Without the light of the sun, life would be impossible on planet earth. Next to its functionality, we can enjoy the beautiful golden beams of light, giving us warmth and comfort. Not only does the sun make us feel better and more joyful, but it also gives us more vitality.Less tangible is its formation of vitamin D, an important source of energy necessary for our well-being, which can only be produced by the radiation of UVB. Less tangible is its formation of vitamin D, an important source of energy necessary for our well-being, which can only be produced by the radiation of UVB.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D3 plays an important part in the strength of our bones and the working of our muscle functions. Particularly for children, vitamin D3 reduces the development of asthma and allergies. Furthermore, there is a strong indication that vitamin D3 plays a significant role in the maintenance of our immune system. There have been links made, between the lack of vitamin D3 and the development of type 1 diabetes, heart disease, depression and the emergence of prostate-, breast- and colon cancer.
9 Vital Reasons of the essence of vitamin D
- Skip Cold and Flue Season
- Avoid Colon Cancer
- Protect against Breast Cancer
- Reduce Dementia Risk
- Improve Blood Pressure
- Lower Heart Attack Risk
- Protect Vision
- Reduce Back Pain
- Feeling Better and Happier
The best way to absorb the needed vitamin D is to expose yourself to the sun for about 15 to 30 minutes a day. Unprotected, with at least your face, hands and arms uncovered! People with darker skin may increase this time, because of the pigmentation of their skin. If you like to stay longer, it is recommended to avoid the sun between 12.00 PM and 4.00 PM. Be aware that because of daylight saving during summer the sun reaches it highest point at 1.00 PM instead of 12.00 PM.
Protect Yourself
The Sun is our best friend, as long as we do not get sunburned, which makes our skin age faster. It is important to find a healthy balance between getting enough natural sunlight to maximise the vitamin D3 production and maintain optimal health. At the same time, vitamin D3 protects us from sun damage that occurs from overexposure.
Overexposure increases the risk of skin cancer. Be sensible and cover your skin on time or use the shadow of the sun. Another way to protect yourself from sunburn is to drink sufficient water, eat green veggies and plenty of fresh fruit. Nutrient in general offers us natural protection.
Foods which prevent sunburn
Beta-carotene: Sweet potatoes, spinach, kale and yellow/orange veggies.
Flavonoids: Citrus, especially citrus peel.
Lycopene: Tomatoes(!), watermelon, grapefruit, papaya, red cabbage.
Lutein: Most green veggies, peas, brussels sprouts, zucchini, broccoli.
Proanthocyanidins: Cacao, grape seeds.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is great for helping kill off free radicals that our body produces in response to the cellular damaged caused by exposure to sunlight.
Other foods that may offer protection against sun damage and reduce the risk of skin cancer are olive oil, omega 3 fatty acids and nuts and seeds due to their vitamin E.
Supplements
It is strongly recommended to take vitamin D3 supplements during wintertime or when you are not in a position to be out in the sun regularly. The amount of vitamin D in our food is very limited and not sufficient. I’ve been taking the supplements for many years now. Next to skipping colds and flues, I have discovered that it also protects me against sunburn.
Deficiency
Nowadays, a deficiency of vitamin D3 is becoming an epidemic. Not that you’ll hear about it from the WHO, but this fact is well known to health scientists. Ironically, a deficiency of vitamin D3 leads to an aggressive form of skin cancer.
In 2011, a groundbreaking study was published in the journal ‘Cancer Prevention Research’. This research shows that an optimal level of vitamin D in the blood gives protection against sunburn and skin cancer.
Sunscreen Causes Skin Cancer
The well known ‘protectors against sunburn’ have become rather suspicious. It turns out that the ingredients often do not have the health and beauty quality they claim it to be. When you consider that your skin is your largest organ, you realise that your sunscreen lotion is absorbed throughout your whole body.
Researchers point out that the solar filters do more harm than good, as they take away the positive power of the sun and vitamin D! Also, these creams and lotions contain a whole range of chemical substances, which were not intended to be taken up by our body.
Enjoy the golden rays and benefits of the sun. Stay cautious and protect your skin for overexposure!
Used sources: Health Bytes and Wake Up World
LOVE what you’ve shared here, Monique. Thank You!
I believe wholeheartedly that the sun is beneficial for our health, as the feeling I experience after being exposed to sunlight has always been UNMISTAKABLY positive. And I trust my feelings/sensations FAR more than I trust the info mainstream media feeds us . . . 🙂
Love You, dear Sis, and I thank you SO much for the great info/great reminders you continue to share with us . Blessings to You, and to All! ( ( ( ) ) )
Thank You dear Frances for your appreciation and your infinite support!!
Being Blessed with many hours of Aussie Sun, it would be a shame to not appreciate those beautiful golden rays of Light, Vitality and Health!! Did you know that the cases of skin cancer increased in Australia, after they had the big ‘anti sun’ campaign, due to sunscreen protection. Another sign that we always need to follow our heart and instinct!
