the good news: chronic disease is preventable and reversiblethereby reducing vitamin D synthesis and the production of mela-
nin to darken (protect) the skin, yet allows excessive damaging
UVA exposure to occur.^12 Sunlight as the main cause of melanomas
just doesn’t fit consistently.^13 Likewise just using sunscreen to re-
duce melanoma incidence hasn’t worked either.^14
Moderate and consistent sun exposure (not burning) is proba-
bly one of the most important preventive health activities in which
we can engage to reduce the worldwide instance of cancer, heart
disease, high blood pressure, bone loss, depression, and other dis-
orders related to immune function.^15 You don’t see the long-living
“Blue Zone” cultures staying indoors and avoiding the sun. They
aren’t sunbathing either, but they are outside doing physical labor
such as gardening, farming, herding, fishing, or other necessary
work for daily survival. They also eat unprocessed diets that are
rich in protective antioxidants and phytochemicals.^16 It is very dif-
ficult to get vitamin D from whole-food sources unless you are eat-
ing animal livers or whole fish regularly. Generally you get vitamin
D from sunlight exposure (the best way, in my opinion), fortified
foods (usually not enough), or supplementation (the average per-
son has to do this).
Dermatologists—actually all doctors—should routinely mea-
sure (and correct) vitamin D levels for all their patients several
times per year and at the time of diagnosis of their cancers. I pre-
dict low levels would be found. Vitamin D levels are easy and cheap
to correct with supplementation (and/or judicious sun exposure).
I realize sun exposure and skin cancer is a tremendously con-
troversial topic and getting sunburned is not a good thing, but
“throwing the baby out with the bath water” with complete sun
avoidance and “chemical” protection doesn’t make total sense
either.^17
What does make sense to me is to get ten to twenty minutes of
sun exposure daily, preferably while doing physical work or exer-
cise. Wear a hat to protect your head and face if you wish. If you
can tan get a light tan; DON’T sunburn (especially children);^18
and eat an antioxidant and phytochemical-rich, unrefined, colorful
plant-based diet that has an array of natural cancer fighting com-
pounds in their natural combinations. Take at least 2,000 IU of vi-