How The Sun Helps Prevent Skin Cancer

It has been drilled into recent generations to always use sunscreen when going out into the sun.  Conventional dermatologists routinely advise applying sunscreen part of the daily morning routine.  Meanwhile, instances of skin cancer are at an all time high.  Could it be that coating ourselves with chemicals isn’t such a great idea after all?  Today I want to shed some light on how the sun can help PREVENT skin cancer.

Sun exposure is the key to vitamin D3, which protects against cancer

Dr. Mark Hyman explains why vitamin D3 from the sun is so important.

“As soon as the sun’s ultraviolet rays strike your skin, your body is programmed to do something remarkable. It starts producing its own natural vitamin D.

Better yet, your body produces the most active form of vitamin D in existence – calciferol, also known as vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is actually the precise form your body needs.”

In fact, vitamin D has been shown to be critically important for cell function.

“It reduces cellular growth (which promotes cancer) and improves cell differentiation (which puts cells into an anti-cancer state). That makes vitamin D one of the most potent cancer inhibitors — and explains why vitamin D deficiency has been linked to colon, prostate, breast, and ovarian cancer.” – Dr. Hyman

But the benefits don’t stop at the cellular level.  Vitamin D also regulates and controls genes.

“It acts on a cellular docking station, called a receptor, that then sends messages to our genes. That’s how vitamin D controls so many different functions – from preventing cancer, reducing inflammation, boosting mood, easing muscle aches and fibromyalgia, and building bones.” – Dr. Hyman

How much vitamin D does the sun provide?

“80 to 100 percent of the vitamin D we need comes from the sun. The sun exposure that makes our skin a bit red (called 1 minimum erythemal dose) produces the equivalent of 10,000 to 25,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D in our bodies.” – Dr. Hyman

The time of day you are exposed matters because only UVB produces vitamin D3

Safe sun exposure is key.  The sun produces a wide spectrum of rays.  Some are helpful to us and others are not.  The ultraviolet portion of the spectrum is of prime concern.  Ultraviolet light from the sun comes in two main wavelengths called UVA and UVB.

UVA is most associated with cancer risk

• UVA penetrates your skin more deeply and can cause more free radical damage (cancer risk)
• UVA rays are quite constant during all the hours of daylight throughout the entire year.
• UVA rays are 30 to 50 times more prevalent than UVB.
• UVA can penetrate clouds, pollution and glass.
• UVA contributes to and may even initiate the development of skin cancers.
• UVA causes wrinkles.

UVB produces vitamin D3

• UVB helps your skin produce vitamin D3
• UVB waves are low in morning and evening and high at midday
• UVB can still be dangerous if you are exposed too long and burn.  Sun burns are always bad.

What we learn from this

• The ideal time of day to be out in the sun for UVB and maximum vitamin D benefit is around noon.  The window of benefit is from about 10 AM to 4 PM.  Just be careful not to burn.
• While sun exposure through glass can be beneficial for other reasons, vitamin D production requires direct exposure to UVB.
• The worst time to be directly exposed for too long is morning and evening.

How to reduce the risk of a burn

• Limit sun exposure by staying in the shade and wearing protective clothing.  A brimmed hat is especially good. Try to keep the sun off the parts that always get sun and expose the parts of you that don’t get as much.  The thin skin around the eyes is especially sensitive to photoaging from the sun.
• Use natural, non-chemical sunscreen if you must be out in the sun for prolonged periods.
• Get plenty of essential fatty acids like fish oil
• Increase consumption of raw vegetables.  Get a full list here.
• Avoid processed foods and sugars

Dr. Mercola: “The point to remember is that once your skin turns the lightest shade of pink (if you’re Caucasian), it’s time to get out of the sun. Past this point of exposure your body will not produce any more vitamin D and you’ll begin to have sun damage. And sunburn anywhere on your body is never good for your health.”

People with sensitive skin can become more sun tolerant

Alexander Wunsch is a German physician of holistic medicine and photobiology and also the CEO of Medical Light Consulting in Heidelberg, Germany.  He said in an interview that we should start out with just a few minutes of sun exposure in the spring and take note of how our skin reacts over the next two to four hours.  When you notice your skin taking on a pinkish tint, it’s time to get to the shade.  Training in a gradual manner is the key.

“Start, for example, with five minutes. The next day you can expose yourself for 10 minutes. You just double the exposure time looking at your individual reaction in the afternoon or at night, because there is a delay in our skin reactions. There is a delay time of two to four hours… [Also, when] you go out into the sun, my recommendation would be to expose those parts of your body which normally are covered by clothes, and cover those parts of the body which normally are exposed. It means it’s advisable to wear, for example, a hat with a large rim in order to protect your head and your face from overexposure.”

