May 29, 2025

Hello Followers,

Welcome to Thursday!

The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers,

but the wide world's joy.

It is not just in your head; there is a scientific reason for being in the sunshine improves your mood.

Sunshine boosts your body’s level of serotonin, which is a chemical that improves your mood and helps you stay calm and focused.

Increased exposure to natural light may help ease the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder--a change in mood that typically occurs in the fall and winter months when there are fewer hours of daylight.

A study that followed 30,000 Swedish women revealed that those who spent more time in the sun lived six months to two years longer than those with less sun exposure.

More research needs to be done in this area, but it is something scientists are continuing to study.

Of course, a little sunshine can go a long way, and too much is harmful for our skin.

Depending on the shade of your skin, scientists estimate your body can produce vitamin D in about 5 to 30 minutes in the sun.

If you are wearing natural sunscreen, you may not produce as much vitamin D.

If you are outside for some much-needed vitamin D, do not expose bare skin longer than 5 to 30 minutes.

There is nothing more beautiful than a rainbow, but it takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow.

Cloves might not be a common ingredient in your recipes (yet!), but they are more than worthy of having a spot in your diet.

Most Powerful Benefits of Cloves:

1. Cloves can help regulate your hunger levels

2. Cloves can keep your blood sugar levels in check

3. Cloves have antibacterial properties

4. Cloves may alleviate tooth pain

5. Cloves may help with inflammation

6. Cloves can help protect against aging

7. Cloves can be used as a cough suppressant

8. Cloves can work as insect repellent

9. Cloves may support skin health

10. Cloves help heal digestive discomfort

1 tbsp of ground cloves contains approximately:

• Eighteen calories

• Four grams of carbohydrates

• 2.2 grams of fiber

• .15 grams of sugar

• .4 grams of protein

• 1.3 grams of fat

• 40.5 mg of calcium

• 9 mcg of vitamin K

• 1.9 mg of manganese

• .573 mg of vitamin E

• .081 mg of vitamin B6

• 6 mcg of folate

Lie down or sit still, close your eyes, and enjoy this guided meditation that will make you feel lighter.

Until Friday, may our sunshine surround you each new day.

And may our smiles and love never be far away.