There is far too much paranoia regarding our sun! Again I go back to basic paleolithic principles. We evolved out of Africa; we now know, to a fairly precise extent, the migrations and gradual colonisation of our world with our genus! Under the hot African sun a dark and protective skin was important….in the Northern climes this was not so….but in my opinion it is not that white skins were a default…they were an adaptation for far less sunlight availability. When the sun shone those skins made the most of it in their production of Vitamin D, that is a vital component in our health and protective arsenal. All the guidelines on protection seem to miss this point! There is an excellent lecture in 2014 by Dr. Alexander Wunsch who has succinctly propounded why the current phobia of sun avoidance may be harmful. Importance of sun.
The Importance of Sun.
The Sun is vital to Earth’s life existence. At school we understand the importance of photosynthesis in the plant kingdom and how that plant energy source is ultimately our life source that includes the animal kingdom. But we also need direct exposure to sun that our bodies have adapted to and made use of over the eons of our evolvement. It is in our DNA! But it is a careful balance! Going to the beach and burning ourselves is harmful! Time during the day in the sun reinforces our Circadian Rhythm. Vitamin D is produced when our skin is exposed to direct sunlight and this vitamin is integral to our overall health.
Even taking skin-cancer risk fully into account as I noticed reported recently in the Daily Mail, scientists say that getting a good dose of sunshine is statistically going to make us live longer, healthier and happier lives; further that research has shown that sunlight causes the production of nitric oxide (NO) into the bloodstream which is a powerful blood pressure lowering compound helping to protect the cardiovascular system, thereby reducing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. That according to a 2013 study, for every single skin cancer death, 60 to 100 people die from heart disease related to hypertension…this could equate to an 80 times greater risk, than dying from skin cancer.The Importance of Sun. But the key is NOT to burn. It is a balance! If you work indoors or in Northern climes, it is important to take Vitamin D with K2 Magnesium and Calcium supplements. This is important especially in winter. Thus the Importance of Sun.
