Product Description
Sunlight is a vital component of good health. Like plants that thrive in the sun, we humans too depend on sunlight, in our case for the production of Vitamin D. In the past few decades, however, cultural trends have steered us away from sun exposure. From fear of the potential dangers of UV radiation and the heavy promotion of sunscreen products to artificial work and recreational environments centered on virtual reality, we are all spending much more time indoors and away from the sun. What are the health consequences?In this informative overview of an often-neglected topic, historian Laurie Winn Carlson examines the historical and cultural factors that have created our indoor lifestyles and the medical evidence that suggests we need to get out in the sun. She begins by tracing the behavior patterns that have caused a shift indoors. She notes that it was common decades ago for children to spend hours playing outside. Now the lure of video games and heavy sunscreen use have changed all that. Adults, also, live and work in the perpetual twilight of electric lighting. Though we feel comfortable, there is evidence that our bodies have not really adjusted to a lifestyle that is less than a century old.Carlson explains the growing body of research that challenges government and health industry warnings against the dangers of sunlight. For example, the production of Vitamin D from sun exposure is crucial to maintaining the body's calcium levels, an important factor for healthy bones, especially as we age. There is also evidence of the sun's beneficial effects on psychological disorders such as seasonal depression or difficulty sleeping.She concludes by arguing for a balanced approach to sun exposure. Although the risk of skin cancers should not be ignored, total avoidance of the sun can be just as risky to our health.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 2 reviews)

Good background information and practical advice by Rich Blumenthal ((Mission Viejo, CA USA))

5 Stars
November 23, 2009
Knowledge of vitamin D is important for anyone wishing to improve their odds in preventing cancer, heart disease, and a long list of chronic degenerative diseases. Hundreds of university studies published in thousands of articles in peer-reviewed medical journals suggest that adequate vitamin D reduces your risk of serious disease by about half, and in some cases, even more. Laurie Winn Carlson, a professor of the history of medicine, spent years researching this important subject and consolidated the results in this book for your benefit. The book provides a rich historical background of heliotherapy and vitamin D through the ages (as you would expect from a historian) and practical advice to follow today. Here are some highlights: I was enchanted with the story of the author's young grandson, Brian, whose numerous and lingering medical problems slowly disappeared once she provided a kid-friendly form of vitamin D. Brian's story, along with knowledge that vitamin D deficiency poses a major threat to public health, became the inspiration to write this book. It is clearly a labor of love. Page 128 sums up vitamin D beautifully. "Vitamin D is clearly a vital and essential element our bodies manufacture with the help of sunlight. While it appears integral to many of our body's functions, we seem to have discovered only the tip of the iceberg as we begin to understand how it works. (snip) There's plenty of work to be done on what appears to be a budding new frontier of medicine. Understanding exactly how sunlight and vitamin D affect our bodies and our health promises to open up new possibilities for healthier futures and a way to curb the misery from chronic disease." pp43-63 Chapter 3: "Dogs in the dark and the development of vitamin D" offers a glimpse of the work of Weston Price and several other pioneers who revealed the benefits of sunlight and vitamin D many years ago. pp90-91 gives an excellent overview of the role of omega 3 oils in protecting against skin cancer. Too many people are scared to death of even a little sun and they would benefit greatly if they understood how to obtain the therapeutic value of gentle sun exposure while minimizing negative consequences. pp113-114 "The Generation Effect" discusses how a vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women causes an unborn child to be predisposed toward developing serious diseases much later in life. The book makes this vitally important point very effectively, and it is something every woman of childbearing age needs to know. pp131-149 Chapter 7: "Canaries in the Coal Mine" discusses the most important group in need of vitamin D: pregnant women and girls in their formative years. I was amazed to learn the possible role played by vitamin D in the extinction of Neanderthal Man. p70 shows a list of 22 diseases and families of diseases (like cancer and autoimmune diseases) that have been associated with vitamin D deficiencies in numerous medical studies. Every item on that list is supported by years of research studies at prestigious universities and medical centers. The take home message for all vitamin D books is how can you use it to greatest advantage. On p71 the author suggests you increase your vitamin D level so 25(OH)D blood test results come in at 45-50 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter). How do you get there? On p72 she suggests taking "at least" 2000 IU (international units) a day. On p73 she points out that research suggests published limits are too low and healthy people can take 10,000 IU and even 20,000 IU a day without a problem. Since typical blood levels are around 10 to 20 ng/mL, and the danger zone is well above 100 ng/mL, the message is clear. You are probably deficient and that makes you far more vulnerable to a long list of chronic diseases. Achieving optimal vitamin D from the sun is ideal but most people require supplements. Despite a wealth of good information, there are some errors, puzzling statements, and things I wish the author had included. p118 names Frederic Garland when it should be Cedric Garland, a well-known expert in vitamin D. On p56 a headline contains the typographical error, "heliopathy" when the author meant "heliotherapy" or the healing power of the sun. In discussing the two possible vitamin D blood tests, 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D, the author offers this explanation on p71: "Experts disagree over which test is better, but the 25(OH)D test for calcidiol is most commonly used." I find this statement puzzling; there is no disagreement among the experts that I can see. Every expert, every book, and every article I have read states that only the 25(OH)D blood test gives significant information about vitamin D status. Although authors are free to include whatever they want in the scope of a book (and they obviously can't include everything), there are several areas I wish the author had included. the definition of an international unit (IU) of vitamin D3: It takes 40,000 IU to make one milligram. 400 IU could also be expressed as 10 mcg (or 10 µg). typical dose-response curve, or how much can you expect your blood level to rise for each 1000 IU. (You can expect an increase around 10 ng/mL for each 1000 IU when you start your program, trailing off to about half that amount when you approach the optimal range.) I wish the author described the logical fallacies that cause the medical profession to officially recommend a daily dosage that is far too low. It is a very interesting, highly contentious topic. I wish the author utilized charts, diagrams, photos, and an index to make the book more readable. I wish the author had attempted to provide proof of vitamin D's effectiveness in preventing disease, instead of asking us to take it on faith; another interesting, contentious topic. But with or without these subjects, "The Sunlight Solution" is a very worthwhile read because it gives you an important, lifesaving message: sunlight and vitamin D will help you prevent serious disease, move toward optimal health, and increase your odds of living a long vibrant life.

Vitamin D in Human History and Culture by J. L. Rector

5 Stars
March 23, 2009
Sometimes the obvious is what we overlook. In this study Professor Carlson shows that both ancient and modern societies have neglected the importance of sunlight on human health. Too many people suffer the tragic consequences of insufficient vitamin D. Even people who live in desert areas like the Middle East, hide their bodies from the sun and therefore suffer from vitamin D insufficiency. This book is a wake-up call to us all to include more sun in our daily lives. Professor Carlson's research shows that when we overlook the importance of the sun, our bones either fail to develop or they inevitably deteriorate. This book should be read by young people who want to have long, healthy lives and by people over forty who begin to feel aging. For both, the cheapest remedy in the world is daily sunlight.

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