Sunshine is one of nature's most powerful healing agents. Sunlight converts cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D, but only to safe levels. This vitamin is essential for the proper handling of calcium in the body and in the prevention of rickets and adult osteomalacia (a disease occurring mostly in adult women that results from a deficiency in vitamin D or calcium and is characterized by a softening of the bones with accompanying pain and weakness. Adequate vitamin D can be obtained by exposing the face to the sun for a few minutes each day.

Benefits of Sunlight

• It increases the circulation of the blood.
• It stimulates the production of more red blood cells, increasing the oxygen content of the blood, and thus increasing muscular endurance.
• It increases liver function and stimulates the liver to produce a drug-metabolizing enzyme. This increases one's ability to withstand pollutants in the environment.
• It stabilizes blood sugar levels.
• It lowers cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Sunlight may decrease cholesterol by more than 30%.
• The ultraviolet rays are antiseptic, a short morning sunbath (before 9am) several times a day will kill germs and promote wound healing. Even reflected light from windows can destroy bacteria in the dust on window sills and floors.
• The heat of the sun is useful in the treatment of neuralgia, neuritis, arthritis and other pain.

• It increases gamma globulin - a protein that helps the body fight infection.
• It is a good treatment for jaundice in the newborn baby.
• It increases muscle tone, persons who exercise in the sunlight build muscle faster than those who exercise indoors.
• It increases body metabolism.
• Sunlight has been shown to increase to relieve depression and to improve sleep.
• Resting heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rates are all decreased after a sunbath.

How to Avoid Sun Injury:

• Get the sun in daily, small, graduated doses. Avoid sunburn like poison!
• Take into consideration the time of year and the hour of the day (10 am to 3 pm). As the sun moves more directly overhead, its intensity increases.
• When outdoors, wear protective clothing and a wide brimmed hat. Light cotton cloth allows the skin to absorb some of the sun rays.
• Eat the most healthful food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds that is free of the refined oils and sugars and rich in cancer preventing antioxidants (vitamin C, E, and Carotene - provitamin A)