The Power of Healing Sunlight
This blog post has been adapted from Samantha Worthing’s article “Healing Sunlight” from the Ember Journal Issue 4.
Have you ever heard that there’s an incredible healing power of sunlight? Or have we heard too much about the dangers of sunburns, skin cancer, and the reminders to lather up before going outside?
It’s time to break down what actually happens out in the sun, how our bodies respond to sunlight, and the best ways to prep your skin to soak up all the rays this summer, in the healthiest way!
From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the
Lord is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3
Light is one of the most healing resources we have available to us as humans.
Nowadays of course we are bombarded by all sorts of light sources – from the myriad of screens and indoor lighting, but the light from the sun is an amazing source of healing. And it’s free!
Receiving natural full-spectrum light from the sun does more for us than just helping out our vitamin D stores. It also helps:
- Balance blood sugar
- Support detoxification in the liver
- Raise your tolerance to stress
- And influences many of our body’s regulatory centers, including our thyroid (which helps regulate metabolism) and our pineal gland (which helps regulate sleep and circadian rhythms)
Let’s break this down a little further to truly see how healing sunlight can be.
The Thyroid
The ultra-violet rays from sunlight actually stimulate the thyroid gland to increase hormone production.
The hormone secretions from this small gland located at the base of the neck largely control your overall metabolism, that is, proper energy production and utilization of nutrients in the entire body.
Increased thyroid hormone raises the body’s basal metabolic rate, which assists in so much including digestive function, weight loss, brain development, improved muscle development, and more.
The Pineal Gland
The pineal gland is a very small gland in the brain that produces and regulates some of our hormones, including melatonin.
It’s also notable that the UV light from the sun activates an important skin hormone called solitrol. The hormone solitrol influences our immune system and many of our body’s regulatory centers, and in conjunction with the pineal hormone melatonin, causes changes in mood and daily biological rhythms. The hemoglobin in our red blood cells also requires ultraviolet light to bind to the oxygen needed for all cellular functions.
The healing power of sunlight actually lies in your DNA. When we expose ourselves to the variety of light throughout the day, our bodies can recalibrate, bumping up healthy hormone production and causing a wonderful cascade of benefits!
Should we wear sunglasses?
Darkness is actually a physical stress to our mitochondria and our bodies, which is the main reason why we are programmed to sleep at night! Being without light, be it daylight or artificial light, increases our body’s production of cortisol and thus decreases the production/utilization of hormones like progesterone that are key to the ability to rest well, be healthy, and procreate.
This is part of the reason that dreary days make you feel weary and days full of sunshine make you feel energized!
It’s important to remember that sunglasses actually disrupt your eyes’ perception of light and darkness.
According to Andreas Moritz, an integrative holistic practitioner who wrote thoroughly on the subject of sunlight,
“Normally, as soon as the optic nerves of your eyes sense sunlight, your pituitary gland produces hormones that act as boosters for your melanocytes. Melanocytes produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its natural color and protection against sunburn. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes produce more pigment, causing the skin to tan, or darken, and your melanocytes start producing melanin on overdrive.
However, when you wear sunglasses, this process becomes disrupted. Instead of kick-starting the melanocyte production to protect your skin against sunburn, your pituitary gland thinks it is getting dark outside and, thus, it greatly reduces production of melanocyte-stimulating hormones. Subsequently, your skin produces less melanin, which causes it to be less protected and thus become damaged.”
Wow, right?! Sunglasses actually get in the way of helping your body process sunlight in a healthy, natural way!
Light & Nutrition
Nutritionally, it’s important to remember that a sign of vitamin A deficiency can be a sensitivity of the eyes to sunlight or vision problems (see retinol article).
The body also requires vitamin A, cholesterol, and magnesium to synthesize vitamin D, so if your diet is low in either your body will be less likely to utilize it properly.
On the other side of the coin, too much vitamin D (especially in supplemental form) can deplete vitamin A as those two vitamins are incredibly synergistic.
Most foods that contain fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are very well balanced to help give you sufficient ratios. Consuming foods like raw dairy products and grass fed beef liver are amazing sources of fat soluble vitamins, especially vitamins A and D.
The standard diet of processed food containing artificial ingredients (toxins our livers need to get rid of) and vegetable oils (polyunsaturated fats) leads to cells that are like dried up sponges lacking proper nutrition.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids found most often in processed foods and as cooking oil in restaurants, are very unstable molecules that are often rancid before they’re even heated.
Many professionals including Dr. Catherine Shanahan, Ray Peat, and Kate Deering, all write about the damage these unstable fats can cause our cells and overall metabolism. There is so much information out there about this if you’re interested in learning more!
The most stable fats that are conducive to healthy skin are saturated and solid at room temperature, such as butter, tallow, and coconut oil.
Most sunscreens are also made with these unstable oils such as sunflower, palm, or grapeseed oil. They also commonly contain chemicals such as oxybenzone, which is activated by ultraviolet light that breaks its double bond to produce free radicals. These free radicals then oxidize and damage fats, proteins, and DNA of the cells – causing aging and the possible development of skin cancers.
Respect the Sun
It’s common nowadays in our society to be afraid of the sun, with most people believing it to only result in potential skin cancer.
Part of that is true, we must recognize the dangers as well as the benefits, but what is left out of most of those conversations is the biology of our cells and the terrain the sunlight is encountering in our skin. Is this new to you?
The truth is that our cell membranes are made out of mostly lipids (fats) and the quality and stability of those lipids will determine what happens when your cells encounter sunlight. Consuming enough fat soluble vitamins ensures your skin is able to absorb the sunlight it’s exposed to without getting damaged!
To absorb sunlight in a healthy way, we must have a healthy body.
Unhealthy skin is not able to properly absorb the sun’s rays, which leads to damage and sunburn.
What we recommend
It is true that sunscreen can sometimes prevent sunburn and overexposure to the sun can contribute to skin damage.
But, underexposure can be far more detrimental to long-term health.
During the height of summer, it is best to receive exposure to the sun in the morning and evening hours, and if you’re out in midday opt for a wide brim hat or a shade umbrella.
Of course, use sunscreen if you’re out for long periods of time or are unable to find shade. Look for ingredients like beef tallow, non-nano zinc, and no fragrances. Here are a few that meet our standards:
- This cute straw hat
- Sun Balm (get 10% off with our link!)
- Our sun favorites on amazon
And be sure you’re getting plenty of fat soluble vitamins so your skin is able to absorb the light and get your body harnessing the healing power of sunlight!
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