Sunlight

Did you ever stop to think what it would be like without sunshine on this earth?  There would be no life at all, not a leaf could grow or a flower bloom.  No animal could live and no fish in the oceans.

It is from a mighty power and energy off the sun that all life - vegetable and animal - gets the power to live and grow, some from the sun directly and some indirectly.  Not only does the sun give off light and heat, but also its rays kill off many germs.  Plants receive the power to take carbon-dioxide and oxygen from the air, a process called photosynthesis and combine these into basic food which is eaten by other living animals.  This is done by chlorophyll, the green substance in the leaves of the plants.  This is a wonderful process that man, with all his big laboratories and expensive equipment has never been able to do, or even fully understand.

Energy from the sun's rays also acts on our skin, giving us vitamin D, one of the vitamins needed in our body.  The sun is full of health-giving energy to keep us alive and healthy.  The precious sunlight not only warms the world around us, but is important in making us grow strong and healthy.  When we wake in the morning and the sun shines into our bedrooms, we immediately have a more cheerful "spring in our step" and a healthier glow to our faces.  The sun gives off great amounts of life healing energy each hour of every day.

Sunlight, either from shining on us, or from eating foods grown in the sun, assists in keeping the blood clean and pure which supplies life to each part of our body.  It also strengthens the body's immune system.

Even sick people are greatly helped by relaxing in moderate amounts of sunshine and fresh air.  The sun has many healing properties which greatly benefit the health of the body:-

* Aids in relieving acutely swollen arthritic joints

* Relieves certain symptoms of PMS

* Increases calcium absorption

* Forms Vitamin D

* Destroys bacteria and viruses

* Lowers blood pressure

* Brings a sense of well being

* Promotes healing of some skin irritations

Of course there is danger of over exposure to the harshness of the sun's rays, but as in all facets of our lives, it is always possible to overdo even the good.  It is wise to regulate the exposure to the sun with moderation and common sense.

HEALING  SUNLIGHT
By Richard A. Hansen, M.D.

"What a contrast!" I thought, as I looked across the room at my patient, her face bronzed from a winter spent in Florida.  She looked the picture of health, much younger than her real age.  Surely, the sunlight had made a difference.
The faces of many people I meet from day to day are pale from spending the winters indoors or taking only brief excursions into the fresh air all bundled up with only nose and cheeks exposed to a fleeting winter-sun.  What makes the difference when the countenance shines?  Does the effect go deeper than the skin?  This is our focus...the new light on sunlight.
Energy from the sun comes to our planet in several classes of wavelengths: short visible rays, including cosmic rays; gamma rays, x-rays, and ultraviolet; visible light of several colors; and invisible infrared, radio, and electric waves.  These together make up the electromagnetic spectrum.  The main types of energy that get through the stratosphere to reach the earth's crust are the. ultraviolet, visible spectrum, and infrared.
The middle range of frequencies that we perceive as ordinary white light is actually a blend of all the colors of the rainbow -- red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, and the various shades in between.  Sunlight helps us to appreciate beauty - the irridesence of a peacock feather or a hummingbird's throat; the contrast between the dark green pine trees and the light green grass of the meadow; the blue sky and the dark blue-green of lakes and rivers; the white foam of the ocean and fleecy clouds.  Yet, the benefits to our health go far beyond what the eye can see.
The infrared waves provide warmth.  This solar heat helps our gardens grow.  It is captured by the fiberglass panels we ever more frequently see sitting atop homes and office buildings.  Even ordinary window glass transmits infrared light; this accounts for the "greenhouse effect".  It is solar energy transformed that makes plants grow.  Later, we use some for food, while the tall trees find their place crackling in our fireplaces or built into our wooden framed buildings.  Without infrared heat waves, our planet would be cold like the moon, uninhabitable, barren and lifeless.

RESISTANCE TO INFECTIONS
These wavelengths, shorter than visible light, strike our bodies and have a profound effect upon our skin, eyes and enzyme systems.
The most obvious manifestation of sunligbt's effect is on the skin.  We tan when the invisible pigment in the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is converted to melanin, a much darker pigment.  The darkening of the skin is most apparent in those who are neither too fair complexioned nor dark, as in the black races.  But all may benefit from the effects of sunlight, which tends to toughen the skin, making it more resistant to disease, including many infections.  Diaper [nappy] rash, commonly caused by yeast organisms, can be virtually cured by judicious exposure to sunlight.  Other similar conditions, such as atblete's foot [tinnia] and even chronic psoriasis, can respond to influences from our sun.

