It has been drummed into us for decades now that we need to avoid the sun. We have been told that over-exposure is going to lead to skin cancer, causing many of us avoiding the sun like the plague. This sun avoidance coupled with our propensity to work and play all day inside means that many people are getting precious little sunshine.
Well as it turns out, sunlight is a vital factor in helping your body produce vitamin D, which is very important for your health. In fact vitamin D has been shown to lower the risk of many cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. It has also been associated with improvements in diabetes, depression, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, infertility, fatigue, obesity and more. Pretty impressive list, huh?
So how can sunlight and vitamin D help with so many things? Well, vitamin D is not actually a vitamin - it is a precursor to steroid hormones. These hormones are able to travel right throughout your body and affect virtually every single cell, tissue and organ.
What about sunscreen: does that make a difference? As it turns out, it does. Sunscreen can block your body's ability to produce vitamin D by up to 95%. In fact it has been suggested that in some cases, overuse of sunscreen may be causing more cancers than it prevents.
So how much is enough and how much is too much? Of course I am not saying go out in the sun all day, nor am I encouraging sunbathing or tanning beds. So here are the rules. You only need 15 minutes three times a week to keep your vitamin D levels up. Try to get your rays in the morning or evening when the sun is lower. In these 15 minute blocks, do not wear sunscreen and expose as much skin as you can. Of course if you are going to be out in the midday sun, or if your work/hobby means that you will be out in the sun all day, then the usual slip, slop, slap rules apply. Wear a hat, shirt and sunscreen and protect yourself from overexposure.
It's simple as that: getting a little sun must be the most relaxing, cheapest and fun cancer prevention ever.
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written by Interested in Health, November 10, 2009
written by Dr Brett Hill, November 11, 2009
Add to that the toxic ingredients that many sunscreens contain and they can be really bad news. Clothing or sun avoidance is a much better way to provide protection when required.
