The sun.It is vital to your health.11:14 Nov 21 2011
Times Read: 686
Provoked by high rates of skin cancer, many people avoid the sun as much as possible and cover themselves with sunscreen before spending any time outdoors. Sadly, these people are actually increasing their risk for cancer and other diseases.
For thousands of years, humans have spent many hours out in the sun and a closer look at the issue reveals that it is our fear of sun exposure,that presents the true and present danger.
Most of us have heard of vitamin D and know that it is naturally produced by the body when exposed to sunlight.
However, few people fully understand how critical vitamin D is to good health.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with cancer, autism, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and other debilitating diseases. Based on the frightening prevalence of these conditions, it should be of no surprise that over 80% of the population is estimated to be vitamin D deficient.
O.o
Vitamin D is not a vitamin,but rather a pre hormone that is converted into the hormone called calcitriol.... Calcitriol may chemically be referred to as 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol or 1,25-(OH)2D3.
This very important hormone controls the expression of over 2,000 genes in the human body...that is around 10% of our entire genome.
More importantly,Vitamin D is the only source from which calcitriol can be produced .
Vitamin D also supports the immune system and is an important factor in fighting off sickness in a big way.
Because it’s produced from sun exposure, deficiency is more likely to occur during winter months when the sun’s intensity is greatly reduced. If you ask me,this is very likely a main explanation for the much higher incidence of sickness that occurs during that time.
Most important, vitamin D is of significant importance to cancer prevention because it promotes the destruction and regulation of mutated cancer cells.
UVA and UVB are the two types of ultraviolet radiation found in sunlight that are absorbed by our skin. UVB stimulates the production of vitamin D and can cause our skin to tan or burn relatively quickly. In contrast, UVA doesn’t stimulate vitamin D production and takes much longer to promote tanning or burning. However, it penetrates the skin more deeply, and unlike UVB, it can travel through windows and clouds. These characteristics give UVA radiation the potential to be far more dangerous than UVB.
Ironically, nearly all sunscreens block UVB radiation only. As such, they also block production of the vitamin D that assists in preventing cancer, but do absolutely nothing to block the UVA radiation that can cause cancer. Furthermore, most sunscreens contain toxic chemicals that are readily absorbed by the skin and increase the risk of cancer even more.
Since the late 1980s, we’ve been told to avoid direct sun exposure because of the growing prevalence of skin cancer. As a result, many people cover every inch of their skin with sunscreen, or even worse, go through great lengths to avoid the sun completely.
Healthy skin is much more resistant to sun damage and cancer. Based on the thousands of years that humans have spent in the sun, common sense strongly suggests that resilient skin and good overall health are much more effective at reducing the risk of cancer than simply avoiding sun exposure.Yes, even with a depleted ozone layer.
So what do we do?
Proper hydration is the most basic element of promoting healthy skin and is just one of the many reasons why it’s important to avoid dehydration. Without a sufficient supply of water, skin cells will lose function and become more susceptible to sun damage.
It’s also important for skin cells to have a strong and healthy membrane so that they can resist damage and retain the water they need. .The consumption of high quality fat provides the body with the nutrients it needs to build these strong and healthy membranes, but with the popularity of low fat diets and processed food, most people are either not consuming enough fat to maintain healthy cells, or are eating damaged and denatured fats that promote cell malfunction.Also,avoid repeated sunburn and tanning beds.
Moral of the story? Eat right,drink lots,stay active and enjoy the sun!
It is essential.
COMMENTS
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chrysanthemia
13:17 Nov 21 2011
I can get burned badly enough to bleed from my pores in a matter of about three hours, while applying and reapplying sun screen.
Although, here in canada a lot of our foods are fortified with vitamin d, such as milk, due to our long winter months. . . .
Oceanne
14:24 Nov 21 2011
A lot of my friends have to deal with this situation also.They have to really take precautions once their limit is reached..hats,long sleeves etc.
Its no wonder foods are fortified there ,considering the long winters.