Staying healthy in summertime is as easy as putting down the sunblock and picking up a bottle of water.
That’s right – summer safety does not require you to slather yourself in sunscreen 24/7! Instead, it requires a balanced approach to the sun in order to optimize Vitamin D levels. When you combine proper sun exposure with increased hydration, it’ll be easy to make this summer your healthiest one yet.
The truth about sunscreen
We all know that an overexposure to the sun can cause skin cancer. But what happens when our fear of the sun leads us to avoid it entirely by staying inside or always hiding beneath sunscreen?
According to the American Society of Clinical Nutrition, this type of ‘sun avoidance’ can lead to drastically reduced Vitamin D levels in the body. Low Vitamin D has been linked to countless diseases and imbalances including cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, high blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease, and more.
In addition to food sources like salmon, mackerel, herring, and cod liver oil, our body’s main source of Vitamin D is the sun. Without at least 20-30 minutes per day of sunscreen-free exposure, dermal synthesis from UVB radiation cannot take place in the skin, leading to low Vitamin D levels that put the body at risk for disease.
This summer, aim to spend at least 20 uncovered minutes in the sun each day. Vitamin D supplements are great, as are food sources of Vitamin D, but there’s no substitute for the actual sun!
Keep in mind that balance is key, and that overexposure is just as harmful as underexposure. If you do get sunburned, aloe vera or Renu 28 are the most effective remedies.
Are you drinking enough water?
The second way to ensure your healthiest summer yet is to optimize hydration by drinking plenty of water.
Our bodies are made up almost entirely of water. The brain, heart, lungs, skin, muscles and kidneys are all comprised of between 64% and 79% water, and even our bones are made up of 31% water.
Water does much more than merely quench your thirst on a hot summer day. It facilitates the growth of healthy cells, flushes toxins from the body, helps to regulate body temperature, keeps the body oxygenated, serves as a shock absorber for the spinal cord and brain, and aids digestion by regulating saliva levels.
Failing to drink enough water each day can lead to dizziness, appetite loss, extreme fatigue, discolored urine, intolerance to heat, dry cough, and all sorts of dehydration-related maladies.
Since water is constantly being lost through urine, stool, and sweat, it’s crucial to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day, and more in the hot summer months. If you consume caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, drink an extra glass of water for each beverage consumed in addition to your regular water intake.
Hot summer months present special health challenges and even greater opportunities for increased well-being.
- Soak up the summer sun and increase your Vitamin D levels by spending 20 to 30 sunscreen-free minutes outside each day
- Find a happy medium between underexposure and overexposure to sun
- Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day – more if you consume caffeine or alcohol
For more tips on living well and optimizing your health this summer, schedule a consultation with the health specialists at Anatara Medicine by clicking here now: https://anataramedicine.com/contact-us/