My Recent Sun Exposure Experiments & Results
Today I felt one of the most exhilarating feelings I have felt in a long time–SWEAT. It was incredible! I never thought the feeling of wetness on my face and body could be so….WOW.
How did I finally sweat? Well I have been trying extremely hard to get some sun exposure this week. After reading up on more articles concerning Vitamin D & sun exposure benefits, I decided I was going to make a point to go out of my way to get some sun. For example, I have read how vitamin d is even being linked to providing huge benefits to IBS & Crohn’s Disease patients. Not only that, but I have written in my Cholinergic Urticaria blog countless times about my “sun theories.”
So I started a few days ago. I started to put my arms out of the window of my car for a while. I did this for about 30 minutes. The next day, I did this again, and switched arms (I was parked in my truck), and got a total of about 1 hour (about 30 minutes each). Then yesterday, I went outside and got some good exposure for about 40 minutes in very hot weather. And today, I got excellent exposure for about 50 minutes on various parts of my body.
It felt fantastic! On each day, I got less and less prickly. Today, I barely even got a sensation, and it quickly passed. I was laying on a sheet out in the sun, and suddenly I noticed something: My back was drenched! Then I felt something tickling my forehead–it was a bead of sweat!
So I stayed for a while and eventually I started to have a nice layer of sweat on my body. A breeze hit my skin, and it felt so good. I have missed sweating so much!
I plan to keep up with this sun exposure thing, because I am convinced it has a HUGE role in cholinergic urticaria (if it isn’t the direct cause). I know from my experience that I NEVER get out in the sun, and that is BAD BAD BAD. Not to mention the only foods you can get Vitamin D from, I didn’t eat for the past year! Yikes. I would honestly hate to see my Vitamin D levels a week ago.
Anyway, I feel so much better. My hives have not been bothering me bad at all. I have been eating spicy food, getting hot, and more and the pricklies are rare and sometimes not at all.
I know I am not fully cured yet, but I feel there is hope on the horizon. If I can keep up the sun exposure thing on a daily/weekly basis, I think I just might say goodbye to Cholinergic Urticaria forever at some point.
Again, I am being very cautious in my approach. I am not wearing sunscreen. Instead, I go out until I feel as if I am getting enough sun. Then, I cover up a certain area, and allow another area to get sun. For example, I covered my head/face while my stomach got sun for about 15 minutes, then I turned and got my back. Then I put my shirt back on and let my face get some. Then I put a hat on, etc.
So I haven’t got burned, and I take skin cancer and burns very seriously. So be careful if you attempt to get sun yourself and be responsible. There is no need to get more than about 15-50 minutes of unprotected sun.
Update on My Digestion & Stomach Issues
As I mentioned in my last post, I had recently had a lot of stomach pain (similar to IBS symptoms). In fact, now I think I may have had Irritable Bowel Syndrome for a while. But luckily, I have some great news on about all of this.
I have tweaked a few things, and the results have been nothing short of miraculous. My strategy is this: Digestive Advantage Daily, Plus Beano or Gas X if I get gas. Presto, my stomach has been the best it has been in YEARS!!
I have used Digestive Advantage before, but I made a terrible mistake last time. You are supposed to take them daily to keep your intestinal flora filled with the bacteria that is found in the pill. In the past, however, I would only take them right before I ate something with milk, and then go days without taking them. This caused them to be ineffective on occasion, and so I eventually stopped taking them (and avoided all dairy).
I now realize the importance of taking them daily. Since taking this daily, not only have my stomach issues vanished, but I have eaten a cheesy pizza (no stomach issues whatsoever), Arby’s Roastbeef sandwiches (no stomach issues), Pizza Rolls (no stomach issues), and cookies (no issues).
I take a couple of extra when I eat a pizza or something with a lot of milk, but otherwise I take 1 daily. It is so good, I am actually going to dedicate a post to this product. That is literally how well it works for me. I also have found that if I eat something with beans or something that I know causes gas, I can take a Beano or Gas X pill and it will solve that issue. So bam, I have the digestion of a 10 year old again (and I am LOVIN’ it).
To be honest, I feel like my extra exposure to the sun may be slightly helping my digestion as well. It has been shown that Vitamin D helps the intestines absorb and process food (such as Calcium). So my digestion has been excellent, and my hives have improved significantly. I am a happy camper right now.
Conclusion: I’m Getting More Sun, and My Digestion is Great
In conclusion, my digestion is incredible and I am eating all of the foods I love (even Pizza). My hives are getting better (slowly). I am finally getting a slight tan and don’t look so pasty. I am naturally a good tanner anyway…(must be the little bit of Native American I have in me).
So I am getting much more positive about life again. I had been getting negative and depressed for a while, but now I am starting to really feel great. I am optimistic about the hives, I am ecstatic about my digestion, and hopefully I can get everything under control and live a full and healthy life again.
I will definitely keep everyone updated on all of this as it progresses.