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Sunlight Is Not the Enemy: Reframing Sun Exposure Through a Whole Health Lens

Sun, 17 May 2026 06:15:54 GMT

Stop Hating on the Sun. It's health benefits are far more than just Vitamin D.

For decades, public health messaging around sunlight has been dominated by one primary theme: avoidance. Wear sunscreen. Stay indoors during peak hours. Limit exposure. Fear ultraviolet radiation.

These recommendations were developed with an important goal in mind—reducing skin cancer risk. But over time, the conversation surrounding sunlight became increasingly reductionist, focusing almost exclusively on a single disease outcome while overlooking the broader systemic role sunlight plays in human health.

Emerging research now suggests that insufficient sunlight exposure may contribute to a wide range of chronic health issues, including circadian disruption, metabolic disease, depression, immune dysfunction, poor sleep, cardiovascular disease, and even increased all-cause mortality.

It may be time to rethink our relationship with sunlight.

A Whole Health Perspective on Sunlight

Within a Whole Health framework, health is not merely the absence of disease. It is the dynamic integration of physical, mental, emotional, environmental, and social wellbeing.

Sunlight aligns remarkably well with this model.

It is:

Free
Widely accessible
Evolutionarily consistent with human biology
Systemically active across multiple physiological pathways

Rather than viewing sunlight solely as a carcinogenic threat, a Whole Health perspective recognizes sunlight as a foundational environmental input that helps regulate human physiology.

The question should not simply be: “How do we avoid sunlight?”

But rather: “How do we optimize our relationship with sunlight safely and intelligently?”

Sunlight Does Far More Than Produce Vitamin D

Most people associate sunlight primarily with vitamin D synthesis. While vitamin D is important, this represents only a fraction of sunlight’s biological effects.

Modern photobiology demonstrates that sunlight interacts with the body through multiple wavelengths and signaling pathways that influence mitochondrial function, hormone regulation, immune activity, vascular health, and neurological function.

Mitochondrial Health and Cellular Energy

Near-infrared (NIR) and red wavelengths penetrate deeply into biological tissues and appear to influence mitochondrial respiration, oxidative stress signaling, and cellular adaptation.

Research suggests these wavelengths may:

Improve mitochondrial efficiency
Support ATP production
Reduce oxidative stress
Enhance cellular resilience
Stimulate adaptive hormetic responses

Emerging evidence also indicates that NIR exposure may stimulate intracellular melatonin production within mitochondria themselves—not just pineal melatonin produced at night.

This is important because mitochondrial melatonin functions as a powerful intracellular antioxidant that may help protect cells from free radical damage and inflammation.

In other words, sunlight may help the body build resilience at the cellular level.

Sunlight and Circadian Biology

Human physiology evolved under predictable light-dark cycles.

Morning sunlight exposure helps regulate:

Cortisol timing
Melatonin rhythms
Sleep architecture
Body temperature regulation
Hormonal synchronization
Alertness and mood

Artificial indoor lifestyles disrupt these signals.

Modern humans now spend the majority of their time indoors under artificial lighting environments that differ dramatically from natural solar exposure in intensity, wavelength composition, and timing.

This mismatch may contribute to:

Poor sleep
Fatigue
Mood disorders
Metabolic dysfunction
Cognitive impairment
Circadian dysregulation

Morning sunlight exposure—particularly within the first hour after waking—appears to be one of the most powerful circadian anchors available.

Mental Health Benefits of Sunlight

The relationship between sunlight and mental health is robust and increasingly well-supported.

Reduced sunlight exposure has been associated with:

Depression
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Anxiety
Impaired emotional regulation
Sleep disturbances

Mechanistically, sunlight influences:

Serotonin production
Dopaminergic signaling
Circadian rhythm alignment
Melatonin regulation
Endorphin release

Many individuals intuitively experience this connection. Time outdoors often produces a noticeable improvement in mood, energy, calmness, and psychological wellbeing.

This effect is not imaginary—it is biological.

Sunlight, Cardiovascular Health, and Nitric Oxide

One of the most fascinating areas of recent sunlight research involves nitric oxide (NO).

Ultraviolet exposure appears capable of releasing nitric oxide stores from the skin into circulation, producing:

Vasodilation
Blood pressure reduction
Improved endothelial function
Enhanced circulation

Some researchers now propose that cardiovascular benefits from sunlight may partially explain epidemiological findings linking low sunlight exposure to increased mortality risk.

This challenges the simplistic narrative that sunlight is inherently harmful.

Like many biological inputs, dose and context matter.

