A Quarterly Newsletter

Sun Seekers:
10 Reasons to Get Vitamin D from Your Diet

Research shines dangerous truth on sun exposure and vitamin D

Recent media coverage of unsubstantiated reports linking the health benefits of vitamin D to unprotected sun exposure is leading to further confusion among the public. For decades, dermatologists have advised the public to practice proper sun protection to prevent skin cancer – and that same advice holds true today, despite any claims to the contrary. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it is not recommended that anyone should get vitamin D from sun exposure or indoor tanning.

Some of the most common myths about vitamin D and sun exposure include:

Myth #1 – Regular use of sunscreen blocks ultraviolet (UV) exposure to the skin and leads to decreased vitamin D levels.
Fact – A 1997 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute of patients with Xeroderma Pigmentosa (a disease that causes multiple skin cancers in persons exposed to the smallest amounts of ultraviolet radiation), who have had maximum UV protection over several years, showed that these patients have normal vitamin D levels despite virtually no UV exposure.

Myth #2 – It takes a significant amount of UV exposure to maintain normal levels of vitamin D.
Fact – Normal vitamin D levels are easily maintained through routine daily activities (even when wearing sunscreen) and a normal diet. Supplemental vitamin D tablets are typically not needed.

Myth #3 – Sunscreen blocks all of the UV radiation hitting the skin, so that those wearing sunscreen cannot form vitamin D.
Fact – There is no such thing as a total (or even near total) UV block. Even the most effective sunscreens currently on the market let through enough UV to allow for adequate vitamin D formation.

Myth #4 – Skin cancer is not a dangerous disease, so protection is not very important.
Fact – One American dies every hour from melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.

Our bodies need vitamin D to build and maintain strong bones. Without vitamin D, the body cannot use calcium and phosphorus — two minerals necessary for healthy bones. As stated earlier, the American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend getting vitamin D from sun exposure or indoor tanning. Both sources emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Getting vitamin D from your diet and practicing sun protection offer a healthier alternative. Still skeptical? Consider these scientific facts:

1. UV rays cause premature aging of the skin, actinic keratoses and skin cancer. There is so much scientific evidence to support this fact that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services classifies UV radiation as a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). UV exposure also causes cataracts and suppresses the body’s immune system.

2. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Over half of all new cancers in the United States are skin cancers. Worldwide, half of the cancers diagnosed in people are skin cancers.

3. Many of the more than one million skin cancers diagnosed in the United States during 2005 could have been prevented with protection from the sun’s rays. Skin cancer is one of the cancers for which the cause is known — exposure to UV radiation.

4. The number of diagnosed cases of skin cancer continues to increase at an alarming rate. At current rates, 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime.

5. One person dies from melanoma, a type of skin cancer, almost every hour (approximately every 68 minutes) in the United States. Today, melanoma is the most prevalent form of cancer among women aged 25 to 29. When these statistics were first published, it was expected that the number of new cases of melanoma would increase by 10 percent in 2005. This, in turn, raised an American’s lifetime risk of developing melanoma to 1 in 34.

6. Dietary sources of vitamin D do not prematurely age the skin nor increase the risk of developing skin cancer or actinic keratoses. Dietary sources are available year round. Good sources include fortified milk, fortified cereal, salmon, mackerel, and cod liver oil. Research shows that vitamin D supplements are well-tolerated, safe and effective.

7. People can have normal vitamin D levels with limited sun exposure. A 1997 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that patients with xeroderma pigmentosa (a condition that causes multiple skin cancers in persons exposed to the smallest amounts of ultraviolet radiation), who have had maximum UV protection over several years, have normal vitamin D levels despite virtually no UV exposure.

8. Sunscreen use does not cause vitamin D deficiency. A research study conducted in Australia, which has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world, found that sunscreen did not cause vitamin D deficiency in all 113 people who wore adequate sunscreen to prevent actinic keratoses. Research shows that sunscreen helps prevent premature aging, actinic keratoses and skin cancer. Sunscreen is one component of a comprehensive sun protection program and should be used year round.

9. Humans need calcium to benefit from vitamin D. Sun exposure does not provide calcium. However, fortified milk, other vitamin D fortified dairy products, and salmon are rich in both vitamin D and calcium. Many dietary supplements also contain both. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is essential to prevent osteoporosis.

10. Vitamin D from food and dietary supplements offers the same benefits — without the danger of UV exposure — as vitamin D obtained from the sun. Vitamin D cannot be used by the body until it is processed by the liver and the kidneys. The usable form of vitamin D created by this process is the same — regardless of how it enters the body.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone practice a comprehensive sun protection program, including avoiding outdoor activities between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. when the sun’s rays are the strongest, seeking shade whenever possible, wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 and reapplying it every two hours, and wearing sun-protective clothing.

Article adapted from the SkinCancerNet web site at http://www.skincarephysicians.com and the American Academy of Dermatology web site at http://www.aad.org.

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Women’s Health Series
Summer Highlights

Over the past decades, menopausal women have been encouraged to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for its apparent health- and youth-preserving benefits. However, it is now known that HRT reduces the risks of osteoporosis and colon cancer but increases the risks of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and Alzheimer's disease as well as other forms of dementia in a small number of women. Although HRT risks are not high for most women, on average, the small risks outweigh the small benefits. And experts continue to disagree about using HRT as a first choice for menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis prevention after menopause. What other treatment options exist? What does research reveal about natural and synthetic treatment options available to women today?

If these are questions you have contemplated, or are contemplating, then join us for “Natural vs. Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy.” Maria Schell, laboratory director for the ETSU Department of Microbiology in the Quillen College of Medicine, will be the guest speaker for this Women’s Health Series Lunch Break Seminar. Schell will discuss natural and synthetic hormone replacement therapy options and the importance of making wise health decisions based on your personal health history.

Scheduled for Tuesday, July 11, 2006, location for this Lunch Break Seminar is the East Tennessee Room, D.P. Culp University Center, at noon.

“Living Yoga: The Art of Balance” is slated for Tuesday, August 8, 2006, at noon. Guest speaker Suzanne Burik-Burleson, professional life coach and certified yoga instructor, will conduct this hour-long workshop that is appropriate for women with no previous yoga experience. Burik-Burleson’s seminar will explore the nature of balance in the body and in one’s life. Each participant will take away simple relaxation techniques for everyday life, greater awareness of one’s values and priorities, a clear plan of action aligning your everyday life with your values, and five beginning Yoga postures to assist in grounding and restoring those values.

Location for this Women’s Health Series Lunch Break Seminar is the East Tennessee Room, D.P. Culp University Center. For more information, contact the Women’s Center at 423-439-7847.

 

"Credit and Budgeting Basics”

Andrea Quinby Boyd, a local credit and budget educator, will conduct “Credit and Budgeting Basics,” on Tuesday, July 25, 2006. Boyd’s seminar is designed to help women plan for their financial well-being, now and in the future. Boyd will discuss budgeting goals and priorities, credit misnomers, credit reporting scores, establishing credit, established credit, and limiting debt.

Taking control of your financial future may be easier than you think. The rewards – from less money worries to a more enjoyable life – can be huge. And if you are enjoying those benefits currently, join us to brush up on credit reporting scores and credit misnomers.

Location for this Personal Finance Lunch Break Seminar is the Women’s Resource Center, Panhellenic Hall, basement suite 2, at noon.

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