The weather is changing and your body should be craving the idea of being outside. What’s your favorite outdoor activity? Hiking? Swimming? Gardening? Fishing? Adventuring? No matter your age – or predisposition to the outdoors – you can do SOMETHING outdoors. Even just sitting in the sun has soooo many positive effects on your body. Most people are Vitamin D deficient, especially those over the age of 65, and one of the easiest ways to get Vitamin D is with direct sunlight on your skin.
Vitamin D deficiency can cause brittle bones, heart disease, neurological diseases, and cancer, so it is imperative that we get enough each day. Foods that are high in Vitamin D include fatty fish, organ meat, egg yolks, and dairy products. It is also found in certain plant foods including crimini, portabello, maitake and white button mushrooms, and avocado.
Get outside and strengthen your bones. Stay healthy longer. Gentle exercise like gardening, flyfishing, and walking all support building healthy strong bones.
Did you know there are two types of Vitamin D? It isn’t known which is better for you, but D3 is naturally synthesized in our bodies, and therefor typically recommended. Vitamin D2 is made from plants and is found in fortified foods and some supplements. Vitamin D3 is naturally produced in the human body and is found in animal foods. There is ongoing debate whether vitamin D3 “cholecalciferol” is better than vitamin D2 “ergocalciferol” at increasing blood levels of the vitamin. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of vitamin D2 and D3 supplements on blood levels found that D3 supplements tended to raise blood concentrations of the vitamin more and sustained those levels longer than D2.
Get outside and enjoy the weather wherever you are. Fresh air is important for clearing your lungs and body of toxins. Walking helps improve your mood, your sleep patterns, and your metabolism. Sunshine feeds the soul and helps your body process vitamin D.
If you choose to take supplements, make sure you are getting the proper dosage of both magnesium and D3. D3 Can’t be processed properly through the body without magnesium. Magnesium is needed for a wide range of reasons, please read my blog post on Magnesium and sleep for more details.
Recommended reading: https://www.naturaljoyhealing.com/magnesium-8-sheep-organics
Get outside and spend time taking in the beauty of nature. Maybe share it with someone you love and help them begin their healing journey too!
Just like your home needs to be aired out several times a year, your body needs fresh air to clear out toxins and draw in fresh clean air to your lungs. But even more than that, YOU need the outdoors. If you have ever been stressed – I mean really stressed – what does your body want you to do? Mine pushes me outdoors to go for a walk. Being in nature AND walking provides you mentally with a calming effect. Just like walking into your mom’s arms for a long-needed hug. Being outdoors lowers our stress indicators and let’s us unwind. Walking does the same. You will find that you sleep better after spending time outdoors, you have more energy throughout your day, and you are able to focus on tasks easier.
Recommended reading: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/nature-and-mental-health/how-nature-benefits-mental-health/
Find things you enjoy doing outdoors. There are so many things you can do. What is on your bucket list that is outdoors? You may find a new hobby that can help you relax, that also strengthens your muscles and bones, and increases your flexibility. It has been found that being outdoors strengthens your neurotransmitters reducing the chances of developing neurological diseases.
Recommended reading: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6562165/
More recommended reading: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/02/02/dementia-nature-green-space/
Now’s the time! It is spring, the birds are chirping, the grass is green, time to get outdoors and enjoy the world around you. What is your favorite outdoor activity? I’d love to hear about them. Please share!
Blessings – E