About Naturism

Are Naturists Healthier than Textiles?

Why do we feel so much better after we’ve removed our clothes whether at home or at our favorite naturist club or beach? Why do people new to naturism marvel at sensations of freedom and joy of feeling the air after only one visit? Why do many of us have the burning desire to always be nude?

I think I’ve figured it out.

It’s not unnatural, it’s that we’re permitting our body to go back to its natural state and allow its natural tendency to heal itself. Like asking why do we sleep, or why do we dream? Our body is healing itself, and if we interfere with these natural processes we cause damage to ourselves.

The 2012 summer issue of going Natural had several articles discussing the health aspects associated with naturism. Which got me thinking, apart from naturists who write for a magazine for naturists, how do non-naturists feel on the subject?

Turning to google I used searches: “nudity health”, “naturist health” and “nude health” and got a lot of supporting articles.

Here are some of the internet articles I found:

o Nudity Is Healthy for Brains and Bodies

o The Health Benefits of Being Naked

o Is being in the nude healthy for you and your family?

o Does Public Nudity Spread Disease?

o The Academic Naturist: Health Movement

o Benefits of Nude for Health

o The Origins of Nude Swimming at the "Y" & Public Schools

o The Cold Air Bath. (Ben Franklin used to do it)

o The Air Bath

o Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D

Feel free to do your own search and if you find a good link, share it with your This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Beware however of those that sites that use the word "nude" as a metaphor.

Going nude the new 'green'

Going nude, also called naturism, has long been associated with a back-to-nature lifestyle. So it's not surprising then that bopping around the buff is being promoted as a "green" lifestyle.

Nakedness cuts waste and pollution in numerous ways according to Kathy Blanchard of The Naturist Society's Web site.

"Living more hours naked each day results in a dramatic drop in laundry, which in turn reduces water and energy use," she writes. "And it reduces the amount of soap I use".

Here are some things to try:

Garden in the nude. Start a vegetable garden. Gardening is sweaty and dirty work. When you’re done you and your partner spray each other with the garden hose and then sit in the sun to dry off. Don’t forget the sun screen.

Travel light. Backpack or paddle naked into the wild and you'll use virtually no fuel, your diet could be minimal with low ecological impact, you'll return healthier and you won’t return with a backpack full of soiled clothes.

Sleep in the nude. This one is easy. No sleep wear bunching up around you; you’ll have a better night’s sleep, and again no laundry.

I think you get the idea.

So let's all take it off, take it all off and save money and do your part to save the planet.

Excerpts taken from article:
http://www.examiner.com/x-5585-Offbeat-News-Examiner~y2009m6d30-Going-nude-the-new-green

15 Reasons why the sun is good for you

Most of us start smiling when the summer comes and it's no surprise - a little sunshine every day can boost your mood and also help to prevent a host of seious illnesses.

FOR years we have been told to cover up in the sun to cut the risk of getting skin cancer. But now it seems that a little bit of sunshine on your body is actually good for you.

Studies have shown that a sensible amount of sun reduces your risk of several cancers and other serious health conditions.

And it's all thanks to vitamin D, which is made by our bodies through the action of the sun's UVB rays on our skin. Go out in the sun without sunblock for between five and 15 minutes a day, at least three times a week in spring and summer, to boost our vitamin D levels.

Now here are the top 15 ways in which the sun can improve your health...

1. It cheers you up

SUNSHINE boosts levels of serotonin - the body's natural happy hormone. That's why we tend to feel happier and more energetic when the sun shines. Regular sun can stave off moderatedepression, particularly if combined with exercise, such as a walk in the park. It's also been shown that exercising outdoors creates more endorphins in the body than exercising indoors.

2. Reduces heart disease

A STUDY in the British Medical Journal showed that people in the UK are more likely to die of heart disease in winter than in summer, which is believed to be because of low levels of vitamin D. Where you live in the UK also matters. Blackpool has 27 per cent more hours of sunshine a year than Burnley - and 9 per cent fewer deaths from coronary heart disease.

