Is Sunlight Bad for Health or Great for Health

[ginkgo]

I just got the following information in an email: You’ve been told to avoid sunshine… keep indoors during peak sun hours… cover yourself with sunscreen if you go outside… wear long-sleeved shirts and sunglasses even when it’s not sunny… and limit your direct contact with the sun’s rays to zero.

Yet, there’s not a shred of real evidence that spending time in the sun actually causes deadly skin cancer. In fact, clinical evidence shows that sunlight prevents 17 different kinds of cancer.But our fear of the sun has kept us indoors and slathered with sunscreen. And that’s bad news… Turns out, a lack of sunshine can trigger deadly cancers, depression, bone loss, heart disease and more…

Sunlight is also essential for making a critical vitamin and hormone that protects you from disease and carries out thousands of major functions in your body every day. Have you ever noticed how you feel happier sitting or walking in the sun? Doesn’t just going outside in the sun calm your nerves and lift your spirits?

There’s a reason for this. Your body needs sunlight in the same way it needs nutrients. In addition to the noticeable lift it gives your mood, it also helps lower your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, improve your immunity, regulate your weight, reverse many chronic diseases, protect you from many cancers and improve your overall health and happiness.

With no mention in the media, you may not have heard: Why Skin Cancer Was Virtually Unheard of Before 1930 – and the Chilling Clinical Studies Mainstream Medicine Has Hidden From Publication
Why Exposing Yourself to the Sun Actually Lowers Your Risk of Deadly Skin Cancer
The Truth about the “Sun Safety Alliance” and Why Their Backroom Deals Lead to the Death of Over 300,000 Americans Every Year
The Little-Known Secret About Sunlight That Relieves Depression, Strengthens Bones and Prevents Cancer
What the Ancient Greeks Knew about the Healing Power of the Sun – That We Don’t!
The 7 Dangerous Chemicals in Sunscreen That Increase Your Risk of Skin Cancer
Why Skin Cancer Rates Are Skyrocketing in Cities That Get the Least Amount of Sunshine
Why Men in Maine Are 50% More Likely to Die of Prostate Cancer Than Men in Florida
What You Should NEVER Do Before Spending Time in the Sun…
PLUS – Why Sunscreen Poisons Your Bloodstream and Shuts Down Your Body’s Natural Defenses

Since We’ve Been Avoiding the Sun Over the Last 30 Years,
The Death Rate From Skin Cancer Has Risen 400%...
In fact, skin cancer was a rare event before 1930 when most people worked outdoors and ignored the “risk” from the sun. Now it’s the most common cancer. And since our grandparent’s generation, the rate of melanoma (the deadly kind) is up 1,800%.

First, let me clarify. There are actually three kinds of skin cancer: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma. Cumulative sun exposure is linked to BCC and SCC. With early detection, these are rarely fatal. But melanoma is a different story… this deadly form actually has an inverse relationship to sunshine.

So is the sun really responsible? Think about it. The sun is five billion years old. It hasn’t changed in recent times. And, our sun exposure has dramatically decreased over the last seven decades.If sunshine were deadly, people who live in sunny climates would suffer the most deaths from skin cancer.

But the opposite is true. Those who live in cold, damp climates with little sunshine – like London or Minnesota – have higher rates than those who live in sun-drenched areas like Arizona, New Mexico and Florida.

“Ask anyone in America if the sun causes cancer and they will quickly answer yes. Ask them if the sun prevents cancer and they will tell you to see a psychiatrist.”
– John Cannell, MD
And today, just 10 percent of people work outdoors – compared with 75 percent a hundred years ago. But these facts are routinely ignored by dermatologists and the sunscreen industry…

The Sun is NOT Your Enemy…

Corporations with a vested interest benefit from the belief that sunlight in any amount is dangerous—even deadly. Every year, these groups spend millions of dollars to sell you their products and services. And their financial rewards are clear: $30 billion worth of products every year with $6 billion in annual sales of sunscreens alone.

