It’s a sunny morning in Seattle, so I am sitting in front of a wide open window in nothing but running shorts, enjoying a nice blast of sunshine, appreciating its warmth and contemplating the natural Vitamin D that it’s creating in my body.
Since I’m such a health nerd, I feel the need to label this, and luckily there’s already a word for it – heliotherapy (helio means “sun”).
This reminds me of a photo I saw years ago in National Geographic of residents of Moscow standing against a brick wall in sub-zero winter weather throwing open their heavy coats to reveal their shorts and swim suits underneath.
This item was originally published when this blog was known as “The Office Rat.”
For you office rats in the Sunbelt, this may sound a little pathetic, but for the northern office rat, especially here in the Great Northwest (or, as my cousin calls it, the “Grey Northwet”), we have to grab our sunshine when we can.
Lack of regular exposure to natural sunlight is actually a serious health issue and the ensuing Vitamin D deficiency can cause or exacerbate Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), osteoporosis, chronic pain, some types of cancer, diabetes, and a number of other conditions.
So get outside as often as you can. And if you suspect that you aren’t getting enough Vitamin D, talk to your doctor.
Sources
- Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?, WebMD.com
- Storing Enough Vitamin D?, DrWeil.com
About the Author
Larry Swanson is a massage therapist in downtown Seattle, WA. His practices focuses on the unique needs of office workers and also includes injury treatment for sports and car-accident injuries as well as massage for wellness and athletic performance.