Cholesterol levels also rise in winter, according to reports in medical magazine The Lancet, and this is because our vitamin D levels fall.

And Dr Holick found that exposing people with high blood pressure to UVB rays in a tanning salon lowers blood pressure by similar amounts as prescribed drugs.

3. Prevents diabetes

VITAMIN D may help to prevent the onset of diabetes. "A study in Finland found children given a vitamin D supplement for several years had an 80 per cent reduced risk of developing Type I diabetes as young adults," says Dr Holick.

A deficiency in vitamin D is also thought to contribute to Type II diabetes, according to a recent study by Dr Barbara Boucher at St Bartholomew's and the Royal London Hospitals.

4. Beats SAD

SEASONAL Affective Disorder (SAD) - or the winter blues - is a depression specifically caused by lack of sunlight. Lightboxes can be used to treat it, although increased exposure to natural sunlight is more beneficial. Get out for an hour's walk in the morning during autumn and winter months, and sit outside for 15 minutes a day in summer.

5. Helps prevent MS

MULTIPLE sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system, leading to tremors and even paralysis. The cause is not known but scientists have noted that exposure to sunlight in childhood appears to dramatically reduce the risk of developing this disease in later life. Scientists have also noted that the incidence of MS is lower in sunnier countries.

6. Prevents cavities

THE sun could even help to keep your teeth strong. A dental study found the prevalence of cavities was greater in children from Scotland, the North-West, Wales and Merseyside - areas with less than average sunshine. The proportion of 12-year-olds with untreated cavities was three times greater in Scotland than in the South West Thames region.

7. Relieves aches and pains

Being out in the sun helps to warm the body's muscles and eases stiffness, reducing the pain caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

8. Reduces risk of cancers

ALTHOUGH over exposure to the sun increases your risk of skin cancer, vitamin D provided by sunlight can actually help to significantly reduce your risk of other types of cancer.

A study carried out by the US National Cancer Institute found that people exposed to high levels of sunlight were significantly less likely to die from breast and colon cancer. A similar effect was seen in bladder, womb, oesophagus and stomach cancer.

9. Boosts fertility

THE sun reduces levels of the hormone melatonin which suppresses fertility, so it is more likely you'll conceive in summer.

And sunlight not only makes you more fertile, it increases the length of your fertility. A study in Turkey discovered that women who get less than an hour of sunlight a week reach menopause seven to nine years earlier.

Sunlight also boosts testosterone levels in men, which makes summer the perfect time for baby-making.

10. Gives you more energy

MELATONIN also regulates sleep, so having lower levels of this hormone in your body gives you more get up and go. This is why you need less sleep in summer but still feel livelier. Plus, being woken by natural light rather than an alarm clock helps you feel more positive.

11. Eases IBD

PEOPLE with Crohn's disease or other inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) generally have low levels of vitamin D in their bodies, according to several studies. Sunlight is the best way to boost vitamin D in these cases.

Although it is available in some foods (including meat, eggs, oily fish and some breakfast cereals), levels are low and poor absorption of fat - a common complication of inflammatory bowel disease - may make it difficult for sufferers to absorb vitamin D from their diet.

12. Beats period problems

ABOUT one in five women of childbearing age suffer from polycystic ovary disease which causes abnormal periods, unwanted body hair and infertility.

Half of 14 women treated with vitamin D and calcium by Dr Susan Thys-Jacobs at St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, Columbia University in New York, recovered normal periods and two became pregnant. Dr Thys-Jacobs also found that women with premenstrual syndrome are likely to be deficient in vitamin D.

13. Helps skin conditions

EXPOSURE to the sun can help to heal such skin conditions as psoriasis, acne and eczema. Regular controlled sun exposure is often prescribed for sufferers. For serious cases, contact your GP. For minor cases, try exposing affected areas of skin to the sun for up to 30 minutes before covering up or slapping on the sunscreen - but make sure you never burn.

