The national campaign to keep us out of the sun has finally caught up with us. The result?

A study from the prestigious Archives of Internal Medicine found that an astounding three out of four Americans don’t get enough vitamin D.

Here’s why you should care:

Low vitamin D levels don’t just cause rickets in children and weaken bones in adults. They are strongly linked to cancer, heart disease, and many other serious health problems.

The study shows that vitamin D levels dropped 20% from 1994 to 2004 on average. The number of people who have a clinical deficiency of vitamin D tripled, and those who are below the healthy level of vitamin D jumped by almost 50%.₁

Given our obsession with staying out of the sun – nature’s way of creating vitamin D in our bodies – and the dramatic drop in vitamin D nutrients in our foods, it’s no wonder that this has become a national epidemic.

Plus, the government has kept its recommended levels for vitamin D supplements way too low for far too long. Its current recommendation is to take:

• 200 IU per day from birth to 50 years old
• 400 IU per day for aged adults 51 to 70
• And 600 IU per day for those 71 and older

The study’s authors recommend taking 1,000 IU or more a day of vitamin D supplements on top of increasing your exposure to the sun. The government, however, is dragging its feet and says it may take up to a year to recommend new guidelines.

Don’t wait. This report will show you how to safely increase your vitamin D levels and avoid the risks of vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D: Don’t Fear the Sun – It’s Nature’s Cancer Fighter

Your body needs exposure to the sun to produce vitamin D. An Anticancer Research study found that just by getting a little sunlight every day – about 20 minutes for fair-skinned people and two to four times that much for those with dark skin – could reduce the risk of 16 types of cancer.₂

Numerous studies prove the cancer-destroying properties of vitamin D. In fact, it causes melanoma cells to self-destruct.₃

One group of scientists at the University of New Mexico found that exposure to the sun helped cancer patients to recover from already established melanoma. So much so, their rate of survival doubled!₄

But with their stern warnings and dire predictions, you won’t hear many dermatologists – or the $6 billion sunscreen industry – voicing this evidence. Just like the great “cholesterol con” that tricked so many into fearing cholesterol and swallowing toxic “statin” drugs – their “fear of the sun” campaign is just as ridiculous.

The real research suggests that the best way to avoid deadly melanoma is to spend more time in the sun. For instance, dozens of studies show that people who work inside – like office workers – have a much higher risk of melanoma than those who work outside – like construction workers and lifeguards.₅

To underscore this point, melanoma commonly occurs in areas that don’t receive any sunlight at all – like the palms of your hands, the soles of your feet, under your arms, beneath your fingernails – even inside your nose.

Enjoy the Sun and Protect Yourself Naturally

First, some common sense: Avoid sunburn. It hurts and damages your skin. Second, stop using chemical-based sunscreens – like the ones you get at the drugstore. The chemicals can actually be carcinogenic. If you like, you can find sunscreens available on the internet that are natural and chemical-free.

Most importantly, it’s critical that you boost your body’s natural defenses. Our change in diet has left us defenseless against the sun’s normally health-enhancing rays. Thanks to commercial farming and processing, the nutrients we need to prevent skin cancer are increasingly absent from our food. That’s why we require supplements to get the nutrients we need.

Here are my favorite supplements to help:

Cod Liver Oil - The lack of healthy omega-3 fatty acids in our diet is one of the primary factors contributing to the rise of skin cancer. Grains, sugars, and processed foods – even commercial beef – are full of omega-6 fatty acids. Not only are these inflammatory, but they prevent your skin from fighting the sun’s UV rays.

A tablespoon of cod liver oil a day will replenish your omega-3 levels and keep your skin looking young and fresh. It will also give you a boost of vitamin D in its most natural form.

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid found in shrimp, lobsters, salmon, trout, and algae. It gives them their red/pinkish color. (Carotenoids are nutrients that protect plants and animals from UV radiation.)

Astaxanthin is hundreds of times more powerful than most carotenoids and multiplies the effects of vitamin C and E, increasing their antioxidant activity.₆ This is one of the best supplements to prevent skin cancer. During periods of prolonged exposure, you can’t beat it. It’s available as a capsule. I recommend 2 mg a day with meals.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid - ALA is a powerful antioxidant that works at all levels – including your skin. Not only does it protect skin cells from free radicals, it protects their mitochondria (the power plant of every cell) and pumps up your cancer defense mechanisms.

It also preserves collagen and prevents the damage associated with aging skin making your skin more youthful and vibrant. I recommend 200 mg to 400 mg daily.

Vitamin C – A lack of vitamin C makes your skin vulnerable to damage from the sun’s rays. And we have recently started getting far less vitamin C in our diets.

I recommend 3,000 mg per day if you’re currently in good health. This will give you enough to produce the collagen required for strong blood vessels and heart disease prevention.

Pregnant women should get at least 6,000 mg per day – and in times of stress or sickness, you can take up to 20,000 mg. A powdered form may be more convenient for larger doses.

