I am perplexed.
In our area - land of the perpetually overcast sky - Vitamin D deficiencies are very prevalent. If I understand correctly, a Vitamin D deficiency (long term and untreated) can lead to increased risks of heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes risk, osteoporosis, asthma, cancer risk and depression. From what I've read, it is difficult to get enough Vitamin D through diet and it's hard for our bodies to properly absorb if it's in a supplement. Exposing our skin to UV light, seems the most effective way for our body to synthesis and "digest" Vitamin D.
On the other hand, exposure to UV light and to toxins, increases our chance of getting skin cancer. It seems, though, that this is more true if the exposure leads to a moderate or severe sunburn that occur more than few times.
My Mom's family is Australian and both my parents are travelers, so we grew up spending a lot of time near the equator. Their philosophy was to let us "get some color" but to prevent sunburn with sunscreen.
I have adopted their philosophy and do use sunscreen (SPF 50 for the kids) but not liberally and not daily. I let my children get sun kissed but neither has ever been burned.
What do you all think and do? Is there a balance or is it more cut and dry?
Alright. Maybe I'm over thinking this.
Oh Susan, I hear you that UV rays travel through clouds and that a person can get burned even when it's overcast. When I'm visiting your part of the world :) :) :) I certainly keep that in mind as I HAVE been burned on a gray day...but here in Washington, we are like a bunch of vampires! I can't say that it's not possible to get burned through our clouds, but I think it's safe to say that it is very, very rare.
I'm vitamin D deficient, so I try to let my kids get some sun before slathering on the sunblock. I live near the Texas coast so it only takes about 15 minutes full sun for most to get their daily dose of vitamin D. So my compromise is to wait until we are at the park or pool to apply sunblock.
Your Australian family was dead on correct -- getting the sun little by little developing a tan, and getting daily sun is the best health measure you can take. You do want to avoid burning though. Also, you will not hear about it in the media - but all those sunscreens you are slathering on is what is giving you sun cancer. Everyone wants to blame it on the sun, when often its the carcinogic product they are absorbing through their skin. I am going to list some articles you can read about this. There is one type of sunscreen you can use, but you have to choose the right one:
http://search.mercola.com/search/Pages/results.aspx?k=sun...
http://search.mercola.com/search/Pages/results.aspx?k=vit...
Hi Ephie,
I have read that all a person needs is 15 minutes of natural sunlight a day.
There is nothing extreme about it.
Even on an overcast cloudy day, UV light is coming through to us.
People get sunburned on cloudy days as well.
It sounds like you're doing just about right. My kids and I are the palest people on the planet. If we're going to play in the sun for a prolonged period (playground, beach, etc) we slather up with sunscreen. But if we're just hanging around the house, in and out of the backyard, quick trip to the park down the street, we skip it. The cancer danger increases exponentially with each sunburn, but mild sun exposure is healthy.
If you or your children have more than 50 freckles on your body, you are considered an "increased cancer risk" and should get a full body check by a dermatologist every year. I probably have upwards of 500 freckles, so right now I go every 6-9 months.
i really really worry about how much sunscreen everyone uses these days, and slathers liberally on their babies. our skin is our largest organ and so vitally important. no one wants wrinkles or skin cancer, but skin is porous and absorbent, and i really think that pouring chemicals all over it is a Bad Idea in the long-term.
i have to admit my bias, though, i'm a sun worshipper and love to be out in it. i'm lucky enough to have skin that takes well to tanning so long as i'm not stupid about it. i tan gradually, and use clothing to screen myself to avoid burns.
that being said, sunscreen IS part of my summer life, but only if i am going to be outside for a prolonged period and clothing isn't a comfortable option. for example, if i'm going for a long run and don't want long pants or long sleeves, i'll use sunscreen. but if i'm gardening or horseback riding, long loose clothing is a better choice.
because i get so much sun i probably don't need supplemental vit D, but i take it anyway.
khairete
S.
