Vitamin Information Center

“Super-Fruits” are all the rage these days, promising the added health benefit of free-radical-destroying antioxidants. Blueberries, pomegranate, acai berries, blackberries — all have been shown in studies to reduce the risk of certain physical maladies. However, what these uber-fruits also have in common — apart from their high phytonutrient and antioxidant concentration — is a hefty price tag.

Enter the plum. And the peach and nectarine. According to a published report on FoxNews.com, these three, shall we say, regular fruits matched or exceeded blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients that are associated with preventing diseases.

The report is based on a recent study at Texas AgriLife Research, where researchers judged more than 100 varieties of plums, peaches and nectarines.

These findings are of particular importance in today’s economy, when the goal of eating healthy is oftentimes overridden by financial realities. Even with the best intentions to feed our body the good, healthful foods it needs, sometimes it’s just not in the budget.

Thankfully, it appears to be quite possible to obtain the disease-fighting antioxidants found in high-priced “super-fruits” from more budget-friendly produce options.

Spring is trying very hard! My miniature peach tree’s tiny bright pink blossoms have busted out all over. It is a wondrous spot on my patio. Forget the peaches; the bright blossoms are delicious. They cheer me, and we elders need every extra bit of vitality we can obtain.�

I walk into my living room each morning; it is dark and dreary until I open the blinds. At night I close the shutters to secure my privacy; during the day I cannot tolerate the grim gray of my nighttime sanctuary. As the sun streams into the room, my brow unfurls its wrinkles and I find my smile. Even when clouds obscure the sun, the light from outside lifts my spirits and prepares me for the new day.�

Sunshine has always been my special friend. As a child I spent most of my time outdoors, bike riding, swimming and getting lots of sunshine. We lived near the beach, so I spent my summer vacations outdoors.�

Some of my fondest memories include Sunday afternoons spent in the backyard with my dad. We read, I did homework and then as we went indoors, we compared our tans. We had no idea of the dangerously unhealthy ground we were treading. Obviously, we received more than enough of our required dose of Vitamin D. We were lucky! My dad did not suffer from depression, despite the Depression, and he never broke a bone and neither have I.

Today, I still love the sun. I always feel better on a sunny day, but I am cautious. Sunscreen and some late-found good sense allow me to continue to enjoy it while getting a sufficient dose of vitamin D.

Depression and osteoporosis are severe disorders that we seniors hope to avoid. Both require vitamin D, the vitamin that comes in abundance from the sun; we can only obtain one-quarter of the needed amount from diet.

According to the World Health Organization, 40 percent of the elderly population who have suffered a broken hip is shown to be deficient in Vitamin D. Strong bones require sufficient Vitamin D.

Depression is widespread; many of us feel, and are, isolated and alone. Sunlight triggers an increase in serotonin, which, among other good things, helps ward off depression. It is called the “feel good” brain chemical.

For centuries, doctors and “healers” relied on something called heliotherapy; sunlight was employed to mend wounds and treat rickets, bone and lung diseases. Tuberculosis patients were sent to sanatoriums in the deserts or high mountains: Rest, air and sun were the only known cures.

When my brother and I, ages 9 and 5, were recovering from scarlet fever in New York, our doctor recommended that my parents take us to California to recover in the sunshine. The summer in sunny California did the trick. (I made my commitment then to live here someday.)� � � �

The benefits of sunbathing were discounted and ignored when, a couple of decades ago, the link between skin cancer and overexposure to the sun became quite clear. As early as 1989, The New York Times published articles concerning the dangers of overexposure to the sun. In the ‘90s, however, the U.S. Journal of Preventive Medicine reported that safe sunbathing could slash the number of deaths from breast and colon cancer in America by one-third.

If we are to enjoy the best of both worlds, we have to have an answer to these questions: What is safe sunbathing? How can we enjoy the benefits of the sun and avoid the risks? The experts write that you need not burn or even tan to enjoy your vital Vitamin D fix. Twenty minutes a day is sufficient. You work up to that timing gradually; stay in the shade when the sun it at its hottest.

Frequent short exposures to the sun are safer and even more beneficial. In addition, the experts have identified early morning sunshine as the most beneficial. Sunscreen is vital, but it does not do the job completely: most protect sunbathers against UVB rays and not the dangerous UVA rays. Therefore, short-time sun exposure is advisable.

Open your shutters; invite your neighbor to take an early morning walk in the sun. � Vitamin D is good medicine!

Agnes Herman is a freelance writer at Lake San Marcos. Contact her at (760) 744-6878, e-mail to aggherman@sbcglobal.net.