(UR) Recent research from Stanford made it clear that women with breast cancer had low levels of Vitamin D, and now a study has come out to make worshiping the sun an even more appealing daily ritual — no matter your gender.Though dated research has linked sunbathing with an increased risk of skin cancer, a new study of 29,518 Swedish women found that those with a habit of spending time in the sun lived years longer compared to those who did not. The Swedish women were followed for 20 years to find that active sun exposure decreased their rates of heart disease, and even cancer.The study suggests that vitamin D could be the mechanism for prolonging life and minimizing disease, relative to the undesired effects of being over-exposed to harmful UV radiation; however, the process by which the sun made the women healthier was not determined.The researchers even found that avoiding the sun could be as detrimental as smoking for your health.Dr. Pelle Lindqvist, lead author of the Journal of Internal Medicine study said:“Guidelines being too restrictive regarding sun exposure may do more harm than good for health.”

Bron: Stanford Study: Avoiding Sun Exposure Could be as Bad as Smoking