I was brought up to believe the sun is dangerous and will give me skin cancer so throughout my life I’ve made a conscious effort to stay out of it. I remember beach holidays with my family when I was young, and how my mother would never let us step out onto the beach between the hours of 9am and 4pm. And we still had to cover our entire bodies with 30+ sunblock, zinc over our nose and wear a hat.
Me at the US Open trying to avoid the sun, this was the only shady spot I could find!
But recently I’ve come across some intriguing research which claims that many of us are vitamin D deficient because the only way to get enough daily vitamin D is by standing out in the sun, without sunblock on. And I guess we’re also so deficient because we’re all so afraid of the sun.
My history with the “evil” sun
If you live in Australia like me then you’ll be familiar with the “slip, slop, slap” campaign. We’re educated in school to be sun smart, taught to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat whenever we go outside. TV advertisements and news shows like 60 Minutes scare us by displaying horrifying images of the worst cases of extreme skin cancers and melanomas. Australia really does make the sun out to be something quite evil and dangerous.
Even just earlier this year I went for a skin cancer check-up in Brisbane and was scolded by the doctor for not wearing long trousers, long sleeves and a wide brimmed hat whenever I step outside the doors of my home during daylight hours. He told me that I should be covering myself with sunblock head to toe when I get out of the shower in the morning.
I’m a red head with pale skin so I’m already in the highest danger category. My grandmother had a melanoma, and my grandfather, mother and uncle have all had minor skin cancers removed. My mum even had a cluster of skin cancers recently on her upper lip. So it’s in my family too. However, it is important to note that they all sunbaked in their youth (something I’ve never done), with my grandma even slathering herself with oil and cooking herself each day until she was as brown as possible.
And then there’s the problem with where I live. Australia has a huge hole in the ozone layer above it, so the UV radiation is especially strong, which explains the slip, slop, slap campaign.
The history of skin cancer in my family, the doctors warnings and the hole in the ozone layer have all made me terrified of the sun. Even though I love standing out in the full sun on a cool winter day and soaking up the rays, I feel really guilty about it because I’ve been taught throughout my whole life that I shouldn’t.
But perhaps we got it all wrong. Maybe a small amount of sunlight is essential for our health and well-being.
The healing power of sunlight and Vitamin D
When I was in Canada earlier this year I was surprised at how prominent Vitamin D education and advertising was. In Australia we hear nothing about Vitamin D so this was all new to me. I was also surprised at how common it was for milk and orange juice manufacturers to top their product up with Vitamin D supplements.
At the time I thought all of this fuss in Canada over Vitamin D was due to the lack of sunlight they have over there in winter, but when a friend of mine in Brisbane recently got a blood test which came back deficient in Vitamin D, I began to wonder if this is actually a global problem after all.
So just as I was getting as confused as ever about sunglight and Vitamin D, the law of attraction did its thing and an interview with Dr Michael Holick, author of The UV Advantage literally fell into my inbox. Dr Holick is one of the world’s most respected authorities on vitamin D and the health benefits of natural sunlight, so a good person to turn to to find answers.
In his interview Dr Holick talks about how Vitamin D is made by our skin when it’s exposed to sunlight. The Vitamin then needs to be processed by the liver and kidneys to turn it into its active form - 125-dihydroxy vitamin D. So if your liver and kidneys are overloaded and not function properly, then you won’t be able to absorb as much usable Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is very important. It is most commonly know for regulating calcium metabolism and bone health, but it can also regular cell growth which means it’s good at preventing cancer.
People who live in higher latitudes that are not able to get enough sun exposure are prone to Vitamin D deficiency, and therefore more prone to developing cancers such as in the colon, prostate, breast and ovaries.
And surprisingly, a lot of us are deficient in Vitamin D. Dr Hollick conducted a study in the US and discovered that 32% of adults between the ages of 18-29 years in Boston and 48% of Caucasian girls aged 9-11 years in Maine were Vitamin D deficient at the end of winter. And 17% of those girls remained deficient during the summer months from wearing sun protection.
Can I get my Vitamin D from food or a supplement instead of sunlight?
