By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness
April 21, 2014
- Are you still hiding from the sun?
- How the sun’s rays keep your blood flowing
- Soak up some sunshine for a healthier heart
Now that spring is here, a lot of folks are going to start slathering on the sunscreen and heading outdoors to enjoy some long-awaited sunshine.
Well, before you do that, I have some very important news to share with you.
Over the past several decades, we’ve been taught to protect ourselves from the sun. The key reason for this, of course, is our fear of skin cancer. So, we avoid the sun’s rays by drenching our bodies with sunblock or hiding indoors.
But, is sunshine really the boogeyman it’s been made out to be?
In some cases, too much sun might lead to some forms of skin cancer. This is especially true if your skin burns easily or often.
On the other side of the coin, avoiding the sun completely can deplete your stores of vitamin D. This is a real health hazard, because low levels of vitamin D increase your risk of several much deadlier forms of cancer. These include colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and even skin melanoma.
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If that’s not bad enough, staying out of the sun could have serious consequences when it comes to your heart health.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. today. Each year about 700,000 Americans die from complications associated with heart disease and stroke. And avoiding the sun might be a major contributor to these deaths.
In this case, it’s not only a lack of vitamin D that’s causing the problem.
You see, when your skin is exposed to sunlight, it increases the levels of nitric oxide (NO) in your skin and blood. NO is absolutely crucial to ensure blood flow to your heart, brain and other organs.
NO helps relax and expand your blood vessels. When your body doesn’t produce enough nitric oxide, it causes your blood vessels to constrict and damages the delicate wall of your arteries, called the “endothelium.”
This can create some pretty dangerous problems when it comes to your risk of heart attack and stroke.
- When your NO levels are flagging, your blood vessels can’t relax and expand the way they should. This means your blood has to pump harder, which leads to high blood pressure.
- Once your arterial walls become damaged, plaque begins to build. And this narrows your blood vessels.
- When your blood vessels are constricted and damaged, blood flow to your brain and heart becomes impaired. This substantially increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
As you can see, getting a little sunshine every day – without sunscreen – is important. It can improve the tone of your blood vessels, lower blood pressure, improve circulation and reduce your chance of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. And remember, it also protects against certain forms of cancer.
However, it’s also important to avoid burning your skin, which could increase your risk of skin cancer.
Thankfully, I have just what you need to soak up plenty of healthy sunshine without getting a sunburn…
I’m not a fan of sunscreen lotions. The chemicals in them are often more dangerous than the sun itself. Some of these compounds are estrogen mimics. Others damage your DNA. And some of them even become carcinogenic when the sunlight hits them.
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Just as importantly, they prevent your body from producing adequate amounts of nitric oxide and vitamin D.
That’s why I really like the idea of two powerful antioxidants that can help reduce your risk of sunburn while protecting you from both stroke and heart attack:
Astaxanthin is one of today’s biggest breakthroughs in antioxidant nutrition. It’s a natural carotenoid pigment found in marine algae.
Taking 4 mg. of astaxanthin daily for about two weeks can give you more time outdoors without burning. It also protects your skin from DNA damage and reduces signs of aging caused by overexposure to the sun.
And, it comes with plenty of added benefits for your heart. Astaxanthin helps prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Oxidized LDL increases your risk of plaque build-up in the blood vessels. This, in turn, increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. So, anything you can do to reduce oxidized LDL is good for your heart.
Daily use of astaxanthin can also reduce levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in your body. This is an inflammatory marker that’s associated with heart disease and stroke.
It takes awhile for the astaxanthin pigment to build up in your system. So, start taking 4 mg. daily at least two weeks before spending time in the sun.
GliSODin is a superoxide dismutase (SOD) formula that allows you to spend more time in the sun without turning red. And, if you do burn, it can help reduce redness faster and allow you to recover more quickly.
Plus, there’s a heart-healthy bonus that comes with GliSODin…
Taking this antioxidant regularly reduces arterial thickness that appears early in the development of atherosclerosis. This thickness reduces the diameter of your blood vessels, which, of course, has an impact on your blood pressure and cardiovascular health.
To get both the sun protection and heart-health benefits of GliSODin, take 500 mg. daily.
I’m convinced that using these nutrients can help save and protect your skin – and safeguard your heart health. But the amount of sun protection they provide depends on the individual. So, until you know how they’re going to work for you, it’s important to take cover from the sun if you think you’re starting to burn.
References
van der Rhee H, et al. “Is prevention of cancer by sun exposure more than just the effect of vitamin D? A systematic review of epidemiological studies.” Eur J Cancer. 2013 Apr;49(6):1422-36. Epub 2012 Dec 10.
Stefano Rosso, et al. “Sun exposure prior to diagnosis is associated with improved survival in melanoma patients: Results from a long-term follow-up study of Italian patients.” Eur J Cancer. 2008 44(9): 1275–1281.
“Here comes the sun to lower your blood pressure.” Univ of Southampton. News Rekease, Jan 2014.
Suganuma K, et al. “Astaxanthin attenuates the UVA-induced up-regulation of matrix-metalloproteinase-1 and skin fibroblast elastase in human dermal fibroblasts.” J Dermatol Sci. 2010 May;58(2):136-42.
Iwamoto T, et al. “Inhibition of low-density lipoprotein oxidation by astaxanthin.” J Atheroscler Thromb. 2000;7(4):216-22.
Park JS, et al. “Astaxanthin decreased oxidative stress and inflammation and enhanced immune response in humans.” Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 Mar 5;7:18.
Mac-Mary S, et al. “Could a photobiological test be a suitable method to assess the anti-oxidant effect of a nutritional supplement (GliSODin®)?” Eur J Dermatol., vol. 17, no. 3, May-June 2007.
Cloarec M, et al. “GliSODin, a vegetal sod with gliadin, as preventative agent vs. atherosclerosis, as confirmed with carotid ultrasound-B imaging.” Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Feb;39(2):45-50
