Sunshine is an important part of healthy, daily living. If one were to be deprived of sunshine, some unexpected, negative consequences might result. Although many people feel that sunlight may cause skin cancer, evidence has been noted that the positive benefits of sunshine far outweigh the risk of damage from UV rays. We should explore this matter further in order to determine how beneficial sunshine really is.
Vitamin D. Vitamin D has often been positively associated with producing strong, normalized skin cells. Skin cells require a combination of water and oil. People who have dry skin are typically on a low fat diet and are not getting enough positive fats, like butter and cream off of fresh milk. Also, people who have oily skin typically are not getting enough water, and may even drink soft drinks. Research shows us that soft drinks have a drying effect on the tissues. Skin cells are one of the few places where water and oil mix perfectly. This process of mixing water and oil requires sunlight in order to complete. The sun’s rays seem to have a component that speeds the process up. Vitamin D is also required for calcium absorption and utilization. The body can only store Vitamin D for 60 days, so it is important to get regular exposure.
Serotonin. Serotonin is the “feel good” hormone of the body. It produces feelings of healthful well-being, it takes away stress, it eases the mind, and it makes high-pressure jobs seem more feasible. As you see, it is highly important that Serotonin levels are maintained. Sunlight increases your body’s natural production of Serotonin, thus boosting your mood. Unnatural Serotonin production comes in the form of pharmaceuticals or illegal drugs. It is important to remember that these products can if you give your body something that it should produce on it’s own, then your body stops making it. Sunlight initiates natural production of Serotonin.
Circadian Rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is generally known as a timing in your body, indicating “sleeping” and “waking” periods of your day. If you have your days and nights turned upside down, so to speak, a way of getting your circadian rhythms back in sync is to turn off lights in your house after 10pm, and to watch the sunrise in the morning. Light triggers the “waking” period of your day, and tells your body that it’s time to wake up. Ever since the invention of electricity, the natural daylight hours have now been lengthened to the point where your body must sleep past sunrise in order to catch up on the “sleeping” time period. Go to bed early, and let the sun wake you up naturally by drinking your morning cup of hot, herbal tea on your doorstep, as the sun rises.
Acne Reduction. In addition to the previously mentioned health benefits to skin, sunlight reduces acne a great deal. Do not expose skin to the point of burning, but sunbathing in skimpy garments for a short amount of time every day has been proven to dramatically alleviate acne. The broad spectrum of light, the Vitamin D, and the light therapy all have a large impact on skin disorders and blemishes. Be sure to lay yourself out on all side for a set period of time. For example: 5 min. on your front, back and sides, for a week. Then 10 min. on every side for a week. Do not wear sunscreen, as it prevents the full, healing spectrum from coming through.
As you see, sunlight can become a very important part of your skin care, and body care, routine. Use it sparingly at first, if you have not been in the sun recently or you don’t have dark skin. Keep windows in your house open, and let sunlight shine on your face as you work in your home office.
References:
Center for Natural Medicine, “Sunshine,” online posting, Oct. 07
http://www.news-medical.net/news/34041.aspx
Rose, Kareen, “Health Benefits of Sunshine,” online posting, Jan. 08
http://healthmad.com/health/health-benefits-of-sunshine/
The Medical News, “Researchers say health benefits of sunshine outweigh the skin cancer risk and might help you live longer,” online posting, Jan. 08
http://www.tcfnm.com/sunshine.htm
