Genesis 1:16 tells us “God made two great lights – the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.” Just as God made plants, animals and us; He also made the sun to be our life-force that governs our planet and brings life to His creations. After all, “God is Light.” (1 John 1:5). The sun is a reflection of the eternal essence of God. We need the sun, and must learn to embrace it, not fear it.
Vaughn Lawrence, owner of Spirit of Health store
God designed us to absorb light. The absorption of sunlight triggers a cascade of events in the body critical to our health, including the regulation of sleep hormones, liver detoxification and the well known production of vitamin D.
Vitamin D is a hot topic for good reason. The “sunshine vitamin” is known to reduce the risk of all major diseases, including cancer. Vitamin D is especially crucial for bone development. Without sunshine, children are at risk for developing rickets, a bone malformation disease.
So why all the confusion? Is the sun friend or foe? Why have people lived in the sun for thousands of years without astronomical rates of skin cancer that we see today? Why are we using more sunscreen than ever and yet we still see increasing rates of skin cancer? God called His creation “good” and so it is imperative that we trust His Word and His design and look deeper at what is really going on.
Two major factors to consider:
- To absorb sunlight in a healthy way, we must have a healthy body.
When we eat man-made junk food, sugar, and synthetics found in processed foods, your body becomes burdened with toxins. The body will eliminate these toxins in every way it can, one of them being the largest organ of your body, the skin. Unhealthy skin is not able to properly absorb the sun and leads to sunburn. Lathering up with synthetic sunscreen can be dangerous, as most sunscreens are filled with toxic man-made chemicals and the sun will bake these chemicals into your skin.
If we eat God-created healthy foods, loaded with leafy greens, healthy fats and rich in anti-oxidants, you will absorb light, strengthen the immune system, cleanse your blood, heal your liver, strengthen your bones and absorb light the way God intended from the beginning!
- We must honor the power of God’s design.
The sun is very powerful, so use caution and avoid over-exposure especially if your skin is weak from a diet high in processed foods. Morning sun is best, between sunrise and 11am. Start with 10-15 minutes of sunshine at first, and increase each day until you get at least an hour. Wear light colored clothing and wide-brimmed hats for protection. Other options to assist the skin are natural sunscreens that are coconut oil based and supplementing with Astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant found in algae.
Ideally we should use the summer months to build our body’s supply of vitamin D to last us through the winter. In the winter supplement with cod liver oil, one of the few food sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D3 is another natural source from cholecalciferol, a pale yellow oil found in sheep’s wool, however the best sources have always been the sun and cod liver oil. It is important to avoid Vitamin D2, the synthetic version found in most “fortified foods”.
God gave us the sun to be life-giving. Using sunscreens and sunglasses block the essence of God from entering our body and doing what it was designed to do. So, throw away the chemical sunscreens, eat healthy foods and absorb sunlight the way God designed you! Your rewards will be happiness, a stronger immune system and long-term disease prevention.
Thank you God for the sun…”Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.” Ecclesiastes 11:7
–Vaughn Lawrence is a natural health practitioner, herbalist and owner of Spirit of Health who lives by their motto: “We Love God. We Love People. We Love Health.