Article Originally Published on Firepedia.com

It's mid-summer, about the time when we all start taking the sunshine and warm weather for granted. If the novelty of a nice day is not enough to get you to pack up your poi or hump up your hoops to the park, here are 8 more reasons to take your toys outside.

1. Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamin D
   Vitamin D is an important part if maintaining a healthy immune system. This essential vitamin has been proven to help prevent osteoporosis, cancer, and Alzheimer disease. It also may help in the prevention of Diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart disease.
   
   
   
   
2. Fresh Air
   Ahh, take in a big breath of that re-circulated, heavy air with the slight after taste of lemon pledge. Now, wouldn't you like to go outside? I thought so.
   
   
3. Do it For Your Eye Balls
   For most of our day we tend to focus our eyes directly in front of us when looking at a computer screen, working or reading. Your pupils contract when looking at various distances, it is important to work out this body function for good eye health. Simply by walking around outdoors, your eyes have a chance to both focus on the ground in front of you and the landscape around you, which is great exercise for TV and monitor over-stimulated eyes.
   
   
4. Boost Your Energy & MoodOur bodies use sunlight to regulate a variety of functions that affect our mood and energy level. Without enough sunlight, we often feel down and lack energy. Our modern lifestyles often add to the problem because we may spend most of our time under artificial lights that simply do not replicate sunlight.
   
   
5. Clear Up the Tummy Rumblin's
   One proven benefits of sunlight is that it can help to stimulate your appetite and improve your digestion, elimination, and metabolism.
   
   
6. Clearer Healthier Looking SkinA definite plus of sunshine is that (In small doses) it can give you a healthy looking complexion. It will make your skin smooth, prevent acne and create a healthy glow.
   
   
7. Improve Your Memory and Mental FocusResearchers Marc Berman, John Jonides and Stephen Kaplan found memory performance and attention spans improved by 20 percent after people spent an hour interacting with nature. They also believe the findings could have broader impact on helping people who may be suffering from mental fatigue. http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=6892
   
   
8. Get Away from the Clicks & BeepsGoing outside gives you an opportunity to forget about the phone, TV, internet, and to-do lists. We tend to carry our hectic schedule wherever we go, and getting outdoors is one good way to relax and recharge our body and mind.
   
   

Just remember to wear a hat, slather on the sun screen and keep hydrated.