Suns out.... Guns out

Remmy enjoying a roll in the grass in the backyard. This is by demand of my one reader.

Today was the most beautiful day since I have been home. There was not a cloud in the sky. Which meant it was hot. And of course I worked in the sun all day. This brought up the thought about vitamin D to my brain. Here are my thoughts.

Nutrition: Vitamin D is a extremely important and often over looked vitamin. Everyone should know your body makes with exposure to sunlight. This means there is no need to supplement with vitamin D pills if you are getting enough sun exposure. However, the problem comes when over a period of time you do not get enough exposure.

Vitamin D is responsible for a lot. Here is what vitamin D does in your body, "When synthesized in the kidneys, calcitriol circulates as a hormone, regulating, among other things, the concentration of calcium and phosphate in the bloodstream, promoting the healthy mineralization, growth and remodeling of bone, and the prevention of hypocalcemic tetany" (Wikipedia). Wow those are extremely important benefits. To me if you are going to live a health lifestyle it is neccessary to make sure you are having enough vitamin D. The simple way to do this is to go outside with exposed body parts for a short period of time everyday. When I say exposed body parts, it means no clothing or sunscreen. Both of these block your body's adbsorbtion of vitamin D.

However, vitamin D's most important health benefit to me is mental. There are studies that show a connection between vitamin D levels and mental health. I can attest personal that there is a connection. Every winter since freshman year of high school in the winter I get in worse moods. I will not say I am depressed, but I am not happy. It was never thought in my head to connect it to less sun exposure and therefore less vitamin D. It only happened in the winter cause in the summer I am always outside. This past winter I started taking vitamin D supplements. An amazing thing happened, I was in good moods just as if it were summer. It was the first time I can remember being in great moods all winter long. This is why I am a big proponent of proper vitamin D supplementation.

There is however a footer to this story. Vitamin D is fat soluble. This means it is possible to overdose on it. Only take vitamin D if you are not getting sun exposure. If you are outside all day long, there is no need for vitamin D supplements.

Workout: This one was fun. The burpee is my least favorite movement. According to crossfit.com "(t)o perform a burpee with a pushup, you will begin in a squat position with hands on the floor in front of you (1). Kick your feet back, while simultaneously lowering yourself into the bottom portion of a pushup. Your arms will not be extended. (2). Immediately return your feet to the squat position, while simultaneously pushing "up" with your arms. You will perform a pushup as you return your feet to the squat position (3). Leap up as high as possible from the squat position (4). Repeat, moving as fast as possible" (crossfit.com). My workout today consisted of 75 burpee broad jumps. This is a variety of burpee were instead of jumping up, you do a forward jump as far as possible. My time for the workout was 7:13

I am a big believer in having good form and technique. The burpee is a case were people constantly get it wrong. There is not knee push up in the burpee, if so by defination it is no longer a burpee. You may still call it a "burpee" but it is not really one. I had this in my mind the whole time making sure every burpee was performed as close to perfect while at the same time going as fast as I can. I will be the first to admit some probably faulted a tiny bit. But on all my chest lifted off the ground at the same time as my knees.

Remmy: Remmy was running around and playing with me during the workout. At one point on a broad jump I landed on his front right paw. I heard him yell at me, "abuse," followed by I will be calling the authorities!"

Inspirational Quote: "Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching." -Dennis Janson