Getting more sunlight could help flu prevention. Besides all the well-known, tried and true flu prevention methods such as getting your annual vaccination, washing your hands, and eating a healthy, vitamin-rich diet, there is a new strategy being circulated among researchers that you can practice all year round. A study suggests that getting more vitamin D through sunshine exposure throughout the year and particularly in August through October, can reduce your chance of catching the flu during peak season. Researchers offered further support for this by synthesizing weather data and data from the CDC to note a 10 percent increase in sunny days during September also saw around 29,500 fewer cases of the flu. September and October are the sweetest times for this method because they are the best months to get outside without getting sunburned (though you should still wear sunscreen every day), and vitamin D stays in your fat stores for up to two months at a time, preparing you perfectly for the typical flu season. It’s not a replacement for the more heavily proven methods mentioned above, but with the frightening numbers of this year’s flu season, it’s helpful to know that there are preventive steps you can take all year.