Immune Modulation and Autoimmune Disease

Sunlight also appears to influence immune regulation in ways that extend beyond vitamin D.

Emerging evidence suggests sunlight exposure may:

Modulate inflammatory pathways
Influence innate immune signaling
Alter cytokine activity
Support immune tolerance

Researchers are increasingly exploring potential connections between insufficient sunlight exposure and autoimmune disease prevalence.

While this field is still evolving, it raises important questions:

Have modern indoor lifestyles unintentionally altered immune regulation?
Could sunlight deprivation represent an underrecognized environmental mismatch?
Are we underestimating the systemic consequences of chronic light deficiency?

These are no longer fringe questions. They are becoming legitimate areas of scientific inquiry.

Sunlight, Nature, and Human Connection

Sunlight exposure rarely occurs in isolation.

It often accompanies:

Outdoor movement
Nature exposure
Physical activity
Social connection
Grounding behaviors
Reduced screen time

This matters because health is interconnected.

Research consistently demonstrates that greenspace exposure is associated with improved physical and psychological health outcomes.

Sometimes the health benefits of sunlight are not solely about photons—but about restoring our relationship with the natural environment humans evolved within.

The Problem With One-Size-Fits-All Recommendations

Not everyone responds to sunlight the same way.

Factors that influence optimal exposure include:

Skin pigmentation
Geographic latitude
Season
Time of day
Age
Metabolic health
Baseline sun exposure
Environmental conditions

A fair-skinned individual living in Arizona requires different guidance than a dark-skinned individual living in Northern Europe.

This is why personalized sunlight guidance is essential.

Public health messaging should move beyond simplistic “avoid the sun” recommendations and toward nuanced, individualized strategies that balance:

Benefits
Risks
Skin type
Environment
Lifestyle
Circadian timing

Whole Health requires personalization.

A Balanced Perspective on Risk

None of this means excessive sun exposure is harmless.

Sunburns, chronic overexposure, and irresponsible UV exposure carry legitimate risks.

But there is a major difference between:

Moderate, intentional sunlight exposure
and
Repetitive burning and chronic overexposure

The goal is not reckless sun behavior.

The goal is intelligent sunlight stewardship.

Health often exists within biological balance—not extremes.

Practical Whole Health Sunlight Strategies

While sunlight needs vary between individuals, several evidence-informed principles emerge consistently from the literature:

1. Prioritize Morning Sunlight

Morning outdoor light exposure helps anchor circadian rhythms and improve sleep quality.

2. Avoid Burning

Acute sunburns are clearly harmful and should be avoided.

3. Build Gradual Exposure

Progressive adaptation appears more physiologically appropriate than sudden intense exposure.

4. Spend More Time Outdoors

Even independent of direct UV exposure, outdoor environments provide significant health benefits.

5. Respect Individual Variability

Skin type, geography, season, and health status all matter.

6. Reduce Artificial Light Disruption at Night

Circadian health depends on both adequate daytime light exposure and reduced nighttime artificial light exposure.

Rethinking Public Health Messaging

The conversation around sunlight is beginning to evolve.

A growing number of researchers now argue that public health guidance should better balance:

Skin cancer prevention
with
The systemic benefits of appropriate sunlight exposure

This shift reflects a broader transition in medicine:
from reductionism toward systems thinking.

Sunlight is not merely an isolated environmental risk factor.

It is a biologically meaningful signal that interacts with nearly every major physiological system in the body.

The future of public health may depend less on avoidance—and more on restoring appropriate relationships with the natural inputs humans evolved alongside.

Final Thoughts

Modern society has created an unprecedented disconnect between humans and natural light exposure.

We spend most of our lives:

Indoors
Under artificial lighting
Disconnected from circadian rhythms
Detached from natural environments

At the same time, rates of chronic disease, metabolic dysfunction, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and autoimmune conditions continue to rise.

Sunlight is not a cure-all.

But the emerging evidence strongly suggests it is far more important than conventional public health messaging has acknowledged.

Perhaps the goal should not be fearing the sun.

Perhaps the goal should be learning how to live in healthy relationship with it again.

References

Aguida B, et al. Communicative & Integrative Biology. 2021.
Asyary A, Veruswati M. Science of the Total Environment. 2020.
Jeffery G, et al. Scientific Reports. 2025.
Lu Y, et al. BMC Medicine. 2023.
Neto RPM, et al. Journal of Biophotonics. 2024.
Twohig-Bennett C, Jones A. Environmental Research. 2018.
Walters G, et al. Physiology & Behavior. 2025.
Weller RB. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2024.
Weller RB. British Journal of Dermatology. 2025.
Zimmerman S, Reiter R. Melatonin Research. 2019.

