Life flourishes under the watchful eye of sunshine. No matter the season, sunshine always provides us opportunities to visually experience the world around us.
It is these experiences that are the basis for a healthy lifestyle. Just as we learn to enjoy these experiences early in our life, it is important that we also learn to enjoy our sun in moderation, under a shield of protection.
My definition of being healthy is being physically active, using good nutrition, and trying to get enough sleep. I believe that one should try to be physically fit by playing sports, such as basketball, baseball, or football. You always need to have a positive self image, as well as love and compassion for whatever you are doing.
A healthy lifestyle can impact the length of life. If you live longer you can experience more things. It can also increase your ability to work harder and that may result in achieving increased financial success. If you are healthy, you feel better and you do not have increased health care costs. This allows you additional financial resources and time to devote to your family, thus, improving your overall quality of life.
Our sun is one of the basic elements that promotes life on our planet. It allows us to feel good and to some adds to our self image in the form of tanning. It promotes Vitamin 0 which strengthens our bones and muscles. It has also been used as a treatment for psoriasis, disinfection of our skin by killing off viruses and bacteria, and generally improves one’s overall mood.
Exposure to the sun is best classified by three types of rays. UVA can increase skin aging and wrinkles. UVB leads to sunburns, cataracts and skin cancer. UVC rays are the most dangerous of the three. Increased sun exposure can also negatively effect our immune system, thus increasing our risk of disease and limiting the effectiveness of our vaccinations.
Children need to be taught early to watch their sun exposure. One blistering sunburn can double a child ‘s chance of developing melanoma later in life. 54% of children are sunburned by the second year of their life. It is highly recommended to keep babies under the age of six months out of direct sunlight. People should avoid direct sun between 10:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. and just wearing a shirt is a good choice.
As our human nature is to be most active during the daylight hours. Monitoring the UV index is the initial step of being sun smart. The UV index is divided into five levels, but one should remember that anything over level three to five, known as moderate, can begin to damage the skin
The use of sun screen has become the most effective way to protect us from the sun. One should apply their sunscreen thicker on their arms, legs, neck, back, and face. lip balm and cosmetics containing sunscreen should be used, along with sunglasses, and hats that cover the face, ears, and back of the neck. Sunscreen reduces the amount of Vitamin D that is absorbed by the body. It is available in water resistant and water proof. Sunscreen provides a thin layer of chemicals on the skin that allow the absorption of UVA and UVB rays. Sunblock physically prohibits any absorption of UVA and UVB light. Sunscreen should be applied thirty minutes prior to sun exposure. SPF’s above SPF 50 do not provide any additional protection. An opened bottle of sunscreen is good for two to three years. Water resistant formulas protect from forty to eighty minutes.
So whatever your activity, whatever your favorite season, life holds unlimited possibilities for us. Under the rays of sunshine, we human beings can experience life changing events from the world around us. Our responsibility is to understand, that while the sun is the key ingredient to these experiences, we must be mindful of its positive and negative effects on our being and embrace sun protection as a necessary part of our journey.