sun exposure

[Guest guest]

I read back through some posts on this, but don't have time to read

the many posts to find the original from El, but I'm wondering about

the following info:

 

factory

> workers, many of whom haven't been in the sun in months or even

years, coat

> themselves with " sun screen " and go sit outside for hours on end.

Further,

> they sit by water, which reflects the sunlight right onto them and

therefore

> intensifies its effects. They do not move, the just " face the sun. "

And they

> ALL suffer from sun burn, skin dehydration in various forms, and

eventually

> serious skin problems such as wrinkling (severe dehydration) and

even melanoma. Yet these educated people from these developed

countries spend far

> LESS time in the sun than those poor fools living in those backward,

> underdeveloped countries.

> It does not matter how many studies " show " a relationship between

sun

> exposure and melanoma. They are studying the wrong variables,

asking the

> wrong questions, before they even begin the studies. They never

consider the

> effects of the sun screen products. They never apply the known

principles of

> vital adaptation.

> And they abuse statistical analysis techniques. In applied

mathematics

 

 

Elchanan, I'm not sure I get your point here exactly. I get the " sun

good; sunscreen bad " theme, but are you seem to be also saying that

melanoma is not related to sun exposure. And you talk about looking

at the wrong variables, but you don't say which variable everyone

should be looking at. You seem to be suggesting that fair skinned

folks have problems ONLY because they lay still in the sun, instead

of working in it. Could it not be the difference between skin types

instead of that we're lazy?

 

As a kid, I went every day to the swimming pool when it was open, and

spent hours there swimming and playing, not sitting. I have always

enjoyed manual labor. IN college, I refused desk jobs and instead

sought labor jobs, in spite of the raised eyebrows every time I

showed up for work and was not only the lone female, but sometimes

the lone " gringa " as well. I worked outside on a landscaping crew in

Wyoming; I harvested pumpkins in Colorado; I stood outside selling

roses; I was a lifeguard; I had a Forest service job posting

Avalanche danger signs....and I never wore sunscreen. I also competed

nationally in triathlons for five years, which meant 2-6 hours of

training every day in the sun, at different times. Even though I

thought about sunscreen then, I rarely " got around " to putting it on.

I burned and peeled, and burned and peeled, but didn't really care.

At about age 25, I started to notice bright red spots on my arms and

thighs that would show up after I'd been in the sun. At age 28, when

I was peaking as a triathlete, I'd be covered with spots after a

race, and people thought I had a terrible rash from the sea or

something. I thought about putting on sunscreen after getting out of

the water, but didn't want to lose time, since I was after medals and

trophies. The spots would subside after a few days, anyway, so I

wasn't that worried.

 

I quit racing, but continued riding about four days a week/365 days a

year for 17 years. My jobs have been indoor jobs that I took outdoors

almost every day.

SOmewhere in my 30's, the spots stopped going away, and were there

all the time. I mentioned them to my mom. She'd never done anything

athletic, and I'd always seen her covered up, but I thought it was

modesty. She told me she had the same thing. I just never knew it.

She's had a number of melanoma's removed.

My dad died of skin cancer two years ago after a long battle with

it. He had played tennis daily and competively right up until age

70.

 

My entire body (or actually only the sun exposed parts) is covered

with very rough bright red spots about the size of freckles. THere

are literally hundreds on my arms and legs,and they've gotten more

numerous each year. Dermatologists have told me that the damage is

done. It doesn't matter if I never go out in the sun again; they will

continue to proliferate. I cover myself up now, and in the summer, I

wear body makeup to lessen their redness because it concerns people,

some who think I have a contagious disease. I no longer wear dresses

or skirts or shorts or sleeveless. Although I can't honestly say

I " never " sat still in the sun or on a beach, I can count on one hand

the number of times I've done that, and then only because I was

accomodating the desires of my hosts.

 

 

I'm not being defensive here, but if you're saying that what my dad

died of was not skin cancer, then I'd sure like to know what he

should have done differently because, although, sadly, it's too late

for me to help him, but maybe there's something I can do for myself.

I don't enjoy feeling like a leper at this point in my life.

For the last 4-5 years, I have made it a habit to put on sunscreen

after every shower (although I do buy them at natural foods stores),

so that I don't forget.

 

I've been a vegan for 25+ years, except for a two-year stint of being

macrobiotic, and have been 50% raw for three years. I'm not into

sugar, but I love fruit,and up until 3 years ago, I ate a fair amount

of bread (with my veggie burgers).

When Doug Graham was here, he said he could not offer any help, but I

was welcome to come to their retreats. I've also been to

acupunturists, ND's, An Oriental medicine clinic, herbologists,and

allergists. I have been on fasts, have bought hundreds of expensive

supplements (usually a line owned by the Dr.s and ND's themselves),

and have at other times given up wheat, caffeine, cruciferous

vegetables, and potatoes and other nightshade foods for up to six

months.

 

I've tried every kind of natural and unnatural soap, salve, oil,

tincture, and lotion that exists in natural markets all over the

world and online, as well as prescription stuff.

I'd be very happy for you to tell me what I've missed, or what I've

done wrong, but I can tell you it isn't because I've been standing in

a factory or sitting at a desk, and then going out to the beach to

sit some more.

 

kim