According to archaeologists and anthropologists we humans started out in one of the sunniest regions of planet earth. Our ancestors bodies were bathed in sunshine and it was healthy for our ancestors. Fast forward to the 21st Century and we are bombarded with warnings against skin cancer caused by sunlight. These warnings are based on data obtained by studying the results for folks who spend a lot of time in the sun. We are told that we must stay out of the sun or put on high SPF sunscreen. It turns out that all these results were based on studies of folks that followed a typical “Western” diet. More telling is the fact that the folks in sunny Greece have the lowest rate of the worst skin cancer, namely melanoma. The folks in Greece follow the “Mediterranean” diet and have low rates of that deadly skin cancer.
By way of contrast the folks in Australia have one of the highest rates of melanoma in the world. Similarly when Greeks emigrate to Australia and adopt the typical “Western” diet, they show a higher rate of melanoma than those who remain in Greece eating a “Mediterranean” diet. The bottom line here is that our choice of diet and not our location that determines what keeps us healthy or makes us sick. The parts of the “Mediterranean” diet that appear to be the most helpful in preventing melanoma and all types of UV induced skin damage are as follows. The list includes fish and shellfish, tea, lots of citrus fruits and vegetables, especially the cruciferous vegetables and carrots and tomatoes. The cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. This is good news for seniors who are concerned about taking preemptive steps to protect their senior health.