Sun

Light is life. Darkness is death. The sun is the ultimate source of light, and of life! Shining on us with its magnificence, it is literally the source of life on Earth! Plants rely on the sun for photosynthesis to grow and live. Plants are the foundation of the food chain. Higher life forms either eat plants, eat things that eat plants, or eat things that eat things that eat plants (and so on), but at the end of the food chain are these sun powered plants.

We humans need sunlight for optimal functioning. Mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells, perform best when it receives sunlight.

Vitamin D gets produced when our skin absorbs sunlight. Vitamin D is essential for key biological processes and regulates over 1000 genes. Benefits of Vitamin D include stronger bones, optimal calcium absorption, stronger immune system, lower inflammation, better brain function, better mood and well-being, etc. It is particularly important for bone growth in growing children. Many have observed that children grow more rapidly during summer and it is because of more sunlight during this season.

Many studies show getting enough sunlight can also reduce the risk of cancer, give you more energy, improve your sleep, make you happier, improve cognition, prevent other diseases and disorders, fight infection, strengthen eyesight, prevent vision loss, burn fat, boost hormones, promote hair growth, etc. There are many health benefits to getting enough sunlight.

It is unfortunate that in the past century there has been so much propaganda scaring people away from the sun. There are so many health problems because of this fear mongering. Yes, going too extreme and overdosing on sunlight can be a problem, but so is going the other extreme and not getting enough sunlight. Like Aristotle said, “Balance is best in all things”, and this definitely applies to sun exposure as well as many other things in life. Perhaps there are some exceptions to this wise saying but sun exposure is definitely not one of them.

The best way to go sunbathing and enjoy the sun is in the nude. So many people go their whole lives without allowing important parts of their body to see the light of the great sun. They do so at their own disadvantage, depriving these more private body parts the power of the sun. An Abraham Myerson study in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology” found that men who exposed their torso to UV light and UV rays saw their testosterone levels increase to 120%. And when they exposed their testes to UV light and UV rays, they were able to boost testosterone levels to a whopping 200%! Sun your whole body! Sunbathe nude!

But enough with the science! I never needed science to tell me what I already knew from personal experience!

I first came to really appreciate the sun when I spent a winter in Sweden. It was dark for most of the day during the Swedish winter, and I barely got any sunlight at all during this time. Thankfully this was otherwise a very happy time in my life, one of the happiest in fact, but I never again took the sun for granted.

The sun is beautiful. It brings light, life, and joy to the world. Sunrises and sunsets are beautiful sights to behold. Very romantic too! Sunlight is superior to artificial light. Many beautiful pictures and videos are taken in the sun. Life is just more beautiful under the glow of the sun.

And the sun doesn’t withhold its beauty, it gives it to the world and to us. Getting enough sunlight gives the skin a beautiful and glorious glow. I am often attracted to those with golden sun-kissed skin, rather than those with pale ghostly complexions that don’t see the light of day and resemble that of a corpse. A healthy glow is much more magnificent!

I find it very unfortunate that some cultures discourage people from getting sunlight. They do so promoting the false premise that pale ghostly skin is more beautiful and is higher status. Totally false! These are domesticated cultures that have become so cut off from nature and humanity. Cultures like these can feel like a prison! It is no coincidence that depression rates are high in these cultures. I prefer the culture of Mongolia, free-spirited and in touch with nature and humanity. Mongols love the sun and admire beautiful tans. The sun gives us power and glorious golden skin! Tans are the sign of great warriors, the warrior aristocracy! Remember we conquered much of the world!

I feel more alive when I spend more time in the sun and I want more people to experience the life-invigorating power of sunlight. Light is life! Darkness is death! Embracing the light is embracing life itself!

Embrace the sun!