The Sunshine is Fine: Vitamin D and Immune Health
There is nothing better than the warm feeling of sunshine on your skin, which is why many of us spend much of our summer basking in the sun. Summertime is drawing to a close, but thankfully, that isn’t the only time we get to experience the sunshine. The fall months often offer many days of sunshine for us to enjoy. Plus, spending time under the sun when the air is cooler can be even more pleasant.
While we often hear about the harmful effects of sunlight, there are also a number of benefits to spending time in the sun. The best benefit? It’s a great source of vitamin D, which is important for a lot of aspects of your health and wellbeing.
The Importance of Vitamin D
Getting enough vitamin D can have some dramatic health benefits. In fact, there is a growing body of evidence that a higher intake of vitamin D may be helpful for:
- Respiratory health
- Circulatory and heart health
- Immune function
- Blood sugar stabilization
- Reducing stress chemistry
- And a whole lot more
It’s truly amazing how much this one vitamin can benefit your overall health. But before you go out and start buying vitamin D supplements from your local grocery store, it’s important to understand the different types of vitamin D. Let’s explore them together.
Types of Vitamin D
In general, there are two forms of vitamin D. There is vitamin D that comes from plants, which is called D2 or ergocalciferol, and then there is the form that comes from animal products, which is called D3 or cholecalciferol.
To your body, the difference between the two types is how you metabolize them. Each of them needs to be converted into an active form of vitamin D known as calcifediol, which is the only vitamin D molecule your body can use. It has been shown that vitamin D2 is less efficient at raising the levels of calcifediol, or usable D, in your blood than vitamin D3. This means that D3 is significantly more effective as a supplement than D2 is.
How to Get Enough Vitamin D
So what can you do to ensure your body is getting enough vitamin D3? Here are a few of our favorite avenues.
1. Soak Up the Sun
Humans develop their source of vitamin D as exposure to the sun’s UV rays. We have specialized skin cells that “harvest” the light and produce vitamin D as a byproduct. However, too much sun exposure can be harmful, so proceed with caution. It is typically best to avoid spending too much time in the sun between 10 am and 3 pm, as that’s when the sun’s harmful rays are the strongest.
2. Eat Foods Rich in Vitamin D
Even if it isn’t the most efficient form, vitamin D2 can still be converted to usable D by a healthy body. Therefore, fungi (mushrooms) are a great vegetarian source. Pro tip: setting mushrooms on a window sill for a few hours can dramatically increase their levels of D2. For those who are not vegan, egg yolks are rich in vitamin D, and for anyone who is not vegetarian, cold-water fatty fish like salmon is also a great option.
3. Don’t Forget About Probiotics
The good bacteria (probiotics) in your gut may be an important factor in how efficiently your body absorbs vitamin D. In fact, some studies suggest it may be a lack of good bacteria that results in less than optimal D2 absorption. With that in mind, make sure you add plenty of probiotics, especially the strains Acidophilus and Bifidus, to your diet or supplement regimen.
4. Take an Effective D3 Supplement
Vitamin D3 in supplements commonly comes from sources like fish liver; however, it can also be derived from lanolin, which is sheep wool oil. The collection of sheep wool oil in no way harms the animal, so this can be a great animal-friendly source. The most popular “plant-based” source of D3 is actually bacteria, from lichen. However, lichen takes decades to grow and is not sustainably harvested at this time.
5. Get Plenty of Minerals and Antioxidants
Although minerals and antioxidants aren’t a direct source of vitamin D, these micronutrients help your body produce and utilize vitamin D3. That’s one of the many reasons they are so important to include in your diet. One of the best sources of both of these important nutrients a superfood known as organic Wild Microalgae®, a rare form of blue-green algae that has a rich nutritional profile. Not only does it have a number of antioxidants and over 60 trace minerals to help with the absorption of vitamin D3, but it also contains 13 other vitamins, essential fatty acids, all 20 standard amino acids, and phenylethylamine (PEA). With all of that combined, it really is Mother Nature’s most perfect superfood.
Turn To Renew For More Than Just Your Vitamin D Needs
With so many supplements available on the market, it’s easy to find yourself taking multiple supplements every day, which can quickly become overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get multiple nutrients and benefits from a single supplement? With Renew, you can!
Renew uses a unique proprietary formula to give you more benefits from a single supplement! For starters, this powerful formulation includes the ever-important vitamin D3 we just talked about. In addition to that, every capsule of Renew includes Mother Nature’s most perfect superfood – organic Wild Microalgae, which ensures your body is getting plenty of minerals and antioxidants to maximize vitamin D absorption.
On top of all that, Renew includes other all-natural ingredients to improve your overall health and even help promote healthy aging. Ingredients like green tea extract, wild blueberries, and carnosine all work synergistically to promote stem cell production and rejuvenation, which is known to help slow and reduce common signs of aging.*
What’s even better? You can put Renew to the test risk-free with our 90-day money-back guarantee!
At New Earth we are on a mission to positively impact the health of every body and soul we come in contact with. We specialize in producing third-party certified, organic whole food supplements including a variety of probiotics, and digestive support. Our supplements feature a rare, yet highly, nutritious superfood, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA). Also known as organic Wild Microalgae®, AFA is a unique type of blue-green algae that is available in many forms including algae tablets, algae pills, and algae powders all designed to help you on your journey to holistic wellness. The best part? We offer a 90-day money-back risk-free guarantee on all of our products. Visit our website to learn more.
Written in collaboration with Barbara Swanson, an expert researcher with over 25 years of experience, New Earth Independent Wellness Entrepreneur, and Author of Beyond Foods: The Handbook of Functional Nutrition.
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
