A healthy immune system needs Vitamin D, in particular Vitamin D3. Your body makes this from sunlight on your skin – and as with so many things, it’s about a question of balance:
Too much sun can lead to skin cancers ☹
Too little sun [such as overuse of sun screens, or wearing clothes that cover you up] can deplete your stores of vitamin D ☹ – vital for supporting your immune system and the health of your lungs, as well as your skeleton. Rickets is due to Vitamin D deficieny.
People with darker skins don’t make Vitamin D so well from sunlight, which may well be why Covid-19 seems to claiming more lives from the BAME community.
Here in northern Europe, especially during the winter months, it is important for everyone to supplement with extra Vitamin D3, even at a low dose.
And now, during Coronaggedon, with restrictions on how much time we can spend outside, it would be worth thinking about taking a small dose as a supplement.
Natural Sources of Vitamin D:
Oily fish, such as salmon, herrings, mackerel, halibut, and cod liver oil.
Tuna – although this can be high in mercury, so best to have it only occasionally.
Egg yolks – so my favourite breakfast of scrambled eggs with smoked salmon is a great combo!
And Mushrooms – mushroom omelette anyone? Or mushroom pierogi? Those wonderfully savoury Polish pastries 😊 – oooh, I must go and dig out my recipe for these!
Enjoy!