Saturday, August 8, 2009

Sunshine Day!

My sister (and new mom!) has been in the hospital for five days - literally inside the hospital. This morning when I spoke with her, she sounded so depressed! Then, I educated her on the benefits of sunlight. Many people who live in Minnesota are partial to the cold and darkness, however I am a sun-lover. No matter where you live, you should get at least 15 minutes of sun exposure each day and here's why:


--Sun can improve your digestion and metabolism.


--Sun can increase the number of white blood cells in your blood, which improves your immunity.


--My favorite reason: sun will calm your nerves and bump up your mood! Production of endorphins and serotonin increases, which will make you feel great!


--Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, which lowers cholesterol levels and helps you absorb calcium. I also recommend taking a vitamin D and calcium supplement each day because it's difficult to obtain enough through eating. A 200 IU dose of vitamin D and a calcium chew like Viactiv will work!


Be safe in the sun! Apply sunscreen (at least SPF 15) about 20 minutes prior to going into the sun. Keep your exposure at a moderate level.

No comments:

Post a Comment