Do you love sunbathing and keep hearing from all sides that you could get skin cancer? Scientists have discovered a virus that causes a rare but very dangerous type of skin cancer, affecting primarily older people with compromised immune systems.
The incidence of this type of cancer has been rising rapidly in recent years. It is a serious disease because tumor cells can spread quickly through the body and establish additional, secondary tumors. Genetic analyses have shown that a virus from the polyomavirus group is present in the tumors. This type of virus was discovered relatively recently and was associated primarily with urinary tract infections and pneumonia. Now it appears that infection with this virus can also trigger dangerous tumor growth.
The power of plants
A unique plant with confirmed effects in inhibiting the growth of skin cancer cells is Maytenus ilicifolia (espinheira-santa), an evergreen shrubby tree from South America. Since you will be sunbathing, I can tell you that this plant has powerful antioxidant effects comparable to vitamin C. Sunbathing causes skin aging because it generates a certain amount of free radicals that accelerate aging.
But Maytenus ilicifolia can do more than just help protect against sun rays. It will invigorate you overall. It is, in fact, a powerful tonic and aphrodisiac. For women it holds even greater significance, as it is full of phytoestrogens and helps rejuvenate their bodies. After sunbathing I recommend a cream with ozone (ozone cosmetics), especially suitable when you overdo it and burn your skin a little. Ozone quickly heals reddened skin and active oxygen revitalizes it.
Don't be afraid of sunbathing — in moderation it is beneficial!
Thanks to it, the body produces vitamin D, which has many protective effects. For example, it has been found to protect men against prostate cancer. It is important for strong bones and protects against rickets. It is becoming clear that its deficiency has more serious and wider consequences. Most cell tissues in the human body have receptors for vitamin D, which is absolutely essential for overall health. According to scientists from Boston University, it influences at least 200 genes, including those that affect cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell death.
The current average daily intake of Americans is 230 units (IU) of vitamin D per day, but the required dose is 1,500 to 2,000 IU per day. Canadian doctors have even officially recommended that pregnant women increase their daily intake of vitamin D to 2,000 units. Vitamin D is fat-soluble. It can be obtained from sunlight — more precisely through the action of its ultraviolet component — or from food. Ultraviolet rays act on the provitamin stored in the deeper layers of the skin, which is then converted into the vitamin and absorbed. In food, vitamin D is found in fish oil, sardines, herring, tuna, salmon, and also in milk and dairy products.
Vitamin D overdose occurs only after daily consumption of 20,000 units over a prolonged period, which is relatively difficult to achieve. It manifests as excessive thirst, nausea, skin itching, and vomiting. Some time ago, a team of scientists from Harvard University published the first results of long-term research into the relationship between multiple sclerosis and vitamin D deficiency. The research included seven million blood samples from military personnel. It showed that people whose blood contained sufficient vitamin D had more than sixty percent lower probability of developing multiple sclerosis over the twelve years of observation. It was possible to demonstrate that a link exists between low vitamin D levels and multiple sclerosis, but it was not possible to determine what was the cause and what was the effect — whether low vitamin D levels contribute to multiple sclerosis, or whether people have low vitamin D as a result of the disease.
Scientists have also demonstrated the importance of vitamin D in fighting infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis. They found that when a tuberculosis infection occurs, receptors in the immune system (macrophages) stimulate the conversion of circulating vitamin D into its active form. If a person has enough of it, vitamin D produces peptides that destroy the TB bacillus. They are convinced that a similar scenario exists for other infectious diseases as well.
So in conclusion we can only say — enjoy the summer!
Vladimír Ďurina
The article was published with the kind permission of Sféra magazine
casopis-sfera.cz / gnews.cz-HeK