SUNLIGHT, VITAMIN D & PSORIASIS
You may have seen the news report at the weekend in the Daily Mail indicating that 87% of the population in the UK are deficient in vitamin D due to lack of sunlight. This has serious health consequences that extend from Rickets to Cancer. But, this is also highly relevant for people who suffer with Psoriasis.
Light Treatment
In the UK there is simply not enough daylight between October and March for the body to create enough vitamin D. The importance of sunlight and vitamin D in relation to Psoriasis cannot be over-emphasised. We need a way of getting UVB light rays to help beat Psoriasis. We all know that sunlight can have a miraculous effect on Psoriasis. Indeed, 98% of the benefits of treatment at The Dead Sea comes from sun light. The mineral salts account for less than 2% of any improvement.
The key point about the Dead Sea is that it is the lowest place on Earth and the sun’s UVA rays are more filtered there than anywhere else. As a result, we are able to stay out in the sunshine longer exposed to the beneficial UVB rays without burning.
Approximately 80% of people with psoriasis notice an improvement in their skin after they have been in the sunshine. The use of the sun’s rays has been used to treat psoriasis for over a century, however, of the ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun, only UVA and UVB is of benefit to people with psoriasis.
UV light helps to power chemical reactions that affect the function of skin cells. In psoriasis, this means that the skin cells do not multiply so rapidly, and behave more like normal skin.
In these dark, winter months, it is prudent to make sure that you’re getting enough dietary vitamin D (found in fortified diary products and oily fish). However, as vitamin D is actually synthesised by our bodies when we are exposed to sunlight, we can also help ourselves by exposing our bodies to UVB light.
Click on the link for more information on UVB Treatment For Psoriasis
Source: Psoriasis Association
