Let The Sunshine In: Risks And Health Benefits

Spending some time in the sun is very important, maybe even more important than you think.  Getting some sun exposure allows your body to take in much-needed Vitamin D. If we don’t get enough Vitamin D, our immune system may suffer and we can experience feelings of depression. Vitamin D also promotes bone strength by improving calcium absorption. It has dozens of healthy benefits. So lets talk about risks from the sun, the health benefits, and some very important facts about that wonderful yellow ball in the sky.

There are many health benefits beyond vitamin D production from exposure to the sunshine.

Sun Exposure Health Benefits:

• Emotional and Mental Health —  Lack of sunshine is known to cause SAD (seasonal Affective Disorder)  Sunshine enhances mood and energy through the release of endorphins.
• Relieves pain — For those with chronic condition such as fibromyalgia the sun has helped to relieve the chronic pain and muscular discomfort.
• Helps in treatment of MS — Protecting against and suppressing symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
• Benefits in treatment of Skin Disorder —  Such as psoriasis, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and scleroderma.
• Healthy Bones —  Vitamin D reduces the risk of bone disease, fractures, and osteoporosis because it boosts calcium absorption.
• Cancer prevention. Patients who have higher vitamin D levels in their blood when diagnosed have twice the chance of surviving 15-20 types of cancer, particularity breast, colon, and rectal cancer.
• Supports and boost immunity.  According to the University of Copenhagen, published in Nature Immunology, suggests that vitamin D might also activate the body’s T cells — vitamin D is the immune system’s first response to invading viruses and bacteria. The new insight might encourage use of vitamin D to improve lifesaving procedures, like organ transplants. T cells usually mobilize to fight back — and reject — new organs. Controlling the circulation of vitamin D could prevent the adverse reactions.
• Reduce Blood Pressure, Heart Attacks, risk of Strokes  and even prolong life— According to Science daily report   and according to Dr Richard Weller, Senior Lecturer in Dermatology at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We suspect that the benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer. The work we have done provides a mechanism that might account for this, and also explains why dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate for lack of sunlight.

 What are the dangers of too much sun and understanding the Sun?

The sun gives off ultraviolet radiation that we divide into categories based on the wavelength. Understanding the sun rays.

1. UVC Radiation is almost completely absorbed by the ozone layer and does not affect the skin.  UVC radiation is found in artificial sources such as mercury lamps and germicidal lamps.

2. UVB Radiation affects the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, and is the primary agent responsible for sunburns. It is the most intense between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm when the sunlight is brightest and in the summer time months (April to October) accounting for 70% of a person’s yearly UVB dose. UVB does not penetrate through glass.

3. UVA Radiation  Some recent studies show that it is a major contributor to skin damage and penetrates deeper into the skin. UVA radiation is more constant than UVB and also does not have the variations of intensity during the day and throughout the year. It is also not filtered by glass. Tanning booths primarily emit UVA rays and in fact emit as much as 12 times more than natural sunlight.

Sunlight can have a effect on the skin causing premature aging, skin cancer, and many skin changes.  According to many studies of problems believed to be due to aging, such as bruising, are now actually results of prolonged exposure to UV radiation.  Sunlight is a very important component in staying healthy and I would highly recommend that you use the sun for its health benefits and stay away from unhealthy tanning beds that can cause much harm to your skin and premature aging.

There is a fine line between getting the proper sun and being over exposed. Some health professional claim that you only need 15 to 20 minutes a day for a few months out of the year in order to benefit, others claim that you need 1 hour a day 12 months of the year.  The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. More importantly is that it depends on the person, your skin type and what health problems you may have such as depression. We do know that the sunlight has many health benefits and vitamin D that the sun provides is a extremely important to live a healthy lifestyle.

So let’s all be careful not to overdue sun exposure, but get enough sun to keep ourselves and our families healthy! Using a safe sunscreen can be very beneficial – please check out  enjoy the sun the green way  for DIY herbal and safe sun protection.

Sunshine is nature’s golden health remedy.  If you do get too much sunshine here is a great herbal remedy to heal and reduce damage. This mask is excellent to soothe red, inflamed skin suffering from sun burns or even chemical exfoliation and can be used on the face on other parts of the body.

Rosemary and Honey Skin Soother

Ingredients:

• 
• 1 cup green tea
• A sprinkle of xantham gum (less thatn 1/2 teaspoon)
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons aloe vera gel
• 20 drops rosemary oil
• 20 drops vitamin E oil

Directions:

Prepare a cup of green tea. Sprinkle xantham gum on the tea surface and whisk until it forms a gel. Add honey, olive oil, and aloe vera gel. Continue whisking to avoid clumps forming in the mixture.   Massage into your face or neck area. Cover your face with a warm moist cotton towel or cheese cloth and relax for at least 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water or if  you like you can just apply the gel and leave on overnight.   Chill the gel and keep in a glass tightly closed container for up to 3 months.

God provided the sunshine for to help all living things thrive. Without it we could not grow food or survive. So let’s treat the sunshine with respect and common sense.  Sunshine is so important in our venture in living a green and healthy lifestyle!

About the author

Marla

Website

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog! I believe in living green, organically, and natural in every aspect of our lives. My mission is to help educate you on how to live green, help save our environment and to help you and your family live a happier, healthier life!