Safety of UV
This argument over the safety of UV rays can be explained more clearly by explaining the various kinds of UV rays that exist. There are three types.
UVC rays are the shortest waves and potentially the most harmful. Generally these are screened out by the upper ozone layer, but due to ozone depletion, the danger of exposure on earth is growing.
UVB rays penetrate the epidermis and activate the melanocyte cells that produce melanin, which results in a darkened or tanned skin. But, they can also cause skin cancer and become even more dangerous when combined with UVA.
The drained feeling one feels after a period in the sun is due to suppression of the immune system caused by exposure to UVB rays. UVB rays reflect from sand and water causing an increased concentration of rays in the air – 17% from sand and 40% from water.
UVA are also the main cause of premature aging of the skin as they penetrate through the top layer of the skin into the dermis -the 2nd layer of the skin (Opotion, p.1). However, trace amounts of UVA in natural daylight are necessary for physical and mental health, muscle strength, energy and learning.
📚 Read Also: Recovering God’s Balance: Healing Ozone
Our immunity improves and stimulates our metabolism while decreasing food cravings and increasing our intelligence.
Trying to put things into perspective, founder of photobiology – Dr. John Ott, wrote that mankind’s adaptation to the full range of the solar spectrum has biological effects causing mal-illumination (bad illumination as in bad nutrition – malnutrition).
He continues on to say, “There are neurological channels from the retina to the pineal and pituitary glands, the master glands of the whole endocrine system that controls the production and release of hormones. This regulates your body chemistry and its growth, all organs of your body including your brain and how they function” (Hattersley, p.3).
The other end of the scale is UV deprivation. This results in malignant melanoma (skin cancer), which is incorrectly blamed on sun exposure.
A U.S. Navy study confirmed this when they discovered that skin cancer occurred amongst those who work mostly or completely indoors. Most melanomas occur on parts of the body least exposed to sunlight.
So, both overexposure and underexposure constitute health risks. Even low exposure can increase the risk of eye cataracts when combined with a junk food diet rich in saturated fats and oxidized products.
Prolonged exposure to UV rays, combined with a sensible diet rich in vitamins C and E do not produce this damaging effect (Hattersley p.2, 3).
With the popular argument that sun exposure causes skin cancer comes the increased use of sunscreen, which only block out UVA and UVB rays and not the dangerous UVC rays.
Sunscreens penetrate the skin increasing toxic burden in the bloodstream. They also increase the risk of melanoma by causing cellular mutation when the cells interact with the combination of chemicals and light (Hattersley, p.3, 4).
As we increasingly realize that we, as humans, cannot completely shape and manipulate the environment to our own whims, we become aware that not all forms of modern lifestyles and work styles are conducive with the laws of nature.
For our continued good health and sustainable future we require Allah’s (swt) laws of nature to sustain us.
“I swear by the sun and its brilliance, and the moon when it follows the sun. And the day when it shows it, And the night when it draws a veil over it, And the heaven and Him Who made it, And the earth and Him Who extended it, And the soul and Him Who made it perfect, Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it; He will indeed be successful who purifies it. And he will indeed fail who corrupts it” (Surat Al-Shams 91:1-10).
This article is from our archive, originally published on an earlier date, and now republished for its importance.
References:
- ENS. “Trojan Technologies Welcomes Quebec Governments’ New Drinking Water Disinfection Regulations.” Trojan Technologies Inc. 06/07/01.
- Hattersley, Joseph, G. “Health Benefits of Ultraviolet Light.” Jaguar Enterprises. Feb. 2000. 08/09/01.
- Hutchinson. “Dictionary of Science.” Britain: Helicon Publishing Ltd. 1994.
- Matthews, Samuel W. “Under the Sun: Is Our World Warming?”National Geographic.178: 4 (1990) 66-99.
- Opotion.com “Ultra Violet Rays.” Opotion.com. 08/09/01.
- People for Puget Sound. “Disinfection.” Pugetsound.org. 08/09/01.
- Severn, Leisure. “German Federal Association of Sunlight Systems.” FVS Germany. Suntanning.com. 08/09/01.