In Australia the sun has some kick-ass potent UVB (ultraviolet B rays) and UVA (ultraviolet A rays) that can fuck your skin up.
The Government has pushed the message, ‘Slip, Slop, Slap’ for years.
- Slip on a shirt.
- Slop on some sunscreen.
- Slap on a hat.
This is a great message as Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world.
Have a look at the dark skin of the First Nations peoples. They are designed to thrive in the harsh Australian sun. The pale skin of the English and Europeans and their modern-day descendants have no such natural defence.
Travel to Europe and the sun just feels different. You can sit in the sun for a couple of hours and not get burnt. Try the same thing in Australia and you end up looking like a boiled mud crab. Sunburn is no joke, and hurts like a bitch, then the itchiness kicks in…
Unfortunately, this message has gone too far.
Sun = bad.
There are huge health and mood benefits of sunlight and getting sunlight on your skin. If you spend all your time inside playing Xbox there is a good chance you are deficient in Vitamin D which can cause all sorts of health problems.
Vitamin D
Is good for:
- Increased bone density. Ensures the maximum amount of calcium is absorbed from the whole foods you eat.
- Essential to support your muscle development and function. Enhance your growth spurt.
- Fights off common infections like the man-flu.
- Boosts your mood, low vitamin D can cause depressive symptoms.
Vitamin D is triggered by the sun’s UVB rays. Since sunscreen SPF 50 filters around 98% of UVB, it significantly reduces Vitamin D production.
This means you need to spend some time in the sun not wearing sunscreen or covering up with pants and long-sleeved shirts.
Warning!!!
Do not do this during the high UV parts of the day. 9am to 6pm in the summer. This is a sure way to end up as a boiled mud crab and a candidate for skin cancer.
- Slip, slop, slap during this time.
When to do it
When the UV index is around 1-2 there is minimal risk of sun damage. This occurs in the very early morning and very late afternoon.
The rays have to travel through more of the Earth’s atmosphere, which filters out most of the burning (UVB) and aging (UVA) radiation.
Expose your face, arms, and hands for around 15 to 30 minutes without sun protection a few days a week to get adequate Vitamin D.
Sunglasses and a hat are ok to protect the skin around the eyes.
Vitamin D tank
Your Vitamin D is like a tank of petrol. Once it’s full, you can’t overfill it. It only requires a top up every couple of days.
But sunlight each day is good for your mood. So make it a daily habit.
You can get skin cancer though. Stick to the very early morning and late afternoons – 15-30mins.
If you have a darker skin, bump the time up to at least double.
If you are obese, you also need to bump the time up to at least double.
The ancient Sun God Ra keeps you healthy, strengthens your bones, gives you a positive mindset and wards off the man-flu.
Get out there.