Protect yourself from the sun's harmful rays, but take vitamin D

For most of us, summer means one thing: a lot of sun. Even those who prefer cool, shady places always smile when we see a cloudless sky. And there is a reason for evolution to this: Humans need vitamin D.

Vitamin D does all kinds of good things for our health, helping to maintain strong and healthy bones by improving our moods by preventing seasonal affective disorder. Serotonin and endorphins, which experts say have the same positive effect on our energy levels as exercise.

All that said, we all know that overexposure to the sun can cause serious damage to our skin. By drying, causing and exacerbating wrinkles, the sun can prematurely age our skin. More importantly, it's a known cause of skin cancer. And yet, we still need this vitamin D.

Here are some great tips for absorbing good things, while preventing sun damage:

1. Protect your face by wearing a hat and sunglasses while limiting sun exposure to other parts of your body. Experts say for many people, 10-30 minutes of wearing a tank top in the sun three times a week is enough to create the right amount of vitamin D for their body. If I'm at the beach, I wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and a lot of sunscreen SPF on my face. I'll leave my shoulders and legs in the sun for a few minutes, then apply sunscreen or cover-up.

Whatever you do, be sure to avoid a burn. Depending on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight, try going without sunscreen for the first 10 minutes or so. In this way, your body can have direct access to the sun it needs to produce vitamin D, but without the negative effects of overexposure to UV rays. But always, always apply sunscreen before starting to burn.

2. Do not say the way of the midday sun. It's when its rays are the strongest. Your safest bet for a dose of vitamin D is before 10 hours or after 16 hours. When I have lunch with friends on the outside, I will always look for a table in the shade instead of a sunny place. And then later in the day, I'll take the dog for a walk with my family under a much softer sun.

3. Learn your best SPF number (and always remember to reapply). There is no perfect number for everyone because our skin is different in terms of pigments and genetics. Some of us make vitamin D faster than others, while some of us burn faster and the only way to know what your skin needs is to protect it, to protect it first with the greatest number. . There is a delicate balance to get your vitamin D right while protecting yourself, so listen to your body and how it responds to both needs. Do it, and you'll have a smart, safe and healthy summer – every year.