The Whole Truth About Sunlight, Cancer and Sunscreens

Humans have been living on this Earth for at least four million years. The sun has been shining for about 4.6 billion years and it has been shining on our Earth for most of that time. Strangely, no animal ever contracted skin cancer from being out in the sun and humans rarely did until about 50 years ago.

We have been told that this increase in skin cancer is due to a “hole” in the ozone layer. Actually there is no “hole”. However, the ozone layer is thinning in some areas, predominately at the South Pole in the fall and winter seasons. The ozone layer, approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) above the earth, acts as a shield to prevent dangerous radiation from reaching the biosphere. There is also a minor amount of thinning in the northern hemisphere and little or none in the tropics.

The incidence of all forms of skin cancer are highest in the tropics, where there is virtually no thinning of the ozone layer.

In 1991 Professor Johan Moan of the Norwegian Cancer Institute found that the yearly incidence of melanoma in Norway had increased by 350% for men and by 440% for women between 1957 and 1984. He also determined that there had been no change in the ozone layer over this period of time. He concludes his report in the British Journal of Cancer by stating: “Ozone depletion is not the cause of the increase in skin cancers”. Unless these folks spent a fair amount of time hanging out in the Antarctic wearing bikinis, he is probably correct.

Skin cancer has increased all over the world, about 90% in the USA from 1974-1990. This skin cancer increase is too large (90%) compared with the expected value (40%) from ozone depletion. Also, cancer does not develop immediately after exposure to the sun. The sunburns may occur within hours, but cancer development and detection may take years or decades. If the depletion of the ozone layer over Antarctica is not causing the huge increase in skin cancer, what is?

It is interesting to note that chemical sunscreen was introduced in the late 1920′s and by 1936 the first commercially available sunscreen product was being sold by L’Oreal. Also, Monsanto began producing artificial chemicals in 1901. Why is this bit of information important?

First, let’s take a look at our skin, and the damage we do to it before we even go out into the sun.

There are an estimated 250 species of bacteria that reside on your skin. They are there for a reason. Sebum, secreted by the sebaceous glands in the skin, is an oily substance composed of wax monoesters, triglycerides, free fatty acids and squalene, and again, it is there for a reason. These bacteria and oily substances PROTECT the skin. We seem to have invented endless ways to destroy this protective barrier starting with the water we bathe, shower and swim in. A survey by the Environmental Working Group found 141 unregulated chemicals and an additional 119 for which the Environmental Protection Agency has set health-based limits. Most common among the chemicals found were disinfection byproducts, nitrates, chloroform, barium, arsenic and copper, and of course chlorine, fluoride and PCBs ,THMs and heavy metals. These chemicals not only strip the skin of its natural protection, they are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream where they continue to cause damage.

We also have a tendency to destroy this protective barrier with various chemicals and soaps. We slather our skin with every toxic chemical imaginable, most of which gets absorbed into our bloodstream. There are over 150 cancer-causing chemicals currently used in cosmetics. Although federal law requires products containing these ingredients to carry a written warning label, the FDA does not enforce this law. The FDA claims that these products are safe because they are not consumed orally. Can it be possible that the folks at the FDA are not aware of the many drugs that are administered through the skin because the skin is porous and allows most drugs and chemicals to be absorbed?

You would be amazed to find what the FDA allows to be sold as long as it says, “for external use only.” The assumption is that it will stay external and not be absorbed into the body, so its toxicity is irrelevant. Hello!! Who are we kidding? Sunscreen ingredients absorb into the blood, and most are linked to toxic effects. Some release skin-damaging free radicals in sunlight, some disrupt hormone systems, several are strongly linked to allergic reactions, and others build up in the body or the environment. According to the Environmental Working Group only 15% of 952 products analyzed actually block UVA and UVB radiation, remain stable in sunlight, and contain few toxic chemicals.

Here is a short list of some of the stuff we regularly put on our skin without a second thought. The toxic effects recognized by the FDA are included:

OXYBENZONE (BENZOPHENONE-)
(Active Ingredient)858%Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Violations, Restrictions & Warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Enhanced skin absorption, Biochemical or cellular level changes

PEG-100 STEARATE 479%Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Contamination concerns

(ETHYLENE OXIDE 1,4DIOXANETRIETHANOLAMINE767%Cancer, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Contamination concerns

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Texas Car and Motorcycle Accidents

Not to anyone’s surprise, the most popular form of transportation in the United States is automobile. Given this fact, the number of car and motorcycle accidents is constantly elevating. Each year, more than six million car accidents are reported in the U.S. alone. Someone is killed every 12 minutes and injured every 14 seconds due to auto accidents. And the statistics don’t stop here: approximately two million of those injured in car accidents suffer permanent injuries. Each and every one of us is likely to have felt the effects of these unfortunate events, whether personally or indirectly. Motorcycle accidents statistics aren’t any more comforting. In 2008, approximately 98,000 bikers were injured. Fifty-three hundred bikers were killed, and 60% of those killed were not wearing a helmet; even though helmets are proven to be almost 40% effective in preventing fatal injuries in motorcycle accidents.

In 2008, Texas was the site of almost 3.5 thousand of these fatal accidents; a majority of them being in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area. The Dallas/ Fort Worth population is rapidly growing; therefore, the risk of a car or motorcycle accident is increasing at startling rates. Legal guidance should be promptly obtained in the event that you or a family member is involved in an auto accident. In the unfortunate instance that someone is injured or killed in an accident involving a car or motorcycle, you can contact one of many Dallas car accident lawyers to discuss your rights. You may be justified in filing a personal injury suit to cover injuries or even emotional damages as a result of the accident. It is also important to keep in mind that driver error isn’t the only cause of accidents. Car manufacturers may share in the liability if safety features and defective parts lead to tragic outcomes. Talking to a Dallas personal injury attorney will help you understand which courses of action are best suited for your situation, well-being, and peace of mind. Together we can all do our part in helping to avoid auto accidents, injuries and serious legalities. Here are a few tips:

Obey the driving signs
Do not drink and drive
Do not text and drive (Phone calls should be on a hands-free device)
Regularly service your vehicle
Wear your seatbelt (Helmet, if on a motorcycle)
Always keep a safe distance behind other vehicles
Only drive if you have auto insurance
Do not speed or participate in reckless driving
Although there are endless precautions we can all take to help prevent automobile collisions, the reality is that accidents do happen much too frequently. By knowing your rights should a situation arise, you are protecting yourself and your family from the long term effects that could occur after an automobile accident.

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