Sun exposure is vital to your health

You always hear on the news during the summer about how we should all put on sun protection before going outside, especially if it is going to be a hot sunny day.

Even dermatologists will tell you to avoid sun exposure to protect your skin. I went to a dermatologist several years ago and she told me that I should be wearing long sleeves when I go outside and also a hat to protect myself from the sun. She also mentioned to always wear sunscreen.

Of course, I don’t wear long sleeves and a hat when I go out in the sun, but I do exercise a little bit of caution if I am going to be outside for 2-3 hours on a very hot summer day. At the beach I will definitely put on sunscreen before hanging out, otherwise it would be emergency room time–I burn very easily.

After all of this hype about sunscreen and protecting yourself, many doctors are finding that there are a lot of diseases that can be prevented with a little bit of sun exposure every day.

A deficiency in vitamin D (which comes directly from sun exposure) can be linked to hair thinning or hair loss, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, depression, multiple sclerosis, gum disease, seasonal influenza and tuberculosis.

I believe that you only need 15-20 minutes of sun exposure every day to get the recommended amount of vitamin D. I can understand the need for warning people about long term sun exposure and the risk for skin cancer and skin damage. I’m sure that no doctor would recommend you go outside in the hot sun for 4 hours every day without protection.

But to go to the extreme where all lotions and makeup now have SPF protection in them means that we are getting no sun exposure at all. Maybe it’s time for a closer look at all of these recommendations. If you go with the theory that too much of anything is bad and you get sun exposure in moderation, then I think everyone will be okay.

What do you think about wearing sunscreen all the time when you go outside? Do you do it?