Page 7 - Spring2018

Letters

unless it is at least a fifty-degree angle where we are; furthermore, weather a shorter period of time to the UVA
to us in the sky, which means closer to and atmospheric conditions like cloud rays (more damaging and more likely
mid-day, as both your articles and Dr. cover, pollution, ozone layer, surface to cause melanoma and cancer).
Mercola’s recommend. It’s because reflection as well as altitude and eleva- Apparently, according to Dr. Mer-
the UVB rays (the ones from which tion, among other factors, may affect cola, we also need to be careful to avoid
vitamin D are synthesized) are shorter our vitamin D production. washing (at least with soap) our exposed
than the UVA rays, and cannot reach Another reason it is better to get skin areas for up to forty-eight hours
us through the atmosphere unless the our vitamin D mid-day is that, accord- after sun exposure to allow the vitamin
sun angle is fifty degrees or higher. ing to Dr. Mercola’s articles, the bal- D (an oil-soluble steroid hormone) to
This also means that in many locations, ance of UVA to UVB rays is healthier fully absorb into our bloodstream from
vitamin D cannot be synthesized at all for our skin: UVB is higher, so we don’t the surface of our skin.
during the winter and sometimes the need to spend as much time to absorb There is a website that will calcu-
months surrounding it depending on vitamin D, and we can be exposed for late the angle of the sun on any given

DRINKS IN
NICARAGUA

Clockwise from top left:
Lecheros bring milk to
town. Bag of semilla de
jicaro. Grocery shelf
of pinolillo. Fresh
squeezed juice
available from carts.

SPRING 2018 Wise Traditions 5