Aluminum is one of the most recycled materials in America. The recycling rate for aluminum is at 70% and climbing, which helps keep it out of landfills. It’s also one of the most valuable materials to recycle, with scrap metal prices reaching $3 a pound in today’s market.

Given this great news about recycling aluminum and its value, why don’t we do more? One reason may be that we just aren’t very good at recycling yet. With these five tips, you can do your part and recycle more aluminum successfully.

Choose the right receptacle for collecting aluminum scrap.

The first step towards becoming an effective recycler of aluminum starts with choosing the right place for collecting aluminum pieces and scrap metal. Aluminum cans, for instance, are considered one of the most valuable types of aluminum to recycle. They are also relatively easy to store and transport due to their small size. As a result, they’re a great option for aluminum recycling at home through community curbside programs or at work in a dedicated recycling room or bin.

After sorting aluminum cans from other recyclable waste products and trash, the next step is to flatten them before taking them to the recycling center. Flattened cans weigh significantly less than intact ones and can be more easily sorted by machinery so that they can be melted and reused again in the future.

Know what you can recycle and where to recycle it.

Many people don’t realize that not all cans are recyclable. For example, American beer makers use non-recyclable steel cans instead of those made with aluminum. Liquor and wine bottles also aren’t made from recycled aluminum, so recycling these containers is not only a waste of valuable materials, but it’s harmful to the quality of new anode rods in aluminum smelters.

Recycle small pieces

Even the most minor pieces of aluminum can be recycled. The recycling process breaks down material through shredding, and small pieces help with the overall quality of the final product when they are melted down. Enough small pieces will even make up for a few large ones and won’t affect the price.

Know where your recycling is processed

If you’re selling aluminum pieces, you want to get the most money for your efforts. If your city doesn’t have an anode rod-making facility or an aluminum smelter within its limits, then the only marketable aluminum pieces may come from other towns. This means they’ll need more time to find buyers willing to pay more for this vital metal.

Recycle often and responsibly

If you’re trying to recycle large chunks of metal like radiators or filing cabinets, you might be surprised when they don’t get recycled. Aluminum can lose up to 80 percent of its value when shredded into pieces larger than six inches long. This means that if your friends help you out by bringing in their cans and other recyclable parts, you’ll benefit the most from their efforts.

These are just some of the best recycling tips you can do with aluminum. Be sure to recycle the right way and help save Mother Earth today.

Intro: Anime is a vast and popular genre of movies and television shows enjoyed by people worldwide. Anime is a beloved genre of cartoons and films that have been around for decades. While it has always been popular in Japan, anime has become increasingly mainstream in the United States over the years. Despite its growing popularity, there are still some things about anime that many people don’t know. Though it may seem mysterious to some, quite a bit goes into making anime what it is. Here are 7 random facts about anime for all you fans out there!

Anime is a style of animation originating in Japan:

The word “anime” is a loanword that has achieved common usage in the West. The Oxford English Dictionary defines anime as “a Japanese style of motion-picture animation; also the animation style originating in Japan, characterized by highly stylized, colorful art and heroic characters” (Anime). Anime can be divided into two categories: hand-drawn and computer-generated. In Japan, anime refers explicitly to animation from Japan or as a Japanese-disseminated animation style often characterized by colorful graphics, vibrant characters, and fantastical themes (Visser).

The first anime was made in 1917 by Japanese artist Seitarō Kitayama:

Animation is usually hand-drawn, inked, and painted by animators (Visser). The animation production process takes a significant amount of time. It can take several years for one series episode to be created; on average, it takes about nine months to produce 24 minutes of animation (Anime Industry). The first anime has been traced back to 1917, created by Japanese cartoonist Seitaro Kitayama.

The first film was called “The Tale of the White Serpent” (Anime). The first anime ever produced was Tatsu no ko Taro, a five-minute film about a boy and his pet talking bear cub. Animator Junichi Kouchi created the short under the supervision of Seitaro Kitayama for Kokuei studio, which still exists today.

Anime can be brutal:

Some stories and characters do not survive. Characters die all the time in anime, and it is not always a happy ending unless you are one of the main characters or part of the protagonist’s inner circle. Many popular anime shows you enjoy probably revolve around a character’s death somehow. Anime can be funny, but it can also get dark and depressing quickly. Some of the most popular anime shows, such as Naruto and Sailor Moon, have very mature themes at their core.

