Countdown to Christmas

908-377-0773

I thought I’d do a few short letters throughout the season with timely tips and information to smooth out the holidays and keep you well!

I just finished reading a journal article on Vitamin D. Many of you know that I am a big proponent of vitamin D supplementation, and practitioners in the know are following suit!

To remind you, vitamin D is not just about bones!! It has a hand to play in heart health, diabetes, cancer prevention and overall immune system regulation! The paltry amount needed to prevent osteoporosis is NOT enough to give you the benefits of immune protection! Currently, the RDA for D is only 400-800 IU. VERY LOW! Considering that over 75% of Americans are deficient in this hormone, current research suggests that levels of at least 2000 IU and often as high as 8000 IU are needed every day to bring levels back up to good levels. What are good levels? For good health maintenance, your 25(OH)D level should be between 50 and 80, not 32, as is the standard today. (even with the low standard, most Americans are way deficient!!)

The research in the article I just read last night pointed to the ability of vitamin D to prevent flu and viral infections. In fact, the researchers surmise that the reason the flu season occurs in winter is because during winter we get the least amount of sun and our vitamin D levels are at their lowest! Studies have shown that in people who supplement with vitamin D and have optimal levels in their bloodstream, the occurance of flu is often miniscule! This is a cheap insurance and much safer than the flu vaccine! The upper safe limit for vitamin D supplementation is currently at 10,000 IU daily for a length of time. I recommend having your blood tested twice a year—once at the end of summer when levels should be at their highest, and again at winter’s end, when levels would be lowest. Add 3000-5000 IU daily if you are below 30 and recheck your levels in 3 months. Ultimately, I think a safe and effective amount would be around 2000 IU daily for life once your levels are in the correct range.

Vitamin D is cheap and safe and effective. Choose only the D3 form—it’s most absorbable. Take it today. I take between 2000 and 4000 daily and if I am around sick people, I take a few thousand extra before bed. My current level is 54.

I hope you find this information useful and helpful. As always, spread it around to your friends and family!!

Yours in health,

Diane Lassen, RN, HHC, health researcher