But to convince you that you need their products, they must first convince you that the sun is dangerous.In just a few short decades, our perception of the sun changed from miracle healer to predatory menace. Scientists, physicians, and journalists focused entirely on risks, completely forgetting the well-documented benefits.
Before long, very few remembered what our ancestors knew instinctively: The sun gives you vital nutrients and remarkable disease-fighting power. But the consensus became nearly universal that sunlight is a dangerous killer.

Here’s what the studies really say about the deadliest of all skin cancers: Those working outdoors have the lowest risk of skin cancer—In 1982, the British medical journal The Lancet reported on the relationship between skin cancer and sun exposure. The researchers found that those whose main activity was outdoors had the lowest risk of developing skin cancer. Other studies have yielded the same results. An overview of all of the published research reported in the International Journal of Cancer revealed that multiple studies show that people with “heavy occupational exposure” to the sun have significantly lower risk of melanoma.

High lifetime recreational sun exposure lowers your risk—Additional studies performed at the British Columbia Cancer Agency confirmed that the higher your lifetime recreational sun exposure, the lower your risk of skin cancer.
Lifeguards in Australia have the lowest rates of melanoma—In the February 2, 2005 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute a study confirmed that exposure to the sun reduces the risk of skin cancer.
Additional studies have shown that lifeguards in Australia have the lowest rates of melanoma, the people who bake all day in the hot sun. The incidence of malignant melanoma is twice as high in office workers—In another study published in Lancet, researchers at the University of Sydney’s Melanoma Clinic found the incidence of malignant melanoma was twice as high in office workers than those whose occupations or lifestyle kept them in the sun regularly. Those who had the lowest incidence were sunbathers!
Authors of this study concluded that in both Australia and Great Britain, professionals and office workers were at greater risk than people who worked outside. Another study showed that those who work under fluorescent light double their risk.

A tan can actually help prevent melanoma. Several studies conclude that a deep tan, particularly in childhood and the adolescent years, provides protection against melanoma. So what accounts for the sudden rise? My answer: we are exposing ourselves to new carcinogens, eating foods that promote skin cancer, and not getting enough of the nutrients that prevent it. Sun exposure produces one of the most potent health-boosting substances in your body. This amazing vitamin performs countless valuable functions for you. It’s also an essential hormone. It can:

Elevate your mood and boost your mental performance.
Prevent many types of cancers including prostate, breast and ovarian.
Prevent and treat the bone diseases of rickets, osteomalacia and osteoporosis.
Prevent depression and schizophrenia.
Enhance the function of your pancreas.
Increase insulin sensitivity and prevent diabetes.
Help you lose weight.
Make you sleep better.
Give you more energy and stamina during the day.
Significantly lower elevated blood pressure.
Lower abnormally high blood sugar.
Decrease bad cholesterol in your blood.
Increase lymphocytic white blood cells responsible for immunity.
This may be the single most important organic nutrient for your overall health. If it were a drug, it would be the discovery of the century.

This amazingly beneficial nutrient is vitamin D. Your body makes vitamin D when the sun’s ultraviolet rays strike your skin. And we can all get plenty of it free, just by spending enough time in the sun. But studies show that a widespread deficiency of vitamin D is rampant in America today. The average person today has lower vitamin D levels than their parents had just 30 years ago.

And that shouldn’t surprise you… If you’re like most people, you probably spend 90% of your daylight hours indoors. And that can be downright dangerous. You see, there’s a direct link between low sunlight exposure and vitamin D deficiency. There’s also a link between low vitamin D levels and other diseases. Research shows that vitamin D reduces the risk of the three biggest killers of our generation – heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

If you’re deficient in vitamin D, genes designed to protect your health can’t work properly, because they need vitamin D to switch them on. One of the most significant scientific discoveries of the century was the role of vitamin D in health maintenance. This discovery alone will have a dramatic impact on disease prevention, including cancer.

