Raena Morgan: Hello, I’m visiting with Frank Murray, who is a health writer, and an editor and he has a new book called Sunshine and Vitamin D? Frank Murray: Yes. I’m very excited about it. It’s one of the most interesting books I have written. Raena Morgan: And you’re a prolific author. Frank Murray: Well, I’ve produced 50 books, so far. Raena Morgan: Whoa. Well, in the forward of the book, it talks about this being the most important health story of the 21st Century. Frank Murray: Yes. I was really amazed. A prominent doctor in New York has written the forward and he said that about the book, so I was bowled over by such an endorsement. Raena Morgan: Very good. Frank Murray: But he found—he reported that—he’s been testing his patients for vitamin D status for 15 years. So, he was way ahead of the curve. Vitamin D is sort of an orphan vitamin. You know, you rarely hear about it. And yet, as I document in the book, it’s amazing how many applications it prevents. It’s just—osteoporosis, osteoporosis, asthma, Lou Gherig’s disease, all kinds of skin conditions like psoriasis. Raena Morgan: Well, speaking of skin conditions, isn’t there a dilemma about being in the sunshine? That’s where we get the vitamin D, but then there’s skin cancer. Frank Murray: That’s a very good question. Dr. Holick, who’s an expert on vitamin D— he’s with the Boston Medical School. He says the key to this is go outside for, say, five to 15 minutes—you know, not many clothes on—getting your vitamin D from the sun, go inside, apply the sun block, and then go outside. There’s some concern that if you apply too much sun block, it will impeded the conversion of vitamin D from the sun. And African Americans and others with dark skin may not get enough D from the sun, so they may need to take a supplement. But, he says spend five to 15 minutes and you will normally get your D for the day, and then apply the sun block, then you can go outside. Obviously, if you get too much sun, you can get melanoma. So, you don’t want get that. But, using his procedure and using the supplements, then you are benefiting from the D and not getting a serious skin disease. Raena Morgan: So, you need to get some sunshine, sans the sun block. Frank Murray: Yes. Raena Morgan: And you need to supplement. Frank Murray: Yes. I suggest that everyone take a vitamin D supplement, usually vitamin D3. Raena Morgan: Okay. Frank Murray: And there are any number of companies that are producing it that you find in the health food stores and other stores. Raena Morgan: Well, wasn’t the risk with melanoma with people sunbathing for hours at a time? Frank Murray: Oh, yes, absolutely. Raena Morgan: They were getting plenty of vitamin D, though. Frank Murray: Well, yes, they were and they were getting melanoma, which is terrible. It’s the world’s—it’s the most significant skin disease in the country, as you know. And it’s on the increase. It depends on the type of skin. Some people with a darker skin can absorb more of the rays. I, of course, would burn in five minutes and easily get melanoma. Raena Morgan: So, it’s the sunburn, of course. Frank Murray: Yes. Raena Morgan: But now, we can take vitamin D and that will really help us. Frank Murray: Oh, absolutely. I detail in the book, as I mentioned, numbers conditions such as asthma, osteoporosis, rickets, osteomalacia, psoriasis; the list goes on and on. You would be amazed. And, as I began rushing through to meet my deadline and reading all this material, I rushed out and bought some vitamin D3. Raena Morgan: Well, good for you and good for us that you wrote the book. Thank you, Frank. Frank Murray: Thank you.