Cut your risk of cancer with a dose of sunshine

It’s official – sunshine is good for you!
Not only does catching a few rays make us feel better, a team of researchers at Oxford University have found that a good dose of vitamin D also helps us to stay healthy.
Scientists say that just 20 minutes in the sun can help to protect us from some forms of cancer and stave off a host of other diseases.

Findings show that vitamin D – which is produced by the skin’s exposure to sun – stimulates a protein which can attach to DNA and affect the shape and development of over 200 genes. They include those linked to bowel cancer, leukemia, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.

This should be good news for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, which offer vital support to cancer patients and their families across the UK.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, half of Britons – and up to a billion people around the world – are not getting enough sunshine, which gives us the perfect excuse to seek out our vitamin D boost in sunnier climes.

But be warned – too much sun can cause premature aging and could increase your risk of developing deadly skin cancer. So if you are planning a sun-soaked holiday, don’t forget to pack the sun cream.

The People’s Postcode Lottery provides unrestricted support to Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres and players have raised over £1.4 million in support for the charity to date.