One of the world’s leading sunlight and Vitamin D research advocates has publicly disclosed his battle with leukemia — a disease that, ironically, he believes may be associated with years of his overzealous sun avoidance.Oliver Gillie, an award-winning British writer and scientist, just received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Medical Journalists’ Association for his work on sunshine and Vitamin D. But he now believes the science is there to show that years in childhood and as a young man avoiding the sun may have spurred his current battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

“Sometimes the truth is the opposite of what we think we know,” Gillie wrote in an article published in the London Telegraph this week titled, “A Suntan is not only healthy, it an be life-saving.”

Gillie wrote, “Like many people, for years I heeded the advice of cancer charities and the government to cover up and avoid strong sunshine. But now I know that CLL, like a number of cancers and several other conditions including heart disease, diabetes and multiple sclerosis, is associated with low levels of vitamin D.”

He continued, “It is deeply ironic that vitamin D should play a part in my disease — and I am convinced it has — because I have spent the past 10 years campaigning on the multiple health risks of low vitamin D. I now know that for optimum health in our northerly climes we need to get as much sun exposure as possible, while taking care not to burn.”

Gillie is the latest in a growing group of scientists and vitamin D advocates to point out the need for heightened attention to pre-natal and early-life Vitamin D levels.

To read Gillie’s story in the Telegraph click here.

Homepage photo credit: the Telegraph

 

 

 

 

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