What’s Sun Got To Do With It? By Julie Fenoglio At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

We all know that too much sun is not good for our skin due to the link with skin cancer, but did you now that not enough sun can also be dangerous? Why is this? Our bodies need sunlight to perform almost every vital function that leads to overall good health. Just as we cannot have healthy skin without a healthy body, sunlight is a very important natural skin care treatment - and you need daily exposure to the sun. The all important question is how do you get that daily sun exposure without increasing your risk of getting skin cancer?

First of all, let’s look at why sunlight is so important to us. When sunlight enters the eyes, it goes to the hypothalamus in the brain. The hypothalamus is known as the brain’s brain, it controls the part of the nervous system that regulates the body’s automatic and metabolic processes through hormones. The hypothalamus depends on light-activated information to do that and that light comes from the sun. Once the sunlight hits the hypothalamus, a domino effect takes place that influences the entire body. Here’s what it does.

• It regulates body temperature, blood pressure, hunger, thirst, and water balance.
• It links the nervous system to the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, ovaries and testes. The hormones released by these glands influence almost every cell, organ and function of the body,
• It initiates the body’s stress response.
• It controls the immune functions.
• It houses your body’s clock which, in turn, controls the pineal gland – the body’s master organ – which also uses light information received through the eyes to activate and synchronize the body’s internal functions.

All of these bodily functions contributes to healthy skin, but they are all dependant on sunlight entering the eyes and going into the hypothalamus. Studies have shown that even taking supplements can’t really replace that one natural process.

Secondly, let’s look at how you can make the sun part of your natural skin care treatment routine without the skin cancer risk. One good thing is that although the hypothalamus needs sun, it doesn’t need a lot. About 15 minutes in the sun every day is plenty. Make sure you are out in the early morning before 10:00 or late afternoon after 4:00 when the sun is at it’s at it weakest.

A word of warning however: if at all possible, use a sunscreen without toxic chemicals. Protection from the sun is vital, but some of the chemicals in sunscreens can be just as dangerous. To be sure, always use a shielding lotion. Apply it under the sunscreen, and it will help prevent the chemicals from absorbing into the skin. See my article on this subject at http://myantiagingskincareonline.com

Mother nature has provided us with many natural skin care treatment remedies, of which sunlight is the most basic - plus it’s free! Use it liberally, wear sunscreen during the hottest hours of the day, and don’t forget the shielding lotion!

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