The sun is more important than we realize.  Ancestral people spent most of their life outdoors, wearing little clothing depending on the season.  It is only during modern times have humans started fearing the sun.  

Safe sun exposure has many benefits:

• Increased Vitamin D:

  • Sunshine reacts with cholesterol in the skin to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D production regulates calcium and phosphate in our blood, this helps promote bone and dental health. Vitamin D modulates gene expression suggesting links between vitamin D deficiency and most cancers. Non-burning sun exposure may reduce risk of melanoma (but remember sunburns increase risk of melanoma). Sunshine improves hormonal profile, metabolism, and improves body composition. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with nearly every chronic illness you can think of.

• Improved overall health:

  • Sunshine strengthens the immune system with vitamin D production and stimulates killer T-cells to fight viral and bacterial infections. Sun exposure increases nitric oxide in the body which lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular health.

• Better sleep at night:

  • Morning sunshine in particular regulates circadian rhythms that improve sleep. Circadian rhythms influence the secretion of our stress (cortisol) and rest (melatonin) hormones. You receive a full spectrum of light establishing a natural rhythm unlike being stuck indoors under artificial light, staring at screens with limited light spectrums disrupting your rhythm. We are meant to rise and sleep with the sun.

• More fuel:

  • Red light from the sun up-regulates ATP production in mitochondria. Mitochondria is the power plant of the cell, and ATP is the fuel. We’ve all heard the benefits of infrared saunas, we can also receive infrared wavelengths from the sun, which will assist with ATP production in the mitochondria.

• Improved mood:

  • Sunshine boosts mood by increasing serotonin levels and endorphins in our brain. Our decrease in sun exposure in the winter months is responsible for seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

We need to rekindle a healthy relationship with the sun

• Don’t burn.

• Practice safe sun exposure. Start with less and build up. Know your tolerance. Most people may only require 10-20 minutes of midday sun. Some people may need more if their skin is darker.

• Don’t burn.

• Start with some morning sun exposure. UV radiation is lower in the morning.

• Don’t burn.

• UV radiation increases in the spring and summer. People tend to burn early in the season so be careful not to overdo it this spring.

• Don’t burn.

• Be careful what creams you use to block the sun. Some have harmful chemicals. We use sunscreen with 20% non nano zinc oxide which reflects UV radiation. This is non toxic for you and the environment.

• Don’t burn.

Interested in learning more? Ask us all about it at your next visit.

Disclaimer

None of the information provided on this website should be substituted for medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed healthcare practitioner.