ENDLESS SUMMER // Always seeking the sun

Here in the US summer is now on the way out. If you didn't get to spend it at the beach, or living poolside you might be wondering where those sunny summer days you were craving went. (We are kind of wondering where it went ourselves!)

But... its always summer somewhere, and even if you live in the northern hemisphere- summer is just a plane ride away. When fall comes, and winter gets into full swing, we seek out the sun. Ever wonder why beaches are packed and plane flights to sunny destinations are so expensive in January? Well, the body knows what it wants - and while some of that motivation might be vacation, we are also biologically driven to get that sunny fix. 

The Vitamin D3 that we get from the sun is crucial to our overall health. In fact, D3 might be one of the most simple solutions to most of our health problems. Deficiency in the US is an epidemic right now. Sun phobia is very much a thing right now, and sun damage is pretty much on the list to avoid no matter what your aesthetic goals are. No one wants skin cancer (of course) - and because we like to simplify, we conclude that sun exposure = skin cancer.

"Slather the sunscreen on and save your skin!" ASAP.  

But have you ever looked at what's in sunscreen? Can you even begin to read the ingredients? The answer is most likely not. Most commercial sunscreens are based on chemical fillers that may be harmful for many reasons- some of which we have yet to discover. Many of the most commonly used sunscreen brands contain chemicals that have been shown to cause hormone disruption, thyroid dysfunction, may effect fertility- and... does any of this sound good? All for the sake of saving your skin from the sun? 

And thats not all, what about the critical Vitamin D3 that most of us are lacking? When we block our skin from the sun, we also block out Vitamin D3 which is critical to our health on all levels. 

"Ironically, recent research shows that vitamin D also improves survival outcomes for melanoma patients. It’s also important for cognitive health, immune function, healthy pregnancy, infant development, and strong, healthy bones, just to name a few." - Dr. Mercola . 

So, raise your hand if you spent your summer in front of a computer - and go treat yourself to a sunny vacation this winter!