When it comes to tonifying the body, many people only think of expensive health care products, but in fact, there is a free tonic in life, but everyone ignores it - that is, sun exposure.
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During the Industrial Revolution in the 17th century, a "bizarre" disease swept across the United Kingdom, and more than 25% of children suffered from rickets, with varying degrees of skeletal deformity in the body.
With the deepening of research, medical scientists have found that one of the causes of rickets is the lack of sunlight, and with the acceleration of industrialization, air pollution blocks sunlight, resulting in reduced sunlight and the body cannot synthesize enough vitamin D, so that bone development is impaired. Eventually, doctors set up special solariums to control rickets.
To this day, sunbathing is still regarded as a very healthy way of health by foreigners, and many of us are still avoiding the sun, and every time we go out, we are fully armed and cover ourselves tightly.
In fact, regular sun exposure not only prevents disease, but also improves well-being.
According to a survey published in Life Times, only 30% of people regularly bask in the sun, and the overall time spent in the sun is far from enough. Maintaining adequate sunlight is conducive to improving well-being.
Back in 2002, a study on the Lancet showed that light exposure could increase the turnover of serotonin inside the brain. Serotonin, also known as a "happy substance", is a neurotransmitter that can bring happiness and pleasure.
In 2022, Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University and Qingdao Municipal Hospital affiliated to Qingdao University published a study that revealed the association between sun exposure and dementia for the first time through the follow-up observation of 360,000 people.
The researchers found that an average of 1.5 hours per day, 2 hours per day in the summer and 1 hour per day in the winter were most beneficial in reducing the risk of dementia.
Of course, the charm of sunlight is not only that, it is also beneficial to maintain the cardiovascular system and improve the overall immunity.
Lowers three highs and protects blood vessels
Ultraviolet rays can cause skin cells to release nitric oxide, which can enter the bloodstream and promote vasodilation, which can help improve blood pressure. Moderate sun exposure can also help balance blood sugar and blood lipids, which is beneficial to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health.
Boosts immunity
Ultraviolet rays, which many beauty lovers avoid, can actually promote the synthesis of vitamin D from the skin and maintain the growth and development of the human body. Taking babies as an example, maintaining a moderate amount of sunlight for 1 hour can synthesize 400 units of vitamin D to meet the physiological needs of the whole day.
Relieves rheumatism
Rheumatism is an autoimmune disease that invades joints, bones, muscles, blood vessels and surrounding soft tissues.
Caucasians who are keen to sunbathe are the group with the highest incidence of skin cancer, while the risk of skin cancer in yellow people is only 1% of that of Caucasians. This also means that sun exposure should be moderate.
Pick the timing right
If you want to promote the body's metabolism, bask in the sun from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., when ultraviolet rays are relatively weak compared to infrared, and infrared rays are relatively soft, which can promote body heating, promote blood circulation and metabolism.
Secondly, if you want to grow taller and promote bone health, you can choose to bask in the sun from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. During these two periods, there are more beneficial ultraviolet rays in sunlight, which is conducive to promoting the synthesis of vitamin D, which is an indispensable nutrient for calcium absorption.
The duration should not be too long
It is recommended to control the duration of sun exposure to 30-60min, do not bask for more than three hours at a time, especially do not expose to the sun when it is the most toxic, which may increase the risk of skin cancer, cataracts, gallstones and so on.
Avoid direct shots
For some weak parts of the body, it is not recommended to let direct sunlight shine, and it is necessary to avoid direct sunlight on the face, especially the eyes, to prevent the retina from being damaged by ultraviolet rays.
Winter and spring: Drying the soles of the feet
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the soles of the feet are full of acupuncture points, and moderate sunlight stimulation can promote the metabolism and blood circulation of the whole body, and the normal operation of various organs.
Summer and autumn: sun on limbs and back
Drying the limbs is conducive to driving away the cold in the legs and promoting bone development, while drying the back is also conducive to driving away the cold in the spleen and stomach and promoting human digestion.
Spending more time in the sun is a simple, natural and effective way to stay healthy, and you can spend more time in the sun and feel the warmth and energy it brings to you in the days to come. But while enjoying the sun, you should also take care of your skin and avoid excessive sun exposure.