Sunshine - Health Facts About Vitamin D and Sunlight Exposure

Did you know that by getting adequate exposure to sunshine health levels actually increase? It's true. Of course, you wouldn't learn this truth by reading most news reports. Media reports have practically vilified sunlight exposure. It is true that excessive exposure to sunlight, just like excessive levels of just about anything, is bad for your health.

We cannot afford to throw out the baby with the bathwater when it comes to gleaning the health benefits of proper exposure to sunlight. Our bodies need to soak up sunshine to be truly healthy. In fact, there are vital processes that are slowed or stopped altogether when people avoid going out into the sunshine.

How Does Sunshine Improve Health?

The human body needs to interact with sunshine in order to process and properly utilize Vitamin D. Vitamin D has many benefits, but one of the most important is its role in the mineralization and strengthening of bones. Without regular exposure to sunlight this essential vitamin will be unavailable to your body. Brittle bone diseases and serious bone injuries happen when bones lack strength.

It's not just bones that benefit from a regular regiment of sunshine exposure. Routine exposure to sunshine also helps your body to maintain healthy nerves, blood rich in iron and more powerful muscles.

In cultures where the people are not afraid of regular exposures to sunshine, health levels seem to increase. People who live in North America and Europe suffer the most from lack of exposure to the sun. Millions of people in these countries suffer from a variety of health issues that could be averted altogether by taking time for regular sun exposure to the skin.

Experts estimate that as little as 10 to 15 minutes in the sun each day can dramatically reduce many serious health issues. There simply aren't many things that can have such a dramatic impact on your health that are so simple to do. Not only is it easy to get regular sunlight exposure, it's also free. Imagine that; something you can do every day to live a healthier life, that won't cost you a penny.

What's the Fuss about Skin Cancer?

In order for more people to take advantage of the power of sunshine health benefits, reeducation about sunlight exposure seems to be necessary. As was previously mentioned, the epidemic of skin cancer has caused a backlash against spending any time at all in the sun. Of course, skin cancer is a very serious condition, but it is usually caused by failing to protect the skin and inordinate amounts of time spent on tanning and other outdoor activities. True health is all about balance. If you eat too much health problems will occur. In a similar manner, spending huge chunks of your time tanning in the sunlight will also cause significant health problems, like skin cancer.

Simply put, your body will never be in a state of true health without regular time spent in the sunlight. Sunshine health benefits are available to everyone under the sun. This huge asset is free and people need to know just how important it is for living a healthier life.

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Why We're Fat and What We Can (Really) Do About It

DISCLAIMER: There are no diet, exercise or nutritional tips in this article. This article won't make you lose weight, get healthy or increase your figure or your libido.

Many of us want to lose weight. Some want to lose more than others. All of us know how yet few of us ever will (at least permanently). We'll try; we'll buy, splurge, purge and try every fad diet, gobble up disgusting pills, contort ourselves into weird shapes in the latest and greatest exercise trend and snatch up every weight loss and diet book on the shelves. The advice, information and suggestions never change, only the messenger and the delivery. Eat more fruits and veggies; drink more water and less soda and beer. Increase your vitamin intake and reduce your cholesterol, sugar and sodium intake. Walk Fido more, avoid elevators (not a bad idea with the latest weather-related disasters), yada, yada, yada. I don't have any fancy degrees, nor am I a dietician, therapist, nutritionist or tri-athlete (unless eating while vacuuming and talking on the phone counts?) I'm just an almost thirty-eight year old mom that religiously argues with my scale every morning.

Why do we torture ourselves reading all of these articles, perusing the healthy eating articles in line at the grocery store checkout (trying to refrain from sneaking the kitkat bar onto the pile, like the checker cares)? Reading is meant to be either entertaining or informative. At this point, are you really learning anything new? Reading about how to eat better, lose weight and become a healthier person isn't actually going to motivate you to go out and do it.

So what am I saying here? Are diets wrong? Actually, a lot of them probably work, to some degree. The problem isn't the diet- it's the dieter. It's hard to change your eating and exercise habits (that's why it's called a "habit"). It's even more difficult to have others try to change or force their habits on us; when was the last time you listened to a political TV personality with your opposing views and suddenly shouted "Yes, you're right! Because of what you said I am no longer going to vote for so and so!" Changing your habits comes down to mental strength or lack thereof. You taking responsibility for the food you put in your mouth, how often you put food in your mouth, when and how much you do or don't exercise. All the "experts" telling you it's not your fault are pandering to our collective desire to blame someone else for our failings. This is probably not going to make me real popular, telling you what you do not want to hear. But consider this: I'm not trying to sell you anything; no pills, books, exercise DVDs, self-help retreats or self-esteem ebooks. I'm telling you the truth that you already know just don't want to admit.

A physical trainer, Jenny Craig weight-loss consultant, personal nutritionist or whatever expert can temporarily set you on a better path but unless they are with you 24/7 you are going to fail until you alone make the decision to be healthier. Millions of people have spent billions of dollars trying to lose weight, shed pounds and inches, sculpt their body and beat the clock. We know what foods increase our likelihood of diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease and other health problems. We know that McDonald's isn't good for us yet we continue to eat there. Choosing convenience over your health is your responsibility. Some of us have "bad genes." This can contribute to our propensity to pack on the pounds. I myself am the daughter of an insulin-dependent mom and a five heart-attack survivor father. I know my family's history and take that into account. There are reasons but no excuses. Very few of us are "force fed" after about age two and as adults we do get quite a bit of say in what we eat. That's it, the "secret" to losing weight and being healthier is you being responsible. Now, imagine if you can take responsibility for what you eat.. then you can start being responsible for the money you spend... the officials you elect.... Let's start a trend and let's start today.

**Author's Note: After this article was first published last month on opednews.com, I received more than a few "you're a hypocrite" comments and emails from readers. There may be advertisements on this page (depending on the site you are viewing this article from) for weight loss products, diets and exercise programs: I have no control over what advertising is placed around this article; advertising works off of "tags" and "keywords" and that is probably why there are these types of ads on this page. I do not endorse a single product nor am I getting any revenue from any advertisements. Bernadette Greene

Bernadette Greene is the author of a wide variety of articles, from in-depth, issue-orientated news pieces to exhaustively entertaining pieces highlighting her love of coffee and her total lack of common sense. She is the author of the controversial but well-received The Desperate American: a manifesto as well as the water-cooler staple "The Unaffectionate Mother," one woman's attempt to grant viewers her perspective on mommyhood. Her fiction works include the historical family saga series "Vainglorious" which should be available for print and download in early October 2011. Please contact her or visit her webpage at http://www.thedesperateamerican.com/ or check out the "lighter" side at http://www.housewifecentral.com/ which features some of her work and is an excellent source of information for every man and woman struggling with over eating, over charging and other day-to-day issues.

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