Not every culture reveres the sun as Americans do. In our recent trip to Chengdu, China with a stopover in Hong Kong, we saw hundreds of people, women especially, blocking light on a daily basis.
We’re not sure if these people are supplementing with vitamin D (there is certainly no vitamin D added to the food chain!) but they’re certainly not getting a lot of sun.
The Vitamin D Council insists that people must expose themselves to sunlight and eat vitamin D-fortified products, yet these people are going about their daily lives without any apparent ill effect.
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Amy Proal graduated from Georgetown University in 2005 with a degree in biology. While at Georgetown, she wrote her senior thesis on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Marshall Protocol.
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9 Responses for "Sun-blocking culture among the Chinese"
How wonderful to see all those people with parasols, even men. I hear they are popular in Japan, too, because fair skin is considered a mark of beauty there. Some entrepreneurs have been trying to revive the parasol in Western culture, and I hope they are successful.
I am so happy you posted it. My family is from China and indeed – we avoid the sun as much as we can. But where I currently live – in Scandinavia – I cant do that without being looked on as a freak.
I hope people in the Western world will understand that there are other cultures who think differently about the sun. Even though I guess its about genetics and skin type, asian skin dont age that quick unless they are forced to be out in the sun for work – thats why white skin is highly regarded. It meant that you were in such a positiion that you did not need to work hard, outside labour work.
Its one thing I miss about my homeland. Such a mess having to smear myself with sun cream all the time here…
Hi Lotte,
Thanks for sharing your experience. When I was in China, I became friends with several Chinese graduate students. I told them that in the United States, people would stare at me if I carried at an umbrella, and they could not believe it. Then, I told them that some Americans spend money to use tanning beds or put on self-tanning cream, and they really could not believe me. As for using an umbrella, sometimes on very sunny days, I’ll carry one, and I’ve given up caring what other people think. Maybe I could start a trend.
Best,
Amy
How about a cross-correlate with sunscreen usage in China? Maybe check if the American Dermatology Association is as active there as it is here? Hmmm…that would be interesting.
Did it occur to measure urban-office versus farm-manual labor in China? China has a far higher rural/outside population than indoor office population, driving an umbrella culture. Or maybe they place a far far higher value on pale, smooth skin than we do? Hmmm…..
Funny, here in DC, in Chinatown, filled with…well…Chinese….I almost never see an umbrella. Hmmm….Maybe the Evil D’ers already got to them, and they are perilously soaking in endogenous secosteroids?
Even a FOX News reporter might realize that one gets more sun on a bicycle than in a car, but maybe we need to wait for an “expert” to verify this. Perhaps it might have occurred to a neutral observer that Chinese out in the sun 2x-5x as much as the typical American, in fact need more sun protection? Hmmm…
What about Africa? Perhaps they have a shortage of umbrellas there? I look forward to Bacteriality’s opinion piece on African headresses and other core Vit.D-related news.
This was not a study, just an observation. If you want to fund research into the areas you suggested, go for it.
Good Science depends on “observation”; we agree
there.
If one wishes to present the public with agenda-
laden statements without discussing the backing
science, or considering other hypothesis, perhaps
finding a scientist’s funded studies is the way to go?
That’s just an observation.
Ross,
even if Amy has an agenda posting this, whats wrong with that? Almost everybody has an agenda when they do something. This observation is relevant to us doing MP and its funny how cultures differ. Here in Norway people are desperate to get a tan, using tanning beds and going to holidays to get as tanned as possible, wheras in China they avoid the sun like hell and spend hundreds of dollar to whiten their skin.
Why dont you question those who want people to supplement with D-vitamin in their food? Dont they have any agenda? Like making money from selling supplements that dont really have scientific proof is good? I started to take massive doses of D-vitamin last year, fish oil, D-vitamin liquids and so on. After some months I collapsed and have never been so sick in my life. Before that my health got really bad after I went to a trip to Egypt and was forced to sunbathe with friends even though I did not like it and felt very uncomfortable. I have been light sensitive to some degree all my life.(and my parents are both chinese coming from very sunny south of China, I am born in a rainy and cold city in Norway) This was all before I learned about MP. After I learned the connection between sunlight and D-vitamin, everything made sense. My insomnia and brain fog resolved when I avoided strong daylight and sun. If the sun is so good why is too much sun associated with wrinkles, skin damages and skin pigments? Its not just about white skin. Healthy people may benefit from the sun, but we are talking about chronically ill people with infections and inflammation. Is it so hard to believe that THEY might not benefit from the same things like healthy people do?
Chinese people are good at adopting to new cultures and places. Of course they would avoid using umbrellas if that is frowned upon in their current living place. If I could choose I would use an umbrella when sunny, but that would make me an outcast here.
Well anyway, there are of course many other things that could be said about all this.
What is your agenda for posting these sarcastic remarks? To prove that Amy is wrong and you have the answers? She and others on MP are just trying to help sick people with no other agenda than wanting to help (I havent seen her trying to sell me anything yet at least) They are offering their opinion about vit D and sun exposure. There are enough of other hypothesis out there which I am sure you are aware of. (It is “known” mainstream that vid D is “good” for your health.) Even if the MP are wrong, who is to say those pro vit D are right? Those pro vit D and sun exposure have not cured anybody longterm yet. And no real “scientific proof” that vit D and sun exposure really helps those who are sick. Have you read patient stories here? Many of them felt worse in the sun as their disease progressed.
I see I have written more than I intended to. I guess this is something that is close to my heart since I AM one of those who can relate to the MP-theories, they make sense to me and explains my symptoms. I get angry when people just post their sarcastic judgements as if they feel they have the right to be rude and think that they know everything just because they know how to use the internet.
I am just hoping and praying that we will get many answers in the coming years to how to cure chronic diseases so that we dont need to suffer.
People say to sleep at the right time everyday because you want to wake up for the sun. So does that mean sleeping in the morning when sun is out is actually better for you?
I have been sleeping like this for years and everyone says its unhealthy.
Hi Steve,
I think you’re referring to how exposure to sunshine may allow a person to sleep more regularly. I would hesitate to comment on whether sleeping with the shades opened or closed is more healthy. You would probably know as well as anyone. I guess I would go with whatever allowed me to get more sleep.
Best,
Paul