An Interesting Contradiction

It’s no secret that the Northwest’s dreary winters are infamous for inducing depression. But according to an article in The Seattle Times last week, “increased use of sunscreen has turned a seasonal shortfall into a year-round condition for many people.” Hold up.

We’ve been told for years that both natural sunlight and tanning beds are going to give us skin cancer, and the more sunscreen we slather on, the better. But now a growing body of evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency can raise your risk of cancer, increase susceptibility to heart attack, diabetes and other disorders, and at least partly account for the region's sky-high rates of multiple sclerosis. And, according to the article, even the benefit of taking supplements is too low to provide many health benefits.

So all you people who’ve judged me for my Desert Sun fake-and-bake trips and frequent summertime sun-worshiping sessions – looks like you might owe me an apology! So go ahead and spend your winter starved of sunlight while I bask in the glorious vitamin D packed rays of the tanning bed, and sit in the shade with your sunscreen on while I soak in the heat of the magnificent summer sun.

’Cause it looks like I might not be giving myself cancer after all. And hey let’s face it, I look great with a tan.