Sun exposure and Sun Gazing

As you might expect, hospital patients find it easier to cope with depression if they are exposed to 30 minutes of sunlight before sunset. Although Australian hospitals looking after elderly patients have recently adopted this practice, acharyas have always recommend religious rituals that require sun worship three times a day, at sunrise, at midday and at sunset. This ritual is called Tri-sandhya, which means three ritual worships each day. Sun gazing is automatically included as part of this ritual.
 

Over exposure to the sun may also cause over-activity of the parathyroid glands with associated health problems, also more applicable to populations beyond the tropics and towards the poles. Most cancer patients occupy houses which do not allow entry of sufficient sunlight and when this author researched the subject further he found that there is a strong negative correlation between the available sunlight and cancer death rates, i.e. living in a sunny area is associated with lower rates of cancer. Hence, the incidence of cancer is highest in the cities, where the concrete jungles, sky- scrapers and air conditioning in most offices do not allow sufficient exposure to the sun. Even skin cancer is inhibited by regular low- level sun exposure, only sunburn itself strongly increases the prevalence of skin cancer.

It has been stated that trends in epidemiological literature suggest that approximately 30,000 U.S. cancer deaths yearly could be averted by widespread public use of regular mild sun exposure. A study on electricity workers showed that those with the most sun exposure had the lowest rates of melanoma and skin cancer and vice versa. Other studies show a strong link between long-term exposure to fluorescent lighting and melanoma. Melanoma often occurs on areas of the skin that has not been exposed to sunlight. But most of the economic activity in developed countries such as U.S. and U.K. appears to take place in offices with tinted glass, fluorescent lighting and continuously used air conditioners. Unfortunately this western model is being adopted in developing countries too.

Further information on cancers and sunlight may be found at:

 

Dr. Bhate