As warmer weather arrives here’s a question you’re probably asking yourself:

Do you need to slather every inch of your exposed skin with sunscreen before you set foot outside?

Well, before you buy a caseload of the stuff, read this first.

The real sun danger is not getting ENOUGH

A new study out of Sweden has found that the real danger comes from not getting enough exposure to the sun’s rays!

The researchers found that women studied with active sun exposure habits had a generally longer life expectancy. And that was largely due to a decrease in heart disease.

The findings were so significant that the lead author of the study, Dr. Pelle Lindqvist, commented that the current guidelines on sun exposure – which are pretty much to avoid it as much as possible – are so restrictive they may do us “more harm than good.”

Current sun guidelines are as risky as smoking!

In fact, according to Lindqvist, shunning the sun was actually shown to “be a risk factor of the same magnitude as smoking.”

But what about skin cancer?

As I pointed out last summer, about four-fifths of sunscreens now on the market offer little protection from UVA rays that can cause deep skin damage.

Many also contain harmful chemicals, some of which can actually accelerate the growth of skin cancer.

If you have a few moments check out this video about the dangers of toxins in our cosmetic products, and what we can do about it.

3 simple steps to reap the best sun benefits

So here are the three simple steps you need to take to get all the health benefits the sun has to offer, while still staying safe.

1. Expose your skin to the sun for 10 to 20 minutes a day without applying any sunscreen. That’s the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D, which might very well be the reason those women in the study lived longer.
2. If you’re still outside after that time, cover up with a hat, long sleeves and long pants or a skirt.
3. If you’re at the beach, pool or playing nine holes in your lucky golf shorts, and can’t help but be exposed to the sun’s rays for longer periods, apply a sunscreen recommended by the Environmental Working Group that will protect you without risky chemicals.

And remember to reapply your sunscreen if you’re out in the sun for a prolonged period of time, as its effectiveness eventually wears off.