Catch Some Rays

We’ve been bombarded with advice to stay out of the sun—and for good reason, because the sun’s rays have been linked to a greater risk of skin cancer. But spending a small amount of time in direct sunlight, without sunscreen, could help ward off serious illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and even some cancers. Reason: each of these conditions can be triggered by a vitamin D deficiency. Sunlight is our primary source of the vitamin, says Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., of the Boston University Medical Center. “But when you wear sunscreen, it reduces the production of vitamin D in the skin.” What’s more, the vitamin D that comes in many pills doesn’t contain the health-protecting D3 type of the nutrient that comes from sunshine.
By sunning your unprotected face, arms, and hands for a few minutes, you can produce as much vitamin D as is in ten glasses of milk. (The darker your skin, the longer it takes, though. For fair skin, spend 5 to 10 minutes in the sun, two or three times a week. If your skin is dark, spend 15 to 30 minutes.) Just be sure to keep the session short. More is clearly not better. After your sunbath, be sure to apply sunscreen, and reapply it every two hours for as long as you’re outdoors.