There are also dozens of R-rated adult anime movies that would never appear on a child’s TV screen. The famous anime and manga series Fullmetal Alchemist killed off its title character in the 2009 film “Conqueror Of Shamballa.” In a similar vein, the Gantz anime has been known to kill some of its cast throughout 20+ volumes. In an episode of One Piece, two characters are eaten alive by a person who can ask for someone’s fortune just by touching them. You can download and watch these anime from 1337x that have all the episodes and seasons lined up for you at your fingertips.

Anime can be expensive:

A lot of money goes into making an animated show or film. It can cost around $200,000 per episode to make an anime show and costs over $20 million to make an episode of the show. Even though it may seem like a cartoon or children’s TV show, anime shows and films are more popular with adults than kids. A lot of people find the art style attractive. One Piece is reportedly one of Japan’s most expensive (and profitable) anime shows. One of the most costly anime is the long-running series Naruto.

Anime artists often try to keep their jobs a secret:

It’s because they don’t want people to think that they watch anime for fun like it’s some childish hobby or that they’re weird. Animators have a particular room with a table and a screen and cover the screen with a curtain when they need to get something from their bag. The water depicted in anime is normal.

Most of the time, it’s just colored differently so that viewers can tell which characters are underwater or standing near a waterfall. Each anime episode is produced in two days, and it can take up to a year before an entire season of episodes will be released on television. Anime movies are made much more slowly- sometimes taking years to create one short film! Sometimes anime movies use little cartoons known as chibi. Anime is produced in 24-minute episodes that are shown five days a week.

The single character had several voice actors:

It is not always easy being a voice actor for anime. There have been several instances where multiple actors voiced a single character because the show’s creator didn’t want to replace them as they improved their acting skills over time. In Samurai Champloo, the character Fuu was played by three different actresses because her original actress grew up, and the show’s creator didn’t want to replace her.

Two other actors in Samurai Troopers also played because the original actor wanted to leave the show. In several anime, the voice actors record their lines separately. Several Japanese sound studios have a unique process where they do all the voice acting by themselves. In some studios, one person records all of a character’s dialogue for a specific scene alone. Then another actress records all of a different character’s dialogue. And another person does the sound effects, etc. This process is often repeated until separate people have recorded every aspect.

Most are the anime banned in china:

Chinese censors do not allow many Japanese anime broadcasts because of their sometimes-violent content, though an oba! Despite this, Japan and China have continued to share animators. China is very particular about what anime can be shown within its borders.

Conclusion:

We hope you enjoyed these facts about anime. It’s good to have a little bit of knowledge about things we love and enjoy! If you like anime, consider reading the manga (comic) version. they’re usually always better than any adaptation made into animated form 😉

 

If you are photographing a model in front of a brick wall that’s right behind her, then the brick wall will be included in the photograph. This is not bad or wrong but just different than what was imagined. It may look fine depending on your needs, and perhaps this would not require much if any, additional work. However, sometimes it can be not easy to use what is available without some reworking of the background or perhaps even changing everything. Photo experts like Bruce Weber Photographer have advice on using backgrounds to create different looks.

Maybe you are photographing your dog playing on the beach, and there’s lots of sand that appears in the photo (maybe behind him), this may not be an issue, but if there is a beautiful sunset in the background, you may want to remove other background products out of the shot. The same goes for photographing someone standing in front of an attractive mountain range, but all that is included in the photo are clouds above the mountains. You probably don’t want to include that if you can avoid it because you’d rather have a clear shot of your subject and nothing else.

So, What Do I Do?

A good background is flat and plain without distractions, especially anything that doesn’t seem to be part of the scene or belongs or could belong anywhere else other than there or detracts from your subject. There should not be two halves of the photo that are different in color tone. If you have a lot of trees in the background and they are very green, but your subject is wearing a white dress, this may be an issue. Look around and use your imagination.

