12:48 - More Vitamin D / sunshine / sunscreen research

Sunrise: 05:58-06:27 / Moonrise: 06:51 / Sunset: 20:41-21:09 / Moonset: 21:37 / Phase of the Moon on 3 July: waxing crescent with 1% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 10 mph.

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Dawn over the deep blue; Caribbean sunrise on 5/5/5

Men lacking in vitamin D have more than double the normal risk of a heart attack, a study says, one of many suggesting the vitamin is crucial to good health.

Never one to miss an opportunity to bask in vindication, yet another article points to the increasing wealth of information from research touting the benefits of sunshine and vitamin D. An article from the LA Times says

The vitamin is produced from natural precursors in the body by exposing skin to ultraviolet B in sunlight. Caucasian sunbathers can get 20,000 IUs in 20 minutes at noon in summer. But any further exposure simply damages skin.

Darker-skinned people need three to five times the exposure to produce the same amount. Sunblock interferes with production by screening out ultraviolet light.

To have an adequate intake, most people must take supplements or spend more time in the sun -- a recommendation that dermatologists generally oppose because of the risk of skin cancer.

There seems to be a general disconnect in understanding among the populace between how to benefit from sun exposure and what the role of sunblock plays. A lot of folks I talk to that are in their twenties (mostly) and younger seem to have one of two ideas. The first is that the best way (or at least a requirement) to start a summer tan is a sunburn. The seond is that slathering sunblock will protect the skin indefinitely while keeping the skin paper-white.

In the first case, the idea of sunburn as a requirement demonstrates some serious lack of understanding about how skin responds to UV radiation. A story ... true or not, I can't say ... concerns the girl prepping for a wedding. She hit about seven tanning places in one day to irradiate her moonglow, got radiation poisoning, and died (or went to the hospital, or something). True or not, the story reflects a mindset I hear and read about frequently; need to get red before you can get brown. One person said, "I don't try to burn, but I always do the first time I'm out in the summer sun ... even with sunscreen on." And this leads to the second idea about sunblock.

Example of the worst of both worlds; misapplied sunblock and too much sun

"If I use sunblock I can't get burned. I can squirt a little on my shoulders and my whole body will benefit. I can use an SPF15 and spend all day at the beach." Not an actual quote, but it seems to reflect many sunblock misconceptions. This recent CNN article represents this thinking. The mother in the article describes herself as a "freak" about putting sunscreen on her two girls, and yet her daughter was burned on the first day of a Florida vacation. The article goes on to blame the sunscreen as being ineffective. People want the best of both worlds; a whole day in the sun and no sun damage. I just have to shake my head in disbelief that people put so much faith in products.

In a new investigation of 952 name-brand sunscreens, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that 4 out of 5 sunscreen products offer inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns. Leading brands were the worst offenders: None of market leader Coppertone's 41 sunscreen products met EWG's criteria for safety and effectiveness, and only 1 of 103 products from Banana Boat and Neutrogena, the second- and third-largest manufacturers, are recommended by EWG.

The emphasis is mine in that quote from this article. For myself, I lean towards getting straightforward sun exposure and taking care to not burn my skin. Tanning is the skin's natural mechanism to protect against UV radiation. Sunscreens, many found to contain carcinogens, promote a false sense of security and lead many to spend far too long in the sun. Many don't understand the whole SPF concept and misapply it.

The SPF is an imperfect measure of skin damage because invisible damage and skin aging is also caused by the very common ultraviolet type A, which does not cause reddening or pain. Conventional sunscreen does not block UVA as effectively as it does UVB, and an SPF rating of 30+ may translate to significantly lower levels of UVA protection according to a 2003 study. According to a 2004 study, UVA also causes DNA damage to cells deep within the skin, increasing the risk of malignant melanomas.[1] Even some products labeled "broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection" do not provide good protection against UVA rays.[2]

The energy from the sun keeps this planet going. Without it, death follows. With too much exposure, death follows. Just like with anything else, moderation with sun exposure is so important and the benefits are so great. When in doubt, get a long-sleeved tee shirt and a wide-brimmed hat to wear before going out, and take cod liver oil for vitamin D.