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Stress Relief Savor the Sun! Rev it Up Wisdom about Heart Health Blueberries and Urinary Tract Infections Know Before Saying No! Curb the Crave	Savor the Sun! By Renée Lubinski The Bible says in Psalm 121:5-8, “The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (NIV). Don’t you just love the promises poured out in God’s Word? God watches over you to the point where He is a shield and shade. He keeps you from harm, watching over every detail of your life. Every good and perfect gift is from Him and for your benefit, and all of creation shouts it out daily. Take for instance the creation of the sun. One of my favorite things to do is to watch the summer sunset over Lake Michigan here in Northeast Wisconsin. It’s breathtaking! As well, I love the warmth of the sun on my skin. It is truly a gift from God. The sunshine He delights in providing is a vital ingredient to your health. Did you know it is your very best source for essential Vitamin D? Isn’t that just like our awesome Creator? Sunlight also provides you with numerous other health benefits such as protection against depression and several types of cancer. Our bodies were designed for regular sun exposure. Overexposure on the other hand may cause premature wrinkling and skin cancer. Today, let’s talk balance, based on the latest research findings. Recent scientific evidence mounts on the health benefits of sun exposure and vitamin D as doctors are now rethinking advice of sunlight avoidance. Balanced sun exposure helps the body produce the vitamin D it needs to keep bones healthy and ward off disease. For example, there is a study that reveals high levels of vitamin D and calcium appeared to reduce women's risk of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). And, according to Dr. Michael Holick, vitamin D boosts calcium absorption, treats psoriasis, and prevents osteoporosis and breast cancer. Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Edward Giovannucci who, in an April 2005 speech to the American Association for Cancer Research, spoke out about the proven link between sun exposure and vitamin D production. While acknowledging the dangers of sun-related skin cancers that killed some 8,000 Americans last year, Dr. Edward convincingly argues staying away from the sun--and preventing the body from making enough vitamin D on its own--may add as much as 70 more cancer deaths per 100,000 people each year! Further, during his speech he challenged anyone to find an area or nutrient or any other factor that held such consistent anticancer benefits as vitamin D. Considering the evidence, it's doubtful anyone took that challenge. Get balanced sun exposure regularly. Take time for yourself and work up to the point where you get at least 30 minutes of sun on your skin every day, if possible. Morning sun is known to have optimal benefits. Please remember that, in nearly every circumstance, getting your vitamin D by exposing your body to UV light from the sun is your best option. When doing so, however, there are two extremely important points to remember: 1. Stay away from tanning beds, as they increase your risk of cancer. 2. Avoid staying in the sun long enough to burn your skin. At the beginning of the season, limit your exposure to perhaps as little as five to ten minutes a day. Progressively increase your time in the sun so that in a few weeks, you will be able to have normal sun exposure with little risk. Many of us are guilty of not monitoring our time in the sun. It's easy to lose track of our "fun in the sun" weekend time -- especially for those who are cooped up in offices for the majority of the week. I have found that the solution to stopping sunburn is not as simple as just slapping on any form of sunscreen found on store shelves. In fact, using most types of sunscreens may cause you even greater harm and may actually increase your risk of disease. The vast majority of today's sunscreens are nothing more than poisonous concoctions loaded with suspect carcinogens. If, for whatever reason, you do require some sun protection, I have found a safe sunscreen. But only use after you have had some sun exposure so you can get the beneficial effects of the sun and optimize your vitamin D levels. Safe Sunscreen: Titania Full Spectrum Sunblock. It protects you from UV-A and UV-B rays and best of all, it's made with natural ingredients that will keep your skin soft and supple for hours. Titania also creates a children’s sunblock: Green Tea Sunblock for Children SPF 25. If interested in ordering, call (866) 998-8855. I believe you would agree, it’s time we stop avoiding the sun like the plague and learn to savor it along with its healthful benefits. Get out and enjoy God’s wonderful creation which includes the warmth of the sun on your skin. “From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD'S name is to be praised.” (Ps 113:3 NKJ) * * * * * Feedback is welcomed. Please feel free to email your comments, questions or suggestions!