Contents:
- Lack of sunlight 3 times the risk of natural heart failure
- The benefits of sunlight for heart health come from vitamin D
Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2012 showed that 17.5 million people worldwide died from cardiovascular disease - 7.4 million of which were caused by coronary heart disease (CHD) and 6.7 million caused by strokes. More than 3/4 of cases of death from cardiovascular disease occur in developing countries with low to moderate income. Not surprisingly, until now cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death in Indonesia.
In fact, efforts to prevent heart disease and blood vessel problems are actually not difficult. Many easy and cheap ways you can apply everyday, for example by exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, and avoiding drinking alcohol and smoking. In addition, it turns out there is one other tip that has been proven effective for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is sunbathing in the sun. What are the benefits of sunlight for the health of the heart and blood vessels?
Lack of sunlight 3 times the risk of natural heart failure
Sunlight is the biggest source of vitamin D when compared to food. Nearly 80% of vitamin D needed by the body comes from sunlight. Unfortunately, sunlight is often avoided because it can make the skin black and burn, or even increase the risk of skin cancer. In fact, there are many studies that mention the benefits of sunlight for the body can not be taken lightly.
Apart from strengthening bones, a number of different scientific studies report that regular sunbathing under the sun can keep you from the risk of heart disease and blood vessel disorders. One Austrian study stated that people who lack vitamin D 3 times more at risk for heart failure. From the journal The Archive of Internal Medicine, it is known that people who are deficient in vitamin D also risk up to 2 times the risk of premature death due to heart disease.
The benefits of sunlight for heart health come from vitamin D
Adequate daily vitamin D intake helps maintain the health of heart cells and blood vessels. Vitamin D will bind to special receptors in vessel wall cells to activate nitric oxide (NO) which will dilate blood vessel walls and reduce the risk of plaque buildup. Vitamin D also makes the heart muscle stronger to pump blood regularly, because nitric oxide reduces the risk of inflammation in the heart which usually results from too much fat.
In addition, sun exposure helps the body produce vitamin D by converting cholesterol contained in the skin to calcitriol (Vitamin D3). Indirectly, this mechanism helps the body reduce its cholesterol levels. All of the benefits of vitamin D work together to manage blood pressure to keep it stable. This is important because an increase in blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
How long do you have to sunbathe to get enough vitamin D?
You don't need to sunbathe long enough to get the benefits of sunlight for the heart. Too long to spend time in the sun is at risk of causing dehydration evenheat stroke. Excessive sun exposure can also accelerate skin aging and increase the risk of skin cancer.
To avoid these various risks, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendsYou only need to be exposed to sunlight for at least 5 to 15 minutes on your arms, hands and face every day to get enough vitamin D. If you have dark skin, you can sunbathe a little longer.
But remember, to get the most optimal benefits, try sunbathing without first applying sunscreen. Using sunscreen can in fact inhibit the body's work to produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
So, when is the right time to sunbathe? For the territory of Indonesia, the sunbathing time recommended by experts is from 10am to 2pm. This time is considered the right time to get the benefits of sunlight while reducing the risk of danger of UV radiation.
