Chasing the Sun’s Medicinal Rays
At the Turn of the 20th Century, Southern California Became a Testing Ground for Healthy Living
Southern California has long attracted those seeking a mild climate, a healthy lifestyle, and sunshine. According to Lyra Kilston, author of Sun Seekers: The Cure of California, the origins of the modern, healthy-living regime we associate with the Golden State has its roots in 19th-century Europe. When the Industrial Revolution had polluted many European cities and the spread of tuberculosis was rampant, open-air asylums, water and sunbathing clinics, and the like began popping up. These institutions stressed the medicinal benefits of fresh air, exercise, and the natural elements at a …
