There’s an Italian proverb: “Where the sun does not go, the doctor does”.
Doctors are now scrambling to get out studies that say pretty much the same. But with more words. Basically because they’re finding that we all need more Vitamin D. It plays a humongous role in preventing cancer, osteoporosis and a bunch of auto-immune diseases. People who get sun, get less illness. Simple and sweet.
There’s a few things to know here, which I found so, so interesting:
- Vitamin D is best absorbed from the sun. Only about 10% of our daily needs can come from diet
- It has to be direct sun – that is, no sunscreen or T-shirts or shade-clothes.
- Doctors are rethinking their whole sun-is-the-devil message. Baking yourself like a chook in the midday sun ain’t good. But 20 minutes daily is about right.
If you want to read more, the folk at Huffington Post are frothing on the subject at the moment.
Or just go sit outside. I’ve been meditating down at the beach most mornings for a few years now. 20 minutes of direct sunshine on my face does all kind of good things for me.
Thank you to Uge at Aquabumps for the shot. xx
