You need some unblocked sunlight on your body every day, so don’t use any sunscreen for the first 15-30 minutes outside. If you want to stay out longer than your required 30 minutes and you want to avoid getting burned, then you should use coconut oil to reflect the ultraviolet rays. Plus, the coconut oil will provide some wonderful nutrients as well as moisture for your skin.
The reason that you require unfiltered sunlight on your skin is so that your body can produce an optimal level of vitamin D, which in turn protects you from cancer and a host of other diseases.
You can check www.mercola.com for dozens of articles relating to the need for unfiltered sun rays on your body, and on the dangers of commercial (chemical) sunscreens. (Hint: using some brands of sunscreen may actually cause cancer.)
Dr. Mercola has correctly pointed out that large studies have confirmed that the further you are away from the equator, the greater your chance of developing cancer (both skin cancer and other cancers). Dr. Mercola suggests that the reason for this increased risk for those living in colder climates is that they do not receive enough sunlight to produce the required vitamin D.
Mercola insists that ‘getting some sun’ means exposing as much of the skin as possible. Just exposing the face and hands won’t allow you to absorb enough sunlight to create enough vitamin D. So don’t be shy. But do realize that some can handle more sun than others, so if you venture out with a partner, one may opt for a shadier position than the other.
In addition to absorbing the sun’s healthy rays through your skin, you would ideally absorb some of its rays through your eyes within an hour of sunrise or sunset. This process is known as “sungazing”, which assists the neurological development of the mind.
While you are sungazing or sunbathing, you should ideally absorb the Earth’s natural vibration by being in direct contact with the Earth. That means standing barefoot in the dirt or on a sandy beach. Sitting or lying on the beach is also good, but standing is the ideal way to “suck up” the Earth’s healing vibes from your feet, all along your spinal column, and all the way to your brain, as water through a straw. This process is called “grounding”. In addition to the vibration of the Earth, you are also allowing your body to pull some electrons from the Earth to replace any that you may have lost while living in the “modern world”, which is not always in harmony with nature.