Sunshine

“The sun,--the bright sun, that brings back, not light alone, but new life, and hope, and freshness to man--burst upon the crowded city in clear and radiant glory.”     

                                                                                   'Oliver Twist' by Charles Dickens

Week 27

My last week’s blog focused on making a commitment to exercise regularly. Remember, I gave you a list of 30 benefits of making walking a part of your regular health routine. As I typed out those benefits, I found myself wondering about one specific area, so I began doing additional research.  It was on Item #25: Walking helps you to get your regular intake of Vitamin D. 

For the last few years it seems we have been so focused on the fear of skin cancer that the sun has garnered a reputation of being some sort of cancer carrying, wrinkle producing monster….which doesn't sound at all like the radiant glory that we hear about from Oliver Twist. Yes, getting too much sunshine can be bad for you, but as other things in our life, the key is moderation.

  

According to ‘Archives of Internal medicine’, Three-quarters of U.S. teens and adults are deficient in vitamin D, the so-called "sunshine vitamin" whose deficits are increasingly blamed for everything from cancer and heart disease to diabetes. Since we don't get vitamin D through our natural food sources, we need to get it another way.  We can get it from man-made vitamin D, or we can get it from the God made ‘Sun’. Hmmm...I wonder which one is better???

I read about so many good things associated with ‘catching’ some rays. And I initially intended to just sum up the benefits for you, but it was all this evidence that convinced me and, I’d like to convince you as well, that indeed the sun does 'bring new life, and hope, and freshness to man'.  So,I decided the best way to share what I found was to just copy and paste it,with credit given, directly from the ‘Natural Health Restored’ website (http://www.natural-health-restored.com/benefits-of-sunlight.html) and let you see if for yourselves.

The Benefits of sunshine:

1. A definite plus of sunshine is that it gives you a healthy looking complexion. It will make your skin smooth with an irresistible healthy glow.

2. If you get regular exposure to sunlight, it will help protect your skin in the long run. That is because your body will build up a natural resistance to the harmful effects of ultraviolet light.

3. If you allow your skin to get moderately tanned, it will be more resistant to infections and sunburns than if your skin is not tanned.

4. The ultraviolet rays in sunshine act as a natural antiseptic. These rays can kill viruses, bacteria, molds, yeasts, fungi, and mites in air, water, and on different surfaces including your skin.

5. Getting some sun tends to help clear up different skin diseases such as acne, boils, athletes foot, diaper rash, psoriasis, and eczema.

6. Another of the main benefits of sunlight is that it stimulates your appetite and improves your digestion, elimination, and metabolism.

7. Getting your daily dose of sunshine will enhance your immune system. It increases the number of white blood cells in your blood. It also helps them to be better fighters in their mission to destroy germs.

8. Sunshine encourages healthy circulation. It also stimulates the production of more red blood cells which increases the amount of oxygen in your blood.

9. Sunlight is one of the most effective healing agents that exists.

10.Feeling down? One of the major benefits of sunlight is that it will soothe your nerves and boost your mood leaving you with a renewed sense of well-being. Sunlight increases the production of endorphins and serotonin in your brain which will definitely leave you feeling much better.

11. Getting enough sunlight during the day can help you sleep better at night. If you are exposed to natural light during the day, it will increase your melatonin output at night. Melatonin is a natural hormone made by our bodies. It enhances sleep and slows down the aging process.

12. The healing properties of the sun are excellent for people who are suffering from various diseases and ailments.

13. Sunlight helps to balance out your hormones. It may even help to relieve certain symptoms of PMS.

14. Sunlight improves the function of your liver and helps it to break down toxins and wastes that could lead to cancer and other diseases.

15. If you've got swollen, arthritic joints, sunlight may help lower your pain levels.

16. Sunlight is an effective treatment for jaundice.

17. According to some studies on the benefits of sunlight, exposure to the sun may decrease your risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.

18. Sunlight helps your body convert a form of cholesterol that is present in your skin into vitamin D. This results in lower blood cholesterol levels.

19. Other benefits of sunlight include the life-giving energy it gives to your organs and the way it helps to strengthen and vitalize your body.

So let me ask you, Who here doesn't want life-giving energy, a healthy immune system, lower cholesterol, a beautiful complexion, and better sleep?

but as I said in the beginning moderation is the key.  

