Sunlight exposure is good, not bad, say some scientists

Thursday, July 22, 2010 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer
Tags: sunlight exposure, health, health news

(NaturalNews) Exposure to sunlight, we are often told, is dangerous and can lead to melanoma, also known as skin cancer. But a group of U.K. researchers recently published a report in the British Journal of Dermatology decrying the scare campaigns put out by government and cancer societies that warn against the supposed dangers of sun exposure. Contrary to popular belief, sun exposure can actually decrease the likelihood of developing malignant melanomas.

Sam Shuster, one of the study researchers, and his colleagues are tired of hearing about the 84,000 "skin cancers" that appear each year from sun exposure, because almost all of them are harmless. Malignant melanomas are simply not caused by sun exposure, despite what the "experts" claim. In reality, malignant melanomas tend to shrink back from sun exposure, as do many other harmful cancers in the body.

But the myth that the sun causes malignant cancers continues to persist, even though it is patently false. Excess sun exposure, especially if you lack proper nutrients and fail to let your body grow accustomed to the sun, can cause harmful sunburns. But gradually and regularly exposing your skin to the sun without burning it will only help you, not hurt you.

According to the report, the reason why harmless sun melanomas have been classified as malignant ones is due to a "diagnostic drift which classifies benign lesions as ... melanomas, [which is] driven by defensive medicine, an unsurprising response to its commercialization."

The UV rays from sunlight are necessary for the body to produce vitamin D, maintain bone health and prevent disease. Sunscreen blocks these essential rays from penetrating your skin. So getting your body used to sun exposure apart from sunscreen is the best way to obtain the sun's many health benefits.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010...