Palms to the Sun 🌞 〜To Prevent Osteoporosis〜

The hot days continue every day, don't they? 💦

Is everyone feeling okay, or have you been feeling under the weather?

It's not just my imagination, is it, that the heat seems to get more intense every year? ⤴️

And, when summer comes, what I'm really concerned about is
ultraviolet rays.

Dark spots are scary.
I don't want to get a sunburn either.

But, recently, I have

“perhaps avoiding the sun too much might not be good after all.”

started to think that.

The reason for this is osteoporosis.

In summer, I'm still concerned about UV rays

Speaking of summer, it's UV rays.

UV rays are pouring down all year round, not just in summer.

As someone who cares about beauty, back in my 20s, even when the “ganguro” (dark-tanned) gal trend was popular, I strictly maintained my fair skin.

Sunburn is evil.
Sunscreen 🧴 is life.

UV rays are scary.
If I bathe in the sun 🌞, it will turn into dark spots in the future.

Thinking that way, I have applied sunscreen throughout the year, not just in summer.

Even now that I'm in my late 40s, until just last year, even for a quick trip outside, I would use sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses 🕶️, a parasol, arm covers, etc...

I have been using every item at my disposal to shut out the sun with a complete defense system.

Of course, excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays can cause skin inflammation and lead to risks of dark spots, photoaging, and skin cancer. Since the eyes are also affected by UV rays, it is important to protect them with hats and sunglasses.

But—.

Is the sun really something that is better the more you avoid it?

Osteoporosis was not someone else's problem

I recently had the opportunity to hear about osteoporosis.

That was when I first realized,

“This is not someone else's problem.”

I truly felt it.

Bone 🦴 health is extremely important so that my future self can walk energetically and live life on my own two feet.

Getting enough calcium is, of course, important.

However, calcium must not only be consumed, but also properly absorbed by the body.

What helps with that calcium absorption is vitamin D. If you are deficient in vitamin D, it becomes difficult to absorb calcium, which also affects bone health.

Why is vitamin D produced by sunlight?

To be precise, sunlight itself does not contain vitamin D.

Among the ultraviolet rays contained in sunlight, when UVB light hits bare skin, vitamin D3 is produced using components within the skin as raw material.

It is then transformed in the liver and kidneys into a form that the body can use.

In other words, our bodies are equipped with a mechanism to produce vitamin D on their own by utilizing sunlight.

In a way, humans are like plants🪴, aren't they?

However, since UVB rays barely pass through window glass, you cannot expect to produce enough vitamin D just by sitting in the sun through a window. The amount produced also varies depending on the season, time of day, weather, age, and skin color.

Vitamin D can also be obtained from food

Of course, vitamin D can be obtained not only through sunbathing but also from food.

Here are some typical examples.

• Foods containing vitamin D2
  Mushrooms such as dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms

• Foods containing vitamin D3
  Fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, whitebait, and eel, as well as egg yolks

• When you also want to consume calcium
  Small fish that can be eaten whole, milk and dairy products, soy products, etc.

Mushrooms mainly contain vitamin D2, while animal-based foods like fish and eggs mainly contain vitamin D3. Incorporating fish and mushrooms into your daily diet helps maintain bone health.

As mentioned above, whitebait also contains vitamin D.

You can put it on rice, eat it with grated daikon radish, or add it to rolled omelets.

It is also great that it is easy to incorporate into your daily meals.

Try holding your palms up to the sun

That said, I still don't want more dark spots.

I am also resistant to getting a sunburn on my face, neck, and arms.

That is when I learned about palm sunbathing.

Protect your face and neck with a hat or sunscreen, and try turning your palms toward the sun.

This seems like something I can start, even with my concerns about UV rays.

Why are palms good for this?

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's information on osteoporosis prevention also introduces the method of exposing palms to sunlight for those concerned about sunburn.

However, it does not mean that the longer you bathe in it, the better.

The necessary time varies greatly depending on the season, region, time of day, weather, and skin type.

Guidelines and tips for time of day by season

There is no need to force yourself to do it for a long time, especially in the strong sunlight of midsummer.

Do not get sunburned to the point where your skin turns red.
Avoid the hottest times of the day and start with short periods.

And rather than relying solely on palm sunbathing, incorporate fish, mushrooms, and other foods into your diet.

I think this kind of relaxed approach is just right.

Don't make the sun too much of an enemy

Ultraviolet rays can be harmful if you get too much of them.

However, if you avoid them completely, you also reduce the opportunities for your body to produce vitamin D.

It truly is,

something that can be both a poison and a medicine.

The sun ☀️ should not be underestimated after all.

Sunbathing is not a substitute for diet or exercise.

Even so, it is one form of "bone activity" that requires no money or special equipment and can be incorporated into your daily life.

While protecting your face thoroughly, try turning your palms to the sun just a little bit.

And, enjoy eating fish, mushrooms, small fish, and dairy products as well.

So that your future self can continue to walk in good health.

Starting today, I think I will try to borrow a little bit of the sun's power, within a reasonable range.

〜🌞 Palms to the sun 🤲〜

Public information referenced

• The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2025 Edition)" recommends moderate sunbathing to the extent possible, taking into account that vitamin D is produced in the skin through sunlight, as well as vitamin D intake that considers hours of sunshine.

• The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Recommendations for Bone Activity" introduces the combination of diet, moderate sunbathing, and exercise, as well as sunbathing with the palms of your hands for those concerned about sunburn.

• According to information from the National Institute of Health and Nutrition, it is recommended to combine fish, mushrooms, dairy products, small fish, and soy products for bone health.

I have collected wonderful articles in this magazine🌻

It is a lovely collaborative magazine🌺