14. Boosts your immune system

SUNLIGHT encourages the production of white blood cells, which help to boost your immune system and fight infection.

15. Helps you lose weight

HIGHER levels of serotonin in our bodies not only makes you feel happy but it also suppresses the appetite, so you'll eat less in warmer weather.

Go out in the sun at least three times a week to boost levels of vitamin D

STAY SAFE IN THE RAYS

YOUR skin starts to turn pink when you've been exposed to enough sun. It takes around half this time to produce vitamin D without risking your skin (usually between 10-15 minutes between 10am-3pm in the UK). It takes black and Asian skin up to six times longer to produce vitamin D.

NEVER overdo the sun - burning and excessive exposure will increase your risk of skin cancer. Cover up or apply sunscreen (minimum SPF15) after your initial vitamin D-boosting burst.

For the complete article, click on the link -

http://www.mirror.co.uk/life-style/dieting/dieting-news/2006/05/02/15-reasons-why-the-sun-is-good-for-you-115875-17019344

Why Nude Recreation

Why?

Being nude is healthy, and good for the soul. It promotes body acceptance and awareness, age acceptance, freedom, self-esteem, self-confidence, and celebrates one of God’s greatest creations. Naturally, nudity keeps the body from the restrictions of clothing, which shift and compress our bodies, and exposes the body to the air and sun, which has numerous health benefits. The more aware we are of our bodies, the more likely we are to keep a healthy and active lifestyle. But we will also be less judgmental of others who don’t have the stereotypical and hyped “perfect” body.

Being nude will help a society built around shame that the naked body does not equate to the sexual body. While people are nude in sexual situations, the mere presence of the nude body does not presume a sexual situation. The two can be as mutually exclusive as an apple and an orange. The naturist movement intends to enforce this value and show that the nude human body does not exist solely for sex or bathing, and that wholesomeness can walk hand in hand with nudity.

The Swimsuit!

The swimsuit is an example of needless clothing. When we take a shower or bath, do we put clothes on? Do we enjoy the feeling of the water around us or do we hope to come out of our daily ritual with a piece of cloth clinging to our bodies making us cold and keeping us damp? While the answer is obvious, society has been slow to catch up when the bathing comes in a public setting.

The world’s best swimsuit is your skin. Without a material swimsuit, you are freer to move around in the water and you won’t suffer the chafing that comes from sand or sea salt lodging itself in the lining of your trunks. Naturally occurring bacteria will not crowd your body since there will be nothing to trap it against your skin.

But going without a man-made swimsuit will send another message altogether about respect for the body. Unlike the swimsuits of the past, which covered men and women from head to tow with billowy garments intended to maintain one’s “modesty,” today’s swimsuits are aimed to enhance and promote the most sexualized of body parts. In other words, material swimsuits promote unhealthy attitudes about the human body. With nakedness, you actually remove the sexual context of the beach wear, and all can enjoy the sun together without worrying about how sexy they look in their new bikini or trunks. True modesty is found in chaste nudity.

There was a time in history where people swam, exercised, and relaxed while nude, sometimes quite publicly. John Quincy Adams is said to have skinny dipped in the Potomac River and Benjamin Franklin took daily air baths in the nude at his home with the doors and windows wide open. In 300 years, it seems society has taken a step backwards in regards to the human body.

Set a good example.

Normalizing nudity will take time. Meanwhile, we should respect the laws that make sense and challenge those that are oppressive. On public lands that allow nudity, remember to stay in secluded areas. By being respectful of boundaries, no matter what we think of them, we might win over public favor. If you are in an area that technically doesn’t allow nudity, you should cover up or ask if you may continue on with your nude recreation should someone else arrive.

By setting a good example, you can help erase the media-fueled perception that nudity equals sex and can promote the idea that the naked body is actually wholesome.

Family naturist values

We’re often too young to remember the freedom we felt as a toddler running around the house or the backyard nude. We had yet to be told that our bodies must be hidden and we had no awareness that our bodies would one day be seen as something we should be ashamed of. In other words, children are natural nudists.

