Sunbathing

When I was a child no-one knew about the dangers of too much sun so we spent all day outside and frequently arrived home red and sore. Since then we have gone to the opposite extreme where children aren’t allowed out unless smothered in sun cream. Now rickets caused by a lack of vitamin D from sunshine is becoming more prevalent.

Sunshine is good for us and we need it for our health – it’s just too much that isn’t good. I always under-sunbathe and cover up way before I’ve had too much. I do use a little sun cream- the most natural I can find- but I only put it on my face and areas that catch easily as I find the idea of slathering chemicals all over my body quite appalling.  When my boys were young I always made sure that they had a lightweight long sleeved shirt each year and once I felt they had had enough sun I used to cover them up. I do the same myself.

My husband really benefits from the sun. He has psoriasis and it always clears up fantastically in the sunshine. I’m sure lack of stress also helps but I think he is short of Vitamin D, a fat soluble vitamin which he obviously doesn’t absorb well from food or supplements. It’s the vitamin D from the sunshine that makes the real difference.

I also don’t like putting lots of after sun products on my skin. I prefer to use natural. When on holiday I usually take a bottle of almond oil which I use as a moisturiser each day and if I run out I resort to olive oil.  If you add a tablespoon of oil to a small amount of water in a bath, swish it around and then splash it over your body it leaves a fine coating of oil all over and is much easier than trying to rub it in. You need to spend a little time in a dressing gown to allow it to soak in and the bath does need a good clean but it keeps skin soft and moist.