Vitamin D – Finally, take a good vitamin D supplement. I recommend 1,000 to 2,000 IU daily, particularly during the winter or if you live in cold, damp climates with little sunlight.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Ginde, A. Archives of Internal Medicine, March 23, 2009; vol 169: 626-632.
2. Grant WB et al, “The association of solar ultraviolet B (UVB) with reducing risk of cancer: multifactorial ecologic analysis of geographic variation in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates,” Anticancer Research, 2006; 26:2687-2700.
3. Danielsson C, et al. (1998). Differential apoptotic response of human melanoma cells to 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogues. Cell Death Differ. 5:946.
4. Berwick M, Armstrong BK, Ben-Porat L, Fine J, Kricker A, Eberle C, Barnhill R. Sun exposure and mortality from melanoma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2005 Feb 2;97(3):195-9.
5. Elwood JM, et al. Cutaneous Melanoma in Relation to Intermittent and Constant Sun Exposure – The Western Canada Melanoma Study. Int J Cancer 1985;35:427
6. www.astaxanthin.org/benefits.htm

These chemicals pose real dangers to your health, including cancer. And, sadly they are FDA approved and labeled as healthy.

Did you know that mineral oil is a “by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline”? And, did you know that baby oil is just mineral oil with fragrance?

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo “No More Tears” formula contains cocamidopropyl betaine, PEG-80 sorbitan laurate, sodium trideceth sulfate, PEG-150 distearate, polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-10, tTetrasodikum EDTA, quaternium-15, and others. Does this sound like something you want to use on your baby?

Luckily, there are safe, effective, and completely natural ways to protect and nourish your skin, stay youthful and radiant, and maintain your overall health. Today I’ll tell you about healthy alternatives – and where to find them.

But first let’s take a closer look at why you need to take some action to choose alternatives to what you’re having marketed to you.

The Skin Care Industry’s Billion Dollar Lie

Both My Wellness Clinic and my non-profit research center are headquartered in Florida, the Sunshine State. Plentiful sunlight’s one of the main reasons people come here. Yet many of them – including a lot of my patients – avoid the sun like the plague. They live in constant fear of skin cancer. They hide out from the sun. And if they have to be in the sun, they think their only option is to cover themselves with chemical sunscreens.

This is somewhat understandable. The multi-billion dollar skin care industry, with the help of the mainstream medical establishment and the media, has everyone convinced that the sun is Enemy Number One when it comes to skin health.

Here’s what you won’t hear: sunlight’s good for your skin and critical to your overall health and well-being. Get enough of it, and you’ll actually reduce your risk for a wide range of cancers.

What sunscreens are very good at is blocking UVA rays. Yet even that presents a problem, because your skin needs exposure to UVA rays to make vitamin D.

That’s a huge problem, because vitamin D is a vitally important nutrient that insures healthy function in just about every system in your body. Vitamin D’s also the most potent cancer fighter in the world.

A report came out of a Nebraska university showing that vitamin D has the potential to lower the risk of all cancers in women over 50 by 77 percent.1 And in a study published in the journal Anticancer Research last October researchers found that sunlight – about 20 minutes a day for fair-skinned people, and two to four times that much for those with dark skin – can reduce the risk of death from 16 types of cancer, in both men and women.₂

Sunscreens rob you of all these health benefits. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here are a few more important functions sun lotions deny your body when they prevent sun from activating your skin’s vitamin D factory:

Look for the Hidden Dangers

Not only do they block key skin-based activity that promote health and well-being – there are many common chemicals in most commercial skin care products that actually cause skin cancer and other serious health problems.

The list is long and the names are hard to pronounce, but if you check the label, I’m sure you’ll find several of them in your favorite brands. Here’s a “top-ten” list of the most toxic types of substances in skin care products my Wellness Research team’s identified – and the dangers they pose to your health:

You Can Get Healthy Skin Naturally

Skip the big commercial skin care junk across the board and focus on natural, healthy ways to promote skin health.

Antioxidants represent your first and best line of defense against all forms of skin damage, from age-related wrinkles, sunspots, and cancer to a clear and radiant complexion. They neutralize the action of “free radicals,” rogue molecules that bind to healthy cells, mutate DNA, and accelerate cell death.

These are your skin’s most potent allies against free radical damage. You’ll find all of them in supplement form in health food stores or on line:

Vitamin C: In addition to fighting the action of free radicals, vitamin C reduces inflammation and boosts immune response. Take 500 milligrams twice per day with food.

Carotenoids: Key antioxidants that not only promote skin health, they’re great for your eyesight and also lower your risk of lung and breast cancer. Be sure to look for “mixed carotenoids” when you buy. Take 2,500 IU daily.

Vitamin A: This is another fat-soluble vitamin in the carotenoid family. Take 2,500 IU per day.

Vitamin D: In addition to all the health benefits I outlined before, this is a powerful antioxidant. Take 1,000-2,000 IEUs per day.

Vitamin E: A major ally in skin health. I use 400 IU per day in my patients. Look for “vitamin E as mixed tocopherols” on the label. These are the organic compounds most readily absorbed by your body.

