The EZ Route #3(b) Light - vitamin D and UVB Tourism
I wrote this a while back, in fact I wrote most of this stuff a while back, I'm just trying to reframe it to make it more accessible ... pls pls pls let me know if you need more clarification
My aim isn't to get a pat on the back from people that already understand it, its to help other people make small changes and reach their goals without the abundance of misinformation out there
IS YOUR SUN GIVING YOU VITAMIN D???
IVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT SOMETIMES A SECOND LOOK HELPS OTHER PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT DIDN'T WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION
SO WHAT CAN YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE?
THE PICTURE DEMONSTRATES THAT THE SHADOW OF THE PEN IS SHORTER THAN THE LENGTH OF THE PEN... THE BOOK REPRESENTS THE MARK WHERE THE PEN WOULD BE IF IT WERE LAID DOWN FLAT
IT DEMONSTRATES THE ANGLE OF THE SUN
WHY IS THE SHADOW SHORTER?
BECAUSE THE SUN IS HIGHER THAN 45 DEGREES (ANGLE ABOVE THE HORIZON, NOT TEMPERATURE)
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
BECAUSE THE SUN NEEDS A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK IN ORDER FOR UVB (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH UVA) RAYS TO PENETRATE THE EARTHS ATMOSPHERE (IF YOU IMAGINE A CONVERTIBLE CAR, WHEN THE SUN IS LOW THE LIGHT WOULD COME THROUGH THE WINDOWS, BUT WHEN IT'S HIGH IT COMES THROUGH THE ROOF, THIS IS A CRUDE ANALOGY, BUT MIGHT HELP CONCEPTION)
WHY DO I CARE ABOUT UVB RAYS?
BECAUSE YOU NEED UVB RAYS TO TOUCH YOUR SKIN IN ORDER TO MAKE VITAMIN D
SO WHERE DOES MY VITAMIN D COME FROM IN THE MONTHS WINTER WHEN THE SUN IS LOWER THAN 45 DEGREES?
THEN YOU MUST GET IT FROM YOUR DIET VIA FISH, SEAFOOD, EGGS AND GREENS ETC
THIS IS WHY SEASONAL EATING IS HUGE FOR PEOPLE LIVING AWAY FROM THE EQUATOR IN PLWCES LIKE EUROPE AND AMERICA
TAKE HOME
IF YOUR SHADOW (FROM THE SUN) IS SHORTER THAN YOUR BODY HEIGHT, AND YOU'RE NAKED, THEN YOU'RE MAKING VITAMIN D THROUGH YOUR SKIN AND SUN
OTHERWISE YOU NEED TO USE YOUR STORED VITAMIN D (WHICH I LIKE TO THINK OF AS THE SOLAR BATTERY) OR EXOGENOUS VITAMIN D THROUGH FOOD
WHY IS VITAMIN D IMPORTANT?
THATS A WHOLE STORY ON ITS OWN: BUT IT'S THOUGHT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER A THIRD OF ALL THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS THAT WE KNOW OF IN OUR BODIES, SOME PEOPLE SAY VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IS THE MAIN DRIVER FOR CANCER, AND BONE FUNCTION AMONG MANY MANY MORE
IF YOU ASKED 'RICKY, IF I BUILD UP MY STORED VITAMIN D LEVELS DURING THE SUMMER SO I HAD EXCESS IN THE WINTER, WILL THERE BE LESS CHANCE OF ME GETTING COLDS, FLU, TIRED ETC IN THE WINTER???' - I WOULDN'T SAY NO TO THAT