Tomorrow is Fourth of July and it’s the perfect time to enjoy delicious, home cooked foods shared with family and friends in the outdoors. While food, friends and time spent in nature all support your good health, there a two other health benefits you could enjoy tomorrow in your backyard, local park or at the beach.
One of the best things you can do for your health comes naturally from sunlight. Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient for your immune system, which is especially important if you have Staph or MRSA. As it turns out, the very best source of vitamin D comes from the sun. Your skin naturally creates vitamin D when you are in direct sunlight. Experts say that 15 minutes of direct sunlight on your skin each day is enough to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Just keep in mind that sun block products will block the sun from making vitamin D, so use these products after your first 15 minutes for best results. And of course, too much unprotected sun can cause sunburns.
Another less-known health benefit comes from the ground rather than the sky. There are many health benefits to directly touching the earth with your feet, often called grounding. Contact with the electric energy and negative ions in the earth’s surface can have an immediate calming effect and bring a sense of wellbeing. Walking barefoot also exercises and stretches your foot muscles and ligaments. Because negative ions in the earth will not pass through pavement and other non-natural surfaces, walking on natural surfaces, such as a beach or lawn, is the best way to ground yourself.
May you enjoy a sunny, grounding Fourth of July,
Michelle
Microbiologist and Natural Health Expert