VITAMIN D AND CALCIUM
When one is exposed to sunlight several changes take place in the skin.  The warmth to the body brings out natural oils in the skin.Under the influence of ultraviolet light, some of this fatty material is changed into Vitamin D. (The fatty material is primarily cholesterol, so the production of Vitamin D is an excellent way to lower blood cholesterol levels and turn a potentially harmful substance into a valuable vitamin.) Further chemical alterations in the sunshine vitamin, involving protein, then occur in the
liver.  These help us absorb, transport and use calcium.  Thus, bones benefit, becoming harder and more resistant to breakage.  If Vitamin D is absent, calcium absorption is deficient, and bones are deformed.  Childhood "ricketts" or adult "osteomalacia" then results.  But these diseases are readily preventable with Vitamin D. There is no question that sunlight, rather than capsules, pills, or dairy products, is the best source.

OXYGEN UTILIZATION
More recent information has helped us to appreciate sunlight's role in total body fitness.  There is a beneficial influence on oxygen utilization and some improvement in endurance and muscular strength when individuals are regularly exposed to sunlight.  Slight reductions in resting heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate have been seen in several studies.

BLOOD SUGAR STABILIZATION
Blood sugar is stabilized, due to an increase in an enzyme called phosphorylase.  In fact, the effect can last many hours after exposure to sunlight-

GERM KILLER
Remember the time when many hospitals had ultraviolet lamps in the operating rooms and the corridors of tuberculosis wards?  Sunlight is definitely lethal to most harmful germs.  It not only increases the resistance of your skin, but changes the microorganisms on the surface of your skin.  This effect was first noted in 1877, and can be easily demonstrated by placing tubes of sugar water on your window sill.  The tubes in the shade soon become cloudy, indicating the growth of bacteria..Those exposed to sunlight will remain clear.
It was later shown that this result,was due to the ultraviolet rays of the sun.  In fact, Neils Finson won a Nobel Prize in 1903 for using sunlight in tuberculosis therapy.  In the 1920's and 1930's, sunbathing for bone tuberculosis was used quite commonly.  In European sanitariums, patients were often encouraged to snow ski in bathing suits!  This made the benefits of sunshine available both winter and summer.  Many cures were reported for otherwise hopeless cases.
It is possible that the many hospital infections with antibiotic resistant organisms today could be curtailed if sunlight were welcomed in the rooms or if ultraviolet lights were used once again to disinfect rooms, nurseries, and surgical areas.  Modern hospital construction with its heavy glass windows and endless corridors has almost eliminated the penetration of ultraviolet rays into the sick room.  Ultraviolet light is filtered out by the smoke and smog of the cities, as well as by most window glass used in modern construction, so that very little reaches us.  But it does get through clouds, when they are free of pollution.

SPIRIT LIFTER
You may even find that sunlight lifts your spirits.  It tranquilizes many of us.  And others who have had the experience with the beneficial effects of sunlight say that it gives a boost to general health.  It also stimulates the appetite, gives a feeling of well-being, and improves restful sleep at night.

HEALTHY TANNING
Ideally, the exposure to sunlight should start gradually and progress to a healthy tan.  A person's sensitivity to sunlight is the first deciding factor.  Blond and red-haired people tend to burn more easily and should begin with brief exposures to the rays.  Dark-skinned people and brunettes can spend more time initially.  Generally, the sunlight does not readily penetrate dark skin.  When the sun is higher in the sky, more ultraviolet light rays become available.  In winter months, the hours around noon are best for a sunbathe.
In the more northern latitudes, more time can be devoted to sunbathing, since the rays are reflected at an oblique angle.  Water is a poor reflector of ultraviolet light, while snow may reflect up to 85% of the rays.  White sand reflects somewhat better than grass.  At the beach, remember that wet skin burns more readily than dry skin.

ULTRAVIOLET LAMPS
Ultraviolet lamps are not as effective as natural sunlight and, of course, increase the risk of burning.  Fluorescent ultraviolet tubes or a series of sunlamps may be used to provide uniform exposure.  Most important with sunlamps is to protect the eyes and never fall asleep under a lamp.  A timer with an alarm system is valuable to prevent accidental burns.

SOLARIUMS
Many individuals enjoy building a solarium, an outdoor enclosure where one can sunbathe in complete privacy and sheltered from the prevailing winds.  With a clear plexiglass covering, your solarium can be used, much like a greenhouse, even in the winter months.  Using the solarium in our hospital, The Poland Spring Health Institute, we have seen many patients with arthritis, skin diseases, infections, and other illnesses benefit.  Even hormone imbalance improves, as indicated by the resumption of normal menstration.  Heart patients may see their blood cholesterol levels drop.  And, according to one recent study, there is a possibility of reducing the risk of cancer.
Indeed, the benefits of sunlight are many.  But we must mention some problems too.

