Sunbathing can help prevent more than 25 chronic diseases and save billions

The health of people in Britain is being put at risk by official policy that discourages sunbathing and promotes use of sunblock products. The cost of disease caused by insufficient exposure to sunlight and consequent deficiency of vitamin D is estimated to be billions of pounds per year in Britain.

Government advice to “cover up, keep in the shade…and use factor 15 plus sunscreen” is based on outdated information, mistaken interpretation of evidence and guesswork. It ignores evidence showing that insufficient vitamin D is closely associated with, and almost certainly is a cause of, dozens of chronic diseases including 16 different types of cancers, several nervous system diseases including schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis, diabetes, raised blood pressure, polycystic ovary disease, menstrual problems, infertility, infections and dental decay.

It may seem incredible that such a long list of very different diseases could all be caused, at least in part, by insufficient vitamin D. However research accumulating over the last 10 years provides solid evidence in hundreds of scientific papers which are summarised in a new report: Sunlight Robbery: Health benefits of sunlight are denied by current public health policy in the UK, written by Oliver Gillie, a former medical correspondent on the Sunday Times and ex-medical editor of the Independent. The report is published by the Health Research Forum.

Read the full press release at: The Health Research Forum. Oliver Gillie’s lecture, Sunlight Robbery: Vitamin D and Public Health - Is current UK public health policy on vitamin D fit for purpose? is available as a download here.

In Australia, Dr Peter J Lewis calls Vitamin D the Sunshine Superhormone. He explains the link between Vitamin D deficiency and many serious illnesses at The Vitamin Association.

In a review article published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Holick explores the nature of vitamin D deficiency and concludes it to be one of the most commonly unrecognized medical conditions, a condition that leaves millions at risk of developing not only osteoporosis and fractures but also numerous serious and often fatal diseases, including several common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and heart disease. Find out more at UV Advantage.

So what can you do about it?

In the summer, try to get out in the sun but take precautions to avoid burning. For the rest of the year consider taking Vitamin D supplements. Doses need to be quite high so seek professional advice. Alternatively, use sunbeds. One or two short sessions a week will boost your Vitamin D levels.

For further information on the dangers of Vitamin D deficiency:

www.rufusgreenbaum.com/d0.php
www.grassrootshealth.org/documentation/scientistscall.php
www.vitamindhealth.org
www.direct-ms.org/presentations.html
www.vitamindcouncil.org
www.vitamind3world.com
www.thevitamindcure.com