The sun and you

Revered by most of the ancients as the source of life (and rightly so), the sun has become the bane of the existence of many people in the modern world. Basal cell, squamus cell, and melanoma cancers seem to be on the rise in many parts of the world. A result of global warming? Hardly. It is probably caused, partially, by the longevity of our population. In the past, life expectancy was much shorter and people didn't have the life span that allowed these cancers to develop. Did they not exist? Of course they did, just not in the numbers that we see them today.
Who are most at risk? Do you ever ask yourself if you are at risk? The best way to answer that is to look in the mirror. What is your normal complexion, your eye color, your real hair color?
Those of us with the lighter shades are most at risk. It's in our genes. Look at the placement, geographically, of the population before the ability to relocate was so relatively easy. Dark-skinned people lived in the tropical to equatorial regions. Fair-skinned populations were mainly from northern climes.
None of us should lay out in the sun and just bake, no matter how much we like it. It doesn't matter what your complexion is, the ultraviolet rays cause damage. Those who continue to expose their skin to the ravages of the sun wind up looking like Yogi Berra's catcher's mitt, all dried up and wrinkly.
If you must be out in the sun for long periods use a sunblock. Try to find one that uses natural ingredients. Your skin will absorb whatever you smear on it so you want to avoid some of the chemicals, like PABA. More about this in the future.
Above all, protect your children. Experience shows that people who have suffered bad sunburns at early ages through the teen years are those most likely to develop skin cancer in later years.
In my early years I worked at jobs that exposed me to long hours in the sun; farmhand, lifeguard, laborer, parking lot attendant. In those days there was no such thing as sunscreens or blocks and I've paid the price. Bits and pieces of me have been frozen, burned and cut off because of skni cancer. Believe me when I say that it is really scary when the doctor tells you that you have a melanoma.
This doesn't mean that you should avoid the sun altogether. You actually need regular exposure so that your body can manufacture vitamin D. Vitamin D is all important and is used by your body in many vital roles. So go out and enjoy your time in the sun...just limit it, put on protection, and wear a hat. Don't get burned.