Nudist resorts provide controlled, open environments and are safe for families. Many raised within the body shame system, become obsessed with the naked body, fetishizing certain parts due to their intense curiosity and the equation of the unexposed parts with sex. Research conducted at the University of Northern Iowa found that nudist children had more positive self-concepts of the body than non-nudist children and that the “nudity classification” of a family was one of the most significant factors associated with a positive body self-concept.

People raised in a nudist environment grow up with healthy attitudes about the body and easily understand the changes in their bodies. Instead of preaching shame about body parts and functions, the naturist movement instills respect for the body. They will understand better the ramifications of jumping too soon into adult behaviors and will be less apt to turn the body of another into an object of desire. This respect for humanity will carry through a lifetime. As the body ages, one will more readily accept the natural changes the human form undergoes through adulthood and into old age.

That is good for our society.

Why Would Nude People Congregate?

It is nice to associate with like-minded people, and a group of nudists are like-minded. They enjoy recreation without clothing. The shame that one feels about ones body will be erased in a group of others who are nude. As with the clothes, the mental and emotional barriers are lifted when a supportive group gathers together and you are welcomed as you are for who you are, not for what you’re wearing or how you look. With the support of the group, you will then embrace the freedom you once thought to be shameful or forbidden and lose the feeling that the human body is somehow obscene. Your mental and emotional health will benefit from being nude in a social setting.

Conclusion

To protect yourself from the elements, clothing serves a purpose. But you shouldn’t wear clothes out of a sense of shame. We live in a society where a woman’s breasts, a man’s penis and anyone’s back-side is blurred out for public consumption, but the media shows little remorse for showing graphic violence unedited. The naked body is not disgusting, rude, or shameful. Being naked in public is about highlighting our collective humanity and should not result in persecution. As active members of society, nudists should be free to come together and celebrate the values of respect and wholesomeness brought upon by positive body awareness.

http://www.imeninc.org/index.php?/pages/Why_Nude_Recreation.html

A Sole Set Free

It used to be hard for me to understand why anyone would want to become a nudist. Being naked was always so embarrassing and uncomfortable for me, even when alone or in front of my husband. I kept my body well-covered at all times. Fear of ridicule and humiliation kept me so uptight for so long, I often had nightmares about being seen naked. To give up my clothing willingly was something I would never have considered, especially as a lifestyle choice. I thought nudists were the beautiful people, either already perfect, or wealthy enough to buy it. What other reason would someone have to go naked in front of others? It must be a mutual admiration society, right?

Wrong!

This image of perfection as a criteria for being a nudist couldn't be further from the truth. Nudists don't congregate to worship and admire each others' perfect bodies. We gather together to shed uncomfortable clothing and to experience the joy of feeling the sun and wind all over us - not just on the body parts that society deems acceptable to be seen. Sharing the lifestyle with like-minded people further enhances our nudist experience. Nudism is not about being seen; it's about the freedom to accept ourselves and others just as we are.

We are no different than you. We are normal people with jobs, families, joys and sorrows. We are young, old, thin, fat, Black, Asian, Caucasian, gay and straight. Love of this lifestyle brings us together as friends. Nothing else can give such a wonderful feeling of freedom as moving away from social dictates and living naturally whenever possible. I know that freedom means different things to different people. For those of us who enjoy nudism, freedom requires taking a huge step across social barricades into something that many claim to be perverse and sinful. It is not.

It is nearly impossible to understand how wholesome nudism is without experiencing it for yourself. I made the choice to try nudism because I needed so badly to overcome the negative force that body-shame was having on my life and my attitude toward myself. I never dreamed how far-reaching and positive the effects would be. When I saw a child playing naked in the mud without reprisal from angry parents worried about ruined clothing, I knew I had come home at last. At long last. And then I played naked in the mud, too.

Read the complete article.

http://www.cirrus.kcsky.net/soul.html