Despite all the talk about protecting yourself from UV rays, there is actually more benefits of being in the sun. The main benefit is the production of Vitamin D by our body. The one thing few of us realize is that Vitamin D (mostly D3) is the key to boosting our immunity.

Especially during the flu season, we need all the immunity booster we can get. Vitamin C alone may not be enough to protect ourselves from the cold and flu. Especially for those that live in the northern parts of the world and get even less sunshine.

In Sept 2006, Dr. Cannell had his manuscript, Epidemic Influenza and Vitamin D, published in Cambridge University Press’ prestigious Journal of Epidemiology and Infection. The paper presented a revolutionary new theory on vitamin D’s link to influenza and was co-written by some of the world’s top vitamin D experts. More information found here.

The shorter days and less sunshine doesn’t help either. And many of us are indoor most of the days, if you are lucky enough to go outside for lunch, please take it.

Image source:  Luckyvitamin.com

If you get 20 minutes of full body exposure to summer sun, it will deliver 20,000 units of vitamin D within 48 hours. Compare that to 100 units you get from a glass of milk (which the U.S. government recommend - but is really too low).

Studies also suggest if you are fair skinned, you need just 10 minutes of sunshine per day to produce 10,000 IU of Vitamin D (but this is in tank top and shorts). For people who are naturally tan or of Hispanic origin, you need maybe 15 to 20 minutes. Darker skin may require six times the sun exposure to make the same vitamin D.

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Since September is just a month away, I thought I should remind myself and others to stock up on elderberries extract. These little berries have be known to help prevent the flu.

H1N1 (also refer to as Swine Flu) is much more serious strain of virus, it can harm mostly young people.  I don’t like to expand on the media’s fear, but this flu could most likely lead to a had become a world wide pandemic.  In our state of California, I have heard of 9 (maybe more now) deaths from H1N1. One was a healthy 24 year old women from Sacramento.

Elderberries grow in bunches.  Plant species:  Sambucus Nigra.  Photo by Rosie Lerner, Purdue University.

The berries are round and a blackish-purple color when ripen. I have read that the unripe berries are slightly poisonous to eat.  And there are other fruits that look similar but are equally bad, so don’t start eating strange fruits in the forest.  These ripe elderberries are commonly used to make jams, jellies, pies, and wine. In this case you need to eat a lot of berries, so extracts or tinctures are the way to go!

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