Thu 22 Mar 2007
Summer and Sun
 The damaging effects of sunlight are well known, but did you know some safe exposure to the sun is good for you?
Our bodies need a certain amount of sunlight to manufacture vitamin D. In fact, ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the body’s main source of the vitamin, which is needed for healthy bones, muscles and immune system.
The healthy effects of sunlight
Although over-exposure to the sun puts you at risk of skin cancer, recent studies suggest that small amounts of sunlight actually help to protect us from some cancers, such as cancer of the breast, colon, ovary, bladder, womb, stomach and prostate gland.
Research suggests low vitamin D levels have been associated with multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. Ten minutes in the sun each day will give you all the vitamin D your body needs.
Scientists in Australia and New Zealand, where sun exposure has been a cause for concern for years due to the blisteringly hot summers, are now advising people to allow their hands, face and arms to be exposed to the sun for short periods. However, experts still insist on taking shade or covering up between 11am and 2pm, the hottest times of the day.
In a considerably less sunny Britain, literally doing as little as crossing over to the sunny side of the street whilst walking to the shop for your lunch can be enough to increase vitamin D and to subsequently enhance your mood and improve your health.
Feel-good factor
Most of us feel so much better for getting a little sun. It’s all down to happy chemicals called tryptamines. Exposure to sunlight stimulates the pineal gland to produce these mood enhancing chemicals in the brain.
As well as boosting our general mood, sunlight brings relief to thousands of sufferers of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. This condition is caused by a suppression of serotonin, which occurs to some people when they are deprived of sunlight.
Symptoms of SAD, which includes depression, sleep problems and loss of libido, can occur regularly each winter, starting as early as September and sometimes lasting way into March.
Treatments and cures for SAD can include taking a winter holiday to increase sunshine intake or investing in light therapy for 1-2 hours a day with the help of a specialist light box.
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Sun and sex
As well as the more serious health and mood enhancing benefits of sunshine, there are, of course, numerous other more frivolous reasons to enjoy extra sunlight.
The payoff for spending longer periods of time in the sunshine can also travel as far as the bedroom too. Research has shown that, by increasing melanin levels, exposure to sunlight can help to improve both your own and your man’s sex drive.
Soon you’ll be putting all those dreary winter memories of mood swings and loss of libido behind you as you embark on more than your fair share of hot summer loving.
Whether you choose to partake in your sexual activities outside in the sunshine, however, is something you do completely at your own risk…
Looking good
The sun can also help attract your sexual mate if you take into account what a healthy tan (achieved safely with a sunscreen of at least SPF15 and plenty of after sun), sultry sun-kissed hair and a sexy summer wardrobe can do for your pulling powers.
Delve deep into the back of your wardrobe for your mini skirts, vests and flip-flops and relegate your heavy winter coats to the darkness of the closet for another year.
There’s also the added benefit of exercising outside in the sunshine that you just don’t get the pleasure of when it’s grey and tipping it down. Combine this with the fact that you’re eating lots of healthy salads because your winter comfort food cravings are long gone and you’ve got a recipe for the perfect slim and toned summer body.
All this plus there’s also the added boost to your confidence that looking and feeling great will give you.
Great summer  ladies tops
