(25-07-15) Four things you need to understand about your sun exposure

by Derek Henry

(NaturalNews) As the dog days of summer approach and the sun starts to beat down, it becomes vitally important to know how to use the sun effectively. Far too often people use it in ways that create negative consequences, and as a result, they become jaded, afraid, and end up blocking the healing benefits of the sun.

To use the sun to its fullest advantage this summer and avoid any negative health implications, make sure to keep these important facts in mind and use them appropriately.

The sun is the most efficient source of vitamin D
According to research, up to 70 percent of white people and up to 97 percent of black people are deficient in vitamin D! In order to help reverse this problem, sun exposure is critical as it is clearly the purest and most efficient source of increasing one's vitamin D levels. On a typical summer day, 15 to 20 minutes of sunlight exposure results in the skin producing about 40,000 IU of vitamin D, and the mechanism that produces it then shuts down to prevent the body from taking too much.

Since the summer months are often short and much of it is still spent indoors, it is very important to "stock up" during this time. If one is able to get adequate exposure during the sunny months, vitamin D levels can be stored for two to three months to help get through the winter months.

Sunscreen blocks the absorption of vitamin D and is often toxic
Unfortunately, society has been led to believe that sunscreen protection is paramount to avoid cancer. This has created an excessive use of sunscreens that actually blocks vitamin D production, which then contributes to cancer-promoting nutritional deficiencies. It should also be noted that vitamin D can help prevent anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of all cancers.

It does become important to seek shade or use a toxin free sunscreen once adequate exposure has been reached, however, most sunscreen products are filled with toxic parabens, alcohols, solvents, and petroleum oils. To avoid baking these chemicals into the skin, visit the Environmental Working Group and their guide to safe sunscreen.

Excessive use of sunglasses can cause sleepless nights
Although sunglasses have their place, they have been used excessively and this has hurt the body's natural circadian rhythm. The eyes need sunlight too, as the lens at the back of the eye that stimulates the body's master clock in the hypothalamus and pineal gland, is responsible for absorbing the blue part of the sunlight spectrum. This in turn creates the production and release of melatonin, the circadian rhythm hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.

Wearing sunglasses blocks blue light reception and reduces immune system benefits and the nightly dose of melatonin. This can create various issues, including sleep problems.

UV exposure isn't entirely responsible for skin cancer
A difficult concept most don't understand is that skin cancer is only caused when UV exposure is combined with chronic nutritional deficiencies and the absence of an antioxidant rich diet. In other words, in order to create skin cancer, one has to eat a poor diet, avoid antioxidants, and then engage in excessive sun exposure.

Although genetics do play a role, they are not purely responsible for a person's sunlight burn response. One can actually dramatically improve her resistance to UV exposure through a diet high in antioxidants, and proper acclimation to the sun.

Sources:

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://www.healingthebody.ca

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