SUNLIGHT AND CANCER
Fair-skinned people exposed to excessive sunlight can develop precancerous conditions in the skin.  Scaliness and reddened, rough areas may appear on the face, nose or hands.  Some are called 'senile keratoses'.  If untreated, these can progress to become skin cancers.  Consultation with a surgeon or dermatologist is valuable to determine the type of lesion and to select the most beneficial treatment.
Recent research has focused on the possible relationship between melanoma and excessive sun exposure.  Malignant melanoma is one of the worst types of skin cancer.  It appears in various ways, but usually as a black mole that grows, changes its color and later can spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.  A number of recent medical articles mention that there is more melanoma in sunny geographical areas.  Although much less common than the squamous and basal cell skin cancers, this killer also needs urgent treatment when identified.
Friend and channel for healing is most certainly the sun.  So, pull your curtains back to let in the sun's rays and open your windows too.... even at the risk of some fading of carpets and furniture.  The benefits of sunlight in the home far outweigh its disadvantages.


Richard A. Hansen, M.D., is the leading physician and surgeon at the POLAND SPRING HEALTH INSTITUTE, Summit Spring Road, RFD l, Box 4300, Poland Spring, Maine, 04274. (207) 998-2894.  He and his wife are available for lectures and demonstrations in simple remedies and nutrition.

Skin Cancer& Sunlight

By Matthew Steele, Dietician, La Mancha Health Centre, Lismore, NSW,Australia

With the arrival of summer and a depletion of some 50% in the ozone layer, it is only natural that one should be concerned about the possibility of skin cancer.  And not without reason.  While most skin cancers are relatively innoccuous lesions, one form, malignant melanoma, is quite dangerous and potentially lethal.
In the age range of 25-44 years, in Australia in 1982,. it was the most common form of cancer and its incidence has been increasing by about 5% per year.
It is generally assumed that skin cancer,,is caused by the ultra-violet radiation of the sun but there are a few anomalies in this conclusion which would suggest that this is not the whole story.  For instance in Australia and New Zealand the incidence of skin cancer increases with increasing proximity to the equator, but in Europe the reverse is true - there is a greater incidence of skin cancer in Norway and Sweden than in France or Italy.  In addition to this while most skin cancers are more prevalent among outdoor workers, malignant melanoma is more common among indoor workers.  While malignant melanoma may occur on any part of the body, the other forms of skin cancer usually occur in areas commonly exposed to the sun.
The possibility that diet might affect the incidence of skin cancer has been largely overlooked despite some rather convincing studies in animals.  In these studies it has been consistently shown that high-fat diets and high-calorie diets both increase the incidence of tumours (malignant and non-malignant forms of cancer) initiated by ultra violet radiation.
In one study by Rusch, 87% of mice exposed to UV light developed skin tumours when fed a high-calorie diet; whereas only 7% of the controls, which were fed a low calorie diet, developed tumours. In another study the feeding of a high-fat diet after exposure to UV radiation also increased the incidence of skin tumours.
The type of fat may also be important.  In a study by Black there were more tumors after UV radiation in mice fed 4% (by weight) or 12% corn oil diets, than in mice fed a 12% hydrogenated corn oil (a saturated fat) diet.  Other studies have shown that diets high in polyunsaturated fats also cause higher incidences of tumor formation at other sites than do high saturated-fat diets.
The application of oil to the skin of mice exposed to UV radiation also led to a greater incidence of skin tumours.
There are doubtless other factors which may affect the risk of skin cancers.  One specialist suggested that overwashing of the skin with strong soaps and hot water, particularly before exposure to the sun, will increase the risk of damage to the skin by UV radiation.

While there is no doubt that too much sun is a hazard, the benefits of sunlight should not be overlooked.  Sunlight on the skin causes the production of vitamin D which is essential for calcium metabolism.  Sunlight helps lower the cholesterol level and blood pressure.  It stimulates the immune system and increases the oxygen carrying capacity of the red cells.  It can also help reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics.

HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SKIN CANCER

1. Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun particularly if your normal occupation keeps you indoors.  The UV radiation is most intense between the hours of 9:00am and 4:00pm in summer.

2. Wear protective clothing and a broad-rimmed hat and keep moving while in the sun.

2. Avoid high fat foods - particularly those containing added fats and oils.

3. Avoid over-eating.  You should be hungry before eating if not you probably ate too much at the previous meal.  Remember that not everyone who overeats becomes overweight.

4. Avoid overwashing of the skin with too much soap and hot water.

References: Armstrong BK , Epidemiology of malignant melanoma.  J Derm Surg Oncol 14:8 Aug 1988.
Birt DF.  Fat and calorie effects on carcinogenesis.  Am J Clin Nutr 1987;45:203-9.