if ever, opened the blinds.. And when they became school-leavers, spent little or no time in the sunshine, except at sunset or dawn...as they were students. And as for race, they only did it to the bathroom, when it was free, then 'camped' in there, for hours. Absolutely love hearing them complain about thier own offspring habits...such an echo.
Don't understand any of your post at all - your not by any chance Mr blobby are you?

living the end times in BB1 says...
7:38pm Wed 25 Jan 12

woolywords wrote:
sean_brfc wrote:
Izanears wrote:
Lifeinthemix wrote:
the SUN, that's all you need
How can some people get the sun when they go out with their faces covered up!!
Hoodies?
I spawned two girls that loved going out plastered in make-up, rarely in daylight, apart from the 2 weeks 'family holiday', where they evaded the beach/poolside, 'because it's full of perverts'..
Painted the bedrooms in dark colours, rarely if ever, opened the blinds..
And when they became school-leavers, spent little or no time in the sunshine, except at sunset or dawn...as they were students.
And as for race, they only did it to the bathroom, when it was free, then 'camped' in there, for hours.

Absolutely love hearing them complain about thier own offspring habits...such an echo.
Weirdo...Check his hardrive.

j166429 says...
8:22pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Lifeinthemix wrote:
the SUN, that's all you need
I think that is the point of this story isn't it? There is a lack of the Sun in East Lancashie.

Lifeinthemix says...
8:27pm Wed 25 Jan 12

kojak10 wrote:
i had loads of sun throughout my life and still got Multiple Sclerosis. Wish to god i hadn't got it but hey we have to take what's thrown at us.
vaccinations bud, MS is a long term effect of your childhood vaccinations

Lifeinthemix says...
8:28pm Wed 25 Jan 12

j166429 wrote:
Lifeinthemix wrote:
the SUN, that's all you need
I think that is the point of this story isn't it? There is a lack of the Sun in East Lancashie.
yup which brings me to geoengineering and the barium release to block the sun for global warming....

did you know this you guys?

The chemical sprays are turming the soil ph in Alaska and everyhting is dying

BuckoTheMoose says...
9:33pm Wed 25 Jan 12

j166429 wrote:
Lifeinthemix wrote:
the SUN, that's all you need
I think that is the point of this story isn't it? There is a lack of the Sun in East Lancashie.
I don't think that's the point of the post. There is enough sun if you don't go out covered in a burka or cover your kids in sunblock because you are woried about the scare stories of skin cancer.
I think the point of the post is push more Government intervention which the health nannies just love.

woolywords says...
9:47pm Wed 25 Jan 12

the simple fact of it is, for those that do not know, the Sun is essential for life. The more that you are exposed to it, the better that you feel.
if you decide that this is a race thing, defeats me.
The best bit of the Sun is on early morning, it's rays on a certain level, hit your brain, even with your eyes closed.
Makes you feel good..

hairy mary says...
10:13pm Wed 25 Jan 12

the sun has got his hat on hip hip horray

Jerzei Balowski says...
10:36pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Why has the first comment by bikerjohn been deleted ? It quite rightly pointed out how ridiculous the statement within this article "vitamin D, which is found in sunshine" was. The scientific illiteracy of some people is incredible.

Lifeinthemix says...
12:56am Thu 26 Jan 12

I also allow the sun into my eyes for a few seconds i the morning and evening, works wonders...

kitchener2 says...
7:44am Thu 26 Jan 12

Lifeinthemix wrote:
kojak10 wrote: i had loads of sun throughout my life and still got Multiple Sclerosis. Wish to god i hadn't got it but hey we have to take what's thrown at us.
vaccinations bud, MS is a long term effect of your childhood vaccinations
Don't talk wet, if M.S. was caused by childhood vaccinations we'd have far more cases than the current UK total of 100,000. The fact is no one actually knows the real cause. Good luck with the fight kojak10 !

Lifeinthemix says...
10:52am Thu 26 Jan 12

they are not going to tell you what causes it are they when they can make a lot of money reckoning the are treating you.

its all about the money honey!

Noiticer says...
1:43pm Thu 26 Jan 12

The lack of Vitamin D is the price people pay for not allowing their children to play oudoors as much as they used to and by letting them eat too much junk and processed food. Likewise the Asian population whose ethnicity doesn't help them absorb as much Vitamin D compound this by covering their bodies to follow a archaic religious obligation which was drawn up for a religion originally based in the sunny, desert regions. When all these factors are added to the fact that we live in an often dull corner of northern Europe with limited winter sunshine there is an obvious danger of Vitamin D deficiency. The problem is largely in our hands.

vegeboy says...
8:07pm Thu 26 Jan 12

computers,indoor markets,shopping centres, sun block ,covering faces,bad diet,etc.all to blame
great photo by the way ,looks like friggin Gdansk, on a good day

Graham Hartley says...
2:16pm Fri 27 Jan 12

"...vitamin D, which is found in sunshine."

Dr Grimes is wrong to claim that vitamin D is found in sunshine. Ultraviolet radiation of the correct frequency range will promote D3 production in skin cells, but there is no vitamin D in the light.

Perhaps the LT reporter has misunderwritten Dr Grimes' words.

Graham Hartley says...
10:18pm Thu 2 Feb 12

"Dr Grimes, who has spent 20 years researching the issue, said: “All advice about avoiding the sun is a lot of nonsense."

A billion years or so hence - within one order of magnitude - the temperature on Earth will have increased so much that the planet's water will evaporate. This isn't a popularised, fanciful extension of the abuse by humans of natural resources; it's what is known about the life of stars. Avoid this 'lot of nonsense' if you can...

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