Morning Sunshine Fights Cancer
I wanted to share something simple but powerful that’s now part of my daily cancer treatment routine—morning sunshine. I’ve been battling stage four cancer, and while I’m doing everything I can medically, including infusions, supplements, and a moderate carnivore diet. I also believe in supporting my body in every natural way possible. Morning sunlight has become one of those tools. Morning sunshine fights cancer.
It might sound too easy to matter, but the science behind it is real. Every morning, when the sun comes up and the world is still quiet, I step outside and sit in the soft light with my wife for about 20 to 30 minutes. I don’t wait until it’s blazing hot. I get that early, gentle sunlight that helps my body create something crucial—vitamin D. And for someone in my shoes, that makes a difference.
Why Morning Sunlight Became Part of My Treatment Plan
Early in the day, the sun is low, and the ultraviolet B rays are just strong enough to help your body make vitamin D without burning your skin. That’s key for someone like me—skin damage is the last thing I need while dealing with stage 4 cancer. The morning sun also sets my body clock, helps me sleep, and lifts my mood. When you’re in a long-term fight like I am, every mental and physical boost counts.
Why You Can’t Rely on Food Alone for Vitamin D3
Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D3. The ones that do, such as fatty fish, egg yolks, and liver, are not enough to meet the required intake. Even if Did you know it’s nearly impossible to meet your body’s vitamin D3 needs through food alone? Very few foods naturally contain this essential nutrient. Fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel, and sardines), egg yolks, and organ meats such as liver do provide some vitamin D3, but even with generous servings, they supply only about 10 percent of your daily requirement.
That means up to 90 percent of your vitamin D must come from sunlight or supplements. While supplements are effective, the most natural and efficient way to obtain vitamin D is through sun exposure. When ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from sunlight strike the skin, they trigger a chemical reaction that allows the body to produce vitamin D3.
Research suggests that 20 to 30 minutes of sun exposure on bare skin (arms and legs, without sunscreen) can generate enough vitamin D to meet most daily requirements. However, this can vary depending on factors like skin tone, season, latitude, and age.
Adequate vitamin D levels are essential for:
- Supporting strong bones by regulating calcium absorption
- Maintaining a healthy immune system
- Promoting muscle and nerve function
- Reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases
Because many people live in areas with limited sun exposure, especially during winter months, supplementation may still be necessary to maintain optimal vitamin D levels.
How Vitamin D Helps Me Stay in the Cancer Fight
Here’s the thing: my body doesn’t just need vitamin D for bones—it needs it to fight cancer. Research shows that vitamin D helps regulate cell growth, reduces inflammation, and even signals damaged cells when to shut down, which is exactly what we want to happen with cancer [1][2][3].
When I get that morning sun, my skin helps create vitamin D. My body turns that into a hormone called calcitriol. This hormone interacts with special receptors in cells and can slow cancer growth, help cells repair themselves, and stop tumors from growing the blood vessels they need to spread. It’s not a cure, but it’s a part of the plan—and in my case, every part counts.
The Proof Is in the Research, And My Gut Feeling
I’ve read the studies. One looked at over a million people and found that those with the highest vitamin D levels were 36 percent less likely to die from cancer than those with the lowest levels [4]. Another study out of Norway found that people with different types of cancer—lung, breast, colon, and blood—had better survival rates if their vitamin D levels were healthy at diagnosis [5].
In my own experience, I feel a difference. The days I get outside in the morning just feel better. I rest better at night, and mentally, I feel more grounded. I know this journey is long, but I want to give my body every possible advantage. Morning sunlight is free, it’s healing, and in my case, it’s become a quiet daily battle cry.
Supplements Help When Sunlight Isn’t Enough
There are days when the weather doesn’t cooperate. That’s when I lean on supplements. Blood tests showed my levels were low at one point, so now I use vitamin D3 pills to make sure my levels stay where they need to be. According to one review of ten clinical studies, people who took vitamin D regularly had a 13 percent lower chance of dying from cancer [6]. It’s one more tool in my toolkit.
Light as Medicine: A Glimpse Into the Future
Something else I’ve learned about is photodynamic therapy. I’m not using it myself right now, but it fascinates me. Doctors give a drug that collects in cancer cells, then shine a special light to activate it and destroy those cells. It’s already being used for some skin, lung, and bladder cancers [7]. It demonstrates how far the science of light in medicine has progressed—and it all connects back to how light, when used effectively, can heal.
Other Benefits I Didn’t Expect
This sunlight habit started as a way to boost vitamin D, but it’s done more than that. It helps release nitric oxide, which supports my blood pressure and immune system. It helps regulate my mood and sleep. It may even help balance gut bacteria, which we now know is linked to the immune system’s function [8]. I had no idea morning sun could be so beneficial in so many ways, but now I wouldn’t skip it.
Why I Keep Doing It
I’m in a fight for my life. I’m doing the big things, like infusions and specialized care. But I also believe in the small, simple things that support my body and spirit. Morning sunlight is one of those things. It costs nothing, it nourishes my body, and it reminds me every day that there is still light in this world—literally and figuratively.
If you’re in cancer treatment, or even just trying to stay healthy, talk to your doctor about vitamin D. Ask about your levels. And if it makes sense for you, step outside in the morning. Breathe the air. Let the light hit your skin. I do it not just for the science, but because it reminds me I’m still here, still standing, and still fighting.
Sources
- National Cancer Institute. “Vitamin D and Cancer Prevention.” https://www.cancer.gov
- Garland CF, et al. “Vitamin D and prevention of breast cancer.” Am J Public Health, 2007.
- Trump DL, et al. “Vitamin D and cancer: current dilemmas and future research needs.” Nutr Rev, 2007.
- Keum N, Giovannucci E. “Vitamin D supplements and cancer incidence and mortality: a meta-analysis.” Br J Cancer, 2014.
- Porojnicu AC, et al. “Sun exposure and cancer survival in Norway.” Adv Exp Med Biol, 2008.
- Manson JE, et al. “Vitamin D Supplements and Prevention of Cancer.” N Engl J Med, 2019.
- Dougherty TJ, et al. “Photodynamic therapy.” J Clin Laser Med Surg, 1996.
- Lucas RM, et al. “Sun exposure and health: risks and benefits.” Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2014.
- American Cancer Society. “Sun Safety and Vitamin D.” https://www.cancer.org