Despite all the talk about protecting yourself from UV rays, there is actually more benefits of being in the sun. The main benefit is the production of Vitamin D by our body. The one thing few of us realize is that Vitamin D (mostly D3) is the key to boosting our immunity.
Especially during the flu season, we need all the immunity booster we can get. Vitamin C alone may not be enough to protect ourselves from the cold and flu. Especially for those that live in the northern parts of the world and get even less sunshine.
In Sept 2006, Dr. Cannell had his manuscript, Epidemic Influenza and Vitamin D, published in Cambridge University Press’ prestigious Journal of Epidemiology and Infection. The paper presented a revolutionary new theory on vitamin D’s link to influenza and was co-written by some of the world’s top vitamin D experts. More information found here.
The shorter days and less sunshine doesn’t help either. And many of us are indoor most of the days, if you are lucky enough to go outside for lunch, please take it.
Image source: Luckyvitamin.com
If you get 20 minutes of full body exposure to summer sun, it will deliver 20,000 units of vitamin D within 48 hours. Compare that to 100 units you get from a glass of milk (which the U.S. government recommend - but is really too low).
Studies also suggest if you are fair skinned, you need just 10 minutes of sunshine per day to produce 10,000 IU of Vitamin D (but this is in tank top and shorts). For people who are naturally tan or of Hispanic origin, you need maybe 15 to 20 minutes. Darker skin may require six times the sun exposure to make the same vitamin D.
Sunlight breaking out and casting shadows. Looks like a great place to soak in some sun. Image source: shastadaisy of flickr.
We just cannot get adequate amounts of vitamin D from our diet. If we don’t expose ourselves to ultraviolet light, we must get vitamin D from supplements.
It is safe to take up to 5,000 IU of Vitamin D per day. I started out with 1,000 and am now taking about 2,000 IU.
Please help us spread the news about the benefits of Vitamin D3.
Below is from the desk of John Jacob Cannell MD, Executive Director of Vitamin D Council:
I ask you, the reader, to contact your representatives in Washington to help protect Americans, especially children, from H1N1 before winter comes.
The problem is that I cannot get anyone in authority at the CDC or the NIH to listen. I need readers to email or call their senators and congresspersons in Washington.
Ask your senator or congressperson to contact the CDC and NIH to complain about CDC and NIH inaction on Vitamin D and H1N1.
Also, ask your senators and representative to demand congressional hearings on Vitamin D and H1N1, before it is too late.
Here is the link, just click it and follow instructions to contact your own representatives:
6:12 pm on November 19th, 2009
I’d just got the swine flu. I have already had the ordinary flu months ago and that was very painful and miserable. The current swine flu I am having is so mild because I take vitamin D3 two times a day, except for a few times I felt like an elephant was stepping on the side of my head. I’ve heard you can take up to 10,000 IU but I only took 2,000 IU. Since I don’t mind a little pain, I took a lower dose recommended.
I told myself, I’d rather get the flu than to ridiculously wash my hands every half an hour. Washing our hands is ridiculous tedious. Who’d thought of that idea. Dipping our hands into an acidic water and vinegar solution for a few seconds or spraying out hands with vinegar or alcohol is quick and efficient but yet few talks about it.
I was told Tamiflu has so much side effects the Japanese are banning it. My local pharmacy does not carry Vitamin D3. They have D1, D2 but not D3. Tamiflu costs $40-$75. Vitamin D3 costs around $5. People, listen…STOCK UP on D3 or they may yank it form the shelves. Imagine yourself in the shoe the makers of Tamilflu. You would begin to immediately push a law to un-legalize vitamin D3, or require prescriptions, not that I want to be in their shoes where my senseless stroke of a pen could mean the lost of countless lives.
7:56 pm on November 19th, 2009
Thanks Cambree for the post, I’m not a fan of flu shot and can’t take it anyway, It might be good for me to start walking on the track at lunch time again and taking vitamin D3 to help build my immune system.
Sorry to hear about your swine flu experienced Zedd, it sounds like it’s going to be a rough winter for you.
