Cancer Research UK is about to announce that, contrary to previous advice over recent years, sun exposure is indeed, good for you, even the midday sun. Well, moderate amounts anyway. So why the U-turn? It all boils down to 3 words: vitamin D deficiency.
Apart from the physiological benefit of making you feel good, sunlight also plays a vital physical element. It causes vitamin D to be made in the liver then activated in the kidneys, colon, breast and prostate. Dr Des Fernandes, founder of Environ skincare, has been recommending moderate sun exposure for years. He says it takes only a few minutes a day to generate enough vitamin D, then 20 minutes to convert pre-vitamin D to active D. After that you should protect yourself.
We can supplement with vitamin D but exposing ourselves to sunlight is the best way to produce it. Our bodies are self-regulating so they cannot over-produce it, avoiding toxicity. Vitamin D helps our bodies to absorb calcium; without it, eating calcium-rich foods or taking calcium supplements will not guarantee you healthy bones. Vitamin D maintains normal cell production, hormonal balance and boosts your immunity. There have also been links between vitamin D deficiency and obesity, insulin resistance, heart disease and some cancers.
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