I know that we have evolved under the sun for millions of years. We have run naked under the sun for eons and the rates of skin cancer among indigenous peoples of the tropics is much lower than those of urban populations. Our predecessors, who spent much more time in the sun than we do, suffered lower skin cancer rates than are seen today. The occasional, intense, over exposure to sunlight that has become popular among urban Caucasian populations must be the effectual factor that has precipitated an increase in the correlation between excessive exposure to sunlight and Caucasian populations. These are people who live their lives hidden from the sun, indoors, under fluorescent lighting and seldom develop the healthy bronzing that the sun imparts upon our skins.

In fact, there is a predominance of information in studies from the scientific literature that demonstrates sunlight's beneficial effects in lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. These data cite how sunlight increases endurance, sex hormone levels, and immunity.

It's easy to forget, in the midst of our cancer epidemic, that cancer was traditionally a rare disease affecting less than 1% of the population. The healthy, long-lived populations like the Hunzas and the Vilcabambas lived at high elevations where the sun was more intense. They were out farming every day. Yet they lived to very old ages without getting cancer. If the sun causes cancer, how did these people and others like the Polynesians ever survive? Skin cancer is the end-result of many factors of which inappropriate sun exposure is only one.

Like a lot of things, too much of a good thing can be bad for you. The sun is essential to health, but too little or too much sun will damage health. The sun can do damage if we use it improperly. And use it improperly is what most of us do. Studies show that the incidence of all malignancy is 6 to 10 times lower closer to the equator where there is more sunlight, and people who have chronic exposure to the sun are less likely to develop melanoma than urbanized people who have intermittent exposure.

One of the reasons for lower cancer rates may be that people who are out in the sun all the time form pigments that protect them from the sun, and their sun exposure makes them healthier in the first place. Urban dwellers don't get enough healthy sun exposure. They often get intermittent tans, or burns, that fade. Repeating this cycle may result in damage because the skin is not protected during the tanning process. Also the urban dweller is much more likely to burn during the tanning process. Some researchers believe that burns are a key to skin cancer. Turning into a red lobster is definitely not conducive to good health, as any lobster can attest.

The fact is we were designed to be out in the sun. Sunlight is absolutely essential for good health in so many ways that we don't even begin to understand them. Unless you do something foolish, the sun won't damage healthy people who have adequate amounts of nutrients like carotenes, lycopene, essential fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, E, and zinc and selenium. Our need for the sun is exemplified by the fact that nature intended we get most of our vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D is almost totally absent in vegetable foods.

When sunlight strikes the skin it sets off a multi-staged process whereby cholesterol is ultimately changed into vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential to the absorption of calcium from the intestines and for the production of enzymes involved in collagen formation in the bones. Staying out of the sun is partially responsible for our epidemic of osteoporosis, especially in our elderly. One study found that 36% of elderly men and 47% of elderly women were vitamin D deficient. Even moderate sun exposure would help to alleviate this problem

Sunlight is absolutely essential to good health. It’s only been in recent times that the sun has been cast as our enemy. If getting too little or too much sun is bad for us, how can the average person get what they need without harming themselves? First of all get the sun slowly. Secondly, stay out of the midday sun. Timing sun exposures to avoid the hours of 10 to 2 PM will cut ultraviolet exposure by 60% because the sun is less intense. Most everyone should try to get at least ten minutes in the sun on a daily basis and longer on weekends. If you do it this way, your skin will adapt through skin pigmentation and you won't get sunburned. Some experts claim at least one hour of unfiltered sunlight per day is essential to health. When you are in direct sun for long periods, cover up. Wear a broad brimmed hat and suitable clothing.

How much sun is right for you depends on your biochemical individuality. With a bit of awareness and following the above suggestions, you should be able to develop a healthy golden tan and reap the benefits of the sun without doing harm. Health is a choice, and by developing good habits and making sensible choices, the sun will be your friend and not your enemy.