Tan-hating woman who covered every inch of her skin from sunlight suffers broken BONE just from rolling over in bed

The Sun

5 days ago

MADE OF GLASS
She always covered her body from head to toe, rarely wore short sleeves outside and always applied sunscreen
A WOMAN who covered every inch of her skin from sunlight because she hated being tanned broke her bone just by rolling in her bed.
The woman, 48, is said to be suffering from extreme vitamin D deficiency which made her bones so brittle that they broke even when she casually rolled in her bed.
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The bizarre news broke in China's Chengdu region, where the woman was rushed to the hospital after experiencing a bone fracture from merely rolling over in bed.
Long Shuang, an attending doctor in the emergency department at XinDu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, revealed that it was a consequence of her prolonged avoidance of sunlight.
This led to a severe calcium deficiency in the woman's body, which weakened her bones - so much so that her shoulder bone got crushed by the weight of her own body.
Medical tests revealed that her vitamin D level was critically low, which had accelerated bone resorption and led to severe osteoporosis.
According to Shuang, the woman had shunned sun exposure since childhood.
She always covered her body from head to toe, rarely wore short sleeves outside, and always applied sunscreen, the South China Morning Post reported.
It is unclear if the woman's family knew about the prolonged habit of avoiding sunlight.
Jiang Xiaobing, Chief Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, issued a warning after the shocking case emerged.
He said: It is now common to see people fully covered from head to toe for sun protection – this is indeed unhealthy.
"All the bones in our body regenerate every 10 years, but from age 30, we begin to lose bone mass at a rate of 0.5 to 1 per cent per year.
"Low calcium intake, lack of sun exposure, and vitamin D deficiency all hinder calcium absorption. A sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and excessive drinking also compromise bone health.
'We need to ensure adequate calcium intake, exercise regularly, and limit smoking and drinking."
The shocking incident rocked people in China, where avoiding sunlight is said to have become a trend lately.
The bizarre news quickly drew public attention in China.
One person wrote on social media: 'This is unbelievable – she broke her bone just by turning over in bed?'
Another added: 'This is so extreme. Was she also crash dieting in addition to avoiding the sun? Seriously, everyone needs some sunlight every day.'
A third wrote: 'Sadly, this reflects how society has conditioned many Chinese women to prioritise fair skin over their health.'
Vitamin D is essential for keeping bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
It is vital to help your body absorb calcium as well as strengthen the immune system.
And according to the British Dietetic Association, even if you have a calcium-rich diet, without enough vitamin D you cannot absorb the calcium into your bones and cells where it is needed.
What happens during vitamin D deficiency
PEOPLE who don't get enough of the vitamin are more likely to suffer recurring headaches.
Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to rickets, heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer.
The body makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight – so those in cooler and less sunny climates have a higher risk.
People with darker skin need more sunlight than those with pale skin to generate enough vitamin D.
Those who spend most of their time indoors or have their skin covered when outdoors are upping the risk.
Also vulnerable are people with long-standing conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis.
Symptoms include:
Muscle or joint pain and weakness
Tiredness/fatigue
Bone pain
Low mood
The following vitamin D-rich foods can help:
Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, pilchards, trout, herring, kippers and eel contain reasonable amounts of vitamin D
Cod liver oil contains a lot of vitamin D, but pregnant women should not take this
Egg yolk, meat, offal and milk contain small amounts which vary during the seasons
Margarine, some breakfast cereals, infant formula milk and some yoghurts have added vitamin D
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