Sometimes the solution is to re-frame your subject so that you don’t include any of what’s behind her. Sometimes it’s easier to change her location or angle (by moving) than the background (hopefully, there are no power lines). If you’re photographing a model against a city skyline, try changing up where she is in the frame. For example, put her off to one side; you might also try getting lower or higher than your subject. This will change how she is seen in the background.

Changing the background may be difficult, but it’s usually not impossible (though sometimes very expensive). Sometimes moving things around is enough, and other times that isn’t enough, and you’ll need to bring in something else. If all else fails, add the background – at least digitally.

You can always add a new background with Photoshop or other software later. Creating a mask for your subject so that it’s not affected by what’s behind her is easy. You might also choose to replace the background entirely. Different backgrounds create very different effects, so choose based on your vision for the photo.

Finding the perfect background for your photos is not an easy task. You have to consider your subject, how it would interact with the environment around it, and sometimes remove or add elements in post-processing to get what you want. If you can’t change the environment, try re-framing your subject or switching angles until you find one that works.

 

Whether or not you’ve suffered a serious injury or illness, if you have ever experienced shortness of breath, chest pain, or fatigue, you have probably heard of cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy. There are many similarities between the two since both focus on the same areas of the body, have similar treatments, and use similar equipment. However, there are also several differences that you should be aware of before choosing which type is best for you.

Cardiovascular Physical Thearapy

This form of treatment is focused on improving the function of the heart and blood vessels. It can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including chest pain, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Cardiovascular PT may include exercises that increase your heart rate or improve your endurance. Common exercises during cardiovascular physical therapy include walking, biking, swimming, and using a treadmill.

Generally, cardiovascular physical therapy starts out with low-intensity exercises and gradually increases the intensity as you progress. If you have a heart condition, your therapist will work with you to create a safe exercise program that meets your specific needs.

Pulmonary Physical Therapy

Pulmonary PT is focused on improving the function of the lungs and breathing muscles. It can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Pulmonary PT may include exercises that improve your lung capacity or help you breathe more easily. It will also include education on how to use your breathing muscles properly during activities.

Pulmonary physical therapy often starts with education about your condition and its treatment. Your therapist will then work with you to create an individualized exercise program that is tailored toward your current abilities, goals, and needs. Common exercises include coughing or moving air in and out of the lungs (called “breathing exercises”), walking, and using a stationary bike.

Key Differences

The main difference between cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy is the type of conditions they are used to treat. Cardiovascular PT is typically used to treat conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels, while pulmonary PT is typically used to treat conditions that affect the lungs or breathing muscles.

There are also some exercises that differ in each treatment regimen. Cardiovascular physical therapy involves mostly low-intensity exercises that are meant to improve endurance or heart rate. These often include walking, biking, swimming, and using a treadmill. Pulmonary physical therapy involves exercises like diaphragmatic breathing that are aimed at improving lung function and ease of breathing. These exercises are often done while sitting or standing, rather than walking or biking.

Similarities

There are many similarities between these two treatments because they both revolve around the same area of the body (the heart and lungs). They also have many of the same goals for treatment. While both have different focal points, the purpose of both is to gain overall mobility, improve function, and reduce pain.

Both cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy use equipment that is designed to help with the exercises. This includes treadmills, bikes, and pool noodles for swimming. They may both include electrical stimulation or compression sleeves as part of treatment as well.

In most cases, patients end up requiring a combination of treatments to achieve their goals. The treatment team will often recommend a variety of cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy treatments and exercises in order to get the best results for you!

 

Understanding karma is a complex subject. First, experts like Teal Swan explain what karma is and why it can affect your relationships. Then we’ll go over some practical steps you can take to reduce the influence of past life karma on your present-day relationships. Understanding how past life karmas affect you in this lifetime and what you can do about it is an important step in your spiritual growth.

Okay, but what exactly IS karma? Karma is not some cosmic boomerang that will slap you around for all eternity if you’re bad. Instead, it’s the law of cause and effect- which means that whatever you think or say or do comes back to you. Karma is the law of cause and effect applied to your thoughts, actions, and deeds. For example, every thought or word, or action that comes from a place of love will resonate with love, whereas a thought or a word or an action that’s rooted in fear will always come back to you being afraid.

