The winters in the north of Canada is characteristically long and dark. With the aboriginals’ skin having darker tones, add up to their vulnerability to certain cancers and multiple sclerosis! You must be pondering on the links between these factors!
This weather and genetic conditions may couple to lead to vitamin D deficiency among the northerners. A new research suggests that vitamin D could reduce incidences of the diseases.
So, cuing from this recent finding, health experts, worried with these people’s health, are urging both the northerners and also the aboriginals to find out some time to spend in the sun. Along with this, they are also asked to take in more vitamin D both in their daily diet, as well as in the form of vitamin supplements.
Heather Chappell, a senior manager at the Canadian Cancer Society said,
Their darker skin colour makes it more difficult for their skin to produce the vitamin D, so they actually have to have longer times of exposure to the sun to get the same vitamin D levels as someone with lighter skin colour.
Concluding form the recent findings, N.W.T. chief medical officer Andre Corriveau said,
Their lack of vitamin D may now explain why some forms of cancer are more common in the North.
Colorectal cancer is one of those cancers where our rates have surpassed the rest of Canada up to a factor of 50 per cent more.
So, northerners and the aboriginals of the region, plan out some weekend outings to let yourself bask in the sun and worry less of catching up with vitamin D deficiency-related diseases.
It would now be no surprise, if the beaches are found to be crowded by the northerners, if not the aboriginals.
Photo: Canada International