Updated
I've seen studies report that children get 85-90% of their lifetime sun exposure by the age of 18. So, it makes sense to use sunscreen on your children when they are going to be outdoors for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. Like others said, 15 minutes of sun exposure is enough for your body to produce vitamin D. A combination of limited sun exposure for vitamin D, and extended outdoor time with sunscreen to protect from sun damage is ideal. It's a huge bother, but isn't that true of so many things we do as parents?
Hello fellow washingtonian! I'm from there :-) I now live in sunny so cal! Last summer a bunch of us had some blood work done (for an athletic challenge). Myself and one other person within our group both take Vit. D. 5000iu's (that's 5 of those tiny things). Her and I were the only one with healthy vit D levels. Note - our whole group spends a decent amount of time outside in the sun. So - even here in Sunny so cal, it's important to take a supplement. I do lower my dosage if I allow more sun exposure - 15min a day during the hot/sunny months w/out sunscreen. I do this with my kids as well. Soooo get out in the sun, just don't burn! Put sunscreen on the kiddo's and yourself when you'll be out all day or once you've been out for 15min. Hope that helps!
I'm a pretty fair-skinned redhead.... 10 minutes unexposed in the sun and I WILL get burned! LOL! So I usually spray my DD down with sunscreen, and I do reaply it on her liberally. Of course, if the weather permits, we are outside for about 75-80% of the day, so I'm not too worried about her getting enough sun...
I totally agree with what you are doing. Vitamin D deficiency can also lead to rickets, which is softening of the long bones in the legs in kids. My dad had it and he was bow-legged as a result. Sun exposure in the winter months is also important especially for us in the Pacific Northwest so send those kiddies out there!
I have fair skin and tanned and burned too many times as a child, teen and 20 something. My grandpa got skin cancer so around 30 when I finally matured and smartened up, I went to a Dermatologist who told me that you do the most damage to your skin before 18 yrs old and then your skin starts showing the signs of the aging approx 20 yrs after the damage ocurred. With that being said, I wear a 50 sunscreen on my face daily. I only put it on my body and my children's bodies when we go to the park, the pool, etc When we are going to be in full sun for the day. They say that you need 20 mins of sun exposure to get your daily take of Vitamin D. Any more can then be harmful to your skin. As far as a supplement you are to take at least 800 ml of Vitamin D a day but it is necessary to take it with Calcium to help it absorb otherwise either one does not do much. They need each other to work well. You can also take something like Caltrate that has the Calcium and Vitamin D that you need daily. I take calcium and a vitamin D daily, sit in the sun for about 20 mins when I can and more than that, put sunscreen on. Good for you thinking about this b/c it really is important in so many ways. all that you mentioned above are researched to be very helpful for your health.
I know what you mean! I just moved from sunny SO California to Northern VA. I really hardly ever wore sunscreen. I would walk to the beach and not put any sunscreen until 1-2 hours after getting there. I would burn only the first time of the year and then just tan the rest. I am PALE white any other time of year besides summer. You definatly need the vit. D from the sun. Even just about 15 minutes a day is good enough. Since moving here I have been missing the sun (if it is warm enough to go outside, it's getting too humid for me already, I think I'm going to drown in humidity this summer)
keep using sunscreen in my book....... It's hard to reverse damaged skin.
Vitamin D can easily be gotten through supplementation. I sell vitamins and all vitamins are not the same. You need to be sure to chose good ones.
Latest studies are saying we need more vitamin D3 than we are getting... way more than was previously thought for many things...... may even help with weight loss and affecting good cholesterol and healthy heart.
Everything in moderation.
It takes only 10 min of unprotected sun exposure to get adequate vitamin D.
After that you are just working on a tan (or a burn) and I don't let my son get burned.
If there's no sun, cod liver oil has been a vitamin D supplement for ages.
Besides that it's added to milk and cereal.
15 mins a day without sunscreen is what you need for natural vit D. If you are going to be in the sun all day wear sunscreen. Taking a vit D3 supplement is a good way to get what you don't get from the sun.