Yes, but you need to eat a lot of the right foods. You need to eat salmon or mackerel 3-5 times a week to get enough Vitamin D into your body. And you know those milk and orange juice cartons that I saw in Canada topped up with Vitamin D supplements? You need to drink about ten full glasses of those per day to get your Vitamin D requirement!
And most supplements only give you about 40% of what you need each day in Vitamin D. So as you can see, sunlight really is the best option, and it’s free! However, you need to be very careful with how much sunlight you get for all the reasons I explained in the beginning of this article. Yes we want to prevent cancer by getting enough sunlight and Vitamin D, but we don’t want to get skin cancer by spending too much time in the sun.
How much time you should spend in the sun
I’m a freckly red head living in Australia so I don’t need much sun exposure at all. I probably just have to stand outside for a couple of seconds then go back in again. It really depends on your skin tone, and where in the world you live.
For those of you that live in the UK for example, you’ll need more sun exposure than those of us in Australia and the US. And the darker you skin tone is, the more sun you’ll need.
To make it easy for you, Dr Hollick has provided a chart in the back of his book that tells you exactly how much sun exposure you need each day according to where you live and what your skin tone is. I’ll now be making an effort to get a few seconds each day until I can check the chart and find out exactly how much I need.
It’s also very important to spend this time in the sun without sunblock, because sunblock prevents your skin from making the Vitamin D. And if you think you’re getting your exposure while driving in the car with the windows up, you’re not because sunlight exposure through glass cannot create Vitamin D.
But please, if you’re spending more time out in the sun than your recommended dose, make sure you still slip, slop, slap to prevent skin cancer!
For more information about Vitamin D and sunlight, check out Dr Hollick’s book The UV Advantage.
Fran Kerr is the founding editor of High on Health. To cure your acne, sign up to Fran's FREE acne cure mini-course or download her latest how to guide, Eat Away Your Acne.
19 responses ↓
Hey fran very interesting artical, how come you travel around alot and do you recommend me use a salicylic acid acne gel or benzoyl peroxide?
i love that you mention the law of attraction. i am a big fan of it. i try to incorporate into my skin care regime. because if i don’t think about that new pimple that’s thinking about coming in, it usually turns around and goes back down. it’s pretty freaky.
here in the U.S. I hear that we need to get at least about 15 mins of sun exposure each day. It’s also more important during the winter months because I use to get that Seasonal Affective Disorder (i think that’s what it’s called) which causes depression because I wasn’t getting enough sun exposure when I woke up to stop the production of that chemical that’s released when we sleep. I am a little foggy on the details, but yeah it is really important! (i am fair skinned too and burn before i tan).
Sam, I’ll home in less than 2 weeks then no more traveling for a long time
I went to Canada with my friend, and since Australia is so far away from everything we thought we may as well see a few places while we were away.
Do a search for salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide in my blog or view the archives - http://www.highonhealth.org/acne/ ..there’s a lot of information in here that will help you.
This was a really good article. Most people are unaware of how important vitamin D is and this is a really good topic to bring up. Vitamin D is also linked with a risk of MS, and people who live above 37 degrees latitude are more than 100 times as likely to develop it as someone below!
I just want to point out that while sunlight is the best option, vitamin D supplements have there place. Where I live (Calgary, AB) we cannot produce any vitamin D in our skins for 6 months of the year. This is because the sun’s azimuth is just right so that the atmosphere absorbs nearly all UVB rays. These are the rays that cause the production on our cells of vitamin D. (UVA rays give a tan - tanning beds won’t work because they are usually ~95% UVA.)
Canadian doctors are supposed to recommend vitamin D supplements in the winter, and many do. Depending on where you live it’s probably a good idea to supplement in the winter.
Where I live in the Caribbean the majority of people either have nice tan skin (me!) or you have dark skin.It now makes a bit more sense why we can stay in the sun for long periods.If you have pale skin in the caribbean then you’re kind of screwed.A couple of years ago when I went to Aruba my skin got so fried that my knees go down were grey.What exactly could that have done? Is is possible that that amount of exposure can permanently darken your skin?
