Could a few rays a day prevent skin cancer?

We've heard before that 15-20 minutes of sunlight can be an excellent source of vitamin D, an important nutrient. But researchers recently found that some exposure to sunlight may actually reduce the risk of skin cancer. Very simply put, the sun triggers a process that creates immune T-cells and sends them to stand guard on the surface of the skin, protecting from infection and even cancer.

Experts warn that this is a preliminary finding and that they aren't sure what it means. What they are sure of is that the sun is the number one preventable cause of skin cancer, so hold on to your sunscreen. When asked what a reasonable amount of time in the sun would be, experts from the American Dietetic Association said that the body can produce more than enough vitamin D from just 30 minutes in the sun per day. Until we know what this research means, if you're going to be outside more than a short period of time, slather it on and keep your skin protected!