It’s that time of year again!
The sniffles and coughs are rolling into the office and we are diffusing essential oils and getting families set up with a little extra nutrition for the colder months ahead.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about flu shots coming up, and for that I am extra happy! Because that means all my patients are becoming educated about vaccines and want to learn about what their options are.
In my opinion, there are many negative aspects to the flu shot. It warrants much consideration before getting one, especially when applied to nutritionally deficient, toxic, or immune compromised people, which is much of the population targeted and encouraged to get the flu shot. It is known that the flu shot contains chemicals that our body cannot process and therefore become essentially lodged in different organs. Studies have shown that when used in the elderly, it can severely compromise their brain function causing more neurological problems such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. For a vaccination that is often less than 20% effective for the current strain of flu going around, serious consideration should be taken as to the effects of toxin exposure.
I do understand people want to protect themselves from the flu. It is miserable, people miss time from work and school. But, what if I told you that in cancer treatment studies they are finding that giving the body infections to fight actually improve cancer treatment outcomes? What if I told you that each virus or bacteria your body gets challenged with will successfully fight that same strain if it comes at you again? Ponder this; if our body’s immune system fights nothing at all because we use vaccines and flu shots all the time, what will it do when something huge hits it? Will that system work? The immune system does need to be in balance; it needs a few infections of some strength to fight and keep strong.
There has been and always will be a natural solution to preventing the flu.
And the answer is simple.
Sunshine. Rest. Nutritionally dense food. Exercise. Happiness.
The only problem with living in Minnesota is that in the fall we start to lose a lot of sunshine. Even though you’ve been outside all summer, studies (like below) have shown that people have a hard time hanging on to the vitamin D in their body through the winter. And that is mainly because it takes a beautiful blend of minerals and liver health to convert and use sunshine and vitamin D in the body. If there is stress or lack of good nutrition, this is often a compromised conversion. Add that to a lack of skin exposure to sun in the winter and vitamin D deficiency becomes very common.
This is where supplementation of vitamin D comes in.
There are several forms to utilize; liquid, gel capsule, and gummie versions. Any of them will work well. When deciding what works best we consider the age of the patient, family status, level of health issues, or known deficiency.
- The most popular one in our office is liquid Vitamin D3. Why? There are 2000 drops in one bottle and a family can share this gentle spearmint flavored vitamin D to nearly last the winter.
- For those with seriously low blood levels (normal levels 50-80) our favorite is Metagenics Vitamin D3 10,000 with K2.
- Just need to maintain what you have? Vitamin D3 5000 is your best fit.
How do I take vitamin D to absorb the best?
Doesn’t it always have to be with vitamin K2?
ALWAYS take your vitamin D with a meal that has veggies and meats. That means vitamin K2 will be present and you will have fats and minerals available for the body to make a good conversion. At lower doses (below 10,000 IU) this will blend nicely, but at the higher doses I really like the K2 to be available in the supplement.
Can I overdose on Vitamin D?
The short answer is, “Yes”. Normal ranges of blood levels of vitamin D should ideally be 50-80 for good health. Even up to 100 has been considered safe. In testing, a lab rat has had levels of 300 and not died, but vitamin D is a fatty vitamin that has to go through the liver, so we want to be aware of that. If you follow the RDA recommendations it’s very hard to injure yourself with vitamin D. If you are in doubt or have concerns get a blood test,
* Want to be sure and have a vitamin D blood test? Talk to us! For $75-90 you can get yours checked.
How much Vitamin D should I take?
Maintenance dose:
- Children 1000 IU per day
- Adults 5000 IU per day
* For illness protocols regarding vitamin D, please inquire with Dr. Christine to consider your individual circumstance.
Supplement your Vitamin D with natural solutions.
Get out in as much sunshine as you can this Fall and Winter for some exercise, make some good soups and stews, get to sleep early in the evening and take time for yourself to create joy and happiness.
Stop in to visit us and check out our vitamin D3 supplements as well as other immune building and infection fighting herbal remedies. We also have literature available to help you out. You can tape it to the inside of your supplement cupboard for quick access!
Don’t think you need to supplement?
Check out the study below, and there are 27,000 more studies on the effect of vitamin D and various diseases! It’s important!
Do sufficient vitamin D levels at the end of summer in children and adolescents provide an assurance of vitamin D sufficiency at the end of winter? A cohort study J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Oct 26;30(10):1041-1046. doi: 10.1515/jpem-2017-0132.
The answer to the question above is NO; the study found that nearly 90% of the patients became deficient in vitamin D levels by the end of winter (below 40 ng/ml).
So remember this winter; sunshine, rest, nutritionally dense food, exercise, happiness and the proper amount of vitamin D will help keep you healthy naturally this winter. Come in to see me for specific recommendations related to your health and individual needs.
Wishing you all good health to come this winter season!
Dr. Christine
P.S. For 20% savings on supplements to help you stay healthy:
October is Gut Health Month at Natural Elements. Get 20% off all your gut health supplements!
And Fantastic Friday is on Wednesday, October 17th!
Call or email us to get your order in and ready to pick up. It’s a good way to save and be ready for all the fall and winter aches and sniffles!