The dangers of getting too much sun have been well documented... but did you know you can actually get too little sun?
So why is getting too little sun a problem? 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.
Do you think modern people are sun deprived?
Subscribe to this comment's feed
written by Pale-ghost-turned sun-lover, December 11, 2009
