The Pristine Glory of the Sun God - Part 3
The Pristine Glory of the Sun God - Part 3
- Dr.Shirish Bhate
Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, due to a combination of tropical latitude, fair-skinned population, outdoor lifestyle, and a high amount of ambient ultraviolet radiation. Widespread opinions about tanning and the health benefits of sunlight lead many Australians to intentionally and unwisely overexpose themselves to the sun. State cancer councils have developed sun safety and awareness campaigns to educate the population about sun exposure and encourage early detection of skin cancers in an attempt to control this.
Over exposure to the sun may also cause over-activity of the
parathyroid glands with associated health problems, also more
applicable to populations beyond the tropics and towards the
poles.Most cancer patients occupy houses which do not allow entry of
sufficient sunlight and when this author researched the subject
further he found that there is a strong negative correlation between
the available sunlight and cancer death rates, i.e. living in a
sunny area is associated with lower rates of cancer. Hence, the
incidence of cancer is highest in the cities, where the concrete
jungles, sky- scrapers and air conditioning in most offices do not
allow sufficient exposure to the sun. Even
skin
cancer is inhibited by regular low- level sun exposure, only sunburn
itself strongly increases the prevalence of skin cancer.
It has been stated that trends in epidemiological literature suggest
that approximately 30,000 U.S. cancer deaths yearly could be averted
by widespread public use of regular mild sun exposure. A study on
electricity workers showed that those with the most sun exposure had
the lowest rates of melanoma and skin cancer and vice versa. Other
studies show a strong link between long-term exposure to fluorescent
lighting and melanoma. Melanoma often occurs on areas of the skin
that has not been exposed to sunlight. But most of the economic
activity in developed countries such as U.S. and U.K. appears to
take place in offices with tinted glass, fluorescent lighting and
continuously used air conditioners. Unfortunately this western model
is being adopted in developing countries too.
Sensitive individuals, especially those with low
blood
pressure and lack of energy, and those tending towards food
allergies and chemical sensitivities, should expose themselves to
full sunlight only for very short periods and preferably in
semi-shade, such as under a tree. Those with a good tolerance on the
other hand, with resilient skin and often a higher blood pressure
would benefit from longer exposure. Skin develops its own filtering
ability in the form of a gradual sun-tan. Locations of the
individual's sun-tanning are an important lead in the diagnostic
process of the Vaidya. The Vaidyas should take note of the areas
that become tanned and their correlation to degenerative diseases
such as rheumatism or
arthritis. Several diagnostic tips given by this author arise
from his experiences in
meditation and do not necessarily form a part of ancient
Samhitas.
The deficiency of ultraviolet radiation caused by the trend of
living behind glass is a contributing factor in the development of
degenerative diseases such as arthritis,
cancer and leukemia, eye disease,
hyperactivity and sexual problems. These harmful effects are
reinforced if the glass is tinted inappropriately to block out part
of the visible spectrum.
Ott (ref. already given earlier) showed that coloured lights have a
strong influence on the ratio of male to female offspring when
breeding animals. Especially undesirable are most kinds of
fluorescent lighting, more so if they have a pink hue. Even more
harmful is the light from the screens of color televisions and
computer monitors. This effect is due to the artificial composition
of the colors in addition to any radiation dangers. Consider this in
the light of the ever reducing fertility in the modern young
generation (20-35 age group) especially those who do shift work, or
work in the IT industry in huge offices and call centres, etc. Other
sources of radiation include the cell phone which the young almost
always have at hand. The girls like to hang their cell phones close
to navel where the effect on the ovaries can easily be predicted.
How many of their doctors are even aware of, or warn them of such
grave
risks?
If one has sensitive eyes, one should continue to wear sunglasses
when the light is very strong and glaring and then gradually reduce
their use when the eyes improve and strengthen. For instance, the
glare of reflected U-V radiation from ice creates temporary
blindness, as experienced by this author during Himalayan treks. The
best sunglasses, if required, are of special composition of gray so
that they reduce the intensity of all colors to the same degree.
Most plastics, by the way, do not screen out ultraviolet rays so one
can obtain the full impact from sunlight by living behind clear
plastic windows. However one disadvantage of this is that one can
still become sunburned, even behind plastic windows.
LLack of sunlight in winter or if we are
bedridden for example, and therefore usually out of the sun, makes
us more susceptible to depression. As
discussed earlier, one can cure this so-called seasonal affective
disorder (SADS) by looking into a bright light in the morning,
preferably sunlight or otherwise a light with the full daylight
spectrum. Sunlight is also required to convert
cholesterol into vitamin D.
It is interesting to note that the prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis
is inversely related to the amount of sunshine in the region, the
closer to the equator, the lower the incidences of the disease. This
is similar to the number of cancer sufferers which declines the
closer we get to the equator.br />
Editing help from Jane MacRoss is gratefully acknowledged.
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