Winter Sunshine and Vitamin D Synthesis

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 03:28:40 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Many people think you can get Vitamin D synthesis from the sun in the winter. It really depends on where you live. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere like I do in Toronto, Canada, the upper US, Europe, Asia, Siberia, you can’t get vitamin D synthesis from the sun during the winter months. Find out why not.

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Defeat Diabetes

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 06:37:07 GMT

How to Prevent or Reverse Type 2 Diabetes

Prevention is the KEY!

We are living in a global pandemic of diabetes! Diabetes will cause way more pain, suffering and death than Covid-19. Diabetes rates have never been this high. I’m sure you have a personal connection to diabetes – I certainly do. A few years ago I watched my grandfather slowly die of diabetes complications having undergone multiple leg amputations and infections. Since then I have been on a journey to educate the world on diabetes with the hope of elevating humankind’s health and wellness.

Lets start with some sobering stats from the CDC:

almost half a BILLION people have diabetes!
1.5 MILLION Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year.
More than 100 MILLION in the US —over a third of the entire population—have diabetes or pre-diabetes .
20% with Diabetes don’t know they have it!
85% with prediabetes don’t know they have it!
Diabetes rates have doubled in the past decade.
By 2050 diabetes rates are expected to triple.

Now here are some scary facts of what health issues Diabetes can cause ultimately leading to a reduction in lifespan of 5-10 years:

Cardiovascular disease including coronary artery disease, heart attack, atherosclerosis (hardening and plaque in the arteries) and stroke. 1 in every 3 people die of cardiovascular disease.
Nerve damage (known as neuropathy). Usually manifesting as painful burning, tingling, and/or numbness in the feet or hands.
Kidney damage (known as nephropathy) which can lead to kidney failure and dialysis.
Eye damage (known as retinopathy) which can lead to blindness. In fact it is the number one cause of adult onset blindness.
Foot damage due to poor blood flow and neuropathy. This can result in slow or non-healing wounds or ulcers and could eventually lead to infections causing foot and leg amputations. In fact it is the number one cause of amputations outside of war.
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) which can lead to liver failure.
Acute pancreatitis (a life threatening inflammation of the pancreas – the insulin production organ).
Cancer – diabetes doubles your risk of developing certain cancers.

Imagine all the healthcare spending this will result in – especially given our aging population…

HELLO HEALTHCARE ARMAGEDDON!

Ok now that you’re scared lets figure out how to prevent, reverse or even DEFEAT diabetes. But first we need to give you an understanding of how diabetes develops.

How do you get Diabetes in the first place? When does type 2 Diabetes start?

Type 2 Diabetes, also known as adult onset, actually takes a long time to develop but usually starts at an early age. More on that in a minute. Years of poor lifestyle choices will eventually create a download spiral in your health. Unfortunately these early stages are often symptom free. Unless you are getting yearly check-ups including fasting blood glucose tests you could already be on the road to diabetes without even knowing it. Most individuals diagnosed with diabetes have already done damage and that is why PREVENTION in the first place is so crucial!

In Dr. Gerald Shulman’s seminal Banting Lecture, Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance: Obesity, Lipodystrophy, T2DM he discusses how they investigated lean, sedentary 20yr olds and found that insulin resistance (one the key components of diabetes) was ALREADY evident even though they were NOT overweight or obese. Key point here is that these 20yr olds were SEDENTARY. Now before we move any further you need to know what insulin resistance means.

What is Insulin Resistance?

You can think of insulin (released by the pancreas in response to elevated blood glucose) like the key to a lock. This insulin key normally unlocks muscle cells to let the sugar into the cell. Glucose can then be utilized for immediate energy or stored as energy (glycogen) for later. But when someone has muscle insulin resistance the key no longer works well. Think about when the lock on a door starts malfunctioning and you have to wiggle the key until it finally unlocks. Now that you have insulin resistance you aren’t able to get the glucose into as many muscle cells and it builds up in the bloodstream giving the keystone symptom in diabetes – hyperglycemia (elevated blood glucose levels).

Why is hyperglycemia so bad?

