Your mother was right

Go play in the sun. Your good health depends on it

By Phillipa Rispin

Over the last few decades, rising incidences of melanoma and other skin cancers have led to strong warnings, especially to fair-skinned people, to minimize sun exposure and avoid tanning salons; at the same time, rickets is making a comeback. If William Grant, PhD has his way, that will soon change. He said that moderate sun exposure, whether natural or artificial, is necessary to fight rickets and numerous forms of internal cancers.

"Vitamin D, one of the most important immune system substances, is generated in the skin by sunlight ", said Dr Grant. "Without it, the human body becomes serum vitamin D deficient, clearing the way for the onset of a host of diseases. " Dr Grant recently retired from NASA's Langley Research Center and is now an independent researcher. He is also Chairman of Sunlight Nutrition and Health Research Center in San Francisco, CA. His research has shown a direct link between a reduced link in certain cancers (such as breast, colon, ovarian, prostate, as well as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) and solar ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation.

Lightly toasted, please
Dr Grant concluded that much of the geographic variation in cancer mortality rates in the US can be attributed to variations in solar UV-B radiation exposure. Does this mean that we should head for the tanning salon? Possibly, according to Dr Grant. There are only two ways to get enough vitamin D in our lives, he said: exposure to UV-B radiation and through diet -- either from "natural " sources of fatty fish or through vitamin supplements. Sunlight is a cost-free and enjoyable way to soak up UV-B rays. Moderate (and "moderate " is the key word here) exposure to UV-B shouldn't be harmful and is not likely to significantly increase the risk of photoaging and skin cancer.

Implications for Canadians
Ashton Embry is one Canadian who has seen the benefits of UV-B exposure. Nine years ago his son Matt was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Mr Embry, a research geologist with the Geological Survey of Canada in Edmonton, became involved with a local support group called Direct-MS and put his research talents to good use. He independently arrived at conclusions similar to Dr Grant's: vitamin D (from sunlight and nutritional factors) is vital in combatting MS and in maintaining health in general.

"Multiple sclerosis prevalence correlates with latitude, " said Mr Embry. "Saskatchewan and Alberta have the highest incidences in the world. " People in these provinces have limited opportunity to expose their skin to the sun and there is no easy, local source of fatty fish such as salmon. As a consequence of his research, Embry now regularly swaps information and ideas with Dr Grant.

Mr Embry's research paid off handsomely for his son. Matt increased his intake of vitamin D to approximately 4000 IU daily and now, at age 27, he's "greatly improved, " said Mr Embry, "so much so that you can hardly tell that he has MS."