I saw a doco about this today, there are new studies going on at Sydney Uni. apparently vitamin D deficiency is actually a problem here in Oz too. But what to do about Slip Slop Slap? How do we get enough sun, but not skin cancer?

Has the vitamin D helped your symptoms?
Thanks,
Anna

Skin cancer seems to be very much correlated with overdoing it - i.e. severe burning.

Sun will definitely age your skin, but for myself, I'm now trying to be out in the sun as much as reasonably possible, without lying down and "sunbathing". Just keeping active. Avoiding the hottest hours (like they do in Southern Europe). Go inside when/before it starts to sting. It feels good and it feels healthy. It works on several hormones, but even forgetting all that: it just feels good. Even Albert Camus was convinced that sun is extremely important.

Sure, it depends on the climate, and some people really have to protect themselves, there's not one golden rule. On the other hand, the "protection" factor on sun oils is calculated on a very thick covering - most people don't even use 20% of the intended/tested layer, as the correct covering will turn you into an oily blob. (and cost a small fortune)

I suppose it's one of these risks that we have to calculate for ourselves. Maybe avoiding sun and constantly using oils may be worse for your health in the long run. Or you may live longer but unhappier?

Just thinking out loud, and hope I don't have to eat my words.

I would like to jump in here on this thread about the sun.

People with lupus need to avoid direct sunlight. I had a drug induced lupus reaction last winter to lisinopril, a blood pressure drug. I avoided direct sun to some extent this summer.

Most of my lupus rash is on my forearms. They did not become inflamed this summer, but they did tan darker than usual, even with the little sun I received. My ANA's were normal, but I was cautioned not to get alot of direct sun anyway. I still did tan a bit anyway... it was so cold and cloudy I don't know how that happened. I wore long sleeves most of the summer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jPaxiz8i_4

(original credit to the movie Robocop)

Doc

Arizona is 2nd in skin cancer just after Australia which is #1. Both are closer to the sun.

I saw this TED talk a while back about how sunshine releases big stores of Nitric Oxide stored in your skin. Apparently this has positive health effects like for heart health. But regarding pain, Nitrous Oxide is also basically what laughing gas is, the popular dentistry pain killer, so perhaps elevated levels in the blood are doing something to suppress nerve pain? Could explain the different effect of sunshine vs just vitamin d supplements, you don't get that big nitric oxide release with just the D supplements.

I live in Washington State and believe me, the first day of a dark, rainy day and I'm in a funk. I hate having to go on an antidepressant every winter. Even exercise is hard to do when it's drizzling every day. Exercising indoors helps if you have good motivation. I use to be an exercise freak but guess I burnt out.