Sunshine And Your Health – Advice From Your Chiropractor in West Vancouver

It’s not unusual for people to discuss the harm the sun can do to you, however, the benefits of a healthy dose of sunshine are enormous. Our Chiropractor in West Vancouver agrees that sunshine in healthy doses does wonders for your health.  Like anything else, moderation is the key.  Too much sunshine can have damaging effects on your health.

Vitamin D is essential for a healthy body, as it helps to strengthen bones, teeth, and muscles.

With the summer heating up, it’s a good idea to get out and enjoy the sunshine at least 2-3 times a week. The WHO recommends at least 15 minutes of exposure to the sun, and that’s without creams or coverings.

Of course, it’s also important that you strike the right balance – too much sun and you could start to feel some negative effects.

How Much Sun Do You Need To Get Enough Vitamin D?

Doctors recommend around 15 minutes of sunshine time to produce enough Vitamin D. This doesn’t mean you should be timing yourself every time you leave the house, as we’ll naturally pick up Vitamin D from going about our daily business outside.

As long you are letting some sunshine hit your arms and legs this should be enough to cover your body’s needs.

Vitamin D comes from the Sun’s ultraviolet rays and as a result, is not transferable through a window. You do need to be outside in the sun, without covered arms or legs, and that includes sunscreens.

The exact time to produce enough VItamin D is not known – each individual responds definitely, and this can come down to skin color or how much skin is exposed to the sun.

Overall, the important thing to remember is that getting outside in the sun is important – you just need to make sure you’re taking the right precautions to protect yourself.

Protect Yourself In the Sun

Although the health benefits of sunshine are important, you also need to make sure you’re protecting yourself against the sun’s powerful UV radiation.

If you are out of the house and in the sun for over 15 minutes, you should cover your exposed skin or wear sunscreen to protect against the penetrative radiation.

Exposure to too much UV is known to damage your skin’s DNA and eventually lead to skin cancer.

Other Benefits Of Sunshine

As well as Vitamin D, sunshine also has many other positive effects on your health and well-being. These benefits take only a few moments to make the most of – it’s important to enjoy the sun while you can!

Sunshine & Serotonin

Sunshine helps your body produce serotonin, a hormone that is commonly associated with happiness, and the ability to focus.

Serotonin is naturally produced by the body to help you feel more awake. At nighttime, dark light produces melatonin that helps us sleep.

Striking a good balance between serotonin and melatonin is known to improve conditions such as insomnia or other sleeping problems.

A lack of serotonin can be a key cause of Seasonal Affective Disorder (known as SAD), which can leave you feeling depressed and tired throughout winter.

Sunshine & General Health

While the negative effects of the sun on conditions like cancer are often talked about, it’s rarer to hear about the positive benefits of the sun’s rays for similar conditions.

Data has proven that those who have a balanced and healthy exposure to the sun on a regular basis are less likely to suffer from conditions like Hodgkin’s lymphoma or prostate cancer, among others.

Sunshine, or UV treatment, has also been used to treat those who suffer from skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

Individuals respond differently to the sun, and you should always be wary of the signals your body gives off in the sun. Whether it’s too much UV worsening a skin condition or the exposure to the heat and rays causing sunstroke, it’s worth being careful.  If you’re not sure, ask our Chiropractor in West Vancouver to give you some advice on the right amount of sunshine you should have.

How Sunshine Helps Your Body

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps your bones, muscles and general immune system perform well. The nutrient helps your body process vital minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus.

There is known to be some correlation between health conditions and a lack of Vitamin D, especially when it comes to muscle pain or an aching body.

While most people get enough Vitamin D from the food they eat, our Chiropractor in West Vancouver might recommend you supplement your Vitamin D needs in the dark winter months.  Having enough vitamin D in the winter months can help you fight flu and colds by keeping your immune system in good shape.  So when the sun is out our Chiropractor in West Vancouver suggests you go outside, get some fresh air, and treat yourself to a free 15 to 20 minute does of Sunshine.  In this case, a little bit goes a long way!