[funchy]

Originally Posted by ginkgo

Yet, there’s not a shred of real evidence that spending time in the sun actually causes deadly skin cancer. In fact, clinical evidence shows that sunlight prevents 17 different kinds of cancer.But our fear of the sun has kept us indoors and slathered with sunscreen. And that’s bad news… Turns out, a lack of sunshine can trigger deadly cancers, depression, bone loss, heart disease and more…

That's a huge claim for that author to be making, especially without a shred of references or proof to back it up.

It's proven that UV light damages DNA. We know damaged DNA sets off the unregulated division of cells, which is what we call cancer. Melanocytes in your skin produce melanin to help shield against it.

I can tell you firsthand when I'm sunburned, I get permanent spots and damage from it. And it's these tiny brown spots that turn into questionable spots. The accepted medical science is that it's these questionable spots that are the highest risk for skin cancer. If you go in for a skin cancer screening which area do they look at -- the unblemished areas or the spots? Or consider it this way: if the author refuses to believe it's UV light that's damaging cells in skin, then he/she needs to say what the causative force really is.

"Skin cancer" being rare before the 1930s may not be accurate. Who screened for skin cancer in 1900 or 1920? The whole nature of cancer wasn't well understood back then.

We do need sunlight to convert Vit D to a usable form. But short exposure outside is not the same as going to the beach and laying out all day with no sunscreen. Our ancestors did not sunbathe. They were more active and healthier overall, so what worked for them may not work well for this generation.

In short, doing things outdoors is a good idea. But too much sun is dangerous and protection (clothes, hat, sunscreen) should be used when possible.

[Dimond]

Mainly good for you, but only if you eat the correct diet. Food can protect you from sun damage. Many raw foodists can be in the sun for hours without any problems. Many other examples of things like this. If one isn't raw, it's still possible to use foods for sun protection, just unsure of how well it will work (long-term) if the rest of diet is toxic.

[ssandra]

Sun is good for you, just not to much.

Why it was good for you years and years ago.. because back then we had an ozon layer that was whole and protected us.

The reason why in other countries they can stay longer in the sun? Because they have different pigment in their skin that protects us.

Even there they don´t stay in the sun to long. That is where the "siesta" in spain comes from. Better to have 2 hours of lunch between 2 - 4 so you don´t have to be in the sun. Many countries with warmer climates have the same type of "protection" in place.

[ginkgo]

Thanks for your responses. I was trying to guage the level of health understanding on this site. I know of one forum where if I put this information up, they would mention how everyone on that forum knows that sunlight is good for you. But that forum is exclusively for health.

Whereas this forum is for many things besides health including making money in your own business. All the followers of Natural Hygiene know that sunlight is good for you. Now if you go searching the internet now you will find that things are changing in regards to sunlight. I believe that the Mercola site now says that sunlight is good for you.

It is similar to the attitude toward being gay. Fifty years ago everyone wanted to be gay since it meant being happy, not queer or homosexual. Then 30 years ago, someone who was gay had a psychological disorder. Now it is different with Ellen Degeneres having her own TV show. So here is a site with some links to other sites saying that sunlight is good for you-- Health Related Articles. It also has the names and places of quotes from medical journals and quotes from prominent physicians about this. The info on the first post is from Health Sciences Institute and gave no references since you have to pay to get all the info.

Also it is true that the companies make billions from this lie that sunlight is bad for you like said above. But the primary reason for this was these same companies wanted to avoid lawsuits decades ago. Now the statute of limitations has made this unnecessary. Back in the 60s and early 70s these companies sold billions of dollars of suntan lotion with butter or oil in it to cook your skin in the sun. They said it would give you a tan, but not a burn. So they did not want to be sued for that.

