Why is sunlight good for you? Over the years, there’s been a lot of mixed opinions about whether or not the sun is good for you. Some say yes while others say no. You have heard things like the sun causes cancer, and it is damaging to your skin, but what’s the real truth? Within this article, I hope to explain how sunshine can be very beneficial to your health and touch on a few of these concerns.
Sunshine And The Vitamin D Connection
Sitting in the sun for 15 to 30 minutes at least two or three times a week will provide your body with ample vitamin D. However, in the winter months, you might consider taking a vitamin D supplement or eating healthy foods rich in vitamin D.
Foods Rich in Vitamin D Include
- Mackerel
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Cheese
- Egg Yolks
- Beef Liver
- Foods Fortified with Vitamin D Such As:
- Milk
- Orange Juice
- Some Cereals
- Some Dairy Products
Don’t forget to take a vitamin D supplement also in the winter months or eat lots more vitamin D rich foods. Here are a few signs of a vitamin D deficiency.
- Feeling Fatigued
- Tiredness
- Back pains
- Muscle pains
- Depression
- Getting sick often
- Wounds could be slower than usual to heal.
- Poor quality of sleep
Does The Sun Cause Cancer
Too much of anything isn’t necessarily good for us, but in my opinion, the sun does not cause cancer when you use common sense. I think these sunscreens and tanning lotions we all love to use with the harmful chemicals absorbing into our skin is part of the problem and misconception about the sun causing cancer. I think it would be wise to find a natural product without the harmful chemicals that can do the same job.
I also believe every human being on the planet has cancer cells in our bodies while some peoples get activated, and others do not is due to lifestyle choices.
- You are not trying to eat a healthy diet.
- Always negative about everything.
- Don’t have a good spiritual connection.
- Worry too much about what others think of them.
- Stress out about things they have no control over.
- Always in everyone else’s business.
- Don’t take responsibility for their circumstances.
- Poor mindset.
- Don’t do enough personal development on themselves.
Of course, these are just my opinions and beliefs.
Sunlight Is A Mood Enhancer
Sunshine is a mood enhancer because it helps to boost serotonin and dopamine levels in our bodies. Serotonin and dopamine are the two hormones in the body that makes us feel calm and happy. The boosted serotonin and dopamine levels could also help to fight off bouts of depression. Haven’t you ever noticed how in the winter months, our moods are totally different? I think it is partly because of our vitamin D, serotonin, and dopamine levels dropping.
Serotonin is produced in high quantities in the occipital lobes and helps create the neurological electricity for sight and rest, and also controls your cravings. The occipital lobes maintain your brain’s overall balance, or synchrony, by regulating the output of all the primary brain waves. At night serotonin allows the brain to recharge and rebalance.
If these brain waves get out of sync, you might feel like you are going off the deep end. You might become overly tired and unable to get a good night’s sleep. When your serotonin levels are out of balance, your brain’s ability to recharge itself is compromised. When this happens, you simply cannot think clearly.
Serotonin deficiency symptoms might include
- Poor Appetite
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Irritability
- Low self-esteem
List of supplements to help increase serotonin levels
- Calcium
- Fish oil
- 5-HTP
- Magnesium
- Passionflower
- SAM-e
- Zinc
- Tryptophan
- St. John’s Wort
- Pyridoxine
- Melatonin (at night)
List of foods to help increase serotonin levels
- Chicken
- Nuts and seeds
- Milk
- Salmon
- Eggs
- Spinach
- Pineapple
- Bananas
- Tomatoes
Dopamine, sometimes referred to as the chemical messenger, plays a vital role in how we feel pleasure. It’s a big part of our uniquely human ability to think and plan. It helps us to strive, focus, and find things interesting. Too much or too little of it can lead to a vast range of health issues.
It is well known that periods of not getting enough sunshine exposure can lead to reduced levels of dopamine, and that sunlight exposure can increase them.
Dopamine deficiency symptoms might include
- Parkinson’s disease
- Depression
- Restless leg syndrome
- Low sex drive
- Procrastination
- Weight gain
- Muscle cramps
List of supplements to help increase dopamine levels
- Phenylalanine
- Tyrosine
- Methionine
- Rhodiola
- Pyroxidine
- B Complex
- Phosphatidylserine
- Ginko Biloba
List of foods to help increase dopamine levels
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Milk
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Eggs
- Dark chocolate
- Nuts
- Bananas
- Beef (unprocessed)
- Chicken (unprocessed)
Just as soon as spring and summer come around, our moods start to change back to a happier feeling.
Healing Skin Conditions With Sunlight or UV Radiation
Sunlight or the UV radiation the sun puts out has been used to successfully treat several skin diseases according to the World Health Organization, including.
- Vitiligo – Vitiligo is a disease that causes the loss of skin color in patches. The extent and rate of color loss are unpredictable. It can affect the skin on any part of your body.
- Psoriasis – Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease that causes raised, red, scaly patches to appear on the skin surface. It typically affects the outside of the elbows, knees or scalp, though it can appear on any location of the body.
- Lupus Vulgaris – Lupus Vulgaris is also known as tuberculosis luposa. They are painful cutaneous tuberculosis skin lesions most often on the face around the nose, eyelids, lips, cheeks, ears, and neck.
- Jaundice – Jaundice is a condition in which the skin, the whites of the eyes, and mucous membranes turn yellow because of a high level of bilirubin.
- Acne – Acne occurs when sebaceous (oil) glands attached to the hair follicles are stimulated at the time of puberty or due to other hormonal changes.
- Eczema – Eczema is a condition where patches of skin become inflamed, itchy, red, cracked, and rough. Blisters may sometimes occur.
- Rickets – Rickets causes a child’s bones to soften because they are not getting enough calcium. One common reason for this is a lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D increases calcium absorption from food and transports it from the gut into the bone.
Can Sunlight Lower Your Blood Pressure
According to The University of Edinburgh, researchers have shown that when our skin is exposed to the sun’s UV rays, a compound is released in our blood vessels, which helps to lower our blood pressure. The findings suggest that exposure to sunlight improves health overall.
The Top 5 Benefits of Sunlight That Aren’t Vitamin D
I hope you enjoy this video!
Why Is Sunlight Good For you
In closing, after reading this article, I hope you now have a better understanding of why sunlight is good for you when you use common sense. I hope that you will find a safer alternative to use when it comes to sunscreens and tanning oils. Just remember all of those harmful chemicals in sunscreens are absorbing through your skin into your bloodstream, which could cause health issues.
Be sure and read my review, The 5 Best Top Rated Vitamin D Supplements
Warmest Wishes! The Hillbilly Shaman