Could Sunshine Be Good for You?

Feeling a little bad about all the time you've recently spent in the sun? Here's news that might help take some of the edge off.

New research suggests soaking up a little sunshine here and there might actually help strengthen your immune system. Seems counterintuitive -- and more research is needed to confirm the theory -- but here’s how it goes . . .

Bright, Sunshiny News
Although rates of skin cancer -- as well as several other types of cancer -- tend to be higher in sunnier latitudes, cancer patients in these regions seem to fare better when it comes to fighting the disease. Their secret defense? Researchers think it might be the extra vitamin D they score from living in a sunnier clime. (Vitamin D is that stuff your skin manufactures when exposed to sun. Here's how D revs up your immune system.)

But Be a Sensible Sun-Body
Your body makes vitamin D from the sun faster and more effectively than it soaks it up from food and supplements. Still, you need to minimize your exposure to harmful UV rays, especially during the sun's peak hours (10 a.m.–4 p.m.). All you need is about 10–20 minutes of sun to get the D you need for the day. One option: Apply your SPF just before you head outdoors. By the time it kicks in, you'll have gotten a quick but ample dose of D. How much sunscreen is enough? Find out here.

When It Comes to Eating Fat, Go Long

Check out this natural, easy, and enjoyable way to keep your hunger in check: Eat long, liquid fats.

This type of fat helps turn off hunger signals and sate your appetite, so you eat less overall. Invite a few to every meal.

The Long Way to Full
What's a long, liquid fat, you ask? According to John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, these fats have lots of carbon molecules adding to their length. More importantly, they produce cholecystokinin (CCK) -- a lovely hormone that tells your brain, "You're full now. You can stop eating." (Browse his book online.)

Long and Short of It
You'll find long-chain, liquid fats right where you might expect -- in the healthiest of foods. Good sources include fatty fish (salmon, trout), nuts and seeds (walnuts, flax), and plant-based foods (avocado, olive oil). You should not only eat more of these kinds of foods but also jettison the short-chain, solid fats (read saturated fats) at the same time. Why? Because not-so-healthy fats actually make you hungrier, according to La Puma. (Find out how saturated fats keep you feeding your face.)