Our modern lifestyle leaves us with very little time or incentive to spend time outdoors, and that is one of the reasons why most Indians are vitamin deficient.
Sunshine offers a wide range of physical as well as mental health.
You get Vitamin D which is helps improve bone health, immune system, and also boosts your mood. Sunlight helps reduce cortisol levels thereby lowering stress and anxiety levels.
While sunshine has many benefits, you must also take care to avoid its harmful effects such as exposure to excessive UV which can cause premature aging, and in worst case lead to skin cancer.
You must limit sun exposure (avoid peak hours – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and use sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
Indian festivals that encourage you to get some sunshine
Sakranti is one festival that encourages you to go outdoors and get some sunshine.
Makar Sakranti, Lohri, Bihu, Pongal are harvest festivals in India that are celebrated more or less at the same time.
On Makar Sakranti, our tradition is to fly kites and eat sweets made of til (sesame seeds).
Did you know?
- Vitamin D is made by the body using sunlight?
- Sesame seeds( til) have the highest calcium (975mg per 100g). Milk has 125mg only?
- The body is capable of storing vitamin D up to a year, and use the reserves?
- Lastly, the body is capable of getting its vitamin D reserves full with 3 full days of sunlight?
- The best quality of sunlight is end of winter & beginning of summer?
So here is one festival that encourages you to go outdoors, and eat something healthy.
On the festival of flying kites, kids get excited to go in the open, under direct sunlight beginning early morning, and they also get to eat delicious homemade TIL laddoos.
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