As per the last post, this is courtesy of GrassrootsHealth. The particular presentation I'm highlighting is Skin Cancer / Sunscreen -- the Dilema, by Edward D. Gorham, Ph.D., Frank C. Garland, Ph.D., Cedric F. Garland, Dr.P.H. and Sharif B. Mohr, M.P.H.
Let's jump right in with some graphical highlights.
Melanoma has been getting worse and worse, where? Indonesia? Brazil? Cuba? How about Tunisia -- all places pretty close to the equator where the sun is powerful all the year long. Bzzzzt. Norway.
In fact, the father north you go in the northern hemisphere, or the father south you go in the southern, skin cancer rates go up.
Oh, well that's because of the ozone, right. Bzzzzt. Wrong again. Looks like ozone thickness is higher at extreme latitudes.
The sunscreen manufacturers are doing just fine.
Really, really fine. The more money they make, the more melanoma, and the more calls go out to use more sunscreen. Excellent business plan.
Wow. Isn't melanoma correlated with either UVA or UVB? And burns with the other wavelength? And aren't we are protecting with sunscreens against the wavelength causing burns and giving us vitamin D, but not against the wavelength causing cancer? Double whammy.
I haven't looked into the sunscreen issue as I never put on sunscreen anymore unless I'm out in the sun for hours on end on a beach — and I live at high altitude to boot. I do not seem to burn terribly and now seeing these graphs I'm glad I don't use sunscreen adn take plenty of cod liver oil to boot in winter.
Yikes.
It's a whole new world, Monica dear. Finally, people with just a bit of cleverness and attitude are putting the "health columnists" to shame.
You know: rotten fruit, vegetables, and eggs — my usual mantra.
Scott:
First, I know we've got a lot to take in from you (I read your original entry at Art's). Please, please feel totally welcome to spread your knowledge. I have been spouting "escape velocity" since 1990 (did you ever read any Neo-Tech — Frank R. Wallace — which is where I apprehended the concept?).
Yea. I love getting those quizzical, born in total ignorance stares when I tell people of my diet practices.
Any pics?
Great post. I've read through all of the fitness entries in your blog and I'm impressed. You're doing a great job spreading the paleo lifestyle message. I've been on this bandwagon for about eight years, and at 47 I'm in athletic shape, low bodyfat, never sick, exceptional health markets. I get a kick telling people who ask me for my secret: Eat fat! I tell them I eat a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb diet. Plus, zero grains. I also love to mention I eat coconut oil by the spoonfuls. This goes so against anything they've ever been told they just can't to grips with it and think I'm a genetic freak. haha
I have several women friends who go through several bottles of SPF 30 in a year and make quarterly visits to their derm to take off basal and squamous cell lesions. I cannot convince them to STOP using the sunscreen. They seem to think I'm nuts. They have throughly indoctrinated.
Since I have been at 5,000iu a day (almost a year), I have had no sunburns, few new wrinkles (at 60 yrs old), and the little scalies have gone. Plus, I get a nice tan.
What a great illustration of mind-blowing modern ignorance.
Sunscreen is VERY important -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfq_A8nXMsQ
Call Linda at 772-349-4638 to ask her about her home made all organic oil skin treatment that prevents sunburn while allowing tanning. The last I bought was $16. per bottle. My skin is great and I have a tan for the first time in 30 years. ( I do add a little spf 50 to the tops of my shoulders on a very bright day when I’ll be out in the sun for an extended length of time as I have fair skin.)
If you take the risk and send her a check she’ll mail you the oil.
Keep in mind – medicine is getting much better about diagnosing and catching melanoma.
The question is whether the increasing” incidence” is from better awareness and better diagnosis – as this trend is happening for many diseases.