Sunday, April 26, 2009

Sunlight, Sunscreen and Cancer


Sunlight, Sunscreen and Cancer

The Number 1 cause of wrinkles and damage to the skin is sun damage, more than damage from pollutants and wind. Having said that, it is important to note that the worst and most obvious damage is found in later years in sun bathers referred to as "sun worshippers".

The recommended "dosage" of sunlight is usually about an hour per day, and never during the hours of 10:00 to 2:00. While this is excellent advice, the fact is that it isn't realistic for many of us.

If you are like me, I love to be outside as much as I can, winter or summer. And in my present job as Address Canvasser for the U.S. Census Bureau, most days I am outside almost all day.

I do wear a hat with a brim, and I do my best to work up gradually to the full-time exposure. But I tend to be more natural and avoid things like sunscreen, mostly because I am aware of how much our bodies require sunlight and how little we get in this geographic area, but also because of the cancer-causing agents in most of the sunscreens available, including the name brands.

Skin cancer (melanoma) is on the rise, and the sun is solely being blamed for it. Yes, burning the skin can cause melanoma, but we are led to believe that using a sunscreen or sunblock will prevent us from getting cancer.

There are two things wrong with that mindset:
  1. It encourages people to think that they can stay out in the sun as long as they want, as long as they have sunscreen on. Wrong!
  2. The only thing that can prevent disease is our diet and our lifestyle. Please see my article, Health is a Matter of Choice! for more information.
So, limit your exposure to direct sun as much as you can and wear protective clothing when you can't, but don't neglect to get at least 1/2 an hour of sunshine every day that you possibly can.

When you can't reasonably limit your exposure to the sun, and honestly most of us probably can't, use a safe but effective sunscreen on your body.

For more information on that, see Our Body's Need for Sunshine for more information on the life-giving benefits of the sun.

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