In 2014, it was estimated that approximately 12% of U.S. deaths (340,000 persons per year) could be linked to inadequate sun exposure.¹

And a 2016 all-cause mortality study found that avoidance of sun exposure is a risk factor for death similar to that of smoking.²

This only makes sense.

Sunlight is the primary source of energy that powers life on Earth, including us humans.

Just as newly sprouted seeds pop up out of the soil, and start absorbing the sun rays needed to grow and flourish, we as humans need sunlight for complete health.

Adequate sunlight exposure to both the skin and the eyes is vital to our long-term health .

According to Stephanie Seneff, the mechanism with which we safely exploit the sun’s energy is through the oxidation of sulfur to sulfate, with the help of choles­terol.

This reaction takes place in the skin—catalyzed by sunlight—and it is vital to our long-term health.

What’s more, sunlight has been shown to protect against cancer, heart disease, hypertension and bone fractures.

And it may lower the risk for multiple sclerosis, diabe­tes, cardiovascular disease, autism, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s disease and age-related macular degeneration.^3,4

Yet we’re either afraid to go out in the sun without sunscreen, if at all, or we’re too busy to do so.

Instead we spend billions of dollars trying to fight chronic diseases, the very chronic diseases were contributing to by avoiding sunlight and putting on sunscreen.

Blocking UVB radiation inhibits the production of Vitamin D in the skin, potentially leading to multiple health problems.

Vitamin D is essential for bone formation.

Vitamin D (along with it’s cohorts Vitamins A, E, and K) keep our eyes, skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, mineral metabolism, muscle tone, reproductive system, nervous system and immune system in proper working order.

A high serum level of Vitamin D is associated with reduced risk for various cancers – brain, cervical, endometrial, esophageal, ovarian, breast, thyroid, and head and neck cancers.^5,6

And Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a 4-fold increased risk of dying from COVID-19.⁷

Vitamin D supplementation cannot reproduce sunlight’s health benefits.^8,9

Moreover, Vitamin D supplementation can worsen systemic sulfur deficiency, which can cause calcium build up in the arteries.

Getting sunburned is bad. But lathering on sunscreen to delay burning can be equally bad.

When our skin starts to turn pink, that’s our built in warning signal telling us we’ve been out in the sun too long. It’s time to go in or cover up.

When we slap on sunscreen in order to delay or avoid sunburn, we miss the warning signal that we’ve had enough sun. That’s when and how we get too much UV radiation.¹⁰

It’s like disconnecting the warning signals on your car dashboard so that you don’t know your brakes need attention… until it’s too late.

Although sunscreen may protect from burning, it does not necessarily protect from the harmful effects of UV radiation.

This may explain why melanoma has increased in tandem with the greater and greater use of sunscreens with higher SPFs.

However, when we don’t use sunscreen, we’re able to use our body’s natural, God-given protective mechanism – melanin.

Melanin is produced in response to sunlight exposure. It builds up over time.

Eventually it produces a healthy tan with protection that can last months.

The smart way to protect yourself from the potential damage of UV rays is to develop a tan slowly during the spring while the sun is not so intense—this arms you with a defense against the intense summer sun that would otherwise be dangerous.

As melanin’s powerful antioxidant effects protect you from the UV rays, you can still enjoy the many health benefits of sunlight.

Melanin can transform 99.9 percent of absorbed sunlight into heat. This greatly reduces skin cancer risk and enhances the amount of infrared you can receive from the sun.

Note:  Both sunscreen and glyphosate interfere with the synthesis and production of melanin.

Of course, most all (if not all) sunscreens are quite toxic. Whatever you put onto your skin, is absorbed directly into your blood stream.

One of the biggest concerns is that sunscreen chemicals mimic our hormones. They bind to the body’s hormone receptors, disrupting estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and thyroid hormones.

Aluminum in sunscreen disrupts sulfate synthesis. The sulfate synthesis in the skin, as already noted, is what captures the sun’s energy.

And according to Stephanie Seneff, PhD, systemic sulfur deficiency is a key factor in the rise of many of our chronic diseases.

Also, you’re more likely to get burned if you’re wearing sunglasses.

When Ultraviolet B passes through the eye, it stimulates the production of the Alpha-Melanocytes Stimulating Hormone (or Alpha MSH). Alpha MSH stimulates melanocytes, the cells in the skin that make melanin, the pigment that protects our skin and our eyes from excess light.

The stimulus to make the melanocytes is primarily the light coming through the eye. So, without the light coming into our eyes, the process of producing melanin is broken.

Getting sun burned is not good and sunscreen is toxic and harmful. Even sunglasses can be detrimental.

But not getting sunlight is not an option. There are too many vital nutrients from the sun.

It’s our richest, purest multi-vitamin, for which there is no substitute.

So, what do we do?

Start by going outside at sunrise and sunset for about 20 to 30 minutes. If you can’t see both sunrise and sunset, just get out for 15, 20, 30 minutes in the morning and 15, 20, 30 minutes in the evening.

This will help set your circadian rhythm…which can greatly aid in sleep.

Second, begin sunbathing during the middle of the day, especially in the summertime when there’s lots of sun.

Sunbathing will depend on your skin tone and how tan you are. You need to find the right dose. If you are fair skinned, try starting with 2 to 3 minutes and add 2 to 3 minutes per day.

If you have dark skin or are already tan, try starting with 5, 10, or 15 minutes on each side of the body and get a session as close to the middle of the day as possible 11:00, 12:00, 1:00. BUT DON’T BURN.

The reason that midday sun is so great is that you can get the smallest amount of time in the sun and the biggest UV benefit.

Third, take additional sun breaks during your work day, as much as possible. You can even combine one or two of those breaks with your Nitric Oxide Dump.

“I used to be a night owl, staying up late, working until 1, 2, even 3 am, to get things done once the kids were in bed. I was a fitness professional and even a health coach. I had no idea how detrimental this was for my health. I was underestimating the restorative benefits of sleep and the healing energy of the sun.

Now I start my day with sunrise before ‘screen-rise’ and make sure to get out first thing. I find it boosts my energy, syncs my circadian rhythm, and improves my mood (and therefore the rest of my day).

I’d heard many testify to the healing effects of more sun and less artificial light. Now, I have experienced it myself. There’s no turning back. My life and health are improved in unquantifiable ways following these steps!” Hilda L. G.

If you have known sensitivity issues to being in the sun, please address the cause of those issues before beginning any sunbathing protocol.

If you’d like help starting this protocol or addressing underlying issues, I would love to support you.

Click here to book your free 30-minute Strategy Session now.

As hard as it is for me to completely ditch the sunscreens, I am finally ready to do so.

As a bonus to this revised blog, here’s a recipe for a natural sunscreen, courtesy of a colleague Becky Plotner.

Peace and grace,

Karen