{"id":15170,"date":"2019-04-15T08:20:19","date_gmt":"2019-04-15T13:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wholehealthchicago.com\/?p=15170"},"modified":"2021-06-15T11:21:53","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T16:21:53","slug":"im-really-confused-about-sun-exposure-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wholehealthchicago.com\/blog\/2019\/04\/15\/im-really-confused-about-sun-exposure-2","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m Really Confused About Sun Exposure\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Julie was heading for an all-inclusive week in Cancun to loll on a vast expanse of beach, soaking up rays and having someone named Juan bring her endless pina coladas (she planned to get her money\u2019s worth). Sounded pretty nice to me. After months of Chicago overcast\/gray, it seemed like a perfect way to put seasonal affective disorder to bed for the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julie was reasonably concerned about her time on the beach. What about sunblock? Which one? How long could she be out there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For we who are left behind, it\u2019s April, and while not yet balmy, Chicago does have a lakefront with lots of beaches and parks and plenty of sunshine to come. If we work near windows, we might also be getting a lot more sunlight than we think. So this Health Tip applies to us all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new approach to the sun<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I related some compelling news to Julie. Based on a Swedish study published in 2016<\/a>, there\u2019s a whole new way she (and we) can approach the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Study researchers followed 30,000 women 25 to 64 over a period of 20 years, collecting information about personal sun exposure, activities like sunbathing (winter and summer), and asking whether they consciously chose \u201csun vacations\u201d and if they used tanning beds. Except for tanning-bed users, just about everyone used sunblock, helpful to prevent sunburn<\/a> and premature skin aging, but as we\u2019ll soon see completely ineffective for skin cancer prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on their own reporting, the 30,000 women were divided into five groups, ranging from Group 0 (deliberate avoidance of sun) to Group 4 (greatest sun exposure).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 20 years, to everyone\u2019s surprise, Group 4 was statistically the healthiest. They had developed the fewest chronic illnesses, especially heart disease, and had the lowest death rate. In Group 4, there was also a slightly higher rate of cancers of all types, but this was attributed to the fact that they were living longer than those in the other groups rather than to sun exposure itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As sun exposure declined, health stats worsened<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Group 0 (with the least sun exposure) had the highest amount of chronic illness and a death rate virtually equal to that of cigarette smokers.<\/strong><\/em> The authors\u2019 startling conclusion: when it comes to serious health risks, sun avoidance joins obesity, smoking, and a sedentary life as a harbinger of ill health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut,\u201d you\u2019re tempted to splutter, \u201cWhat about skin cancer? Aren\u2019t these Group-4 bronzed goddesses dying of skin cancer?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It turned out that the five groups of women developed skin cancer about equally, but among those who got the potentially fatal skin cancer melanoma, those with the most sun exposure were the least likely to die from the disease. <\/em>That curious fact is attributed to the higher vitamin D levels in Group 4. Melanoma patients with high levels of D have a lower rate of the cancer spreading throughout the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A primer on sun<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So whether it\u2019s Julie heading to Cancun or you to Oak Street Beach (or just your own backyard), here\u2019s some sunny info:<\/p>\n\n\n\n