>>>>On the other side, we've also had the sun scare. A whole industry has sprouted to produce the skin cancer scare, on the assumption that the solar radiation has so drastically changed that staying in sunlight is now guaranteed to produce skin cancer unless you apply proper sun block. The result? Massive vitamin D insufficiency. And about 20 minutes of sunlight a day (unfiltered) should be enough to keep anyone supplied with it.
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>>>I totally agree with that. Man has been living outside with full exposure to the sun for thousands of years, and now of a sudden we all get skin cancer. Sorry, I do not buy that crap.
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>>mostly with both of you, but only recently average lifespan grew so much that those late-blooming cancers will matter more. Also not certain if in the earlier cultures not afraid of bare skin a whole body tan was considered an achievement - roasting pale bodies on beaches might be a new trend brought upon by easy transportation and school holiday time.
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>>Myself trying to get outside a bit without chemicals and without sunburn - seems best strategy to me.
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>For me it's the garden... as soon as it gets too warm to work, I take off my shirt and switch to shorts as soon as practicable. Sometimes as early as mid-march. By end of june, I've tanned alright, and no sunburn ever because it's gradual.
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>The last oily thing to put on skin I bought perhaps a dozen years ago.

No gardening, but sometimes siesta in the open and trying to get most of the dayly things done without car - foot, bicycle or motorcycle. I dutifully buy one bottle of sun screen every 2 or 3 years for the handful of days with time, weather and partner on the tennis court to stay there for much longer than 2H. Previous bottle always near full, but I do not trust those formulae to stay stable in the high temperature somtimes hitting in summer. Good chance that I am throwing away without need, but since the cost of the single buy is minuscle for me, it is a tiny insurance cost. Even 1 bottle per person would be small fry compared to the sums talked about elsewhere.

Even skiing done close to new year sun screen seldom needed - but 3 years ago end of february not screening would have been stupid.