Whitney- Dr Hollick talks about 125-dihydroxy vitamin D which is the “active” vitamin D that’s immediately usable by your body. But this type can only be prescribed by doctors so you can’t buy it over the counter or in a health store.
Kevin- Hmm, I can’t answer this one, all I can say is lucky you with nice tanning skin!
does it depend on what time of day that you are getting your sunlight? i usually go out in the sun for 15 minutes without sunblock in the morning, and i figured that would be enough vitamin D…but then again the sun is less harsh in the morning compared to noon time.
i heard that the rays are the most direct/strongest from 11am-4pm. it probably doesn’t matter too much. you probably just have to stay out longer or something if it’s earlier than that.
Hey fran thanks for the response unfortunately i cant find your blog where u talk about salicylic acid or BP im thinking of buying mario badescus drying lotion??
Annie- best to research that or get the book. You don’t want to spend TOO much time in the sun during 9am-4pm without protection. It really depends on your skin tone and where you live. With my fair skin and location in Australia for example, I need VERY little.
Sam- Type salicylic acid and BP into the search box on the right hand side of this page.
I am pretty sure that getting to much sun can age you faster. My legal guardian is 75 years old, and every winter we go to tropical places, or places where there is no snow. We hate the cold. Anyway she has been doing this all her life, and she is quite possibly the wrinkliest person I know! He wrinkles are so bad that when she went for a consultation for getting a face lift, they told her there was really nothing they could do for her. They said no matter how much the stretched her skin, or injected it with botox, that it really wasn’t going to do a lot. So I am young, and my question to you is how can I prevent myself from ending up like her!!?? We go to the beach about every day, when we are not in Vermont, but I always use SPF 30… But are there any vitamins I should be taking that will help also? Thanks Fran!! I love your site!
-Dante
hey dante,
when you go to the beach and use spf, some things you should know is that the higher the spf the better. they make them up to around spf 80 these days so that will help. also applying it throughout the day as needed and directed like after swimming or drying off with a towel. another important thing to know about sunscreen is to make sure it protects you against uva and uvb rays. there are some rays that just penetrate the top layer causing you to tan or burn, but the other rays will penetrate deep into your skin which are linked to aging and sun spots.
making sure your skin gets enough moisture if it’s dry is also important. that’s why people with oily skin age a little slower than others. and the last thing i know about aging is that it is also linked to free radicals. so getting enough antioxidants like drinking green tea is important. but yeah, don’t go crazy though worrying about ending up like her. everyone is different. but getting some sun is really important. sunlight does great things for your body in moderation. so don’t be too afraid of it as fran noted in this article. anyway, hope this helps!
Dante- Oh yeah sunbaking can age you for sure. You need to be VERY careful with how much sun you get. As I said, I most likely only need a couple of seconds a day.
If you have very dark skin (eg. African descendant) and you live in a high altitude place, then you’ll need a lot more - up to a couple of hours a week over at least 10% of your body.
The best way to prevent yourself from premature aging is to just get the sun you need then stay out of it! If you love the beach then invest in a wide brimmed hat, a good pair of sunglasses, and even a beach umbrella if you are not too embarrassed about it. I ONLY go to the beach before 9am and after 4pm when the UV is at its weakest. This is the safest way to visit the beach!
And of course, the best way to prevent premature aging is by getting 8 hours of sleep per night and most importantly - eating well. So eat plenty of fresh organic fruit and vegetables, and high quality water.
Fran!!! I’m sooo happy you put this up.
People are so misconstrued about sun exposure i was as well.
i am naturally a bit pale but i can tan a bit i freckle a lot and for a while i was very very pale due to being afraid of cancer, wrinkles, aged skin.
but i noticed when i did get some sun but not too much i felt great! and my skin looked better(i have acne a bit still) (i don’t use harsh cleansers so i can get direct sun)
Sun can increase appearence of recent scars but is over all better, i would say 10-15 minutes a day of direct sunlight has given me back my glow and given me more energy.
…also have you ever wondered why in so many countries where they don’t use any sunblocks there is few to no skin cancer case’s.
