To Sun or not to Sun, that is the question.

It’s very interesting to me that as we become more conscious about skin cancer, our vitamin D levels, as a whole, have been declining. Whether or not there is a direct relationship between the two, there is still a question of whether or not it’s good to spend time in the sun. I say yes! And, as with most things, take your doses of sun in moderation.

One thing to consider is that if you constantly cover up, whether with clothes, sunscreen or that parasol that I know you have hidden in your closet, you are limiting your Vitamin D levels. When sunlight hits your skin, the vitamin D that is in your body gets converted to the active form. Without sunlight, that conversion doesn’t happen. And without the active form of Vitamin D, your immune system can’t function properly, your hormones have difficulty balancing out, your mood may suffer, and so many other things.

A second consideration is that almost everything you put on your skin will be absorbed into your blood stream. Most sunscreens contain chemicals that can be carcinogenic, and at the very least can be difficult for your liver to clear out of your body. Ironically, the process of clearing these thing out can use up more of your active Vitamin D.

So, in short, what I will do is spend time outside, cover up before I get burnt and just enjoy the sun!