VITAMIN D deficiency is putting Australians at risk of developing diabetes, a landmark study has shown.

The largest study of its kind found people with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with lower levels. It could lead to at-risk patients using vitamin D supplements along with diet and exercise to stop their development of the potentially deadly condition.

The study's co-author Ken Sikaris, a pathologist at Melbourne Pathology, said the research could have a big impact in slowing increasing rates of diabetes in Australia. "It's hard to underestimate how important this might be," he said.

Between a third and a fifth of the Australian population could be vitamin D deficient and rates were highest in the southern states, which received less sunlight, Dr Sikaris said.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care and presented by Dr Lu at a conference of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, retested blood samples taken as part of the major AusDiab study of risk factors for diabetes.

It found vitamin D deficiency was an independent risk factor, even after adjusting for others, such as weight and physical activity.

Read more: HERE @ SMH Online

Anyone who has experienced the joy of the feel of the sun all over their body will tell you the inherent benefits, both mental and physical of the experience. Of course Naturists are also mindful to avoid sunburn by applying good quality sun screen.

The "Slip, Slop, Slap" campaign run by government is again a case of a message of caution being taken to a message of fear, in this case the fear of melanoma. If one does some research you will find that some melanoma occur where the skin is not exposed to the sun.

Also in the book  "The Vitamin D Solution" Dr Michael Holick states that the action of Vitamin D can actually help prevent internal cancers and even skin cancers with a healthy immune system and that sensible exposure to natural sunlight the benefits of increased levels of vitamin D are many.

Uniforms

We as humans seem to love uniforms!

They have the effect of bonding people together, to make us feel included, unified, part of something larger than ourselves. Whether it is for a sporting team, a corporate office or a specific profession.

If we expand the view of uniforms we can include fashion because it does the same. If you are not wearing the "in" brand of running shoe then your not part of the "in" crowd.

I believe that Naturists also experience this sense of unity and inclusion when we all remove the shackles of our clothes and we see the similarities rather than differences in people.

Of course the Naturist "uniform" is accessible to everyone, it is our body that defines us uniquely as individuals and yet at the same time it shares the unmistakable hallmarks of being human.

As the senses are limited by the encumbrance of clothing, so being freed from them allows our senses to relate more fully to the natural environment, as we were intended to, and thus we feel closer to it also.

That is why the Naturist philosophy resonates so much with us as it uses this fact to reinforce the Naturist creed of respect for self, respect for other and respect for the environment.

Australian Naturist Survey

How many Naturists / Nudists are in Australia?

No, I don't know either nor does anyone else, hence the need to have a survey.

Stand up and be counted! 

This survey is the first attempt in many years to show how many people enjoy our lifestyle. So please support this survey today.

Go to Survey