Increasing evidence reveals that there is a chronic Vitamin D deficiency in many people that could easily be corrected by sunlight exposure on bare skin, no sunscreen. Just don't get burned! Researchers are now describing the benefits of sunlight and its protection against cancer and other diseases.

Vitamin D keeps bones strong and healthy, fights cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and general aches and pains. Research shows that there is a surprising amount of vitamin D deficiency in the population. But don't worry, you can make your own! All you need is about 15 minutes of sun exposure on your bare skin and you'll make 10,000 IU of it. You don't need to become a nudist - a bathing suit exposure will do. Remember, the older you are or the darker your skin color the more D you need. Bonus: Getting enough during the summer can carry you through the winter. The important thing to remember is you can make all the vitamin D you need in less time than it takes to produce a burn or tan so make sure you don't get too much sun!

Sun exposure decreases the risk of MS

Children and adolescents who had high sun exposure had a decreased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life. Researchers concluded that insufficient exposure to ultraviolet radiation or vitamin D might therefore increase the risk of MS. Other studies have had similar results, indicating that ultraviolet radiation may be beneficial against multiple sclerosis.

Sunlight and melanoma

There is evidence that a moderate amount of unblocked sunlight is actually beneficial to most people, reducing the risk of many diseases - including, paradoxically, melanoma itself. For example, in often-cited research on US Navy personnel in San Diego, researchers from the University of California School of Medicine found that more melanoma occurred among desk workers than among sailors who worked outdoors.

Did you know that sunlight may prevent cancer?

For those of us who stay indoors it's a fitting reminder that some of the most important things for our health are obvious: water, fresh air, exercise, good food and sunlight. Too much sun burning has been linked to skin cancer, but proper sunlight - especially ultraviolet light - can prevent cancer. Researchers examined cancer mortality in the United States. Deaths from a range of cancers of the reproductive and digestive systems were approximately twice as high in New England as in the southwest, despite a diet that varies little between regions. An examination of 506 regions found a close inverse correlation between cancer mortality and levels of ultraviolet B light. The likeliest mechanism for a protective effect of sunlight is vitamin D, which is synthesized by the body in the presence of ultraviolet B.

Dr. William Grant says northern parts of the United States may be dark enough in winter that vitamin D synthesis shuts down completely. While the study focused on white Americans, the same geographical trend affects black Americans, whose overall cancer rates are significantly higher. Darker skinned people require more sunlight to synthesize vitamin D. "There are 13 malignancies that show this inverse correlation, mostly reproductive and digestive cancers," said Dr. Grant. "The strongest inverse correlation is with breast, colon, and ovarian cancer." Other cancers apparently affected by sunlight include tumors of the bladder, uterus, esophagus, rectum and stomach.

What to do? Take walks in the sun, don't wear glasses that filter out UV (there are plastic glasses that permit UV rays to pass), use full-spectrum lighting in your home and office and make sure your diet has plenty of vitamin D.) It is important to remember that during the summer your body can produce all the vitamin D it needs in less time than it takes to produce a sunburn or suntan so make sure you don't stay in the sun too long!