“Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2007, wear sunscreen.”
And so begins the not-a-song song Everybody’s Free (to wear sunscreen). And sunscreen is incredibly important whenever you are going to be out in the sun for more than about twenty minutes at a time (keep in mind, this varies based on altitude). It will prevent burns and exposure that contributes to skin cancer, which has recently risen to become the most deadly form of cancer.
But you should not slather on the sunscreen every time you step outside. Doing so prevents your skin from absorbing the healthy parts of the sun’s rays, which are vital to being healthy and happy. And the most important part of getting this sun exposure each day?
Vitamin D. If you have ever watched a movie where people do not have access to the sun, say after a nuclear bomb, you have heard them mention artificial ways of getting vitamin D. That is because your body needs it for many things. Below are just some of the benefits of vitamin D.
Vitamin D Fights Diseases
And we are constantly discovering new diseases that it fights against. Diabetes, heart disease, and even the flu have been shown to be weakened by the presence of plenty of vitamin D.
Vitamin D Fights Depression
While we already covered illnesses that affect the body, it can also combat those that affect the mind. In fact, vitamin D has shown such incredible results when helping to adjust mood disorders, many therapists will prescribe time in the sun as part of their treatment plans.
Vitamin D Gives You Energy
And this energy can help your body be stronger to fight off all sorts of diseases, help your mind be more alert and better able to fight against factors that bring you down, and it can even help boost your metabolism so you lose weight.
So, how much time should you spend in the sun? Doctors recommend you set a goal of 20-30 minutes each day, no sunscreen allowed. To stay safe, you can break this up into small chunks of 10 minutes each. So go ahead, get outside and enjoy the power of vitamin D.
