12-26-2010, 03:23 PM
You two are probably thinking of vitamin D3, which is actually a hormone not a vitamin. It's very hard to get beneficial levels of D3 through foods however. D3 is produced in the body when exposed to sunlight, specifically the UVB rays..not UVA. Researchers have found that it's one of the most beneficial "supplements" for our health and immune system that we know of. It has even been shown to protect against cancers, and believe it or not, skin cancer.
Think about when we get sick most. In the winter..not only is there less sunlight but we're out in the sun less.
The six states that have the highest incidences of skin cancer are Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Vermont, and New Hampshire, all high latitudinal states. Don't you think it's odd that a place like Florida wouldn't be included on that list? It rains in Oregon and Washington every day! States in the higher latitudes have weaker UVB rays, so people become D3 deficient. Whereas in Florida, they're getting vast amounts of healthy UVB exposure. In a place like Portland Oregon, they're more fair-skinned, which means the cancer-causing UVA rays will burn them faster. And they're fair-skinned in the first place because a lack of UVB rays. A light tan is actually recommended, with 20 minutes of sun exposure a day without sunscreen on..because most sunscreens block the UVB rays altogether! I've read of reports correlating the rise in skin cancer rates with the rise of sunscreen use, but the reasons for that could be multiple.
Metaphysically speaking, I think this only makes sense, as we should expect light to nurture, heal, and protect.
Think about when we get sick most. In the winter..not only is there less sunlight but we're out in the sun less.
The six states that have the highest incidences of skin cancer are Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Vermont, and New Hampshire, all high latitudinal states. Don't you think it's odd that a place like Florida wouldn't be included on that list? It rains in Oregon and Washington every day! States in the higher latitudes have weaker UVB rays, so people become D3 deficient. Whereas in Florida, they're getting vast amounts of healthy UVB exposure. In a place like Portland Oregon, they're more fair-skinned, which means the cancer-causing UVA rays will burn them faster. And they're fair-skinned in the first place because a lack of UVB rays. A light tan is actually recommended, with 20 minutes of sun exposure a day without sunscreen on..because most sunscreens block the UVB rays altogether! I've read of reports correlating the rise in skin cancer rates with the rise of sunscreen use, but the reasons for that could be multiple.
Metaphysically speaking, I think this only makes sense, as we should expect light to nurture, heal, and protect.