| The other day I got an email from a reader: Hi Mark, I am a big fan, thanks for all you do. Would you write about how those with excessive sun damage or skin cancer should get vitamin D? Great question. This is a tough topic because as much as I love the sun and extoll its benefits and question the blanket "anti-sun" stance most conventional doctors take, the fact remains that it is a powerful force. It can damage your skin. That's not a lie or a myth. And if your skin is already damaged from sun exposure earlier in life, you are more susceptible to further damage—and it's a good indicator that you're more sensitive than most. So you have to be careful here. Get some infrared light on your skin every morning. Infrared light in the a.m. increases your skin's tolerance of and resistance to UV light. You can do this by exposing your body to the sunrise (which is rich in infrared) or you can use an infrared light device. If you have skin cancer or sun damage, you're probably on the lighter side. That means you don't need that much full sun to generate vitamin D. Five or ten minutes at midday is plenty for many people. I'd advise you to monitor your vitamin D levels to make sure you're making enough. Check with your doctor, but I bet even your doctor will agree here. Also, do everything I mention in this post. You still want to be outside as much as possible. Just cover up. Wear a hat when you aren't intentionally getting sun. Wear a shirt. Sit in the shade. Being outside, even in the shade, still exposes you to healing natural light and still improves your circadian health. Oh, and take some vitamin D. Eat vitamin D enriched eggs. Take cod liver oil or eat the cod liver itself. Sardines, herring, and wild salmon are also good sources of vitamin D. None of these are probably enough by themselves, but if you eat all of these foods, supplement when needed, and get smart, safe amounts of real sunlight, you should be good. Good luck! Anyone else dealing with sun-damaged skin, what do you do about vitamin D and sun exposure? Let me know in the comment section of New and Noteworthy. This weekend is also Mother's Day in the U.S. and elsewhere. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and mother figures out there! | 