There are actually more natural ingredients in a lot of tanning oils than in sunblocks.
I live in South Florida and do however recomend sunblock.
take care little miss sunshine
<3
Hi Fran, I read this newsletter from Dr. Mercola, and he is a big supporter of vitamin D, I already mentioned him I think, but I encourage you to subscribe to his newsletter, he has great articles on health.
Your eyes need sun exposure too. Of course you don’t stare at the sun directly but indirectly. So when you’re out getting some sun make sure not to wear sun glasses or hat. I think 10 to 15 minutes should be enough. If you are not comfortable with that you can do it 1 hour before sunrise and 1 hour before sunset.
http://www.solarhealing.com/
Fran,
Your article is interesting, but rather incomplete, and I’m not sure it’s altogether accurate. It sounds like you have only recently looked into the subject of vitamin D, and have read only one doctor’s take on the subject. The doctor’s book sounds interesting, but I would seek other sources of info as well.
Here’s what I’ve been able to glean:
To make D in skin we need a certain intensity of Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) from sunlight. UV-B levels vary with time of day and time of year. In the U.S., UV-B light is present at midday between 10AM & 2PM during summer. In sub-tropical/tropical areas, time of year/time of day won’t change UV-B light availability as much.
The intensity of UV-B sunlight varies with the angle of the sun. When the sun is in an overhead position, UV-B light is sufficient. But when the sun is at angled positions–such as in the morning, evening or during winter–there is little or no UV-B light. At latitudes higher than 45° (north/south), even summer sun can’t produce optimum levels of vitamin D. Clouds, city ozone & smog may block UV-B some days of the year. UV-B won’t penetrate glass, so indoor sunning won’t produce any vitamin D.
For most folks living at latitudes 30 - 45 degrees (most of the continental U.S.) sunning nearly nude 20 - 120 minutes (depending on tolerance & skin color) between 10 AM - 2 PM during summer may form adequate vit. D before skin damage occurs. The darker the skin the longer the exposure needed to make adequate vitamin D. The more skin exposed, the more D made. In locations nearer the equator, fair-skinned people may be better off avoiding the sun & obtaining vitamin D with foods and/or supplements.
Food sources of vitamin D include cod liver oil, crab, shrimp, mackerel, salmon, fish eggs & duck egg. Actual vitamin D content varies depending on how much sunlight the animal received, and on how much sunlight the animal’s food received. Plant foods contain no significant natural vitamin D. Real vitamin D3 in the foods listed above is more effective than synthetic D2 added to packaged breakfast cereals, milk and orange juice.
British researchers report that increased vitamin D levels in girls increased muscle power and force, as well as jump height & velocity.
An interesting aspect of the current vitamin D deficiency epidemic is that the foods with natural vitamin D (foods containing animal fat) have been systematically demonized by the government, medical establishment as well as vegetarian pundits for being harmful to ones health. We are continually bombarded with the message that we must avoid saturated fat and cholesterol in order to be healthy and prevent a heart attack.
However, most people would be surprised to learn that there is, in fact, very little evidence to support the contention that a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat actually reduces death from heart disease or in any way increases one’s life span.
The Weston A. Price Foundation website has good articles on the subject of vitamin D as well as many other topics regarding whole-food nutrition and traditional food preparation and farming methods (WestonAPrice.org)
[...] Vitamin D is made by our skin when it’s exposed to sunlight, but we also get it from vitamin supplements and milk. Fran Kerr, founding editor of High on Health, has more here. [...]
hey fran,
i just heard about “sun guard” from a friend and wondered what you thought of it or if you have ever heard of it? Apparently it’s like this detergent stuff that you wash your clothes in and it gives your clothes a SPF of 30 for up to 20 washings or something like that. Because apparently our clothing has a SPF of only about 5 without this stuff. It sounds different though, so I didn’t know if it was just some kind of scam or legitimate… but I guess it has the “Skin cancer foundation’s seal of approval” on it so… But anyway, yeah just thought I’d pass that along in case you knew anything about it or were interested in it!
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