Record-breaking sunshine
Scotland hotter than Majorca
Scotland basked in record-breaking sunshine yesterday as
temperatures reached the highest level ever measured here in
March.
A high of 22.8°C (73F) - the best in the UK - was recorded at
Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire.
The previous record was 22.2°C way back in 1965.
A mere 10°C is the average temperature for this time of
year.
Across the country, parks and beaches were packed as
temperatures soared above Majorca and other Mediterranean holiday
spots.
Major roads across Scotland were busy as families took advantage
of the heat.
And the really good news is that the weather is set to continue
for at least a few more days!
Forecasters say that conditions will become more unsettled after
Saturday, and there may even be snow back on the mountains by the
end of the weekend.
So, the advice of weather experts is to make the most of this
week!
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Record-breaking sunshine
Soak up the sun for a good vitamin D boost
As Scotland enjoys its highest ever temperatures for March,
health experts are urging us all to get outside and soak up the
sunshine.
Arthritis Research UK said it is really important to top up our
vitamin D levels by exposing our face and arms to sunshine.
Vitamin D is essential to help the body absorb calcium from
food. Low levels can cause serious problems with our bones.
A lack of vitamin D can result in bone loss, weak muscles and an
increased risk of falls and fractures.
Our main source of vitamin D is sunshine. Skin reacts to
sunlight to create the nutrient.
Darker-skinned people, such as those of South Asian or
Afro-Caribbean origin, are at greater risk of having a Vitamin D
shortage. Among these groups there have even been cases of children
with rickets - a condition that can cause bones to become soft and
deformed.
But very fair-skinned people have been found to have dangerously
low levels of the vitamin too, according to research published last
year.
Scientists funded by Cancer Research UK said that people with
very pale, freckly skin who have to avoid the sun to escape being
burnt should take extra vitamin D supplements.
"When the days are sunny, go out for a few minutes and expose
your face and arms to the sunshine," said Alan Silman, from
Arthritis Reasearch UK.
"Don't allow your skin to go red, and take care not to burn,
particularly in strong sunshine and if you have fair or sensitive
skin. From June to August just fifteen minutes is generally enough
time," he added.
When the sun goes in again, which is forecast to be by the end
of the weekend, we should top up our vitamin D levels through diet
and even tablets, the charity says.
Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, pilchards and
sardines are all good sources of the "sunshine vitamin". Some foods
have had extra vitamin D added to them - often labelled as
"fortified" with the nutrient, such as cereals and some
margarines.
Campaign groups have called for free vitamin D supplements for
pregnant women and children. Shine on Scotland claims the Scottish
government has not done enough to make sure that children don't
develop conditions like rickets and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Alan Mclaughlin, Shine's campaign manager, said: "Scotland has
the highest rate of MS in the world. An estimated 90% of the
population has a vitamin D deficiency, while for the rest of the UK
it's 75 to 80%. Rickets have also become prevalent again in
Scotland."
"It costs 47p for a two-month supply of the supplement. Is the
Government really saying a child's health is not worth a few pounds
a year?"
Families on very low incomes receive free vitamin D as part of
the Healthy Start scheme, and in some local authorities it is made
available to other people too. The government says it is up to the
local authorities to decide whether or not to give it away free to
everyone.
Click here to try our sunshine quiz.
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