Also besides selling sunblock to make you look pale, they also sell skin dye to make you look like you got a suntan. The fact is that more people sunbathe now than 20 years ago since it makes them feel and look better. In 20 years everyone will accept that sunlight is good for you. This stuff now will be forgotten just like the myth of cold fusion has been forgotten. You find that people just like to jump on a bandwagon and ride it.

At the time that Hitler did what he did, all countries hated Jews and that is why they needed to get their own country (Israel 1948). In the 1940s no big law firms in America would hire a Jewish lawyer. There were many Jews in Germany and Russia since they had to leave England and France on penalty of death (but they could convert to being Christian). Now there are more Jews in New York than in Israel. Also there are the 2 Jewish Jerrys. TV Guide chose Jerry Seinfeld as the best show on TV and Jerry Springer as the worst show on TV.

If you make a list of all the things that cause cancer (carninogenic), you find that they are all man-made (artificial), except for sunlight. Also they know that prostate cancer rates go up as you go further north in the U.S. They now know that sunlight is great for the prostate gland. Remember it used to be considered a fact that homosexuality was a psychological disorder just like following a religion. In the late 1800s the most popular healing method used by MDs was bleeding or bloodletting.

[ginkgo]

Here is what Dr Mercola (MD) says about sunlight:
Sunlight Actually Prevents Cancer - articles -

[Some Random Loser]

Remember, the darker your skin the more sunlight is needed to achieve the same Vit-D generation levels. If you're the blackest of the black, it can be "bone suicide" to not get lots of sunlight, perhaps hours a day may be optimal. If you're the whitest of the white, a few minutes a day does a lot more than you think.

Remember, sunscreen blocks the essential UV rays for Vit-D generation, and is toxic. One needs not reach sun-burn levels to get adequate sunlight (i think). There is, however, some sort of nutrient which supposedly doubles the amount of sun one can take without burning. Mike Adams talks about it a lot.

Also remember the sunlight must not be filtered through anything, including windows (they block the essential UV rays).

[dolphintantan]

sunlight will harm the skin- by over expose under sun
-get skin cancer
-the skin will less elasticity,wrinkle grow a lot, this will make you look old
-the freckles and pigmentation grow due to the melanin over produced

but, moderate of sun light can help the born stronger.
________________
best selling stretch marks cream | ged rid of stretch mark

[ginkgo]

Yes I agree. Getting sunlight darkens your skin. The above information is similar to the advice on exercise. If you are an athlete, you are like the black guy. You do not need to worry about exercise. If you are sedentary, you are like the pale guy. The advice is to ask your doctor if it is OK to exercise. Start out slow or the exercise can kill you.

Someone who never exercises is weak as far as strength and stamina. Someone who gets no sunlight is pale. Aging-- the young girl is out in the sunshine and running around and playing. The old lady just lies in her bed all day in her bedroom.

Put the girl in a bed all day with no exercise and sunshine, and she will get weak and sickly. Force the old lady to go outside and play for hours and she will feel young again. I mentioned how decades ago these companies that sell sunblock, sold suntan lotions with oil or butter in them to fry the skin.

Here is Natural Hygiene information on the use of them from a book from back at that time. It is online and talks about suntan and sunburn. Note if you are pale and fly down to the equater and lie in the sun all day, you will get 3rd degree burns all over your body and will need to be hospitalized and may die. This is similar to the sedentary person dying from exercise. Shelton: Fasting; Chapter XLII

If you sprout beans or seeds and let them grow a couple of weeks with no sunlight, they will be pale (white), not green. This is unhealthy just like the pale person. The above chapter online compares the pigment that darkens the skin to the chlorophll in plants. The sunlight creates the pigment in the skin and it creates the chlorphyll in the plant. Note that I own that book that is online and have read it.

[Some Random Loser]

The pale person needs less sunlight to get the same Vit-D generation, due to their adaptation to less sunlight genetically.

The black nigerian needs a lot of sunlight to get the same Vit-D generation, due to their genetic adaptation to lots of sunlight.

