It has been a long winter in Huntley, and many of you can’t wait to get to the “social pool,” lay out in the sun for that gorgeous tan, and bask in the warmth of spring. Others of you will head for the golf and tennis courts or simply work in your yards.
It was about this time last year that I began writing “My Healthier You column,” and I did an in-depth series on the value of sunshine. There are so many benefits of getting Vitamin D from the sun, which I will not repeat here. I do want to caution you about some sun facts. Ultra violet light from the sun comes in two wave lengths:
UVA – these are the bad guys that penetrate the skin more deeply, promoting free radical damage. They are more prevalent early and late in the day and when there is cloud cover.
UVB – these are the good guys that help the skin produce Vitamin D in the midday, when the angle of the sun is at 50 degrees. To learn the sun’s angle:
Search the U.S. naval observatory sun azimuth table in Google, then click the first option (sun or moon altitude/azimuth table/astronomical).
Today’s date will appear, put in your state and town and go down and click “compute table.” Find the hour on the left, and in the middle, the angle of the sun. Fifty or above is when Vitamin D is available. You need only 20 to 30 minutes. This should be done without lotions.
You do need to respect the UVA rays, which can be dangerous if you have very white skin, overstay your hours in the sun, and try to get a tan all at once instead of gradually. This is especially true on cloudy days and during the hours when the sun is not at a 50 degree angle. When the sun is at a 50 degree angle, the UBA rays offer protection.
• Information on Norma’s upcoming classes can be found in this edition’s You’re Invited section.