Much Love in return and warm sunny beams across the equator!! (((((♡)))))
Thank you sweetheart ♥
Thank you for another interesting blog.
Love the Sun-info.
Please accept my warm embrace my dearest, which has the intention of being a radiating sunbeam for you.
XOX
Thank You for your appreciation and your bright sunbeams John! ツ
I truly hope it supports you in some way or another, especially as your dermatologist will hold a different opinion. Like Frances said, it is so important to follow your own feeling!!
Love and Healing Blessings your way John and of course a warm embrace (((((♡)))))
So important the sun my dear friend Monique … So useful your advices … Very interesting to have health … Be blessed ..
Sunshine Blessings your way Maria and thank you for your appreciation and interaction!! ♡
Another wonderful sharing from you Monique, packed with information and as always so delightful to read. Every time I feel it is as though we’ve agreed to meet for a glass of juice or a cup of coffee, that you are right there sharing what you know with me while we discuss it over an hour or two! So informal, so informative, so lovely, and thank you.
Blessings and love to you.
Karen. x
Aaah, thank you so much for your very kind and lovely comment Karen. ツ
I take it as a big compliment that you enjoy reading my words, find it informal and yet informative!! That is exactly the way I like to communicate my messages, within a open, friendly and peaceful atmosphere! It’s a language challenge I love taking, as I’m not a native. Interesting, how you feel the togetherness without having met yet!
Love and Blessings Karen and thank you so much for your interaction and friendship!!
♡
So happy you picked this topic for your blog this week , my dear Monique ! You are so right on one by one , making all your “points”…It is the Sun that makes Life on Earth possible …and humankind thrived over the millenniums feeding from it ! But in the name of “progress” we have changed so many of the sensible parameters !
…as children we spent a few weeks every summer by the Sea getting that healthy tan (sometimes after burning first) …that kept us going well into the autumn months … we all loved it and couldn’t wait for the next season by the sea !!! Then they discovered “the sunscreen” and , of course , they had to sell it , hence the huge danger of skin cancer instilled in us by our doctors and the media … and we all fell for it …it’s maybe still early to say if it will have been more harmful than benefic …but you are so right about the chemicals we are pushing into our bloodstream that were not meant to be part of it ! I’m so grateful to you for bringing the vitamin D3 into focus for us ! I recently started taking the supplement myself since i try to avoid the sun as prescribed my dermatologist ! But now i do try to “sunbath” for 15 to 20 minutes whenever the sun and me are out at the same time 🙂 !
So thanks again for choosing this topic …very helpful !!!
Thank You Gabriela for your very insightful comment!! Your childhood memories bring a big smile on my face, as they are so recognisable! Very well said my friend! I even used different kind of oils during my teens, to speed up the tanning! ツ I do feel, however, that the power of the sun has increased and that we need to be more careful, just like when being in tropical countries. Building up the minutes works perfectly for me as well…. by the end of the summer I can stay in the sun as long as I like, without getting sunburned.
I’m glad you liked the topic and thank you for your very nice interaction!!
Happy Sunbathing when meeting those lovely rays my friend!! ≈☼‿☼≈
Thank you Monique for another interesting and supportive message.
Your words are as healing and comforting as real sunbeams are!
You´re an angel of Light!
Thank You for your interaction Martine!! Feeling humbled with your kind words of appreciation.
Sunbeam Blessings of Love and Light to you and yours! ≈☀‿☀≈
Hello Monique this one is very informative and the best part is very well written and well explained. You have covered all the things related to Sun and nicely elaborated on them. This is indeed true that sun exposure is very important and honestly in the mushroom of houses that we live in there is no exposure to Sun…unless I have to go out on the terrace and thus I lack this opportunity more often. But yes in winters I make sure I get plenty and my children too ..so I take them out and we do enjoy the sun a lot. in India too vitamin D deficiency has become very common nowadays particularly in women who are mostly confined to the houses and lack of knowledge also become the cause of many pain related diseases….I am really going to try to soak as much possible as I often carry an umbrella to protect me from tanning that I get very fast being on the dusky side … 🙂 thank you Monique for this wonderful article and I love your style of writing ….it’s perfect .
Thank You Monalisa dear for your very nice and profound response! It is indeed all about awareness… and if we know better, we do better. I do understand however, that being in the sun at summer in India, is most of the time not an option. I love the idea of using an umbrella when outside. This way we protect ourselves from the heat, and are still able to get some of the beneficial sunlight. Another option to protect your skin, is to put some coconut oil on it. It is all natural and gives some kind of protection and do not have the negative side effects.
Thank you dear Sis for your beautiful compliments on my writing! It means a lot to me!!
Love and Blessings ♡