By Marc Sorenson, Sunlight Institute
Dr. Richard Weller, “enlightened” dermatologist, continues to dispel the myths regarding sunlight exposure. He and his colleague, Dr. Wright, recently published a paper that promotes sunlight for older people.[i] In it, they make several important points:
- “Intermittent sun exposure is a risk factor for the more dangerous melanoma but chronic sun exposure and outdoor occupation may be protective.”
- “Public health advice has tended to concentrate on the dangers of sun exposure despite the absence of any data that increased sun exposure correlates with raised all-cause mortality.”
- “Inadequate sun exposure carries its own risks, and the older population are particularly sun deprived as recorded by low serum Vitamin D levels and lack of outdoor activity.”
- “Sunlight has health benefits dependently and independently of vitamin D synthesis. Low serum vitamin D levels correlate with increased morbidity and mortality but the direction of association is not always clear. Vitamin D has a causal role in calcium and phosphate metabolism, in skeletal health and probably reduction of colorectal cancer.”
- “…..mobilization of nitric oxide by UVA radiation from nitrate stores in skin, with consequent reduction in BP, may account for the observed reduction in cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality with increased sun exposure.”
- “Advice on healthy sun exposure needs to be reconsidered, with reduction in all-cause mortality and morbidity as the primary end point.”
It is refreshing to follow Dr. Weller’s scientific papers, since he is a dermatologist that has not succumbed to the mantras of the various anti-sun organizations. He tells the truth, and that truth will help to set free the populace that labors under the falsehoods perpetrated by the sunscare industry. Elderly people need so desperately to sunbathe regularly to benefit their health. I know this, because my wife and I conduct church meetings for the residents of an assisted-care facility. My heart bleeds to know that the suffering they are undergoing need never have happened if they had done two things: (1) engaged in regular sun exposure during their lifetimes and (2) practiced good nutrition. In my opinion, most of them would never have been admitted to the facility in the first place had they known and practiced these two guidelines.
[i] Wright F, Weller RB. Risks and benefits of UV radiation in older people: More of a friend than a foe? Maturitas. 2015 May 19. pii: S0378-5122(15)00674-X. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.05.003. [Epub ahead of print].