Alpha Lipoic Acid: “The universal antioxidant,” ALA fights free radicals in both the fatty and watery tissues of the body. It also recycles and extends the life of other antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E. Take 100 mg per day from the alpha lipoic family.

CoQ10: A critical antioxidant every cell in your body needs to convert fuel into energy. Take 30 mg per day, 60 mg if you’re over 60.

Look for skin care containing natural ingredients like plant-based oils (palm, coconut, and jojoba are all great for your skin). These are rich in “phyto-nutrients,” antioxidants, and amino acids – the basic building blocks your skin needs to regenerate, heal, and grow.

1. Lappe et al, “Vitamin D Status in a Rural Postmenopausal Female Population,” Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2006; 25(5):395-402.
2. Grant WB et al, “The association of solar ultraviolet B (UVB) with reducing risk of cancer: multifactorial ecologic analysis of geographic variation in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates,” Anticancer Research, 2006; 26:2687-2700.

What’s behind this trend? Is it mainstream medicine’s belief that women get too much sun exposure?

Let’s see. Sales of sun care products have grown substantially in the past 30-plus years. According to a cosmetic and toiletry report, the global market for sun care products is expected to grow 6% per year to $4.8 billion by 2011.¹

Yet the cases of melanoma continue to grow.²

Could it be that the more likely culprit is the sunscreen itself?

Sunscreens block UV rays, eliminating your body’s ability to make vitamin D. Research indicates that vitamin D is the most potent cancer fighter there is. In fact, a Nebraska University report says that vitamin D has the potential to lower the risk of all cancers in women over 50 by 77%.³

Moreover, several common sunscreen ingredients have dangerous, even cancer-causing, side effects. Yet they have never been safety tested or safety approved by the FDA. So make sure to check your sunscreen for the following ingredients…

• Oxybenzone, sometimes called Benzophenone-3, is linked to allergies, hormone disruption, low birth weights, cell damage, and more. It also helps other chemicals penetrate the skin.⁴ The Center for Disease Control says 97% of Americans have this chemical in their system.
• Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) kills skin cells.
• PABA, also known as octyl-dimethyl and padimate-O, attacks DNA and causes genetic mutation when it is exposed to sunlight.

Sunscreen is in lip balm, make-up, moisturizers and more. In one study of more than 10,000 teenagers, girls were 34.4% more likely to use sunscreen than boys were.

If you really want to protect yourself from skin cancer, go outside! All you need is about 20 minutes a day of unprotected sun exposure to get your daily dose of vitamin D.

An Anticancer Research study found that just by getting a little sunlight every day – about 20 minutes for fair-skinned people and two to four times that much for those with dark skin – could reduce the risk of 17 types of cancer.⁵

If you plan to spend more than 20 minutes of fun in the sun, there are natural ways to protect yourself. Here are some tips.

• Get enough antioxidants, one of your best lines of defense against all types of skin damage.
• Vitamin D. Take 1,000 to 2,000 IEUs per day, particularly during the winter or if you live in cold, damp climates with little sunlight.
• Vitamin C. Fights free radicals, reduces inflammation, and boosts immune response. Take 500 mg twice per day with food.
• Vitamin E. Great for skin health. I recommend 400 IU per day. Look for vitamin E as “mixed tocopherols” on the label. They are the organic compounds most readily absorbed by your body.
• Alpha-Lipoic Acid. A powerful antioxidant that protects skin cells from free radicals, guards their mitochondria (the power plant of every cell), and pumps up your cancer defense mechanisms. I recommend 200 mg to 400 mg daily.
• Get enough omega-3s. Studies show that omega 6:3 ratio is important in preventing skin cancer.6 A tablespoon of cod liver oil a day will replenish your omega-3 levels and keep your skin looking young and fresh. It will also give you a boost of vitamin D in its most natural form.
• Try rubbing a little mango butter or shea butter on your skin as a sun blocker without the toxic chemicals. You can also use zinc oxide, a natural mineral that provides a reflective barrier on your skin. You can find these in most health food and supplement stores.

To Your Good Health

Al Sears, MD

1. Kate Phillips. “Bright Outlook for Sun Care Market, Suppliers Absorb Growth”, Chemicalweek.com. 4/4/07
2. American Cancer Society. Overview: Skin Cancer – Melanoma. www.Cancer.org. viewed 2/10/09.
3. Lappe et al. “Vitamin D Status in a Rural Postmenopausal Female Population”. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2006; 25(5):395-402.
4. Carrie Gouldin. “CDC: Caving to Industry, FDA Delays Safety Standards for Decades”, Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org, 3/25/08
5. Grant WB et al, “The association of solar ultraviolet B (UVB) with reducing risk of cancer: multifactorial ecologic analysis of geographic variation in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates,” Anticancer Research, 2006; 26:2687-2700.
6. Guangming Liu, et al. “Omega 3 but not Omega 6 fatty acids inhibit AP-1 activity and cell transformation in JB6 cells”. Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 2001.