Diet Bites Weekly Newsletter | Calculate Daily Calorie Needs | Free Diet Plans Diet Bites Sitemap | Diet Bites Sitemaps

Dangers of the Sun - Continued

The importance of knowing the power of the sun and how over-exposure could damage your health.

Whenever the UV rays attack, our skin begins to build defenses – it’s our built-in risk factor.  The UVB rays stimulate the skin's outer layer and it begins to thicken, therefore making it more difficult for the rays to penetrate the skin surface.  The scientific term for this process is hyperkeratosis.

 Sunlight also ignites the production of Melanin, the tanning pigment that protects the skin’s vulnerable lower layers from damage.  Tanning transforms through an increased production of the protective pigment, melanin, and is the skin’s response to the damaging ultraviolet rays.

IR rays are invisible heat rays that affect your skin much like a heat lamp.

 Some Special Tips Relating to the Rays

When you’re out and about in the heat, try to find an umbrella of shade for protection whenever possible.  It won’t protect you from heat-related emergencies but any form of shade is better than nothing.  A good gauge for shade is your faithful shadow. If it’s shorter than you are then you’ll be more apt to experience sunburn.  The shadow knows.

 Take measures to avoid reflective surfaces.  Some surfaces, such as white sand and concrete, can reflect up to 85% of the sun's damaging rays.  You can go from plum to prune very quickly.

click here to continue

The Sun Pages

 Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13