Guest guest Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Hi Caron, I'm responding to the portion of your post dealing with sun exposure. Here, as in almost everything, self-awareness is the key to success in reaccelerating your system to sunlight. By " system " , I mean not only your skin, but also your eyes, every part of your being. The key is simply to monitor yourself and avoid burning, to find that place where you will start burning in another 5 minutes, and get out of the sun, without EVER crossing the line. This means taking a conservative approach .. we want ZERO sunburns, as at least a portion of the destructive effect is believed to be permanent. So what you are doing sounds perfect to me! The biggest problem with ALL forms of sunscreen is not in the chemistry (which is indeed damaging), but rather in the way in which the " protection " separates us from ourselves, diminishes our own self-awareness. When we expand our awareness of our body's messages from within, then we can better monitor ourselves in every way. In contrast, when we diminish our awareness of ourselves, then our capacity for self-monitoring and self-care diminish correspondingly. One technical point, gradually increasing our exposure to the sun INCREASES, vs. decreases, the skin's sensitivity to the sun. By this, I mean that as the skin " comes back online " , it produces melanin more effectively and consistently, allowing the skin to darken, and thereby increasing our capacity for sunlight. In other words, this works just like any other part of us ... as we fuel ourselves more and more healthfully, our bodies cleanse, restore, and replenish themselves. As this occurs, our vitality -- our capacity to respond to conditions -- expands, and therefore our responses strengthen. Same principles, different details. Make sense? I will follow this message with a couple of cross-posts from the PathOfHealth archive, perhaps some will find these useful. Best, Elchanan _____ rawfood [rawfood ] On Behalf Of Caron Wednesday, July 11, 2007 6:45 PM rawfood [Raw Food] skin and sun With all the holes in the ozone layer these days, thanks to modern technology and machinery, how do we get all the sunlight, and not the skin damage? I've been sunburnt quite a few times, and it's not pleasant! Also, skin cancers seem prevalent in my damaged family, and I'd rather not pick up a melanoma. That said, I don't avoid the sun, quite like it in fact, just cover up if it's too burny, but I try to keep my boy covered, he wears a hat whenever he goes outside, and mum keeps getting long-sleeved colared shirts for him (I'm fine with normal tshirts, as long as his hat brim goes right around, not just a cap). I have lots of very dark spots - some are moles, some are unusually dark freckles (don't have many actual freckles) - but I'd rather my son's skin stays clear. I've had at least 6 moles cut out for biopsy over my lifetime, which is far more unpleasant than sunburn. Anyway, I've read on another group that eating raw can reduce your likelyhood of sunburn, or at least reduce the skin's sensitivity to the sun. Any thoughts on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 - Elchanan >I'm responding to the portion of your post dealing with sun exposure. Here, as in almost everything, self-awareness is the key to success in reaccelerating your system to sunlight. By " system " , I mean not only your skin, but also your eyes, every part of your being. The key is simply to monitor yourself and avoid burning, to find that place where you will start burning in another 5 minutes, and get out of the sun, without EVER crossing the line. This means taking a conservative approach .. we want ZERO sunburns, as at least a portion of the destructive effect is believed to be permanent. So what you are doing sounds perfect to me! I've pretty much got a hold on my own responses to sunlight, and when I need to find some shade, but it's a bit more difficult to know my boy's limits, which is why he has to wear a hat at least, and I do encourage him to stay under filtered light where possible (ie, under the shade of a tree - solid shade is too cold). >The biggest problem with ALL forms of sunscreen is not in the chemistry (which is indeed damaging), but rather in the way in which the " protection " separates us from ourselves, diminishes our own self-awareness. When we expand our awareness of our body's messages from within, then we can better monitor ourselves in every way. In contrast, when we diminish our awareness of ourselves, then our capacity for self-monitoring and self-care diminish correspondingly. The only time I wear sunscreen (the liquid kind), or put it on my boy, is when we're swimming where there's no shade, and plan to be there for a period of time, usually around an hour to an hour and a half. Personally, I would spend every waking moment (and some non-waking moments!) in the water of either a clean river, or the ocean, if I could. Where we currently live, this is completely impractical, if not downright impossible. We have to pay to go to the public pool, which while it isn't quite as blinding as an indoor pool in terms of chemicals, it still has chlorine in it. The nearest beach is a half hour highway drive away. We stayed at a resort with the family last summer (in january), and spent nearly all day in the private pool, but it had shadecloth over it, and lots of tropical trees in the garden, so plenty of shade - the boy just wore a long-sleeved rash shirt, and board shorts, plus a hat in the middle of the day. As the shade thickened, the clothes came off, hehe. >One technical point, gradually increasing our exposure to the sun >INCREASES, vs. decreases, the skin's sensitivity to the sun. By this, I mean that as the skin " comes back online " , it produces melanin more effectively and consistently, allowing the skin to darken, and thereby increasing our capacity for sunlight. That's good to know - as a kid I could spend all day in the sun, and while I had a dark tan, I didn't get my first sunburn until I was 8 or 9 years old, and we went out on my uncle's boat. Even my scalp burned that day ( Interestingly, that was after we'd moved into town, and I was spending less time in the sun (also spending a lot of time indoors in classes at school). The cross-posts were very helpful, thankyou for sharing them, and for this reply ) Caron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Caron, it