When we feel hurt by someone who isn’t trying to hurt us, it can be better to think of that someone as a mirror showing us our pain. In this way, we understand that the other person isn’t causing us pain- they’re simply highlighting an issue within ourselves. We all have our wounds and triggers- and when we step on them, they hurt! There’s no judgment. There’s no blame. We don’t need to understand why we keep encountering the same things or think that “everyone needs to be more careful about how they treat me” because our wounds are not other people’s responsibility.

Your wound is YOUR responsibility- and you have a choice in how you want to heal it: you can either project it onto someone else and blame them, or you can own your feelings and put your energy into getting over it.

It’s generally not helpful to expect people to treat us perfectly. Expecting this from our lovers will only sabotage the relationship- because nobody is perfect! We all have things about ourselves that we need to work on. And let’s think of our partners as being responsible for “fixing” those parts of us. We’re bound to be continually disappointed in them for failing at a task that’s ultimately impossible for anyone but ourselves to do.

Don’t wait until the right conditions appear before putting yourself out there- start putting yourself out there now, even if you see nothing but obstacles. Then, as you continue to put yourself out there, the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place, and all those blocks that seem like they’re preventing something wonderful from happening in your life right now- they’ll start shifting away.

What is the function of karma?

The law of karma (the law of cause and effect) is not made up by some ancient civilizations. Karma is an observable fact in nature, like gravity or electricity, or magnetism. This is because everything IS energy- everything. If you want to be successful with relationships, you need to understand what people are (physical form), how they behave (their personalities), and why they do the things they do (what’s behind their thoughts).

Once you understand this, the question becomes, “how can I have healthy relationships with these life forms?”. The answer to that question begins with introspection. Past lives are impacting your present-day relationships now- so you must recognize that this is a normal part of the human experience. As you begin to let go of certain attachments and fears, your relationships will improve in ways you haven’t yet even imagined.

 

Dr. Joon Faii Ong is a medical researcher and doctor who specializes in the treatment of Essential Tremors. In this article, Dr. Ong discusses the root causes of Essential Tremors and how you can effectively manage them for a higher quality of life.

What are Essential Tremors?

Essential Tremors are defined as tremors that cannot be controlled by medication. Such tremors are often seen in the upper limbs, neck, and face. An upper limb tremor is typically rhythmic, with a frequency somewhere between four to ten hertz (cycles per second). The severity of this tremor can vary from mild to severe.

Essential Tremors are sometimes accompanied by other symptoms such as headache, insomnia, constipation, and fatigue. These symptoms will vary from person to person, depending on the causes of their disease. Essential Tremor is most commonly seen in patients above 60 years old, but it has also been reported in patients as young as ten years old with no age limit in between.

What Causes Essential Tremors?

There are five types of Essential Tremor: familial, post-traumatic, drug-induced, metabolic, and essential tremor (idiopathic). The exact cause for essential tremor is still unknown, but it has been suggested that impaired neurotransmission in the cerebellum may be involved. A review published in the journal Nature revealed that patients with essential tremors had lower GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid) receptor gene expression in the cerebellum.

Drugs That Cause Essential Tremors

Certain medications have been found to induce tremors as a side effect resulting from their pharmacological actions. For example, caffeine, nicotine, and certain anti-hypertensive drugs have triggered tremors due to their dopaminergic effects. On the other hand, Beta-blockers can induce tremors by suppressing catecholamine production, an essential neurotransmitter in the body.

What are Dopaminergic Drugs

Dopaminergic drugs are medications that modulate the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is one of the chemicals in the brain and nerves that make people feel happier and more active. However, there is a shortage of dopamine among Parkinson’s Disease patients, resulting in muscle rigidity and tremors.

What Can be Done to Treat Essential Tremors

There are currently four major treatment options for Essential Tremor: medications, Deep Brain Stimulation, Botox Injections, and Surgery. Medications can be administered to suppress tremors, but they have side effects of their own that may just worsen the condition in the long run. Deep brain stimulation has proven effective for treating Parkinson’s disease and dystonia, but the FDA has not approved it for use in Essential Tremor patients.

Botox Injections can be used to treat certain types of tremors; however, Botox injections are only effective for about six months at a time. Surgical options like thalamotomy or pallidotomy involve using an electrode to destroy a part of the thalamus, resulting in permanent numbness, slurred speech, and weakness on one side of the body.

