Here Comes the Sun...

With the summer quickly approaching and us Floridians already heading for the beach, I thought I would talk about the benefits of sunbathing. The sun truly is a beautiful creation and it has a purpose both for us and the earth. There is a vitamin that we receive from being in the sun that we need to absorb calcium and phosphorus. I am speaking of Vitamin D and more specifically Vitamin D3, which you can only receive from the sun's rays being absorbed into your body through the skin. It is the natural form of Vitamin D and is the most active. When you receive Vitamin D from food or supplements, it is not active, your body has to convert it through the liver and then the kidneys before it becomes active.

If you go out in the sun 3 times per week for 15 minutes, that will be all the body needs to have adequate Vitamin D. The best times to go out are before 10 AM and after 3 PM, when the rays aren't as potent. That's it, and your body will be better equipped to have healthy bones, teeth and muscles. It also will enable you to prevent breast and colon cancer, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and hypocalcemia. Vitamin D also helps with the immune system and is needed for thyroid function and normal blood clotting. If you are suffering from liver, gallbladder or kidney problems, it is even more important for you to receive weekly sunlight, so you will not develop osteoporosis. Signs that you may not have enough Vitamin D in your body are as follows: loss of appetite, burning sensation in mouth and throat, diarrhea, insomnia, visual problems and weight loss.

Another benefit to sunbathing is that it feels wonderful. Give yourself 15 minutes per day to sit down and enjoy the fabulous gift of sunlight. You will feel energized and alive. Turn your face toward the sun, as the flowers do and know that all is well. Take your lunch break outside or sit in your backyard to open your mail. Incorporate the sun into your day, you need it.

If you do plan on staying out more than 15 minutes, Aubrey Organics offers a variety of wonderful sunscreens that are all natural. I use them and they work well especially on the children who are in and out of the water constantly. If you miss a spot and happen to get burned, use fresh aloe from your household aloe plant, and rub it generously all over the burn. For those who don't have an aloe plant, you must get one immediately, for the uses are many. Another way to help a burn is to mix up apple cider vinegar and water and put it on, you will smell like a salad, but it helps (my mother always insisted on this and we hated it as children, but as an adult, I like to smell--thanks mom!). Also, if you take a cold shower right away, it will stop the burning. Some people like to use a mixture of baking soda and cornstarch on a burn or bathe in it. But the best prevention to avoid a sunburn is to respect and honor the sun's power, and only go out for long periods of time in the morning or late afternoon.

Here's to a Naturally Beautiful Summer full of Sunny days,

ClearSkies

Sources: Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phullis A. Balch, CNC and James F. Balch, M.D.