Woodford Files – On Solar Medicine, Edible Flowers, and Getting Out of Town for a Healthy Holiday

Wow, what a year it’s been so far – a year of transformation for people and businesses alike. Here at Vitality, we have evolved from a magazine format to a newsletter / website format, both of which you will hopefully find easy to read and share. This format enables you to comment on any article or ask questions of the writers, which makes it more of an interactive experience.

Now that summer is upon us after a cold and soggy spring, we can open ourselves to the benefits of solar medicine. During the first warm days of early spring, I had encouraged my sick elderly neighbour to unbundle his many layers of clothes and expose himself to the sun, but he said he didn’t want to get skin cancer. Sadly, he is misinformed. Research has shown that in most cases sunlight does not cause melanoma.

You can find links to that research in Zoltan Rona’s article this month on “Natural Solutions to 5 Common Summer Hazards.” Here, Rona reminds us that the sun is not something to be feared. In fact, full spectrum solar rays provide health benefits that the body desperately needs, playing a key role in the creation of vitamin D which many of us northerners are lacking. Further, studies suggest that sunshine can help fight off cancer tumours, reduce the risk of diabetes, and even aid in weight loss.

Thankfully, my neighbour has started venturing outdoors with more skin exposed and is even walking on the ground in bare feet. Hallelujah. He can now benefit from two of nature’s best medicines – solar power and grounding. An even more radical idea is to soak up the rays without sunscreen or sunglasses, two items that interfere with our ability to absorb the rays. (Using coconut oil is a good strategy to avoid burning.) Of course, one must proceed with caution by limiting exposure to short periods at first.

In other news, with the ever-increasing cost of food and drink, people are turning more towards home cooking to bring costs down and nutrition up. So this month we offer an updated feature by Linda Gabris about foraging for flowers in field and garden. Flowers add luscious colours, flavours, and medicine to summer dishes while being easy on the budget since they’re mostly free. One of my favourites is the dandelion, a cheerful medicinal flower that complements any dish, yet is considered a pesky weed by those unaware of its health benefits.

If you’re looking to replenish your collection of flower, vegetable, and berry plants, check out the Urban Harvest garden centre mentioned in our Community News section. It’s one of the rare sources of organic and heirloom seeds and plants in Toronto. And a bonus is the Bee Shop located right next door where you can find lovely honeys, beeswax candles, and workshops.

And readers seeking a healthy holiday destination this summer will enjoy our updated Getaway Guide. From a luxurious Ayurveda sanctuary, to a hub of country workshops, to a juice fasting retreat and more, there are lots of possibilities for adventure and relaxation.

Enjoy yourself, and don’t forget to take off your shoes.

Julia Woodford, Editor

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