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Too Little Sun Is as Bad as Too Much

http://blog.drdavidwilliams.com/blog/digestive-health-guidance/too-little-sun-is-as-bad-as-too-much

It’s that time of year again when there will be a big media push on the dangers of the sun and the use of tanning beds. I don’t advocate baking in the sun, and everything carries a risk—particularly when it’s taken to an extreme. But we weren’t made to live in a cave devoid of any light.

When you step back and look at the big picture, study after study suggests that the increased risk from vitamin D deficiency–related diseases far outweighs any risk associated with a little prudent sun exposure. It’s easy to scare people with tales of skin cancer, but millions of people suffer needlessly because they are not being told the complete story about sun exposure. Those who suffer from fibromyalgia are a prime example.

More than six million people in this country have fibromyalgia, most of whom are women. They often have a difficult time just trying to get through the day due to pain throughout their body. Sometimes drugs help, but it’s a constant battle. A few have discovered the UV rays emitted from a tanning bed can dramatically relieve the pain. (I do have to mention that there’s been quite a bit of concern lately about the safety of tanning beds in general. I don’t recommend that anyone use them just for the sake of appearance.) Not only does the UV exposure trigger the release of the body’s own pain-killing endorphins, it can trigger increased vitamin D production.

It would be helpful if more focus were placed on the benefits of sun exposure and ways to make it safer (like having more of the protective unsaturated fatty acids, certain saturated and monounsaturated fats, and vitamins in the diet instead of an excess of polyunsaturated and hydrogenated fats), rather than using scare tactics.

For most people with a vitamin D deficiency, all it takes is a day or two of careful sun exposure to experience a noticeable improvement in mood, skin conditions, arthritis pain, or energy level. Unfortunately, people just don’t make the connection that the sunlight is converting cholesterol in their skin to vitamin D. Most conventional doctors don’t either. They are trained to treat the symptom. If you’re depressed, you need an antidepressant. If you have psoriasis, you need corticosteroid cream. If you have pain, you need a painkiller.

Learn to listen to your body and it will very often tell you what it needs.

You may also be interested in:

Let the Sun Shine

Supplementing with Flu-Fighting Vitamin D