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6 proven summer cold remedies (slideshow)
#3 Soak up some sun
Vitamin D is vital to a healthy immune system and some research says it cuts colds in half. Get outside and soak up some sunshine — in 15 minute increments so you don’t get sunburned — to kick your immune system into high gear.
When the U.V. rays of the sun help the body create vitamin D3, a gene expression takes place that spurs cathelicidins (antimicrobial peptides) into action. These peptides are what give vitamin D3 its “germ-killing” properties. Studies show that cathelicidins stimulate the body’s immune cells and help it fight off infection.
If your D is low, supplement, but be sure you choose vitamin D3. A study published in the Frontiers of Immunology confirmed significant differences between the two types of vitamin D, with vitamin D2 having a questionable impact on human health. However, the study found that vitamin D3 could balance people’s immune systems and help strengthen defenses against viral infections.
If you need sunscreen, look for one that’s free of the hormone-disrupter oxybenzone and the vitamin A derivative retinyl palmitate, which has been linked to cancer.
