Evolving Wellness^TM

Practical Applications and Information for Optimal Health and Living Naturally

Sun Smart Series - Part 1: Get to Know the UV Index

Published

on May 26, 2008

. Tags: popular.

Okay so the warmer weather keeps coming and the UV index keeps rising and hence it is time for a short tutorial series. It is very important today to really get to know the sun and its relationship and effect on your skin!

As promised last month, May was going to have a Sun Smart Series, so this week Evolving Wellness is doing a quick, practical and comprehensive tutorial on the sun and you!

I feel that this is very critical not to just hear once but to review yearly so that the information is fresh in our minds as each summer season approaches. The information is just too important to ignore as skin cancer rates keep rising worldwide and what is worse they are becoming more and more prevalent in younger and younger people.

The five parts of this series will include:

Part 1 - Get to Know the UV index

Part 2 - Get to Know your Skin

Part 3 - Get to Know the Sun

Part 4 - Get to Know Sunscreen

Part 5 - Summary: Maximize the Benefits, Minimize the Risks

Today’s topic is all about understanding the UV index.

Get to know the UV Index

As part of every channel’s weather forecast we have available to us today the daily UV index. When the UV is low, you will usually not hear your local meteorologist announcing it, however when the UV goes higher it is part of every forecast whether it be online, on TV or in newspapers. You can always look up the daily UV index yourself if you do not hear or see it in your media of choice.

What is the UV Index?

UV stands for ultraviolet radiation, which is the type of radiation emitted by the sun. The UV index thus provides an internationally recognized scale to know how strong the sun’s radiation is on a particular day and in a particular area.

The UV index was developed in 1992 by scientists in Canada and later by other countries like the US, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Today an international scale is used that was approved by the World Health Organization. It measures the level of radiation in watts per meter squared.

The UV index allows you to get to know the potential strength of the sun that day and can be determined for any area worldwide, taking into account things like sea level, amount of ozone and cloud cover. It gives you the expected risk of overexposure to the sun that day.

How does the UV index work?

This is what the internationally recognized UV Index Scale looks like today. It has numbers from 0 on up and is color coded for ease of use and quicker recognition.

UV Index	Description	Sun Protection Actions
0 - 2	Low	Minimal sun protection required for normal activity Wear sunglasses on bright days. If outside for more than one hour, cover up and use sunscreen Reflection of snow can nearly double UV strength. Wear sunglasses and apply sunscreen
3 - 5	Moderate	Take precautions - cover up, wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen - especially if you will be outside for 30 minutes or more Look for shade near midday when the sun is strongest
6 - 7	High	Protection required - UV damages the skin and can cause sunburn Reduce time in the sun between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and take full precautions - seek shade, cover up, wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
8 - 10	Very High	Extra precautions required - unprotected skin will be damaged and can burn quickly Avoid the sun between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and take full precautions - seek shade, cover up, wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
11 +	Extreme	Take full precautions. Unprotected skin will be damaged and can burn in minutes. Avoid the sun between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., cover up, wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen Values of 11 or more are very rare in Canada. However, the UV Index can reach 14 or more in the tropics and southern U.S. White sand and other bright surfaces reflect UV and increase UV exposure

Why should I know the daily UV index?

Knowing the UV index today is very important for everyone. We live today in a world where we have to pay attention to how strong the sun is in order to prevent eye and skin damage that may lead to all sorts of serious problems like cataracts and cancers.

Hence, if you are planning on being outside, especially in the spring and summer months, you need to be aware of the daily UV strength in your area. This way you can protect yourself and your family appropriately and consequently avoid any serious future problems.