Can SUNSHINE really heal me?
*I am not a medical professional and this is not intended to be medical advice. The information below, is a compilation of my personal health journey, advice from my physician, and medical journals published online. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, supplements, spending any additional time in the sun, or adjusting the level of SPF you use.
Perhaps you've wondered why spending time outdoors on a sunny day seems to lift the spirit or why the rainy season makes you want to curl up and sleep for days. What is the common thread between sunshine and possible healing? The answer is vitamin D.
Each time we go for a walk around the block or lay in the sand at the beach, we are dosing ourselves with the purest form of vitamin D. We produce it when the sun's ultraviolet rays hit the cholesterol in our skin cells. But if it's so easily created, why are over a billion people worldwide deficient? And what are we putting ourselves at risk without enough of it? Along with UV rays comes the risk of skin cancer. Recent attention to this correlation has created a shift in how much time we spend outdoors and how we choose to protect our skin. High SPF sunblocks can actually stop the synthesis needed to create vitamin D in any substantial amounts. Because more emphasis has been placed on informing the public how they should decrease their skin cancer risk, the risks of Vitamin D deficiency are lesser-known to most.
Diseases associated with Vitamin D deficiency
-Osteoporosis
-Diabetes
-Cancer
-Autoimmune Disorders
-Heart Disease
-Multiple Sclerosis
-Weakened immune system
-Depression
-Recently, the CDC has linked vitamin D deficiency with the severity of Covid-19 respiratory symptoms.
With risks on both sides of the spectrum, it's important to consult your doctor. Routine blood work will show if a deficiency is present. Your doctor may then come up with a treatment plan which is best for you that might include spending short bursts of time in direct sunlight, Supplements, or a change in diet
As a cancer survivor who has lived with a basket full of prescription medications next to my bedside, I try to make a conscious effort to read up on any natural ways that I can heal my body further and attempt to find and address the root cause of my health issues. I do this with the support and supervision of my Doctor and fully believe in the science of medicine. I do not use the sun as a replacement for my medications. But I do find that a little dose of Sunshine has always been and continues to be a tool to help me beat the blues and maybe a few other things as well.
Related resources
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2770157
