Sunday Health Hack No. 6 – Take 5.000 IU of Vitamin D with your morning drink.
I am sure many already read somewhere in these Corona times that Vitamin D is a great virus killer. Which is true but its importance for our health is so much more which is why, besides Vitamin C, I want to reference it early on.
Still I want to reference a few interesting studies and findings regarding Vitamin D and Covid-19 –
- 80% of all COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms, hospitalisation or who passed away had a major Vitamin D insufficiency
- Or COVID-19 patients with an adequate Vitamin D level had a 50-70% lower risk (depending on the studies, still significant) of serious complications and also recovered much faster
So Vitamin D should definitely be part of your daily “health stack” in these days, but, again, for many more reasons too.
Though, for arguments sake, let me emphasize again – Vitamin D doesn’t protect you from “catching” the Corona virus but it’s a powerful tool in your arsenal to fight off the worst of it!
As you know, Vitamin D is also called the “sunshine” Vitamin. A quick, little bit of science to that –
When your skin is exposed to sunlight, the (7-dehydro) Cholesterol in your skin absorbs the UVB radiation and is converted to the pre-Vitamin D3 which in turn isomerizes into vitamin D3.
The problem is that most of us are stuck in the (home) office all day, and if we do not live somewhere in a “sunshine state” even the weekends are murky half the year.
So almost impossible to get your healthy dose of sunshine, around 20min (depending on the skin “colour”), on a daily basis to keep your levels up. Especially in the “dark” winter times when the immune system is under constant attack anyway and needs all the support it can get.
Speaking of – let’s take a quick look regarding the overall health benefits of Vitamin D. Without getting too deep into the science (about how Vitamin D does this and what’s happening in the body) we already established that Vitamin D is a potent “virus killer” supporting the immune system to fight off viral infections such as influenza and corona (virus), especially reducing the risk of acute respiratory infections.
Next, Vitamin D is famous for its bone-building and strengthening powers. Vitamin D promotes absorption of calcium in your gut, which ultimately allows for normal mineralization of your bones.
Low Vitamin D levels are consistently associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood-pressure) and cardiovascular diseases, though the exact “why” and the chemical processes are not yet clear to science. Still, even more reasons to keep your Vitamin D levels up.
And like “sunlight” Vitamin D has got a major influence on regulating your “mood”. Again, studies have shown that low levels of Vitamin D are a huge risk factor for severe fibromyalgia symptoms (fatigue and sleep disturbances), anxiety, and depression.
One reason is that Vitamin D helps your mitochondria (your cell power-plant) to use oxygen even better for powering various parts of the body, including your brain or muscles.
But let me stop here, many more (pro health) arguments could be made, let’s focus on the two, three take-aways to remember, A) Vitamin D is a potent virus killer, B) you need Vitamin D for strong bones (which hold you together until old age), and C) it’s a brain, mood and energy booster.
By the way, that’s where walking (Sunday Health Hack No. 5) comes into play as well. At home or in the office you have a “light exposure” of approx. 500 lux. A cloudy day still offers you at least 2.000 lux, nevertheless 4x as much. Nothing compared to bright sunlight though, pleasing you with around 100.000 lux. Still, being outside, and even just for a quick walk around the block before and after meals, will add to healthy Vitamin D levels too.
Unfortunately, “food” is no real source this time to make up for any deficiencies. Yes, “meat eaters” claim that there is (some) Vitamin D especially in “fish” products (salmon, herring etc.) but still you’d have to consume tons of it (daily) to get to the levels of an 20min sunlight exposure.
So supplementing Vitamin D on a daily basis is the best way to support your health in these mostly “grey” autumn, winter and spring times.
I know, many sneer about or are reluctant of taking “extra supplements”. But as mentioned, “food” is not an option in this case, and unlike our ancestors we are not outside on the field (or hunting) all day any more.
Study intake recommendations are all over the place, ranging from 1.000 IU (study with obese people) to 40.000 IU daily (study with severe Covid cases).
An established baseline offering the most “health benefits” seems like 5.000-10.000 IU per day. And a good supplement product combines D3 with Vitamin K2. As I’ve mentioned in my “Sauerkraut” hack, K2 plays a major role in “processing” Calcium, “distributing” it to all the right placed needed. So if D3 intensifies the absorption of Calcium from your gut, K2 should stand by right away.
Sunday Health Hack No. 6 – Take your Vitamin D3/K2 supplement right in the morning with your “morning drink” (quality water, some lemon spritz, some apple cider vinegar).
And again, quality matters. Don’t buy just “any” Vitamin D product in the supermarket. Vitamin D3 is inexpensive, so it’s worth to spend a bug more or so.
A trusted source I found in Germany for many of my supplements is “Sunday Natural”. Emphasizing again, that I have no relation and no affiliation with this company. But people keep on asking for recommendations, and I don’t want to let them buy some junk either.
https://bit.ly/3qQxyUX
Love & sunshine – Andreas
PS: And just for “clarification” – I am talking about a 20min sun exposure, not “roasting” for hours on the beach!
Quote
I can’t “teach” you anything but I can make you think. (Socrates)
Music
Of course it has to be THIS track, and in case you’ve missed Notting Hill to watch during the Christmas days, now is still a good “grey Sunday” couch time.