Via Drudge, an AP article with the results of research that indicates getting a little sun is actually good for you.
The vitamin is D, nicknamed the “sunshine vitamin” because the skin makes it from ultraviolet rays. Sunscreen blocks its production, but dermatologists and health agencies have long preached that such lotions are needed to prevent skin cancer. Now some scientists are questioning that advice. The reason is that vitamin D increasingly seems important for preventing and even treating many types of cancer.
In the last three months alone, four separate studies found it helped protect against lymphoma and cancers of the prostate, lung and, ironically, the skin. The strongest evidence is for colon cancer.
Many people aren’t getting enough vitamin D. It’s hard to do from food and fortified milk alone, and supplements are problematic.
So the thinking is this: Even if too much sun leads to skin cancer, which is rarely deadly, too little sun may be worse.
The article has some compelling evidence.
I personally don’t wear sunscreen at all. It’s not that I’m against it in some way…I’m just negligent due to laziness. I don’t have any sunscreen in the apartment. I looked around vaguely for it at Wal-Mart one time, didn’t see any, and gave up. Even when I do have it around, I tend to forget to put it on. I’ve recently been thinking that I should buy some and keep it in the bathroom, so I can make putting it on part of my morning routine, but now I’m thinking that wouldn’t be such a great idea.
Now, I think I’ll keep going along as usual, and save the sunscreen for full-on sun experiences like the beach.