Your analogy is ****ed up

[Andrew Michaels]

The sun is critical for life on earth and our own health. Medical claims against exposure are harming people.

Letting yourself get burnt is certainly not a positive thing, however.

For more info read this article.

[MartialDev]

The Sun is NOT Our Enemy? I beg to differ.

The sun shines on good people and bad people, rich people and poor people, conservatives and liberals...

If the sun was a person, we would call it a socialist and a terrorist, and imprison it for threatening the public order.

[ginkgo]

Originally Posted by Andrew Michaels

The sun is critical for life on earth and our own health. Medical claims against exposure are harming people.

Letting yourself get burnt is certainly not a positive thing, however.

For more info read this article.

That is a very good article. It said "Olympic athletes as well as gladiators were instructed to lie exposed to sun rays and to train in the sun, as it was believed to increased muscle size and strength." There is a modern day person who has practiced this. He got a job working at night so he could spend hours in the sun to have the body of a bronze god. Where is this guy now? He is the governor of California. Source: The Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding by The Arnold.

Scholars know that Jesus was not born on December 25th. But that day was celebrated all around the world for thousands of years before Jesus was born. It was the birthday of the sun god. But Jesus is the sun of God and the light of the world.

The Sabbath is the last day of the week and the holy day for people to rest. It is Saturday. But the Pope saw that people had already recognized Sunday as the holy day since it is the day of the sun-- Sunday. So he made that the day of rest.

The idea of grace is that you take one step and God takes a million steps toward you. The sun travels 100 million miles to get to us. All you have to do is step outside to get the benefits of it.

A guy above stated the common knowledge that sunlight causes wrinkles. Have you heard the saying "You cannot have your cake and eat it also." That is wrong. You can have it and eat it. The saying should be "you cannot eat your cake and have it also.

[codenamesmiley]

Lack of sun causes depression. This is important for your mental and spiritual health as well as physical. I will take my risks and get my lil bit of sunshine on my face every day. I'd rather look old and feel young, than be perfectly fair skinned and feel like crap all the time.

[Curtis2011]

Sunlight is great for you up to a certain point.


It is best to get as much sunlight as possible each day, without getting sunburned at all.

That means that as soon as your skin starts to turn pink, you get out of the sun.


Our skin literally transforms the energy from sunlight into vitamin D, which is an amazing resource for our immune systems.


In short - the more sunlight to get, the better. Just don't get sunburned.

[ginkgo]

Yes people can do too much exercise at one time. If you do bodybuilding and overtrain then that is bad for you. If you can only handle 100 pounds and try to lift 200 pounds, you can break your back and die. So what you are saying is that even though fruit is very healthy for you, if you eat 20 pounds of it at one time, you will burst your stomach and die.

You are saying that even though water is healthy for you, if you drink 4 gallons of it at one time, you will die. As you exercise, you develop the ability to do it more. If you overeat and stretch your stomach enough and get up to 500 pounds, then you will be able to eat 20 pounds at one time. So you are saying that you can over do anything.

This is easy to understand but what healthy thing can you not over do? There is something that you cannot over do. So what is that? You cannot sleep too much. Why is that different than everything else. Because you cannot consciously control it. If you get enough sleep, your body will stop sleeping. You can lie there for 3 days but that is not sleeping. If you do not need it, then you cannot do it. Now because of this, most people in the U.S.A. have trouble sleeping even though they have no problem eating and exercising. This is not easy for people to understand. If you do not need to sleep, then your body will refuse to do it.

[liamona]

Originally Posted by Curtis2011

It is best to get as much sunlight as possible each day, without getting sunburned at all.

I like to garden in my bikini, with a large floppy hat and gardening gloves. It's still a bit chilly for this attire, so I take massive amounts of vitamin D3. The stuff is just amazing. It's pretty much the only supplement that noticeably puts me in a good mood and gives me a sense of well-being.