It was difficult to find an optimum time we should spend uncovered in the sunshine each day…(because it depends on our size, our skin color, the time of year, the time of day, and where we live....you may want to research recommended time for your own area).  But, the going rate is somewhere between 15-30 minutes 3-5 times per week.  The sources suggested that we let the sun hit all the areas of your body. Better dig out that old bikini?  (And I realize that for some of you folks the temps are still in the 40’s and 50’s... burr.)  The good thing is that Vitamin D can be stored up, so make sure and get your full dose (but no more) on the more pleasant days.

Might I suggest you also do further research on sunshine on the uncovered  eyes …as it seems that there is some disagreement on this.  But I’m thinking that five minutes a day, without the shades, might be good for me.

So...I’m convinced, I’m going to be more mindful about letting 'God’s radiant sun shine down on me, and feel it shower me with 'new life and hope and freshness'.  

Small Step: As weather permits, I’m going to get my weekly intake of Vitamin D the natural way.

Making a Commitment

“There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”   Ken Blanchard

Week 26

I’ve decided to spend 2012 with a focus on my precious resource of time.  I have organized it into 5 categories, as I mentioned a few weeks ago, beginning with spending more time doing what is good for me.

On my 'Week 12' blog I wrote a post called ‘Stepping it up’.  I was determined to take more steps in my life.  I wanted to be more intentional about getting exercise and moving more every day. Since I selected that goal, I have been reading more about the benefits of walking as a form of exercise, and I thought we might spend some time discussing it.

After researching a number of health websites, I compiled a list of 30 reasons why the experts think we should make a commitment to spend more of our time walking.

1. Walking prevents type 2 diabetes
2. Walking lessens the chance of a stroke
3. Walking strengthens your heart
4. Walking strengthens your lungs
5. Walking is good for your brain- researchers found 27% lower risk of developing dementia.
6. Walking is good for your bones.
7. Walking helps alleviate symptoms of depression.
8. Walking reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer
9. Walking improves fitness
10. Walking improves physical function
11. It soups up your sex life
12. It can get you off meds
13. It can be socially stimulating if you walk with a friend
14. It’s a great avenue for prayer and meditation
15. It’s a great avenue for creative thinking
16. It lowers your stress level
17. It helps you to make important decisions
18. It helps you to lose inches
19. It’s cheap
20. You don’t have to plan ahead…just walk out the door
21. It encourages your friends and loved ones to exercise
22. It helps your dog get exercise 
23. It helps your complexion
24. It raises your self-esteem
25. It helps you to get your regular intake of Vitamin D
26. You get to enjoy God’s awesome creation
27. You get to enjoy fresh air (unless you live in LA)
28. It renews your spirit
29. You just generally look and feel better, and it makes you a nicer person.
30. And if all the others, don't convince you...how about this one...It reduces the risk of dying from any given cause. (This research comes from Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas). 

As you can read, and probably already knew ....walking is very good for us!

But, statistics also tell us that only 3 in 10 people in the United States choose to make walking a part of their reqular routine. I would venture to say that if you are among the 2/3 that don’t exercise regularly, it's not because you don't know about the benefits. And I believe that even though you're not stepping it up each day, you are none the less interested in becoming healthier. Am it right...well then what's your excuse?….

Might I put forward some of your reasons for not walking or exercising (I know of these excuses because I’ve used them myself): “I’m too busy,  I can’t get motivated, I have no energy, I have no one to walk with, it’s too cold, it’s too hot, it’s too dark, it’s too light, I don’t feel good, my walking partner doesn’t feel good, I have meetings at school, at work, at church, I have kids to take care of, I have stuff I need to do for others, I'm not in the mood, I’m feeling lazy ............Well that’s Enough! Stop it!  Stop it right now.  No more with your excuses... It's time to take responsibility for your health and your well-being! 

Our life is precious, our time is precious and we should all be making a commitment to spend more time doing what is good for us.  Besides, when we take care of ourselves, we are giving a gift to others. So let’s have a funeral and cremate our list of excuses! It's time to take action.

We will accept no more excuses. …only results! 

Small step:   Walk a minimum of 30 minutes- four times a week.

Email me your thoughts at smallsteps4bigresults@yahoo.com