#11 - Vit D deficient? How to get it the old fashioned way!!!!

Wow, did you know that we have been sold a bill of goods regarding exposure to sunshine???  We are constantly bombarded with ads and doctors all telling us that we should use sunblock and "protect our skin from sunlight" so we don't "get cancer."  Uh-hum.... let's put on our thinking caps here.... before sunblock existed, were there as high rates of skin cancer as there are now?  I bet we could google that one.

Check out this great article by Dr. Robert Mercola stating "Sunblock can actually increase your risk of skin cancer"!!! http://www.therealessentials.com/sunblock.html 

It's important to note that while he talks about "vegetable oils" and "omega-6 fats" being a direct correlation to cancer, he makes a very important distinction that "vegetables are great and we all need them every day, but when they are processed and refined and consumed in large amounts they can cause major health problems."  The key here is avoiding "processed and refined veggies, hello! 

So I digressed, the point of this blog was to tell you how to increase Vitamin D in your body, but since the natural answer to that brings up the controversy of sun exposure being "bad for us", I had to dispell that myth first before trying to convince you to LOVE THE SUN AGAIN!  Just be smart, don't over expose yourself during the middle of the day.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb Calcium (a definite plus as we all need calcium to keep our bones strong), and guess what, an easy way to get Vitamin D is to have direct exposure on our face, arms, legs, back and tummy of what.... SUNSHINE!!!    And, without any sunblock on. 

How often?  15 minutes a day..... some say as little as 2 times a week, but I say, as often as we can.  My doctors (both my MD and homeopath shared the same info.... hallelujah!!) that even for people that live in climates that have long winters, you can store enough Vitamin D in your body to last through the winter if you lay in your backyard in a bikini for 15 min. in the morning or late afternoon (not in the middle of the day when the rays can burn you) and simply expose your face (no sunglasses), arms, tummy, legs and flip over and do the same for your back. 

Do this regularly and build a tan line and you will know you are storing Vitamin D.  Most of us that even live in warm weather don't do that at all, we try to stay covered with a hat, sunglasses (which block the brain from believing it is getting the true sunlight it is getting and of course, we know, the brain is the computer that makes our body tick so if it doesn't believe it's getting a lot of sunshine, even if it is, then it won't absorb it ..... wow, food for thought). 

Also we usually wear longer shorts and longer sleeved shirts and simply don't give our full body and skin the proper exposure to sun that it needs, hence we are Vitamin D deficient despite being able to expose ourselves to plenty of it for FREE through the amazing sun that God and Mother Nature gave us. 

BTW, regular exposure to the sun will not only help you store Vitamin D, but it will also improve your mood.  Just remember, like plants need the sun to thrive and stay alive, so do we!!!

If you're not convinced and/or you simply don't get enough sunshine so you aren't absorbing enough Vitamin D the old fashioned way, then try Dr. Mercola's FABULOUS "vitamin D spray", it's an AMAZING supplement that will help you get the Vitamin D you need.  Just check with your doctor to find out how many IU's they recommend you take per day.  Dr. Mercola's spray gives you 1,000 IUs per spray... so the bottle will last you a while.  Check out his 3-pack for an even better deal.  MOST OF US ARE VITAMIN D deficient, so when you get your next physical or bloodwork, ask your doctor if you are and then consider some more SUN EXPOSURE (per my tips above) and/or Dr. Mercola's Vitamin D spray: http://products.mercola.com/vitamin-d-spray/