Winter in the northern latitudes can be daunting. It is a time when there are more colds and flu. Also, there are many other diseases that take advantage of our reduced immunity during the winter. Chronic disease can make you very painful during the winter. Of course, going into the sun always makes us feel better. But why?

There are so many reactions of our body to the sun. However, since the 1960s, dermatologists have been tricked into constantly screaming about the dangers of the sun. We know that it makes us feel better, but what about our medical industry telling us otherwise? It is a difficult problem to sort out. Do the advantages of sun exposure outweigh the dangers. The answer is a resounding yes.

November second has been declared Vitamin D Day by the Vitamin D Council, Grassroots Health, and the Vitamin D Society. This has been done to promote the understanding of vitamin D and to encourage the use of supplementation during the winter months in the northern hemisphere. Also, to use exposure to full spectrum sunlight when possible. Here is a link to an informational page: http://www.vitamindday.net/

The question of whether to enjoy the sun without fear of causing cancer has become a ridiculous sidetrack in modern medicine. All the energy that is beneficial to our wellbeing comes from the sun. Whether it is the food we eat, products made from plants that are useful like furniture, or the chemical and thermal reactions in our body. Overexposure to anything can be dangerous, but are you going to stop driving your car because you might die in a car accident? Are you going to stop drinking water because overconsumption can dilute out your electrolytes and cause your heart to stop? Wear your seat belt, don’t spend time in the sun without sunscreen, and don’t drink too much water are all the same ilk. It is about the benefit of action versus the risk. Unfortunately, fear can make you have a very unhealthy life if it is over expressed.

Dermatologists are medical professionals specializing in the largest organ of the body. You would think that they would encourage the benefits as well as tell us about the dangers. The dangers have been overexpressed and the benefits not expressed enough regarding sun exposure. So, what are the benefits of sun exposure? There are many healing compounds that are made in the skin. Vitamin D is just the beginning as there are a host of sterols produced with ultraviolet light (UV) exposure that have significant action in our body. Not only was vitamin D discovered from UV exposure, there are many intermediate molecules that are generated. I suspect there are compounds that are beneficial to health from full spectrum sunlight that have not been identified. One area that does not have much study is the conversion of molecular sulfate esters and sterols during sun exposure (If health researchers want an exciting area of study, this is it).

On the other side of the visual spectrum from UV is near infrared light. The science being discovered about how near infrared light improves our health is amazing. To understand, think how good the warmth of sunlight makes you feel on a cold autumn day. It is not just the heat. It is the biological action that takes place in our body. We have discovered that near infrared improves wound healing, shrinks tumors, improves neurological health, increases cellular energy, detoxifies our bodies, and reduces pain.

With so many health benefits, why would you not want to go into sunlight? Is the increase of melanoma that parallels the increase of sunscreen a coincidence? Have our professionals created unintended consequences by inducing fear of cancer from sun exposure? Am I a voice in the wilderness telling you there is health in the sunlight? Medical science changes more than the seasons as it is an art. Let’s celebrate more than vitamin D Day. Let’s celebrate health from the sun. As for me, I’m going to spend time in the sun on this beautiful autumn day. –Pandemic Survivor