Since the cells aren’t getting the energy needed they are, in effect, starving. Also this elevated sugar increases the amount of solute (particles) in your blood but the sugar isn’t of any use floating in the blood. This causes water to be pulled out of the cells and interstitial fluid into the blood. These factors help explain some of the symptoms of diabetes:

polyphagia (hunger)
polydipsia (thirst)
dehydration
fatigue and lethargy (low energy)
polyuria (increased urination)

Ok now that you know what insulin resistance is lets get back to those SEDENTARY 20yr old lean people. As a Human Biochemistry Professor I feel the need to share some important physiology with you next. If you do not have a Science background feel free to skip this part and head to the WOW heading below. For my Science peeps hang in there as we get after it!

Dr. Shulman’s team investigated the muscle physiology of these individuals and observed intramuscular fat deposition which is not where fat should be located in healthy individuals. They determined that this intramuscular fat was the biggest predictor of insulin resistance in sedentary populations. Another finding was that Diacylglycerols (aka DAGs) coming from stored fat (Triacylglycerols aka TAGs) were inhibiting the translocation of the cell’s membrane GLUT 4 receptor (which normally brings glucose into the cell). This mechanism of insulin resistance causes:

inhibited muscle glycogen synthesis (remember extra glucose can be stored as glycogen)
excess blood glucose is converted to fat in the liver
elevated triacylglycerols (also known as triglycerides aka fat) in the blood
lower HDL cholesterol, the ‘good’ cholesterol, reducing your ability to return extra cholesterol to the liver

Due to chronically high circulating triacylglycerols (fat) and cholesterol cardiovascular disease is accelerated. Fat accumulation in the liver will eventually lead to NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). This can eventually lead to end stage liver failure and/or liver cancer. They also found similar to the muscle tissue that the liver was also inhibited by DAGs from storing glucose as glycogen. Because of this inhibition the liver than ramps up the process of gluconeogenesis to increase blood glucose levels further by converting non-carbohydrates into glucose and this ACCELERATES hyperglycemia even further! AHHHH!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!

The research team concluded that what was most important was not if a person is obese or overweight but how that fat is distributed/stored in the body. If fat is stored in muscle and liver than that was the biggest predictor of insulin resistance.

WOW – that is a lot of info! At this point I’m sure you want to know...

How can I prevent Diabetes from happening in the first place?

MOVE AROUND!!! (mic drop)

(~sound of crickets~)

Wait… what? Just move around? Really?

YES! Move around people! Humans are not designed to sit all day and stare at screens. Their research showed that a single bout of exercise improved the ability of the muscle to store glucose as glycogen rather than converting it to fat in the liver! So imagine what would happen if you MOVED AROUND EVERY DAY! That’s right – movement along with a healthy diet will REALLY, REALLY reduce your chances of developing diabetes.

So are you saying I need to go to the gym?

No you don’t have to go to the gym. If exercise is new to you start with a 30 minute brisk walk everyday. Brisk means walk like you are late for a meeting (we all know how to do that!). After you are comfortable doing that add in something else like cycling, at home exercises like squats, push-ups, burpees. If you have kids or a dog go outside and play with them. Try and be active throughout the day and you will burn more calories and be less likely to store fat.

So in summary what should I do?

Exercise often (shoot for a couple vigorous 20 min sessions/day) Daily Physical Activity (DPA) is best
If you are overweight or obese a weight loss plan will reduce your chances of developing diabetes
Make sure you fast for at least 12hrs per day – this means if the last thing you eat is at 7pm than no eating until 7am. (12-16hrs/day of fasting is probably best)
Try not to snack between meals
Reduce consumption of fast food, prepared foods, packaged items, processed foods
Reduce consumption of meat and avoid processed meats like cold cuts/lunch meats
If you eat meat choose only high quality meats raised properly/ethically – no factory farmed
Focus on whole foods that don’t have an ingredients list
Reduce carbohydrate consumption
Eat more vegetables as these are good carbohydrates (sugars)
Try a new vegetable every week
Drink more water and eliminate sugary drinks like juice – especially pop
Instead of drinking juice eat fruit instead. The fiber helps slow down your blood sugar spike
Don’t buy products with glucose-fructose, high fructose corn syrup, or other added sugars
Don’t eat fake sugars because you are more likely to overindulge on natural sugars
Don’t eat foods that spike your blood sugar (check the glycemic index link below)
Further to the previous point – avoid white bread, white rice, white potatoes
Eat more healthy fats as they will satiate you longer and crush your carb cravings
Eat more omega 3 fatty acids (like sardines) as they are anti-inflammatory
Eat less omega 6 fatty acids (like grains) as they are pro-inflammatory
Futher to the above point avoid industrial seed oils like soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower, canola oils etc.
Use olive oil and vinegar for salad dressings
If you are on blood pressure meds like statins try and reduce your high blood pressure naturally as statins increase your chance of developing Diabetes
Stop smoking (smoking may double your chance of getting diabetes)
Don’t overconsume alcohol (one or two drinks a day is fine)
Stress less and sleep more

Here is a a great resource to know how certain foods spike your blood glucose (glycemic index):

Harvard Healthy Eating Glycemic Load

WOW – that is a lot of info and I’m only scratching the surface.

