The sun has been maligned in our culture for decades now, and the emphasis is always on the harm it can do to us. There is a kernel of truth here, as anyone who has been seriously sunburnt knows, but like so much of conventional health advice it's a rather insubstantial kernel swallowed up by fear mongering and bias.

 Consider the possibility that there may be some benefits to exposing yourself to the light that literally makes life on this planet possible. I'm continually amazed at how much energy I have when I get 30-45 minutes of good sun most days of the week. It normalizes sleep patterns, kick-starts vitamin D production, speeds recovery from exercise, boosts alertness and gives you a lovely tan. These are only the obvious effects, there is far more going on biochemically than has been adequately studied yet.

 The keys to getting the most from sun exposure:

• Build up tolerance slowly, over several weeks, don't go from none to a lot all at once. Avoid getting sunburnt.
• Eat a nourishing whole foods diet, avoid cheap oils and refined foods, these are nutrient poor and can sensitize the skin to UV damage.
• Think of it like exercise: it's possible to hurt yourself exercising, it's possible to do too much or get ahead of yourself. Even so it would be absurd to claim that exercise is not a healthy habit when done sensibly. Sun exposure is no different.

 Get outside and soak up some rays, you may be pleasantly surprised!