What is the Prognosis for Someone with Essential Tremors?

Unfortunately, there is currently no effective cure for Essential Tremor, and the disease will progress as time passes. While medication can reduce tremors, they still do not slow down the progression of the disease. Fortunately, medical researchers are working hard to find more efficient ways to treat this condition, such as gene therapy and stem cell transplantation.

Even the best components wear out over time, and if your engine won’t turn over you could be looking at a starter problem. It happens, especially if your car is older than six years. That’s because starters last for thousands of starts, but they will fail at some point. Signs of a failing starter vary, but they include clicking noises when you turn the key or the lights turn on but not the motor.

When you need a new starter for 2013 Honda Accord models, you can use the online tool to match the part for your make and model of engine. This will give you a list of starters designed to power your car and engage the engine. For this component, you need a precise fit. The best replacement starters come from trusted manufacturers such as Bosch, Duralast, Duralast Gold and Valuecraft.

How To Replace a Starter for a Honda Accord?

You can have your mechanic install your replacement starter, but this will cost you more than a hundred dollars for labor and possibly much more. If you have the skills, replacing a starter on your own is possible. You will need several tools, including the right size sockets, a wrench, pliers and a flathead screwdriver. If you haven’t done the job before, get help from online tutorials and follow these steps:

• Disconnect battery
• Remove air intake
• Remove old starter
• Install new starter
• Replace all hoses and wires
• Start the car

The process involves the removal of many wires and hoses. To help you remember where everything goes, you can take a photo of the engine at different stages of the process.

The car starter cost for the component will run between $80 to $350, depending upon the product you choose. With your purchase, you can expect a warranty that ranges from one year to a limited lifetime warranty. Deals and discounts can reduce your price even more. A starter is a complex piece of equipment and is made up of a solenoid, magnetic parts, brushes, bearings and bushings and other elements.

Honda Accord Starters

When you are convinced it is time for a replacement starter for car, it is time to shop for the best part for your Accord. Replacement starters come as either completely new or remanufactured. You can choose from several starters that will fit your make and model:

• Duralast Gold Starter DLG19511 for $335 (all new)
• Valuecraft Starter 19511VC for $280 (remanufactured)
• Bosch Starter SR1357X for $335 (remanufactured)
• Duralast Starter 19016 for $189 (premium remanufactured)
• Duralast Starter 19153 for $220 (premium remanufactured)
• Bosch Starter SR1356X for $245 (remanufactured)

A working car starter is essential if you want your car to start. A timely replacement prevents you from getting stranded in places close to home and far away. To avoid time and trouble and the cost of towing, get a quality starter to keep your vehicle running.

Get the best products for your vehicle at the right price. Shop for quality parts that save you money and worries.

 

Horse racing is a highly popular worldwide sport, so there’s always something to watch. In the same way, because there is so much going on, keeping track of everything if your hands aren’t constantly in the know might be difficult.

Because of this, some of the greatest horse racers in the world may go unnoticed if you aren’t vigilant. These tracks, in particular, are among the most underrated in the world because they provide excellent racing action but don’t attract as much attention as other sites. Be sure to keep an eye out for them when planning out your next race event or betting online. To get you started you can visit Timeform free bets page for sign up bonuses and exclusive offers on the top races. Now, let’s get into the first event.

Gulfstream Park – United States

What do you get when you combine exceptional weather, stunning vistas, and high-quality horse racing? According to legend, the answer is Gulfstream Park’s perennially underappreciated track. Gulfstream Park is located in Hallandale, Florida, and is bordered by palm trees. Depending on which direction you’re facing, the Atlantic Ocean may be seen off in the distance.

Horse racing in the United States is divided into several tracks throughout the year. Churchill Downs, Pimlico, and Belmont Park are among them. Because to their high-profile events, such as the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, those three Triple Crown sites tend to get a lot of attention throughout the year.

The Gulfstream Park Pacing Derby is one of the most lucrative races in horse racing, with a purse of more than $2 million. The Pegasus World Cup is named for the mythical winged horse, which has been credited with the ability to fly over land and sea.

