Sun Bringing Cardiovascular Benefits with Nitric Oxide

   The sun has been known to provide great benefits such as the ability to increase your Vitamin D, which in turn helps the body absorb calcium, increase bone density, and reduces the risk of soft, weak bones. Research by dermatologist, Richard Weller, shows the ultraviolet rays of the sun provide an even greater benefit for the human body. Through the exposure of the sun, Weller states that the sun’s ultraviolet rays are able to activate the stored reserves of nitric oxide in our body. What this really means is that nitric oxide (NO) is able to dilate blood vessels, thus lowering your blood pressure. It also dilates the coronary arteries, which in turn stops angina. 

   What is really fascinating about this talk is the empirical data that the researcher was able to provide that gives hope in lowering heart disease in different parts of the world. Heart disease brings about great complexity such as by-pass surgeries and coronary issues. However, the sun is able to activate an untapped reserve of nitric oxide that proves to lower the percentage of such problem. While the sun does have disadvantages such as skin cancer, one must realize that deaths from heart disease are a hundred times higher than deaths from skin cancer.

TED Video: https://www.ted.com/talks/richard_weller_could_the_sun_be_good_for_your_heart

TED Transcript:  https://www.ted.com/talks/richard_weller_could_the_sun_be_good_for_your_heart/transcript?language=en

Submitted by Mustafa Alrahem