Is there such a thing as winter illness, or do we suffer from Chronic Vitamin D Deficiencies?
I am currently in the UK, and I see it all around me at the moment. People all over the place are coming down with a cold. Even if the weather is warmer and the days are longer.
After my amazing podcast with Dr. Stasha Gominak, something really made me think about the final chapter of winter turning into spring.
What is the real cause of illness during this transition period?
Dr. Gominak and I extensively talked about Vitamin/Hormone D and how deficiencies, especially in the long term, will cause damage to the body, especially the immune system.
Perhaps people are at the point of being so low in vitamin D for so long that the body succumbs to one of the constantly circulating viruses. It is an interesting thought.
The only way to know is to test. I recommend keeping a good eye on your vitamin D levels, especially in the winter months. Supplementing can be an essential way to maintain optimal levels, but not all supplements are equal. In fact, most brands on the market do a terrible job of providing high quality. (If you need some help with this, email me.)
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is created when ultraviolet B radiation and cholesterol interact on or near the skin surface. It then moves through the skin and into the bloodstream. It can take up to 48 hours. You can actually wash it off before it migrates into the bloodstream, so you should be aware of how long you shower.
It is important to identify high quality vitamin D. There are two primary types: D2, ergocalciferol, and D3, cholecalciferol. Vitamin D3 is what the sun synthesizes, not D2. D2, ergocalciferol, is produced by radiating fungus and is not naturally found in the human body. Make sure the product you take is D3, cholecalciferol.
Supplementation
It goes without saying that we have not always had the option of buying supplements from health food stores. Our body is designed to get D3 from sunlight. Sunlamps resemble UVA and UVB rays, so they are an alternative.
Good quality supplementation has been shown to have a positive effect on blood levels of D3. This enables you to consume too much! Testing is important to see your levels, but you don't want to go over 100ng / ml.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so your body stores it in fat. Unlike a water-soluble vitamin such as Vitmain C, the body eliminates it in urine when you have too much of it. Test your levels, take high doses, and leave the level off until you find a good maintenance dose. Do not do this alone, work with a health professional.
Vitamin D is sold in international units, or IUs. Occasionally, it can be expressed in milligrams or micrograms. The conversion rate for vitamin D is: 1000 IU = 25 micrograms = 0.025 milligrams
In Conclusion
Vitamin D is not a vital-mineral, it is a hormone. For this reasons, it is the single most underrated nutrient, and highly misunderstood. Every bodily system uses it, and many disorders can be traced back to a lack of Vitmain D.
Supplement smart. All the best.
Simon Brazier. Dip HN, NNCP
simon@truehope.com
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