Our Sun
“The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.”
— Galileo Galilei
WHY OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUN MATTERS
10,000 years ago, when humans started growing wheat, rice, and lentils in the first acts of agriculture, they turned to the sky to give thanks. Humans honored the sun as the source of all life. At the time, it was through solar deities, like Helios, a Greek titan who rode his fiery chariot every day across the sky. Another was Surya, the Sanskrit name for the sun god of Vedic and Hindu traditions.
The tales of sun gods and goddesses woven through time show us the importance of the sun for human life. Whatever the name they ascribed it, pre-modern peoples universally respected and cherished the sun.
Today, even though the spiritual or religious stories of the sun have waned, the sun itself is no less influential. In fact, science suggests that the ancients had the right idea to focus so much on the role of the sun. After all, every known form of life on earth derives its energy from sunlight, either directly or indirectly.
Many modern societies like our own base the standard Gregorian calendar on the position of the sun relative to other planets. We can feel it on a deep physical and intuitive level, too: all of us perceive spring, summer, fall, and winter. We feel different in different seasons, and this is all a function of the sun, whose natural light dictates day and night and the changing of the seasons. The sun is part of who we are on an essential level.
Despite all of this, there is a growing number of people who now fear the sun. They may avoid it because of its harmful UV rays or because they want to preserve wrinkle free skin. Sunglasses and sunscreen help, but many people avoid the sun altogether.
How did this happen and what is the truth about the sun’s power?
DFW winegrower, Landron Chartier, watching the sunset over his Natural vineyard
From medicine to mystery
This divide between old and new views on the sun seems to have begun in the early 20th century. In the 1700 and 1800s, medical professionals would prescribe prolonged sun exposure to help fight illness. Children with tuberculosis of the bones, for example, were encouraged to spend as much time outside as possible. Doctors observed that the sun killed the bacteria which caused the disease.
At the turn of the century, the advent of antibiotics and vaccines eclipsed the sun’s medicinal uses. People started avoiding the sun when they could fix their ailments with more modern treatments.
Some research also started showing that the sun’s harmful UV rays may negatively impact our health. Back in 1928, for example, researchers found that artificial light from mercury lamps caused skin cancer in hairless mice. It led some to believe that UV from the sun could cause melanoma in humans, too.
As some people began to fear the sun, they went outdoors less and less, trying to avoid rays whenever possible. Sun exposure levels in today’s society are decreasing.
New Solar Horizons
But here’s the thing: falling levels of sun exposure have not caused cancer rates to drop. For example, the rate of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has actually increased over the last 50 years. And some recent studies have shown lower rates of melanoma among outdoor workers - people with the highest levels of sun exposure - compared to indoor workers.
To add to this, an enlightening fifteen-year-long study of thousands of Swedish women recently found that “sun worshippers” had the highest overall survival rates. The women who got as much sun exposure as possible were least likely to die of any cause.
Astonishingly, the same study found that “sun avoiders” had shortened life spans, comparable to “pack-a-day” smokers.
It’s starting to look like the sun may have many benefits to humans after all.
DFW family visits France to watch sunset over bridge
Add More Sun
So what can you do to add more sun into your life? Here are three things we like to do to increase our vitamin D exposure:
Work near a window
If you set up your desk near a window, the bright sun outside may help your mood. Many of our at home setups can be flooded with artificial light in hidden corners of our homes. Try setting up near outside light; we always find it energizing to feel those strong rays even through a window.
Take sun breaks
Schedule a few times each day to go outside and walk for 5-10 minutes. Even this small amount of sun can invigorate you. Especially during midday, when the sun is the strongest, a small sun dose can go far.
Minimize chemicals
Like in most things, a chemical-based product may not be good for you. Sunscreen is no exception. Studies suggest popular sunscreens can change your hormone levels and result in other negative consequences. Sunscreen reacts with sunlight to form cancer causing compounds that enter your body through your skin.
If you’ll be in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time, you may want to either find a natural or mineral sunscreen brand, seek shade, or wear protective clothing (think hats and long sleeves). The environment will be better off, too: we now know that sunscreen use is harming our oceans, resulting in reef die-off and other issues
The sun is the center of our universe. Every living being on this planet has a connection to it. Its warmth and nourishing glow gives life to everything: soil, plants, animals, and, of course, humans.
