How Living Under The Costa Rica Sun Helps Reduce Your Risk Of Cancer and Heart Disease

Cancer and heart disease are frightening, not just because they can be deadly but because of the way they tear down the lives of those they attack.

Not only are they costly to treat but they can sap your energy, rob you of activities you enjoy and generally make life less worth living.

One of the best preventatives of cancer and heart disease is one that we take for granted nearly every day of our lives and it hangs right over our heads–the sun!

Dr. Cedric Garland, professor of preventative medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, conducted a study that concluded that in areas that received more sunlight the rates of colorectal cancers were down compared to people in darker climates.

When his study was largely ignored due to the skin cancer scare he did another study that they published in 1985. In that one he compared the levels of vitamin D in the blood of test subjects and found that those who had sufficient amounts had fewer instances of ovarian, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

An estimated 45,000 Americans die each year from cancer that is the result of insufficient amounts of vitamin D in the body.

You need 600-1,000 IU per day of D and you can’t get that through your diet. The one thing that the body needs to manufacture this vitamin is the light of the sun.

Low levels of vitamin D can double the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes. They cannot process cholesterol normally and it builds up in their blood, increasing the chances of blocked arteries and heart attacks. And it’s not only diabetics that have that problem.

Vitamin D helps prevent cells called macrophages from collecting cholesterol, which they can’t expel. They get clogged up without vitamin D and become what are called “foam cells”; these foam cells are one of the early markers of atherosclerosis.

Macrophages are part of our immune system and if they are clogged up they won’t work properly; these cells are used by the immune system to respond to inflammation and can also be activated by a disease like diabetes.

Getting enough sunlight is problematic for most people. They believe the extensive campaigns that urge them to block the sun’s rays with sunscreen, robbing their bodies of this natural and life-giving resource.

Exposing your bare skin to the sun just 10-20 minutes a day will give your body the light it needs to produce the vitamin D that can keep you healthy and free cardiovascular disease and most cancers.

That is not to say that you should lie out in the sun every day unprotected. As with anything, too much sunlight can be detrimental and damage your skin. However, allowing the sunlight on your skin in moderate amounts will keep you healthy.

Your body can manufacture the vitamin D that you need and you’ll notice an improvement in your mood, your hair and nails, your general health, your energy levels, and even your libido.

Taking advantage of the Costa Rican sun can add many healthy years to your life, especially if you stick to a healthy diet and stay physically active. In Costa Rica you can also easily find fresh food free of preservatives and chemicals that harm the body and immune system.

Plus, the sun helps your body manufacture serotonin, the “happy hormone.” You’ll find that Costa Rica is the ideal place for a long and happy retirement.

Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1: How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, 2: Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore and 3. ¿Cómo Comprar Bienes Raices en Costa Rica, Sin Perder Su Camisa?

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.