Without light there is no life. Sunlight is the decisive factor that triggers almost all biological processes. Our mood, our biorhythms, the seasons and so much more are controlled by different light influences.

Now doctors warn against direct sun exposure and the resulting risk of skin cancer. The use of sunscreens with a high sun protection factor is recommended for all ages.

But how does this fit in with the timeless knowledge that light and sun are essential for life? Many people are unsure.

In his book "Lichtbaden" (Light Bathing), the well-known German Ayurvedic doctor and best-selling author Dr. Ulrich Bauhofer writes about the comprehensive importance of light for health. The fact that sunlight is necessary for the production of vitamin D in the human body is now widely known. In addition to vitamin D, contact with sunlight, which contains an almost infinite spectrum of different wavelengths, also triggers the formation of many other messenger substances and hormones in the body. Due to the disconnection from natural sunlight that results from being indoors almost all the time, the human body loses the source for the formation of these vital substances. As a result, people who live longer due to a better supply of basic foodstuffs are very much and often ill. Above all, typical civilisational ailments such as exhaustion, sleep disorders, depression, susceptibility to infections, osteoporosis and much more arise as a result.

Sunlight and skin cancer

Excessive irradiation of the skin with ultraviolet (UV) rays has been identified as a triggering factor for skin cancer. There are two main UV rays that can be harmful to the skin, UVA and UVB. UVB rays have a shallow penetration depth into the skin and cause sunburns if you stay in the sun too long. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and are mainly responsible for the development of skin cancer.

Most sunscreens, even those with a high SPF of 50, block all UVB rays but not UVA rays. This has led to an increase in the incidence of skin cancer despite the use of sunscreens.

UVB rays and vitamin D

UVB rays are the fraction of sunlight that triggers the formation of vitamin D. When UVB rays hit the skin unobstructed for some time, they trigger the conversion of cholesterol into vitamin D. Vitamin D protects the skin from further sunburns and from the harmful influence of other rays such as UVA. The health value of vitamin D is extensive. Deficiency of vitamin D is associated with a variety of health disorders: various cancers such as skin cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and hypertension, poor cognitive function and dementia, and also for genetic diseases. (4-10)

Blocking UVB rays, which high SPF sunscreens do, prevents the formation of vitamin D and causes vitamin D blood levels to drop by up to 97%. This leads to an increase in risk for many disease groups.

How is vitamin D formed?

"I certainly have a high vitamin D level," says Mrs. Anna D. "I am in the fresh air every day and work a lot in my garden." The measurement result for Mrs. Anna D. is sobering. The laboratory values show a pathologically low vitamin D level. Why? Ms Anna D. spends most of her time outdoors during the slightly cooler times of the day in the morning and evening. Even if a large part of the skin is uncovered, the sunlight at these times of the day is not sufficient to produce vitamin D. The sunlight must be at an angle to the skin. The sunlight must hit the skin at an angle of more than 45° to trigger the conversion of cholesterol to vitamin D. This is only possible in our latitudes, however. In our latitudes, however, this is only the case in the summer months of May - August, and even then only from about 11 am - 3 pm. The rest of the year, the sun's rays are so flat that the UVB rays are filtered out by the earth's atmosphere.

Targeted sunbathing with uncovered and uncreamed skin for about 15 - 30 minutes at midday enables us to produce sufficient vitamin D. The time of exposure to the sun should not be too long. The time of sun exposure should start with a few minutes and gradually be extended to 30 minutes.

Children and sunscreen

It is strongly recommended by paediatricians to apply sunscreen with a high sun protection factor to children before they are exposed to the sun. This procedure completely prevents the formation of vitamin D. Such a recommendation seems grossly negligent, especially if a sufficiently dosed vitamin D intake is not recommended at the same time.

For children, it is also important to use only mineral-based sunscreens. Only the use of zinc oxide and avobenzone as sun protection factors is without harmful side effects. Sunscreens that use other substances such as octinoxate, octisalate, oxibenzone or homosalate are toxic, especially for children. These substances can act as irritants, allergens, carcinogens or hormone disruptors (substances that disturb the natural hormonal balance).

Taking vitamin D before a holiday

A high vitamin D level protects the body relatively well against sunburn and skin cancer. This does not mean that you can sunbathe without limitation after taking vitamin D. A slow and reasonable increase in exposure time of 15-30 minutes is possible with a high vitamin D level, as long as you do not get sunburn.

Summary

Sunlight is essential for life! Take advantage of the summer to get some sun!

Prepare for sun exposure by taking vitamin D.

Use sunscreen only after you have been out in the sun for 15 minutes.

Then use only sunscreens with a mineral sun protection factor (zinc oxide).

Use the Ayurvedic products we recommend for healthy skin.

 

References:

1. http://www.ewg.org/2015sunscreen/report/executive-summary/

2. http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm258416.htm

3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25442229

4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25247796

5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15585788

6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25911319

7. http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/117/4/503.short

8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25267625

9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25098535

10. http://ebm.sagepub.com/content/229/11/1136.short

11. http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-9-65.pdf

12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3033008

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8092101

14. http://www.ewg.org/sunsafety/tips-how-to-pick-a-good-sunscreen.php

15. http://www.ewg.org/2015sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/