DEAR TABBY

Dear Tabby:  I am a 10-year-old girl who lives in Florida, and my mother always makes me wear sunscreen when I go outside.  I thought getting outside in the sun and fresh air was good for you.  Can you help clear up the issue, Tabby, and shed some "light" on the subject?  SUNNY DAVIS, (yes, they call me Sunny D), BRANDON, FLORIDA.

Dear Sunny:  I am honored to welcome a reader from the "sunshine state."  I think I could really "take a shine" to you!  We always see commercials saying we need sunscreen to prevent harming our skin (which is true), but we also need a little sunshine every day - just 10-15 minutes a day of sunlight is enough to get the benefits of vitamin D!  Vitamin D is produced naturally in the body through exposure to sunlight.  Vitamin D is also called the “sunshine vitamin.”  Vitamin D is found in milk, orange juice, fish (salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, tuna), egg yolks, and cereals, and is very important for strong bones.  So "bone up" on your intake of vitamin D and don't get burned by the sun.  Besides sunscreen (SPF 15, preferably SPF 30, reapplying every two hours or after swimming), you can also wear hats and sunglasses to protect your skin and eyes from the harsh rays! and still look cool (like this Rottweiller)!

Thanks for the great question, and I hope our readers feel "enlightened" by my answer.  The Beatles, one of the “hottest” bands in history, loved writing songs about the sun.  These included “Here Comes the Sun,” “Good Day Sunshine,” and “I’ll Follow the Sun.”  These are great songs, but I also have a great song and video of “Walking on Sunshine” from the Bee Movie: http://youtu.be/ckifB-TM6lk