Why I'm Not Afraid of the Sun

At some point, we got out of sync with all the things that made us humans.

The sun has always been part of human life. It set the rhythm of the day, shaped when people worked and rested, and influenced everything from sleep to mood to overall health. And now, in a relatively short stretch of time, it’s been turned into something people are told to avoid almost entirely.

Most people don’t question it. They step outside and immediately think about protection. Cover, block, prevent.

And some awareness is necessary. But the level of fear around sunlight doesn’t really match the way people have lived for generations.

If anything, what’s changed the most isn’t the sun.

It’s everything else.

What the body actually does with sunlight

Sunlight isn’t just something you’re exposed to. It’s something your body uses.

When your skin is exposed to sunlight, your body produces vitamin D, which plays a role in immune function, hormone balance, mood, and bone health.

Light also regulates your circadian rhythm. Morning light helps set your internal clock, which affects how you sleep and how your body recovers later.

Melanin plays a role here too. Your skin adapts gradually with exposure. It doesn’t respond the same way on day one as it does after consistent, moderate exposure over time.

This is why complete avoidance doesn’t make sense. The body expects some level of interaction with light.

Where common sense comes back in

This isn’t about overexposure.

Midday summer sun, especially for long periods, is intense. That’s where people tend to run into issues.

Morning light and late afternoon light are different. They’re easier on the body and still beneficial.

For most people, it looks like:

• getting outside earlier in the day

• being more aware during peak hours

• using shade, clothing, and timing before relying on products

Why some people burn faster now than they used to

This is the part almost no one explains clearly.

People are told the sun is the problem.But very few people ask what’s changed in the body that’s reacting to it. Your skin is made from what you eat.

Over time, the fats you consume become part of your cell membranes—including your skin.

Right now, most people are eating large amounts of industrial seed oils—soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil. These oils are high in polyunsaturated fats that are unstable and easily oxidized.

They don’t handle heat well. They don’t handle light well.

So now imagine this:

Those unstable fats are sitting in your skin.

Then you go out into the sun.

UV exposure creates oxidative stress. That’s normal. But when your cells are built with unstable fats, that reaction becomes more intense.

That’s where people notice:

• burning more quickly

• redness that lingers

• more inflammation after sun exposure

Add high sugar intake on top of that, and you increase inflammation even further.

So now you have:

• unstable fats in your skin

• elevated inflammation

• UV exposure layered on top

That’s a very different internal environment than people had historically.

What actually changes this

This is simpler than people expect.

It comes down to what you’re using every day.

When you move away from industrial oils and start using more stable fats—olive oil, butter, tallow—you gradually change what your body is made from.

That doesn’t happen overnight. But over time, it changes how your skin responds to stress, including sunlight.

What you put on your skin matters just as much

If your skin is already dealing with internal stress, layering on harsh or synthetic products doesn’t help.

This is where simpler tends to work better.

Tallow is one of the most practical options. It closely resembles the oils your skin naturally produces, which is why many people find it deeply nourishing.

Certain cold-pressed oils can also be used externally (like carrot seed or raspberry seed oil), especially more stable ones that aren’t prone to oxidation. These can provide a natural shield from damage.

Vitamin C serum is another staple that I use in the morning before I go outside for my daily work or walks. Used topically, it helps the skin handle oxidative stress, including sun exposure.

So instead of reacting after damage, you’re supporting the skin ahead of time.

What I actually do instead of chemical sunscreen

I don’t use chemical sunscreen. I haven’t in a long time.

That came from paying attention over time—what’s in these products, how often they’re used, and how normalized it’s become to apply them daily without much thought.

That doesn’t mean I ignore the sun.

I pay attention to timing first. Early light is very different than peak midday exposure.

From there, I rely on simple things:

• shade

• a hat

• adjusting how long I’m out

If I know I’ll be in stronger sun for a longer period, I’ll use a non toxic sunscreen like this one:

(Vigority Tallow Sunscreen)

That combination has been enough for me, but everyone's skin and situation is different.

Let's Put on The Tinfoil Hat ... Shall We?

At some point, it’s reasonable to ask a bigger question.

If sunlight plays a role in vitamin D, circadian rhythm, food production, mood, and overall health… why has the conversation become almost entirely about avoiding it or even 'blocking it out' altogether?

Why are people more comfortable applying chemicals daily than they are spending time outside?

Why does something that has always been part of human life now feel like a threat that needs constant management?

Why in the heck are they trying to dim the sun, which God gave to sustain life on earth?

When something is emphasized as a problem long enough, solutions follow. And those solutions tend to become industries.

The same environment that keeps people indoors, under artificial light, and disconnected from natural rhythms is often the one offering products to manage the results of that lifestyle.

Sleep issues. Low vitamin D. Histamine Issues. Mood imbalances.

All of those have increased. So, I'll be the one to say it ... whoever all these people are, I don't trust them. If they say to stay out of the sun, I am going to look into it for myself. If they say to slather chemicals all over myself and then bake them in on the beach, I'm probably going to do the opposite. If they say that we need to dim the sun to fix the earth, I'm calling shenanigans.

How this looks in my pantry

This is where things actually change.

I’ve moved away from the highly processed oils and refined sugars that show up in most packaged foods and cooking products. Olive oil is something I use daily. Butter and tallow are what I cook with most often. I keep it simple. That one shift alone changes more than people expect.

I try to get outside earlier in the day when the light is softer. That’s usually when I feel the most benefit without needing to think much about protection.

If I’m out longer, I’ll wear a hat or stay in the shade more.

For skin, I keep it simple. Tallow, a good oil, and vitamin C are usually enough. I stopped wearing sunglasses so that my brain knows it's time to produce natural protection.

For food, I stick to stable fats and real ingredients.

None of this is complicated, but it takes a re-framing of the daily habits.

A final thought

The sun didn’t suddenly become the problem.

But the way we live has changed—what we eat, what we put on our skin, and how disconnected we’ve become from natural rhythms. When you start adjusting those things, the experience changes with it.