19

Let the Sun Shine!

We should love the sun because we can’t be healthy without it.
Humans have been in sunny environments since the beginning. The
sun offers a free source of vitamin D, and is the primary source of this
important nutrient that has powerful effects in the body. Vitamin D
allows us to more effectively use calcium, improves the immune sys-
tem and helps prevents cancer and other diseases.
Not until the past few decades has the incidence of skin cancer
become such a problem. This period also corresponds with the devel-
opment of sunscreen and other products that attempt to block the
sun’s rays. William Grant, Ph.D., who has published many papers on
this issue, says that sunscreen is overrated and gives a false sense of
security. Other research shows the use of sunscreen can actually
increase the risk of malignant melanoma (the most common and
deadly form) and other skin cancers. Grant and other researchers
describe the problem this way: Most sunscreens block ultraviolet B
waves (UVB) very effectively, but do not block longer-wave more
dangerous UVA well. We obtain vitamin D through UVB, and if we
block that wave sun-stimulated vitamin D production is reduced.
The false sense of security that sunscreen gives many people
causes some to stay in the sun longer, exposing the skin to more dan-
gerous UVA, and increasing risk of skin cancer. For this and other rea-
sons, the growing list of research supports the notion that we can pre-
vent a significant number of many types of cancers by spending some
time in the sun, without sunscreen. This includes the prevention of
skin cancer.
Some studies show a relationship between sunscreen use and
cancer prevention while others have not. Unfortunately, sunscreen
manufacturers and cosmetic companies spend millions on marketing,
using popular scare tactics to convince people to use their products.