WELLNESS-I find that many of my patients are confused as to whether the sun is healthy or cancer causing. We used to hear that being in the sun early morning or late in the day was the safest time because the rays were less intense.
More recently you may have read studies indicating that the early and late rays are actually more dangerous and we should get midday sun on our bodies instead. After we toss in the important relationship between Vitamin D and sun exposure, it may feel like trying to juggle three balls. Let’s break it all down and give you some simple facts and guidelines to follow.
First, there are two types of Ultra Violet or UV rays that we need to be concerned with, and they are UVA and UVB.
While UVA feels less hot and less intense than UVB, UVA has a longer wave and is therefore more penetrating and goes deeper into the skin than UVB causing more damage.
UVA also has the ability to penetrate through clouds and glass, so the answer to whether or not being behind glass makes you safer from the suns rays is no.
Unless that glass is treated to block out UV rays, you are not protected from UVA rays just because you are behind glass. Scientists used to think that the UVA was less harmful to the physical body because it feels less hot and intense, but they have since proven that UVA rays are in fact more dangerous when it comes to skin damage and skin cancer. 95% of the rays that reach the earth are UVA, and if it is daytime, we are getting the more dangerous UVA rays whether it’s slightly cloudy or not.
In regards to Vitamin D3 creation it is the UVB responsible for that, so let’s remember UVB as UV Better. These UVB rays have shorter wavelengths than UVA making them less penetrating and less damaging if taken responsibly.
UVB rays are prevalent from about 10am to 4pm but maximized when the sun is right overhead. These rays are felt most strongly from about April to October in most places in the world. While UVB rays feel more intense, the waves are shorter so they penetrate less deeply into the skin and are therefore less cancer causing then their UVA counterparts. What’s important to get here is that it is the UVB rays that stimulate our bodies’ ability to synthesize the very important Vitamin D3.
Depending on your skin type and where you live in the world, about 5 to 20 minutes of direct midday sun with no sunscreen when the sun is overhead or within the range of 10am to 4pm is enough to stimulate the bodies’ natural ability to produce vitamin D3. The shorter time is for the more fair skin type or the person that has not been in the sun for a while.
The 20 minutes of exposure is for those of you that are more naturally dark to begin with or if you already have a protective base of color on your skin. Vitamin D3 is very important in that it helps the body absorb calcium and promotes bone mineralization. It is also a key vitamin in stimulating the bodies’ immune response.
Additionally, there is research indicating that vitamin D3 may provide protection from hypertension, psoriasis, and other autoimmune diseases. Most important to this article, Vitamin D3 is now thought to help protect our bodies against cancer, especially colorectal.
What happens when winter arrives and we are not in the sun? If we get enough vitamin D during the summer months our bodies can actually store some and use that during the winter months. The only way to know what our vitamin D3 levels are is to get them tested with blood work. Most doctors or naturopaths will be happy to do this for you, and Vitamin D3 can also be purchased in supplement form if your levels are low and sun exposure is challenging.
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In conclusion, yes the sun may cause cancer if you are irresponsible and un-strategic in your approach to taking it in. On the other hand if you plan right and get the right amount of sun and protect yourself for the rest of the time during the day by staying shaded or indoors, short amounts of direct sun on your body may actually be strengthening your immunity and helping to avoid certain types of cancer. Know that the best way to get sun is on your entire torso, but if that is difficult, at least be sure to receive sun on your face and exposed arms. This will help ensure that you get the vitamin D3 benefits.
If you have been reading my articles for a while, you will see a pattern forming in my advice. Everything regarding our physical, mental and spiritual health requires balance. The all or nothing attitude is the opposite of the balance we seek. It’s the too much or the too little that gets us into trouble, and that delicate sweet spot in life where we find happiness and health.
My next article will simplify and explain the mystery of whether sunscreens are healthy or damaging once and for all, and I will point out which chemicals to avoid when purchasing suncreen.
(Christian Cristiano is an acupuncturist in LA, TV host of Wellness for Realists and writes on wellness regularly for CityWatch. Christian can be reached at 323.935.3420. twitter: @CristianoWFR)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 25
Pub: Mar 24, 2015
