Dr. Woliner's health tip for the week

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Docs:

Here is Dr. Woliner's health tip for the week.

Lyndon McGill, D.C.

EvolvHealth Wellness Advisory Council Member

Salem, Oregon

www.SalemSpineClinic.com

www.EvolvingDaily.com

When “Too Much Sun” Isn’t Enough

It’s a case of good advice gone overboard.

Every year, as summer approaches, I see the same warnings. “Avoid

sun exposure,” they say. “Cover up and put on sunscreen before you

go out.”

Is exposure to the sun really that bad? No. In fact, you need

sunshine. It’s your body’s main source of natural vitamin D. And

studies say many people – maybe most people – don’t get enough

vitamin D as it is.

You need vitamin D for mental clarity and sharpness, healthy

blood pressure, strong bones, a positive outlook, and many other

functions.1

So telling you to avoid the sun altogether seems a bit over the

top. Here’s how I think we got to this point…

For countless generations, your ancestors spent much of their

time working out under the sun. With the rise of industry, people

spent more and more time indoors. Eventually, with most people

working inside, only people who could afford leisure time were

tanned. So bronzed skin became Europe’s – and America’s – symbol

of wealth and status.

And that’s where I believe the problem with sun exposure began.

Because so many people seek social status.

Sunbathing – a very unnatural behavior for your ancestors –

became popular. Not surprisingly, plenty of untanned sunbathers

spent too much time in the sun. After repeated

“toastings,” they developed dryness, wrinkles and all kinds of

other skin problems.

In a sincere effort to protect us, the mainstream health industry

has been swinging the pendulum back. But it may be a bit too far.

During the warmer months, 15 – 20 minutes of sun exposure on your

arms and face is all the exposure most light-skinned people need

to produce enough vitamin D in their skin. But, if your skin is

darker, you’ll need more time in the sun to trigger critical

vitamin D production. Some people may require an hour or more.

The trick is to avoid staying out in the sun too long. “Too long”

is however long it takes for your skin to start turning red. For

freckle-faced redheads, it could be less than half an hour. For

some African-Americans, even a full hour may not be too much.

The process seems simple, but it’s been complicated by

sunscreens. Most commercial sunscreens require a half-hour or more

to “kick in.” Before that, they don’t fully protect your skin. So,

to be safe, you have to apply them well before you go out into the

sun.

And that may interfere with getting the sunlight you need to make

the vitamin D your body craves.

Plus, many commercial sunscreens contain chemicals you may want

to avoid. Debate has raged over the safety of such common

ingredients as parabens, which some studies suggest can mimic the

hormone estrogen in your body.2

Fortunately, you can easily avoid both these issues. First,

choose an all-natural sunscreen. These products are free of

parabens and other questionable chemicals.

Second, choose a sunscreen that uses zinc oxide as its active

ingredient. Zinc oxide blocks sunlight – just the way putting on a

hat or shirt does. And it goes to work immediately. So you can get

your 20 minutes of sunlight, rub it on, and you’re instantly

protected.

The sun does present a danger to your skin. But only if

you overdo it. You should still get enough sun every day to help

your body make the vitamin D you need.

You can still enjoy the summer sun. All it really takes is a

little common sense.

Yours in continued good health,

Dr Woliner, M.D.