Note: I have spent the last 3 months working on a DMSO series which I will begin releasing over the weekend. In the meantime, I’ve released a few abridged versions of the articles I received the most requests to summarize here (today’s one is a condensed version of an article that takes a deeper look into the remarkable effects of light on living organisms).

I’ve gradually become convinced that sunlight is one of the most vital nutrients for our bodies. For instance, as humans migrated north from Africa and experienced less sun exposure, their skin lightened, suggesting this adaptation likely ensured enough sunlight still entered the body.

Industries with vested interests lobby to hide true causes while diverting attention to easy scapegoats. Since sunlight isn’t profitable, the narrative we hear only focuses on its dangers. How to Live Longer and... Coleman, Dr Vernon Best Price: $1.99 Buy New $7.24 (as of 10:14 UTC - Details)

For example, dermatologists transformed themselves from an unwanted career to a coveted (and incredibly lucrative) specialty by branding themselves as cancer fighters, emphasizing the need for regular, often costly, skin cancer exams and expensive skin cancer removals. They portrayed benign cancers as deadly and blamed sunlight for skin cancer, concealing that lack of sunlight leads to fatal skin cancers.

This fear mongering hasn’t reduced skin cancer death rates but has increased harmful diagnoses and treatments even as effective and affordable treatments are hidden from the public. Many in turn have fallen victim to the Great Dermatology Scam (detailed further here).

Sunlight is free and profoundly beneficial, yet industries profiting from illness directly oppose it. In this article, I’ll explore forgotten knowledge of light’s importance and the remarkable things it does within the body.

The Overlooked Power of Sunlight

Prior to dermatology’s disastrous war on the sun, the value of sunlight was widely recognized in medicine. For example, in the early 1900s, heliotherapy (sunbathing) was used with great success for treating many (otherwise incurable) conditions, such as the 1918 influenza, tuberculosis, and many other diseases. Sunlight offers immense benefits, yet it’s often undervalued. Consider these points:

•Cancer Prevention: Sunlight exposure dramatically reduces cancer risk. A large study found that high UVB exposure halved the risk of breast and prostate cancer.

•Longevity: A meticulous 20-year study of 29,518 women showed that avoiding the sun increased the likelihood of dying by 60%. Regular sun exposure significantly reduced heart disease deaths and other common illnesses.

Note: that study also found a variety of other common diseases were much less likely to affect those with adequate sun exposure.

•Mental Health: Sunlight is crucial for mental well-being, especially in preventing depression like seasonal affective disorder. Many workers, particularly night shift employees, suffer from a lack of sunlight. For instance, a study of Chinese operating room nurses revealed worse mental health correlated with low sun exposure.

Note: During my medical internship, long night shifts under fluorescent lights led to clinical depression. After a month, I bathed in a full-spectrum light bulb and felt better almost instantly.

•Circadian Rhythm: Sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythms, which are crucial for rest and repair. Modern insomnia is often linked to artificial light exposure, and one effective treatment is starting the day with a walk in the sunlight.

What is Light?

Light is a wave of energy (termed electromagnetic radiation or EMR) that travels through space at the speed of light. Depending on the length or frequency of that wave, its properties change significantly. For instance, when its length is between 380nm-700nm, it is visible to the naked eye and spans a wide range of colors, while outside this range other types of light emerge (e.g., infrared or ultraviolet [UV] light).