With Summer fast approaching, you need to learn all you can about the sun and how to protect you and your family. Some sunlight is good for you and is necessary for your body to produce Vitamin D which is super important. However too much sun and you can get a sunburn, wrinkles, and even skin cancer.
All this new information out there about the risks and advantages of sun exposure can be really confusing. We’re going to simplify it here for you so you can get the most of your summer!
UVA Rays and UVB Rays
UVA rays penetrate deeply into the skin and contribute to premature skin aging and skin cancer. Our exposure to UVA is more constant than UVB — we encounter UVA rays no matter what the season or time of day. Even on cloudy days, UVA rays are still shining down on us all.
UVB rays are the main cause of sunburn, premature skin aging and skin cancer. Too much UVB and you get a sunburn. Not enough UVB and your body can’t create Vit D which contributes to a plethora of health problems including a propensity towards skin cancer, depression, bone problems and other ailments.
Your skin naturally produces your body’s supply of vitamin D from direct exposure to bright midday sun with a mere ten or fifteen minutes’ exposure per day. This is vitally important for your overall health and well being. If you work in an office, make a point on sunny days to eat your lunch outside in the sun. You need 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight that isn’t inhibited by sunscreen or long sleeve shirts.
Why is Vitamin D so important?
Having too little vitamin D may not have any outwardly obvious signs. Yet vitamin D (specifically the vitamin D3 form) impacts an incredible array of support for systems and functions in your body…
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* Heart health*
* Cell formation and cell longevity*
* Skin health*
* Pancreatic health*
* Aging process*
* Sleep patterns*
* Hearing*
* Reproductive health*
* Athletic performance*
* Eye health*
* Vascular system health*
* Respiratory health*
* Immune health*… Most people feel in better health during the summer sunshine months — ever wonder why?
* Healthy mood and feelings of well-being*
* Weight management, including carbohydrate and fat metabolism*
* Hair and hair follicles*
* Strong and healthy bones, because vitamin D encourages calcium uptake*
* Muscles*
* Proper digestion and food absorption*
Since healthy levels of vitamin D protect and promote so many of your body’s functions, a deficiency may mean your body lacks the tools it needs to keep you in optimal health*…
Making sufficient vitamin D a very important issue for you to address!
Because naturally, you want to be at your peak so you feel great, and accomplish so much each and every day.*
Via Mercola.com
When Should I Wear Sunscreen?
If you were a sun worshiper in years past and always had the best tan around, chances are you are paying for that now that you are in your 30’s or 40’s… Wrinkles, sun spots, uneven skin tone and even the beginning stages of skin cancer for some. Too much sun without the proper protection will definitely give you your daily dose of Vitamin D plus a really unhealthy amount of UVA & UVB rays…
So when should you wear sunscreen?
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If you’re going to the beach, playing outside sports, hiking, picnic, BBQ, Swimming, or any outdoor activity where you will be in the sun for more than an hour you should wear sunscreen. Make sure you get your 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight before you slather on the sunscreen though!!!
Don’t wear sunscreen on a daily basis when you are only in the sun walking from your home to the car, from the car to the grocery store etc… This kind of intermittent sunlight is good for you and will help your body a lot in the long run.
What Kind Of Sunscreen Should I Wear?
Coppertone is making great strides to protect you from the sun. Their new NutraShield, Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 70
has the highest Coppertone SPF ever! This great new formula helps prevent premature skin aging caused by the sun and is enriched with specially selected antioxidants to promote natural skin repair. It is appropriate for everyday use and designed specifically for women. Coppertone NutraShield, Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 70
has durable broad spectrum, photostable UVA/UVB protection to keep your skin healthy and looking young.
There are a huge variety of great sunscreen products from Coppertone available in stores like Wal Mart and Target. Or you can browse Coppertone Sunscreen on Drugstore.com.
Good post. Nice to be reminded of everything we SHOULD be doing to protect our skin in the summertime!