Bottom line – eat healthier and MOVE AROUND!

~Dr. Jory Basso, Dip SIM, MEd, DC, Associate Professor

Sources:

Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance: Obesity, Lipodystrophy, T2DM

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html

http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes

This Grass Fed Beef Bone Broth will Blow Your Brain!

183:943134978 (Jory Basso) — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 05:28:58 GMT

California Grass Fed Beef Bone Broth Has Many Health Benefits

Read on and learn how to make a delicious beef bone broth.

In western society it seems we've lost the art of making a good homemade broth. It is a quite common practice in many other parts of the world including Europe, Asia, India, Africa, the Middle East, and South America.

Californians and other North Americans, generally speaking, have a disconnect between the origin of our food and how it gets to our plate. Tell me – unless you grew up on a farm – have you ever seen an animal slaughtered? I know I haven’t. Yet I’ve been eating meat for about 35 years. This got me thinking about certain parts of the animal we throw away such as bones that were traditionally utilized.

I always thought that if I was a hunter I would want to use every part of the animal to respect the gift that nature has provided including the organs, hide, bones, ligaments, and cartilage.

If you look at the typical North American diet it is commonly deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. The great thing about bone broth is the minerals that are traditionally locked up in the bone are liberated during the slow cooking process. Homemade bone broth is rich with easily absorbable minerals such as:

• magnesium

• phosphorus

• sulfur

• trace minerals

In addition if you choose bones with cartilage, ligaments and tendon still attached (as pictured below) you will be getting glycosaminoglycans such as glucosamine sulfate which is needed for cartilage, and collagen construction. Collagen is the number one protein in the human body by dry weight. Therefore bone broth should help skin, digestion, bones/joints including those with arthritis. I have an interest in this because my knee has major cartilage damage and I’ve already had four knee surgeries including a cartilage transplant. This will be a fantastic pre/post surgery/rehab food.

California Grass Fed Beef Bone Broth Recipe.

You will need a large slow cooker.

• 2 Leeks

• 2 Carrots

• 1/2 Bunch of Garlic

• 2 Celery Stalks

• 1 Onion

• Rosemary or Parsley (optional)

• 6 Grass Fed (pastured) Beef Bones (preferably knuckles with marrow, and connective tissue)

• Spring or Filtered Water (quantity depends on size of slow cooker)

• 3-5 Tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar

1. Put the bones on an oven pan and roast at 350C for 30-45mins

2. While the bones are roasting chop up all your washed veggies into chunks

3. Remove the covering of the garlic cloves and give them a whack with the side of the blade

4. Put the veggies in your slow cooker (but not the rosemary or parsley)

5. Once the bones are done put them in the slow cooker on top of the veggies

6. Pour spring water into the crockpot until almost full

7. Cover and turn on high heat to bring to a boil (takes an hour or so)

8. Turn crockpot down to low

9. Simmer covered for 24-48 hours placing the rosemary in with 2 hours left or parsley with 30 mins left

10. Turn off and let sit for a 1/2 hour uncovered

11. Once it has cooled slightly use tongs to pick up the bones making sure the marrow is in the broth. If not – hit the bone gently to release the marrow

12. Put a large pot beside the slow cooker with a strainer on top.

13. Use the tongs to remove pieces of vegetables and mash them against the strainer to extract the remaining fluid

14. Discard the vegetable mash

15. Strain the remainder of the broth so you are left with only liquid in the second pot

Now you can pour your broth into mason jars. As it cools you will see a white layer on top forming. Spoon this layer out and keep it in a separate container. This is beef tallow. You could discard it, use it for cooking (like fried potatoes), or try and make soap or candles out of it. If you want to freeze some broth only fill the mason jar 1/3 or 1/2 because it will expand.

To utilize the benefits of your hard work – heat it up like a beverage and drink it (just tell your brain you are having soup :-). I have been drinking a cup for breakfast and it is very satiating. I had 2 eggs and a cup of bone broth at 8am and didn’t even feel hungry until 3pm. If you aren’t brave enough to drink it straight up you can also use it as a base for soup, stew, or many other savory dishes.

More info and recipes for fish, beef or chicken bone broth.

This post was also featured on The GoodLife Fitness Blog.