For centuries, humans have worshiped the sun.  It was revered as the divine source of light, warmth, growth and rejuvenation – it was in essence life itself.  

But the second half of the 20th century saw a new direction in conventional thinking regarding sun exposure.

With news of rising skin cancer rates worldwide, medical authorities urged the public to limit their exposure to the sun and to wear high SPF sunscreen whenever venturing outdoors.  

Millions followed this seemingly sensible advice for decades and yet somehow skin cancers rates continued to increase.  This in spite of the fact, that the majority of modern workers spend more time indoors than their 19th century counterparts.

The Missing Health Link

Much has been made in the news recently about the health benefits of maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D.  Often called "the sunshine vitamin" because it is synthesized in the body when your skin is exposed to the sun's rays.

Research indicates that the serum level of vitamin D that offers the most significant health benefits is in the range of 45-55 ng/ml.
Unfortunately, the average individual in the northern United States and Canada has a serum vitamin D level of 15-18 ng/ml during winter.  This leaves many in a state of severe deficiency.

This may be one explanation as to why certain cancers become more prevalent in western populations the further north individuals are located from the equator.

A deficiency of vitamin D leaves you susceptible to a host of ailments such as:

• Prostate cancer
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Rickets
• High blood pressure
• Psoriasis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Tuberculosis
• Colon Cancer
• Breast cancer
  

Although the sun is without a doubt the best method for obtaining your vitamin D, there are certain medical conditions and prescription drugs where even minimal sun exposure is prohibited.

If you happen to fall under the category of someone who has been instructed by a physician to avoid the sun, then you can still derive the health benefits of vitamin D by taking a nutritional supplement of vitamin D3 at 1000 IU daily.

However, if you are considering supplementing vitamin D, it is wise to have your family physician order a simple blood test called 25-hydroxyvitamin D to determine your current vitamin D status. This can help you to avoid taking a toxic overdose of vitamin D supplementation.

More benefits of Sensible Sun Exposure

Sunlight also has a powerful effect on your immune system, as studies show that white blood cell counts increase when skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

In particular, natural killer cells called lymphocytes demonstrate increased activity from sun exposure improving your body's defenses against tumor growth and infectious organisms.

Sunlight oxygenates your blood, allowing for better flow of oxygen to vital organs and tissues.  Sunlight also aids in the optimization of hormones responsible for muscle building and fat burning - particularly testosterone.

The ancient Greeks were well aware of this benefit, which is why their athletes used to train as well as compete in the Olympic games without clothing.

So it appears that in their haste to stem the rising rates of skin cancer by recommending avoidance of the sun, medical authorities may have inadvertently caused an increase in other seemingly unrelated diseases.

In part 2, we will discuss the possible diet related factors involved with the increase of skin cancer rates in North America.