Positive Effects of the Sun

Did You Know?

According to a study conducted by the University of Sydney and Melanoma Clinic in 1982, the people with the lowest risk of skin cancer were those whose main outdoor activity was sunbathing.

The same study also found that the highest incidence of skin cancer occurred in those who spent most of their time indoors under fluorescent lighting, which is deficient of the ultraviolet portion of the sun spectrum.

The findings of the above study were confirmed in 1985, by Dr. F. Alan Anderson, a physicist with the Food and Drug Administration at the New York University of Medicine, who found that over a period of time, a fluorescent light alone emits enough radiation to cause skin cancer.

Mice living under natural unfiltered sunlight haven been proven to live more than twice as long as mice living under fluorescent lights.

According to Dr. Jacob Liberman, exposure to the sun is necessary to the maintenance of over 100 vital biological functions.

In a 1980 study, it was concluded that exposure to sunlight produces the same benefits as exercise: increases in strength, energy, endurance, tolerance to stress, and the ability of the blood to absorb and carry oxygen; and decreasing the resting heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, blood sugar and lactic acid.

Massachusetts General Hospital reported that exposure to UV light is essential for a healthy level of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium and other vital minerals from the diet.

Researchers also found that the dietary Vitamin D found in milk and vitamin supplements is not a sufficient replacement to the Vitamin D that is produced by exposure to the sun for the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth and at high levels, dietary Vitamin D has been found to be very toxic.

Studies indicate that exposure to ultra-violet light is an effective tool for lowering elevated blood pressure.

According to a recent study conducted at the Tulane University, the heart became stronger and pumped more blood when the subjects were exposed to ultra-violet light.

A recent study reports that light plays an important role in how effectively certain enzymes can regulate vital bodily functions.

Sunlight has been scientifically proven in numerous studies to reduce serum cholesterol levels.

In a study conducted by The American Society for the Study of Arteriosclerosis, 97% of the subjects had a 13% decrease in the level of cholesterol within two hours after the first exposure.

According to the University of Carolina, exposure to sunlight is necessary to the production of Solitrol (an important hormone found within the skin).

In 1987, the Wall Street Journal reported that chickens raised under full-spectrum lighting, closest match to natural sunlight, lived twice as long, laid more eggs, were less aggressive, and laid eggs that were 25% lower in cholesterol than chickens raised under fluorescent lighting.

Medicine findings indicate that the sex hormones are most efficient when a woman or man is exposed to sunlight.

The pineal gland located in the deep center of the brain regulates the numerous biological functions by processing the body's exposure to regular day and night cycles.

In many northern European countries, studies have found that a direct correlation exists between decreased exposure to sunlight and a higher incidence of insomnia, irritability, alcoholism, depression, and suicide.

The Natural Psoriasis Foundation reports that 80% of the people suffering from Psoriasis improve when exposed to sunlight.

We further know that UVB is our primary source of Vitamin D that assists in the absorption of calcium. This in turn helps form and maintain bone structure.

Vitamin D is believed to reduce the risk of some cancers including colon cancer and breast cancer. It is widely known that these diseases are more prominent among people who live in climates that have less natural sunlight than those who live in sunny climates.

Vitamin D is essential for proper health and while some other sources such as supplements are available, the main source of Vitamin D for most people is ultra violet light.

I should touch briefly on skin disorders that have been found to be beneficially affected by UV treatment along with medicines. I have personally seen remarkable improvements in several customers who have found their psoriasis has been more easily controlled or reduced by repeated exposure to UV light.

Many salon customers report that outbreaks of acne seem less severe when they tan on a regular basis. This may be result of the drying effect tanning has on some skins which may speed up the process of sloughing I spoke of earlier.

I have found that many believe they deal with stress better when they tan. Here tanning may simply be a placebo or it may be because it is the only time they step away from the hectic pace of the day and simply relax and let go.

I want to highlight another important benefit, and that is the natural protection against sunburn. This subtle, but important, benefit cannot be emphasized enough. A base tan offers protection and while overexposure to ultra violet light can lead to sunburn, even where a base tan exists, in most cases a good base tan will offer adequate protection when exposed to reasonable amounts of periodic exposures of natural sunlight.

While it's true that over-exposure to the sun and burning are bad for you, medical science has also discovered that in moderation, exposure to the sun is crucial to the maintenance of good physical and psychological health.

In addition to the fact that a tan makes you feel good about how you look, a number of studies have noted that little to no exposure to the sun may be equally as bad, if not worse, to your overall health as too much sun.

Of course, no single study or studies may prove scientific fact. And as further studies are done, science will tell us more about the effects of sun exposure. But these studies emphasize that the sun may have positive as well as negative effects.

As Always
Tan Smart! & Keep It Glowin' 
At Jamaican Me Tan

Information derived from Dr. Zane R. Kline, MD in his book,  "Sunlight."