Randwick – Australia

Australia’s passion for horse racing is frequently overshadowed by other nations’ events. However, Sydney’s muted track of Randwick lurks in Australia’s racing schedule. Another hidden treasure of the pastime may be found when the Sydney Spring Carnival travels to one of the world’s best-regarded cities.

Melbourne is generally what people think of first when the subject of Australian horse racing comes up, and for good reason: the Melbourne Cup is one of the country’s most famous events.

Other cities have either similar or greater offers, so to speak. Additionally, Sydney and Randwick both have a number of aces up their sleeves. The Everest turf race is the world’s most lucrative turf race, with over $13 million in prizes available.

Goodwood Racecourse – England

England is home to some of the world’s most competitive horse racing. Between the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National, there are several memorable steeple chase events to keep track of, as well as Royal Ascot in the picture.

However, the high level of competition that occurs at Goodwood throughout the year should not be overlooked. The Goodwood meeting, which is held each year in July, has a wide range of events. G1 races include the Sussex Stakes, Goodwood Cup, and Nassau Stakes among others.

This isn’t as big a G1 event as Cheltenham or Aintree, but there are enough high-level races here to keep a racing fan occupied without requiring one of the biggest weeks in English racing.

These three tracks don’t receive the same amount of attention as the world’s most famous race courses. However, there are several factors that make each one unique, and this may frequently add to the excitement of attending a day at the races rather than one of the more traditional sites in the sport.

Do you have any questions about this article? Click here to contact us today.

The human body naturally produces vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight. It is most commonly known for contributing to the function of the immune system (EFSA, 2010). If you wish to know more about vitamin D or want to ensure you are getting enough into your daily life, this guide will reveal all. Read on to discover absolutely everything worth knowing about vitamin D.

How does the body produce Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a nutrient derived from food sources, but it’s also a hormone that the body produces. When released into the body, it helps the healthy absorption and retention of calcium, which is essential for building bone strength.

Besides aiding with proper bone and muscle mass, Vitamin D has shown great importance in supporting the function of the immune system.

So, how does the body produce this fat-soluble vitamin? Through the body first. The human body has Vitamin D receptors, which ensures that the production of this vitamin is triggered through the food we eat, or the sunlight the skin absorbs.

However, here is the sad truth; not many foods contain Vitamin D. This doesn’t mean that there are no healthy food options that are naturally fortified with Vitamin D. However, relying solely on such foods may trigger efficiency if the body is not making the recommended amounts. That’s why Vitamin D tablets are highly essential.

Vitamin D tablets are usually available as Vitamin D2 which is ergocalciferol and Vitamin D3 also known as cholecalciferol. The former is a pre-vitamin D form produced in plants and fungi while D3 naturally forms in humans and animals. Both D2 and D3 are also naturally produced when the body is exposed to sunlight. To be specific, only ultraviolet-b (UVB) rays produce this essential vitamin.

Vitamin D production via skin absorption is one of the most natural ways the body stocks up on this sunshine vitamin. However, for people who live in colder climates, or places where sunshine is limited, insufficient levels of vitamin D are imminent. People who spend most of their time indoors are equally at risk of Vitamin D deficiencies.

To boost vitamin D production, it’s essential to eat foods like oily fish; salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel. Eating red meat, eggs, vitamin D fortified cereal non-dairy milk, and fat spreads can also help boost the production of vitamin D in the body. However, the amount of vitamin D these foods can give is limited. When coupled with inadequate exposure to UVB rays, it’s very important that most people take a vitamin D supplement.

We find that most manufacturers of infant formulas, milk, cereals and fat spreads are mandated to include vitamin D by law.

How long should you stay in the sun?

Absorption of Vitamin D via UVB rays is one of the most natural ways the body benefits from this nutrient. Many people can develop Vitamin D when exposed to the sun every day for just a short period. When the arms, legs, and hands are uncovered without any topical protection (sunscreen) this allows easy absorption of Vitamin D.

The best time to benefit from healthy amounts of UVB rays is between 11 am to 3 pm in the daytime. Plus, the best months to bask in the sun are usually from April to September when the sun actually comes out more often. However, there’s a challenge to this theory, as scientists have not agreed on the adequate amount of time each person should safely stay under the sun. In other words, there’s no exact time limit that can be used to measure the adequate amounts of vitamin D the body receives.