9:19 pm on November 19th, 2009
Nye - Your welcome! I only came upon this info recently and was amazed at how little we hear about the benefits of fighting the flu. All we hear in the news “get your flu shot”. The shots are so risky and full of things you do not want in your system.
I hope Lee takes her Vitamin D3 and lots of sunshine too. It would be good if she gets thru this winter school year without getting sick.
Zedd - Hope you feel better soon. I know what you mean about washing hands, it is so drying to the skin. I have to say I’ve never taken any flu shots in my life. Mainly I don’t like needles.
3:17 am on November 20th, 2009
Cambree,
You don’t know what you’re missing…imagine the inch and a half, silvery needle, dripping with some ‘elixir’ of sort, slowly piercing, breaking its way into your skin, cutting deep through to the hypodermis and adipose tissues, setting off all kinds of chemical reactions down the line…with neutrophils and macrophages migrating to the site, histamine pouring our from the mast cells, prostaglandins and bradykinin lowering your pain thresholds and rushing to the hypothalamus to turn on the thermostat. What a beautiful process you are setting off by allowing this to happen. Jesting…I just got in to work and it’s too early for me, sort of waking up.
I too read a recent article on Vitamine D and its power on ramping up the immune system.
Zedd - hand washing got started in 1844 by Ignaz Semmelweis to prevent Puerperal fever, also called childbed fever; ironically, Ignaz became insane and was put into an institution where doctors did not wash their hands as he had preach. He died from infections years later.
I’m catching something myself. Hope it’s not serious.
7:12 am on November 20th, 2009
PaNoy,
I’m beginning to recover from the flu, which was not bad to begin with. I now have eight lives left. I actually wash my hands at least 15 times a day. I’m beginning to accept this method now. But, I keep a vinegar spray bottle in the car. I use it to clean my hand when I re-enter my car. The strangest thing is that I never left home or had any visitors for three days when I had the flu. It just showed up. It was incubating for three days.
Vitamin D3 also prevents the bad effects of cytokine storm. It prevents your immune system from overly ramping up the immune system which can cause fatal damage to the lungs. That inch and a half needle may not prevent the effects of cytokine storm.
6:30 am on November 21st, 2009
Zedd,
Those cytokines, ah yes…every time that I pause to think about the human body, this paragon of being, and all its conglomeration all going on within our body, at times independent of our thoughts and actions, it just amazes me. It’s a miracle. Take the macrophages or neutrophils, B & T cells, these scavengers, specific and non-specific in how they recognize foreign invaders–they are constantly roaming, searching, doing their jobs without us telling them what to do. It is amazing how we are made up of these little guys and a host of other countless beings. And also, the chemicals that come into our body, Vitamin D3 and such, it all goes to its specific place and are used and incorporated and properly discharged…amazing, amazing, amazing is all I can say.
Now my itchey throat that started on Thursday night was more than likely from mowing my backyard and breathing in the spores from some giant black-puffy mushroom. Like an idiot, a clouds of spores went up into the air as I ran my mower over it, and I simply walked through, back and forth. Talk about vaccinating oneself with a live sample:)))
I’ve also taken some Vitamin D3, even though I stay out in the sun a lot more than my wife. You can’t really overdose on them anyway.
Lastly, have you heard of ‘allosteric modulators?’ I believe this is where the future of pharmaceuticals may be heading, drugs that will be more specific because of differing receptor subtypes for certain chemical or enzyme. It will take time, but I can picture it already, drugs that act like a ‘dimmer switch.’ Valium is an example of an allosteric modulator. It ramp up the GABA receptor 10-20 folds.
Cambree — sorry for such a long comment, I get carried away at times. I’ll try to make it shorter next time. But remember, if you put up an interesting post, there’ll be some quizative mind who wants to comment:)) C’est moi!
5:06 pm on November 22nd, 2009
PaNoy - The body does amazing things! I believe the power of our mind is also just as great.
Don’t worry, your comments are welcomed here. I’m glad you found this post to be interesting and educational.
Zedd - I had my share of the FLU last spring. It was miserable week for me. I’m just trying to stay as healthy as possible now. I need to find out more foods and vitamins that will help boost our immunity.