Vitamin D and Sun Block Clothing?
Vitamin D and sun block clothing? What about getting Vitamin D if I am wearing sunscreen? Can just a light shirt block my skin’s ability to produce vitamin D? Just a side note here, the type of fabric seems to have more to do with absorbing any ultraviolet rays. Just as when blocking dangerous rays.
For your skin to produce vitamin D, however, sunlight must reach your skin directly. Wearing sunscreen or even a lightweight shirt can limit your skin’s ability to produce this important to a healthy body vitamin.
Do You Really Need Vitamin D?
At first, sun block clothing may seem to work against our body’s need and ability to manufacture vitamin D. Your sun block clothing can help you get the amount of sunshine that you need to stay healthy. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-vitamin-d#What-is-vitamin-D?
A bit of extra information about the need for vitamin D so that you understand what this vitamin does. This vitamin that our body can manufacture from sun exposure to your skin is more like a hormone than a vitamin.
This vitamin is more like the hormones estrogen or testosterone or cortisol. Vitamin D is important for your bone strength. This sun derived vitamin can help ward off several forms of cancer as well as help your immune systems stay on track. So getting enough vitamin D is essential for your well being.
Statistic: Alarming Vitamin Deficiency Among Adults
This is not just a problem here in the United States but reaches worldwide. Dr Michal Melamed who is associated with the Albert Enstine College of Medicine in NY, reports that at least 70% of all children in American schools are deficient!
After understanding the lack of this vitamin D in our world a professor at the Boston University School of Medicine has taken it on himself to warn people. He has been raising awareness of how dangerous low amounts of vitamin D can be. With the worldwide situation of low amounts of vitamin D, how can we gain back our needed amount of this important building block for our body?
Basics Of Vitamin D Production
Most humans manufacture their vitamin D with exposure to the sun. This is how your body does its job. When the UB-B radiations land on your bare skin, it interacts with 7 dehydrocholesterol which is a cholesterol type substance. The purpose of this cholesterol substance is to produce Vitamin D.
Once vitamin D is produced, it can be stored in your body for use as needed. It is important to understand Vitamin D and Sun Blocking Clothing.
How To Help Your Body Stay Safe And Make Vitamin D
Let’s start with how to use your sun blocking shirt and other protective clothing to help get the right amount of sun. You need to think about how to allow the sun to shine directly on your skin for healthy benefits, but avoid the dangerous results of too much sun. (Sun Blocking Habits)
This isn’t really difficult, but you need to be aware of how you are getting your vitamin D.
Our lifestyles have changed and we are living much more of our lives in the house, out of the sun. Without the chance to build supplies of the vitamin in our bodies, there will be none there to protect us when needed.
This coupled with the years of complied knowledge about how dangerous excessive exposure to the sun can be to our skin has led to different behavior. We know about sunscreen and hats with wide brims. Just as we know we should be wearing sunglasses and a long sleeve shirt to protect ourselves from too much sun. (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-vitamin-d#What-is-vitamin-D?rotection fro the sun)
How Much Sun Do We Need?
Since our lifestyle includes staying out of the sun, even the weak winter sun. We need to make sure we can have enough vitamin D in our bodies to enjoy better health.
Experts tell us that as little as 5 minutes every day is enough to get your supply of vitamin D going. The dermatologist tells us that your skin can burn in as little as 15 minutes, or maybe quicker if you have fair skin, red or blonde hair or blue or green eyes.
So, what is a healthy amount for me?
Pay attention and see where you are after 5 minutes of sun on your unprotected arms and legs. I would not suggest having a bare face, use sunscreen. Your arms and legs will produce enough when the sun hits them.
If you start to turn red, or “flush” a little, that is enough for today. You can add another 5-minute session tomorrow. If you can be out and not look blistered or red or flushed in 30 minutes from the start, then you will only need to be out 30 minutes, 2 times a week.
Be Aware Of Sun Exposure
The main danger here is that you will lose track of the time and end up out too long and get some sun damage. As you think about all the ways we have to protect ourselves now, stay aware. Know what your skin is doing. If there is a reaction that is screaming, “Protect Me,” protect you!
Remember to stay alert to time. Don’t let the warm feeling the sun will give you relax your awareness of time. Time is the enemy of your skin during exposure to the sun. 5 minutes is great and healthy. 5 hours can leave your skin damaged for life. You need healthy skin to produce Vitamin D.
Yes, vitamin D and sun block clothing can work together for safe sun exposure.
Helping Natural Vitamin D Production
For this to work, you need to expose your skin when the sun a bit higher in the sky. Be done by 10 AM or don’t start until 4 PM. 8 AM is not so beneficial, as quickly and may take longer.
If the sun is low in the sky, the UV-B rays are blocked and your body will not be able to produce vitamin D. It is the UV-B rays, that react with your skin, not the UV-A rays, that we want for producing vitamin D.
However, UV-A rays can still burn your skin and cause lifelong damage at all hours of daylight because they reach the Earth even when the sun is low in the sky. Be aware and careful.
Sami’s Take On Vitmain D and Sun Block Clothing
Sun Block shirts and other sun protective clothing can help block the dangerous sun rays while allowing you to get just enough sun that you can store some vitamin D!
When you go outside with the sun high in the sky, why not take along your sun shirt, sun hat, etc. Then depending on your skin type, why not let the sunshine beam down on your bare skin for 5 to 30 minutes? (about 10-20 minutes for most people). Is Your State A “High Sun Danger” State?
This is enough time to generate the vitamin D to keep you healthy. Then, slip on your sun shirt, sun hat, and other sun protective clothing. You do want to prevent any additional skin exposure to the sun. You have had enough at that point.
We also suggest that you should wear your sun shirt and other sun protective clothing. Even at times when the UV-B is not reaching you becaues of a low sun angle. UVA will reach you, and there is no health benefit to UV-A radiation.
A sun blocking shirt and hat can allow you to get a few minutes of healthy sun on your lunch break. Then block the rest of the time, without having to apply sunscreen!
Even on a weekend outdoors, it’s much easier to take a sun shirt along. Put it on after you get your dose of sun for vitamin D. Sun protective clothing is far better at blocking the sun than is sunscreen. However, sunscreen is important to help keep skin looking younger.
Add On To Summary
Please note that it is all but impossible for you to get enough vitamin D from your diet alone.
Humans can get the majority of vitamin D from the sun interacting with their skin. You just have to be very careful of too much sun. You could develop cancer and have to live with premature ageing.
It’s a balancing act. An act that will be much easier with a sun shirt, hat, and other sun protective clothing