For the last few decades we have talked about little else other than why it is important to stay away from sunlight. We recognize precisely how real skin cancer is as well as the risks associated with it so we do everything we can think to do to keep it from happening to us. We put on a lot of layers of the highest SPF sunscreens that we can buy. We place big old floppy hats on our heads. Even through the hottest seasons of the year we make ourselves don long sleeves and pants. We usually stick to the shade–some folks may even carry parasols and umbrellas just to make sure they have exactly no contact with the sun. Now we are beginning to appreciate that sunlight can actually help us. Can you really be helped by the sun?
There is a new study that indicates people who let themselves get some exposure to direct sunshine aren’t as likely to come down with MS as those who take steps to minimize sunlight contact on skin. The study was initially performed to discover how Vitamin D affects the progression of Multiple Sclerosis. Eventually it became apparent, however, that it was the Vitamin D our bodies create as a response to exposure to the sun’s rays that seems to be at the root of the issue.
It has been acknowledged for a long time that the sun and Vitamin D can be used to hinder the abnormal immune system workings that are thought to contribute to MS. This study, on the other hand, deals principally with the effects of sunshine on the people who are just starting to experience the very earliest symptoms of the disease. The goal of the study is to discover how the sun’s rays and Vitamin D might have an affect on the symptoms doctors call “precursor” to actual symptoms of the disease.
Sadly, at this time there aren’t actually very many ways that really prove whether or not the hypothesis of this study are true. This study is attempting to confirm whether or not sunlight can actually help a person prevent Multiple Sclerosis. Sadly, the only real way to know whether or not this is accurate is to monitor a person over his or her entire life. This is just about the only way to actually assess the levels of Vitamin D that are already present in a person’s blood before the precursors to MS start to become apparent. The way it appears these days, and has stood (widely recognized) for a long time is that people who live in warm and sunny climates and who get more exposure to direct sunlight are less likely to develop MS than those who live in dark or cold climates and get very little exposure to the sun.
There is also the very important problem that spending too much time in the sunlight greatly increases a person’s chances of developing skin cancer. So, in an attempt to keep a single illness from setting in, you could be inadvertently causing another. Of course, if it gets caught quickly, skin cancer is very treatable and can even be cured. That isn’t true for MS.
So should you get more sun to prevent MS from setting in? Ask your physician if this is an excellent idea. Your physician will figure out if you are at risk for the disease (and how much) by checking out your genetics, medical history and current health. From there your doctor can help you determine the best ways to keep the disease at bay.
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