Everything is better when the sun is shining, right?
20 MINUTES TO PROTECT YOUR HEART WHILE CATCHING SOME RAYS
Everything is better when the sun is shining, right? That’s partly because light triggers changes in the brain that make you feel more cheerful, elevating your levels of noradrenaline and serotonin – two crucial feel-good chemicals. But the benefits go well beyond that smile on your face. Sunshine ups your cardiovascular health, too.
While the link between daylight and vitamin D is well established, researchers at the University of Edinburgh have discovered a physiological mechanism triggered by sunlight that could significantly bolster your heart’s defences. When ultraviolet light penetrates your skin, your body releases nitric oxide into your blood; the compound lowers your blood pressure, and therefore reduces your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. High blood pressure affects more than one in four adults in the UK – amounting to 12.5 million people – and it is estimated to result in around 80 times more deaths than skin cancer each year. Figures worth shining a light on, we’re sure you’ll agree.
Test subjects needed just 20 minutes of UV rays for their blood pressure to fall. While we can’t expect it to be sunny all the time in Britain, the minimal exposure required means that a walking commute to or from work each day is all it takes. Accessorise with a broad-spectrum sunscreen and some sunglasses – then make your tan pay a very healthy dividend.
03 HOURS TO PIG OUT ON BBQ RIBS AND CLEANSE YOUR LIVER
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