Drinking green tea can reduce skin inflammation caused by UV radiation

A 2013 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found a low daily dose (540 mg or two cups) of green tea catechins along with 50 mg of vitamin C for 12 weeks, can considerably reduce the skin inflammation caused by UV radiation. The study said, “this may contribute to protection against sunburn inflammation and potentially longer-term UVR-mediated damage.”  In practical terms, green tea could contribute to a reduction of pre-mature aging.

Sunscreen and makeup can increase the risk of skin cancer

The main chemical used in sunscreens to filter out ultraviolet B light is octyl methoxycinnamate or OMC. OMC was found to kill mouse cells even at low doses. Plus, it was also shown to be particularly toxic when exposed to sunshine. Unfortunately, OMC is present in 90 percent of sunscreen brands.

A common ultraviolet A filter, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, has also demonstrated toxic properties.

Potentially harmful chemicals such as dioxybenzone and oxybenzone are some of the most powerful free radical generators known.  Researchers at the Environmental working group (EWG) found that sunscreens may actually increase the speed at which malignant cells develop and spread cancer.

Several studies show that the chemicals commonly used in sunscreens are absorbed through the skin and end up circulating in your blood stream.

The recommendation of Dr. Mercola is to toss your sunscreen in the trash if it contains any of these questionable chemicals:

• Para amino benzoic acid
• Octyl salicyclate
• Avobenzone
• Oxybenzone
• Cinoxate
• Padimate O
• Dioxybenzone
• Phenylbenzimidazole
• Homosalate
• Sulisobenzone
• Menthyl anthranilate
• Trolamine salicylate
• Octocrylene

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) maintains an annual report of sunscreens to help you quickly identify which ones are safe.

Sunlight exposure helps sleep, which fights cancer

NASA scientists have found that sleep is managed by our body’s master clock, which is located in the brain’s hypothalamus.  It’s called the ‘circadian clock’, and it regulates the daily production of melatonin, which is our sleep-promoting hormone.  It also regulates cortisol, a hormone that promotes waking and is also associated with stress.  According to the NASA website, we need a daily reset.

“The circadian clock generates these cycles all on its own. But there’s a problem. Free-running, the master clock produces cycles that average about 24.2 hours — slightly longer than Earth’s day. So the clock must be reset. It needs to be adjusted daily to ensure that the biological day and night don’t get out of sync with the environment. On Earth, it’s reset automatically, simply by our exposure to the high intensity light of day.”

Exposure to light turns off melatonin, so if you wake up feeling groggy, get some sunlight.  On any given day, outdoor lux units (the amount of light) will be around 100,000 at noon.  Indoors, it is somewhere between 100 and 2,000, so sunlight works much better.  Getting outside around solar noon is the most beneficial.

Eating plants allows your body to convert sunlight into usable energy

A 2014 study showed that plant chlorophyll pigments can enable mitochondria in mammals to capture light energy and produce ATP.  Here’s a quick technical description from the study.

“Results suggest chlorophyll type molecules modulate mitochondrial ATP by catalyzing the reduction of coenzyme Q, a slow step in mitochondrial ATP synthesis. We propose that through consumption of plant chlorophyll pigments, animals, too, are able to derive energy directly from sunlight.”

ATP is often called “energy currency” as it transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism.  ATP powers our cellular activity for things like muscle contraction.

The practical ramification is that if you eat a heavily plant-based diet, your body will be able to convert sunlight into usable energy.

Takeaways for a bright, sunny future

• Vitamin D3 helps prevent cancer and offers a host of other benefits.
• Exposure to the sun’s UVB rays is the best way to get Vitamin D3
• Midday exposure of about 30 minutes is ideal.
• Those with more sensitive skin can build up a greater tolerance to safe sun exposure.
• Sun burns are always bad.  Reduce risk by seeking shade and covering up.
• Diet counts.  To get the most sun benefit, eat plenty of healthy fats and raw vegetables.
• Chemicals is sunscreen can greatly increase the risk of skin cancer.  If you must be out in the sun, choose a safe sunscreen.

If you found this information helpful, I encourage you to sign up for my email list.  I’ll let you know when new posts are published so you don’t miss anything.

Thanks for reading!
Jeff

 Additional Resources

Dr. Michael Ruscio reviews scientific studies related to sun exposure.

This podcast with neurosurgeon and quantum mechanics expert, Dr. Jack Kruse, dives into why skin exposure to direct sunlight is critical. He also talks extensively about the harmful effects of light from computer, pad and phone screens as well as what wireless signals are doing to human mitochondrial function.