The reason is simple, there are different factors that influence how vitamin D is produced. For one, your skin colour may be a major reason for vitamin D deficiencies. People with darker skin, especially those from Africa, Asia, Africa-Caribbean regions, tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin D. That is because the melanin pigment is like a shade; it protects the skin by preventing normal absorption of sunlight. This is an advantage when reducing the effects of damage due to exposure to sun rays.

However, this means that vitamin D production will equally be hindered because of this fact. So, someone who has more melanin will have to spend a longer period in the sun compared to a lighter person who has less melanin. Here’s the tricky part, staying under the sun for too long can cause sunburns or reddening.

So it’s best to cover up and go indoors after a while, especially if the sun becomes too hot. Plus, the dangerous effects of the sun vary from person to person. Cancer Research UK gives more insight into which category of people are more susceptible to sunburns and skin cancer. Just remember, the longer the skin is exposed to the sun, the more damage it’s likely to cause.

Plus, the damage doesn’t end right after you have found shade or gone indoors. There’s still the aftermath of that exposure even hours after you have left the sun. So, it’s better to step out with the right protective products. SPF sunscreen, long but light clothing, and wrap-around sunglasses are some of the things everyone should have all through the day.

Is it possible to take too much vitamin D?

Vitamin D is one major supplement/nutrient that is recommended for everyone, regardless of age. However, what’s more important is taking the right dose. Vitamin D supplements that contain up to 10 micrograms should be adequate for most people. Taking more than this recommended amount could be dangerous to the body. Just like any food or drug, taking adequate amounts is the best way to reap the benefits of this vitamin.

The same dosage applies to pregnant women, nursing mothers, children from 11-17, and the elderly.

Children from one to ten should not be given more than 50 micrograms per day while babies should have not more than 25 micrograms. It’s equally important to check with your doctor before taking a vitamin D supplement. People with certain medical conditions may be advised to take lower amounts of this supplement to avoid any adverse effects.

How is the dosage measured?

The quantity of vitamin D in supplements may be expressed differently. A brand may choose to express the measurements in international units (IU). In this case, 40 international units are equal to 1 microgram of vitamin D.

Who should take vitamin D?

People of different ages need vitamin D to lead a healthy and strong life. However, various people require different amounts. Taking too much or too little can cause adverse health conditions.

First of all, children who are below 6 months should not be placed in open environments in exposure to direct sunlight. Their skin is still too delicate. When the sun starts shining more from March to October, it’s advisable that all children wear comfortable yet suitable clothing. This involves wearing wrap-around glasses, hats, and clothing that protects the skin from burns.

It’s also important to encourage such kids to stay under the shade, especially around noon and just before it gets dark. Infants and children should take vitamin D supplements whether they play out in the sun or not.

Infants that are up to a year old that don’t take up to 550ml of formula should be given a vitamin D supplement.

Kids that are aged 1-4 years old should also take a high-quality supplement for healthy growth of the bones. And lastly, people who don’t get enough sunlight due to weather conditions or the nature of their work need to supplement with vitamin D tablets. This also includes people who are being hospitalized for long periods, housebound, institutionalized, or those that constantly wear protective clothes that cover almost the entire body when outside.

Regardless of these categories, everyone over the age of 5 should take a daily supplement that contains up to 10 micrograms of this vital vitamin. Even pregnant women and nursing mothers are encouraged to take supplements containing vitamin D as this benefits both mother and child. You can choose to order vitamin D from a reliable brand or get vitamin drops (for infants) from a trusted pharmacy/store.

It’s also important to remember that using sunbeds as a way to absorb or produce vitamin D is not safe or recommendable.

Winter sunlight

In countries where there’s not much sunlight in the winter, the skin may not be able to produce enough vitamin D. This is because winter sunlight does not have adequate UVB for absorption. From October when the weather starts getting extra chilly to March when the rain ushers spring in, it’s best to supplement. It’s crucial to eat vitamin D-rich or fortified foods to ensure you are getting adequate meals daily.

There you have it – everything worth knowing about the powerful vitamin D. We hope you found this guide helpful and now have everything you need to safeguard your intake!