Do my children need sunlight to stay healthy? The question of exposure to the sun is one that has been studied in recent years to determine both the positive effects of the sun and the potential damage. While there has been a lot of concentration placed on using protection from the sun and attempting to prevent skin cancer, there has also been attention placed on the benefits of the sun.
The health contributing factors of the sun include an obvious boost in vitamin D. There can be a deficiency in vitamin D if there is not proper exposure to the sun. Vitamin D or Dihydroxyvitamin D3 regulates over 1,000 genes in the human body.
These genes are responsible for governing virtually every tissue in the human body. Calcium metabolism, the neuromuscular system, and the immune system are all reliant on vitamin D. For these functions to operate properly the body must receive a proper amount of vitamin D.
The majority of the sun's benefits on the body are what is known as photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process of converting carbon dioxide into organic compounds. This process occurs in plants, algae, and bacteria. It is now understood that the sun has similar positive effects on the human body.
It is the photosynthetic process that provides our bodies with vitamin D; this is accomplished through exposure to ultra violet light. The very thing that causes concern and may promote skin cancer is what we need for our immune systems and metabolism to operate properly.
This is a perfect example of too much of a good thing not being good for us. The scientific community has tried to determine at what point too much ultra violet rays are too much. It has been determined that the amount of sunlight that is considered too much is determined by the skin type under a particular amount of ambient ultra violet rays.
Studies have shown that for the average person with fairly light complexion 30 minutes in a bathing suit should be sufficient time to cause 1.25 milligrams of Vitamin D to enter the blood stream. There are factors that can reduce this amount such as skin tone, if a person is relatively tan then the amount of vitamin D will be drastically reduced, possibly by as much as 50 percent. This number is further reduced for people with dark skin. Consequently the best way to reduce harmful amounts of ultraviolet rays is to gradually increase the amount of time in the sun based on your Childs ability to tan. If they are conducive to tanning then the first few times in the sun should be less than subsequent times once they are tanned.
Another factor that reduces the amount of risk a person may be exposed to can relate to their physical condition. Individual who are overweight do not face the same amount of dangers if the same individual weighed less.
Overall the answer to the question, do my children need sunlight to stay healthy? Is yes, but this should be controlled to avoid over exposure. Overexposure will vary depending on the individual's skin tone and their physical condition. This will also be determined by the total amount of Ultra Violet rays they are exposed to. This varies depending on geographical location and increases as you head further south till you reach the equator and then it reverses till you hit the South Pole.
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