Free Super Important Multifunction Hormone

By Dejana Subsol

August in France is glorious… and this year, intensely hot. Long days, bright skies, and the warm embrace of the sun remind us that summer is not just a season.  It’s a source of life.

Beyond the joy of beach days and holidays, sunlight plays a profound role in our health through the production of vitamin D.  

A substance often called a vitamin, but in truth, a powerful prohormone.

When sunlight touches your skin, it triggers the conversion of cholesterol into vitamin D. As a prohormone, it influences systems throughout the body, supporting bone strength, immune function, hormonal balance, and 

yes!, the way we age. 

Hormones are our body’s master messengers, regulating everything from mood and metabolism to repair and regeneration. And yet, it’s estimated that 80–90% of people are deficient in vitamin D without realising it.

For most, this deficiency is not due to lack of opportunity, but a lack of safe, intentional exposure to the sun. Even 10–15 minutes of midday sunlight on bare skin, arms, legs, and face, can trigger meaningful vitamin D production. 

For many, 15–20 minutes a day, a few times per week, is enough to maintain healthy levels (though testing is the only way to know your personal needs).

Low vitamin D status has been associated in research with a wide range of health challenges, including reduced resilience, depression, impaired immune response, and signs of premature ageing. 

Adequate levels, on the other hand, are linked with better energy, stronger bones, a more responsive immune system, happiness and improved overall vitality.

In essence, vitamin D is one of nature’s most accessible anti-ageing allies, and it is completely free in the summer, abundant, and activated simply by stepping outside. In the winter time, especially those who live in the northern hemisphere, think about supplementing to make sure your levels stay strong.

As with all things in wellness, balance is key: enough sun to nourish your body, not so much that your skin suffers.

So, this summer, and early autumn take a moment each day to welcome the sun as a partner in your health. 

Feel the warmth, breathe deeply, and know that those few minutes are doing more than lifting your mood, they’re supporting your body at the deepest regenerative level.