The sun, vitamin d

This topic has a good many threads from prior discussions.  You might look up threads related to sun, sunscreen, and clothing, as well as vitamin D.  Many of us here take a vitamin D supplement daily.  Most of us are busy running, biking and hiking when we can.  Folks here, and myself in particular, try to stay out of the sun from 1000 – 1400, wear sunscreen and rely on long sleeves, hats, umbrellas, etc for sun protection.  Whatever it takes!  Live Large!!  I wish you my best.  Celeste

I wear alot of long sleeve fishing shirts that have a UPF (sun protection) built into the fabric. I'm in Florida so the sun is pretty intense down here even in the so called winter months. There is a product called Sun Guard that is a powder you put in your washing machine and it will give your clothes a UPF. It only lasts so many washes so you would have to reuse it every so often but you might look into it. 

My husband’s melanoma specialist suggested Vitamin D, as did my own doctor and dietitian for almost anyone, since these days people generally should protect themselves from the sun. 

Golf polo shirts with sun protection built in are my husband’s go-to shirts for non-work hours, and he uses 50 spf sunscreen, long pants and a hat. While on the weekend he might go to a driving range any time, he’s careful to use sunscreen 20 minutes before and re-apply when needed. During the work week he’s wearing heavy enough long sleeve cotton shirts and slacks. 

At a melanoma symposium put on by his treatment center, a melanoma specialist’s take was that if you can see the road without any lights when you’re driving, you’re getting sun exposure. She’d mentioned that when talking about seeing skin damage and cancers on the left side of the body (in the U.S.) from car window.

She said if you hold an article of clothing up to your face and cannot see through it, it’s protecting you. Think of blue jeans or a substantial cotton shirt.

The product used when Washington clothes was also mentioned. I haven’t used it – yet – because of 1) keeping track of numbers of washes and it’s used in warm or hot water and I think I use cold for clothes that could use the protection. But it’s something to consider.