Solstice -- YOU, the SUN, Vitamin D and Cold and Flu; Blog from 12/21/09

Today is solstice -- in the part of the world I live in, it is the 'shortest day of the year' .. meaning the least seconds of sunlight, and then from here our days get longer.  As my father knew and told me long ago, it continues to shift for a while as to what times the sunrise/set are, so it sometimes feels like the days continue to get shorter but in fact they're not.  I found out rapidly through people in the facebook group today that across the Earth there are people at their summer solstice now. Either way, this is great information for people to have today as it relates to health.   I also see MANY are writing about having bugs or getting over bugs so I'll look at the Comments below to do a future blog about 'things to do when you have a cold', so please contribute ideas!

This past summer I contacted The Denver Post Western Slope staff writer when I saw the paper was putting lots about H1N1, and I am very glad I did!  They wanted to do a story right away about it, and so I rounded up Christopher Lepisto, ND and Scott Rollins, MD of the Integrative Medicine Center of Western Colorado, who collaborate with Lumigrate related to getting progressive health information out to the public.  I was included in the interview and was the lead-in and out human interest twist when Nancy Lofholm wrote the story.  If you want REAL entertainment about what some people who are on-line reading The Denver Post on Labor Day think about the concepts in the story, please follow the links here to the paper/story and read the comments!  And then come back here and look at the photos of me with tinfoil on my head!  (You'll see why I joke about that if you read it.).  

So I learned about the people who can say such outrageously disrespectful things when given the opportunity and format where they are allowed to 'go and say whatever' ... it seemed pretty counterproductive and negative to me.  I also saw the comments of people who appreciated that kind of information and know that whenever you see such controversy, it's a 'big story'.  That's where we are with health care today and Lumigrate is well on it's road after three seasons, for what we think is a good road for progressive information that 70% of people in the US say they want.  AND I learned some stuff I've already appreciated and thought 'why didn't I know this before?' --  during the interview/story and then the proceeding information from my former integrative medicine MD in Denver, who provided more information 'from the other side of the mountains' for the story about what I call "What to DO for Cold and Flu".  I can say that I, and others, have incorporated this new-to-us knowledge into our regimen of health and are LOVING IT.  (Umcka goes where I go now... always with me in the travel bag.)

I'll refer you below with links to the blogs I wrote previously about this.  I hope you take the time to read them -- you'll save time in the long run by being healthier.  Please tell others -- This is the gift you can give others -- and me/Lumigrate, which includes everyone who is part of Lumigrate's successes to date (MANY contributors to the Forum areas, readers, facebook FRIENDS)... 

• PRINT THIS and post it at work, give it to your medical providers, your friends. ... they look AWESOME and I was reminded of this by Yenta yesterday, who has been doing that with great success and pride.  
• Call someone, talk to someone you see today and over the upcoming visits so many people have coming with people, and refer them to Lumigrate.com and this blog to get started.  Then maybe THEY will print, paste, promote as well. 
• Copy and send the link out or paste it on your facebook page's status IF you think it's helpful for people to learn -- at this season -- so they might stay healthier this winter (and next!).  

If you're across the Earth from me, please use this opportunity of your longest day of sun to be liaison educators to YOUR communities about the importance of sun (which provides our bodies to make Vitamin D), supplementing for many people for at least portions of the year, and doing things such as resting, enjoying life, and other strategies to keep our immune systems and bodies healthy.  Food as First Medicine, remember that as well. 

Please COMMENT below for a discussion if you want.  Join us on facebook (Fan Pages are 'Lumigrate' and 'Lumigrate: Fibromyalgia' currently, and you can friend request Lumigrate Webucation and Mardy Ross if you like (we're encouraging the FAN PAGES please for sure!).  And help all of us who you see utilizing Lumigrate for progressive health information collaboration, draw more people in the new season that is in front of us.  

Below is the link that I draw up when I do a 'search' in the upper right corner box on Lumigrate.com for the tag 'flu' or H1N1.... it will show you ALL the blogs I'm talking about related to your immune system related to sun and acidophilus/ probiotics and how important the gut is to our health -- so think foods, drink, digestion.  SO make yourself a nutritious drink, supplement what you might think you ought to have after reading this (or if you knew but needed a 'reminder') and enjoy this special day wherever you are in the calendar and world.  Thanks for joining us at Lumigrate through our spring, summer and now fall and we look forward to the winter and lots of good writing and sharing time with YOU. 

www.lumigrate.com/category/tags/h1n1

If anyone wants to look at products that Drs Lepisto and Rollins picked to show on Lumigrate as examples, go to our Products tab... that's ALWAYS there as a resource for EVERYONE and we get nothing from that -- it's intended for you to have as a fast resource.  IF you want to order or look at another source, I highly recommend Natural Grocers, and their link is on our Products area as their previous name 'Vitamin Cottage' (rebranding as they expand and the world of food does as well).  They now are aware of Lumigrate, but we've had no agreement about this -- I just wanted my users to have the best resource I know of for purchasing.  For you to get there now fast, the link to the vitamin portion of their comprehensive (health food store on the Internet) is below:

www.naturalgrocers.com/vitamins_supplements-c-2.html

Vitamin Cottage was their previous name -- started by a forward thinking woman in Denver in 1955, and her family still owns and runs this company which sponsors Dr. Lepisto and Rollins and many others you haven't seen on Lumigrate (yet) at the Grand Junction store.  I've purchased food and supplements from them since I moved to Denver to become an OT 13 years ago and grew up not far from their original store, though we didn't know about it!  They're the best!  No lie. (Just a saying who two friends have said to me recently which I thought fit here).  Anyone reading who knows about their stores or Internet store, please Comment!  It helps others know more about what they're here for!