Do you remember your mom telling you the simple way to avoid a cold or the flu was to go outside and get some fresh air? She thought it was breathing dirty air that caused the infection. Well, as it turns out, she was correct in her wisdom – but for a different reason.

We now know that viruses cause colds and the flu, however, researchers at Harvard University discovered that a lack of daily sun…especially in winter…prevents our bodies from making the one thing it needs to fend off colds and the flu: Vitamin D. Vitamin D is deficient in most non-tropical areas, and during the winter it gets worse due to an even lower exposure rate.

So how do you avoid colds and the flu? Spend some time in the sun. If you can’t expose yourself to regular sun, then take cod liver oil (extremely high in Vitamin D) especially during the winter. The best cod liver oil comes from the cold waters of Norway. It’s natural, pure, and free of mercury.