Bask in the Rays of the Sun





"A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step"




Habit # 3 -  I get lots of sunshine and don't always wear sunscreen

For years we have been warned about the dangers of getting too much sun and to always wear sunscreen.  The result is that now most people are deficient in Vitamin D, and in recent studies the value of wearing sunscreen has come into question as well.  As with all things, the trick is to reach a happy medium and to not overdo in either direction.

When I was a child growing up in England there was a saying I often heard "mad dogs and Englishmen sit in the noonday sun." meaning I suppose that only in England was the sun so faint most of the year that you could safely sit out even in the middle of the day. 

Having lived through months of rain and fog when I lived there, I can tell you there is definitely some truth in that saying. Whenever we did finally get a sunny day everyone scrambled to make the most of it, and unfortunately sights such as above where not uncommon.

But for the majority of the world, sitting out in the sun in the hottest part of the day is not recommended, even with lots of suntan lotion.  However that doesn't mean that you should shun the sun entirely. We all can benefit from exposure to the sun, and as long as we go out before it gets too hot, we should all get at least 15 minutes a day of sun exposure without any lotion.  This is the best way to get our Vitamin D.

Mark Sisson is a great believer in getting lots of sun exposure and writes extensively on the need for getting enough sun.  In  this post  he says :


In one of his many posts on the subject he recommends eating lots of fat and tomato products as well as drinking lots of tea as natural ways to prevent sunburn.  Unconventional maybe, but worth giving it a try.  You can read more of his thoughts on sunlight and natural sunburn protection here : sunscreens-not-one-of-them/

In a nutshell, get out into the sun whenever you get the chance, use as little suntan lotion as possible, and protect yourself during the heat of the day using natural methods.  

Animals naturally enjoy basking in the sun as you can see by this seal ......

......   and this cat.

......  and this dog and his master.

So enjoy the sun when it's safe to do so, and stay out of it when it gets too hot. I personally think they have the right idea in most of the countries that have very hot climates.  

Close up shop and take a nap.  You'll avoid the problem, catch up on your sleep, and wake up refreshed and ready to face the rest of your day - minus sunburn.



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