is not at all difficult to know your boy's limitations. Rather, what is difficult is holding your attention sufficiently focused upon him that you can observe effectively. You're welcome! Elchanan _____ rawfood [rawfood ] On Behalf Of Caron Wednesday, July 11, 2007 8:52 PM rawfood Re: [Raw Food] Skin and sun exposure I've pretty much got a hold on my own responses to sunlight, and when I need to find some shade, but it's a bit more difficult to know my boy's limits, which is why he has to wear a hat at least, and I do encourage him to stay under filtered light where possible (ie, under the shade of a tree - solid shade is too cold). <<< snip >>> The cross-posts were very helpful, thankyou for sharing them, and for this reply ) Caron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 - Elchanan >Caron, it is not at all difficult to know your boy's limitations. Rather, what is difficult is holding your attention sufficiently focused upon him that you can observe effectively. My attention is on him at least 99.5% when we're outside the house (the other 0.5% is when I blink, or glance at something other than him - I've seen and heard of too many kids injured or worse because their parents weren't paying attention, and I'd hate for it to happen on my watch). I'm not sure exactly what I should be looking for though. I feel I've had enough sun long before symptoms are visible, I feel a tingling in my skin. I can't feel a tingling in his skin. I'd rather him not stay in the sun until he's pink enough to notice, because that's sunburn. Or is there something else I should be observing? Caron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 I absolutely adore the sun and spend all the time in it that I can. Even in the cold winter, I get a rush from being outside in the bright sun. I do tan easily, but will seriously burn early in the spring when I first am able to get out in it to expose my skin. I must take to the sun slowley at first. I have as little of color in the winter as I do lots of color in the summer. The change is quite dramatic in my skin color from winter to summer. If sun really is damaging to the skin, it is the one thing that I abuse myself of. I get such a joy while I am in it and it carries over for several hours after I come in. I sleep better at night, and look forward to seeing the sun rise in the mornings. And if the sun causes me more wrinkles, then so be it. It is worth every wrinkle for the elation I get from soaking up the sun. Even if it is just standing in a sunny window. I can never have to much of it. I have been this way as long as I can remember. I believe if I lived somewhere where it was cloudy all the time, I would be very unhappy and unhealthy. To be honest, I do not believe the sun is damaging to the skin unless you burn your skin. I believe the sun offers a tremendous amount of healing to both the body and mind. I think the friendliest, happiest and most laid back people in the world are those that live in warm and sunny climates. If I were able, I would do like some of the birds and would move south for the winter, every winter. Belinda > Hi Caron, > > I'm responding to the portion of your post dealing with sun exposure. Here, > as in almost everything, self-awareness is the key to success in > reaccelerating your system to sunlight. By " system " , I mean not only your > skin, but also your eyes, every part of your being. The key is simply to > monitor yourself and avoid burning, to find that place where you will start > burning in another 5 minutes, and get out of the sun, without EVER crossing > the line. This means taking a conservative approach .. we want ZERO > sunburns, as at least a portion of the destructive effect is believed to be > permanent. So what you are doing sounds perfect to me! > > The biggest problem with ALL forms of sunscreen is not in the chemistry > (which is indeed damaging), but rather in the way in which the " protection " > separates us from ourselves, diminishes our own self-awareness. When we > expand our awareness of our body's messages from within, then we can better > monitor ourselves in every way. In contrast, when we diminish our awareness > of ourselves, then our capacity for self-monitoring and self-care diminish > correspondingly. > > One technical point, gradually increasing our exposure to the sun INCREASES, > vs. decreases, the skin's sensitivity to the sun. By this, I mean that as > the skin " comes back online " , it produces melanin more effectively and > consistently, allowing the skin to darken, and thereby increasing our > capacity for sunlight. > > In other words, this works just like any other part of us ... as we fuel > ourselves more and more healthfully, our bodies cleanse, restore, and > replenish themselves. As this occurs, our vitality -- our capacity to > respond to conditions -- expands, and therefore our responses strengthen. > > Same principles, different details. > > Make sense? > > I will follow this message with a couple of cross-posts from the > PathOfHealth archive, perhaps some will find these useful. > > Best, > Elchanan > _____ > > rawfood [rawfood ] On Behalf Of > Caron > Wednesday, July 11, 2007 6:45 PM > rawfood > [Raw Food] skin and sun > > > With all the holes in the ozone layer these days, thanks to modern > technology and machinery, how do we get all the sunlight, and not the skin > damage? I've been sunburnt quite a few times, and it's not pleasant! Also, > skin cancers seem prevalent in my damaged family, and I'd rather not pick up > a melanoma. > > That said, I don't avoid the sun, quite like it in fact, just cover up if > it's too burny, but I try to keep my boy covered, he wears a hat whenever he > goes outside, and mum keeps getting long-sleeved colared shirts for him (I'm > fine with normal tshirts, as long as his hat brim goes right around, not > just a cap). I have lots of very dark spots - some are moles, some are > unusually dark freckles (don't have many actual freckles) - but I'd rather > my son's skin stays clear. I've had at least 6 moles cut out for biopsy over > my lifetime, which is far more unpleasant than sunburn. > > Anyway, I've read on another group that eating raw can reduce your > likelyhood of sunburn, or at least reduce the skin's sensitivity to the sun. > Any thoughts on this? > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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