And a lot of people in Michigan, and especially Lansing, are deficient in their Vitamin D blood levels. (Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy)
I have been talking a lot about Vitamin D to patients since March (well since the past decade, but especially since March 2020). The onset of the coronavirus influenced me to make this little chart demonstrating Vitamin D’s influence on Immune system function. I decided to make this graphic back in March to encourage people to increase Vitamin D supplementation.
As you know, March in Michigan does not offer a lot of sunlight or #FreeD as I like to call it. So supplementation was the best option at that time back in March. Well, now it’s still summer. The virus is still here but it seems to be “less virulent” according to many front-line healthcare workers as well as out-comes. This decrease in virulence may be a direct result of us consistently getting more direct sunlight and our increased ability to be outside due to warmer weather. However, there is still talk of a “second wave” of covid-19 infections possibly coming in the next few months during our typical 'flu season'.
I often explain to patients that the “flu season” is actually when days shorten, the sun moves further away from us :( and temperatures drop along with our blood vitamin d levels. A great way to combat flu season is to optimize our Vitamin D levels in the summer with safe sun exposure.
Some exciting clinical data has been surfacing during the pandemic involving Vitamin D and Covid-19. Dr Mercola has written an extensive and well-referenced paper explaining this data in detail (link included at the end of this blog) and it could change our outcomes this fall if we act now!
So what do we do?!
#1 Have your Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy blood level checked. “Normal” is listed as 20 and above. Keep in mind, you don’t want to be “normal” you want to be healthy! So functional Vitamin D range needs to be above 30ng/ml and preferably between 60-80ng/ml for optimal immune function. Your primary Dr. can order this, or Dr. Jennifer can order a basic wellness blood panel for you (which includes Vitamin D) For $115.
#2 Get some sunshine! It’s summer in Michigan. The most beautiful place on earth for 3-4 months out of the year! Safe, effective sun exposure involves being out in the midday sun 10am-2pm for approximately 20-30 minutes with as much skin exposed as possible (be reasonable and responsible and don’t get arrested).
#3 Don’t use harsh sunscreens, try zinc oxide/ coconut oil and lavender if you want to make a sunscreen that is not going to block Vitamin D absorption. Vitamin D is kind of a misnomer. It is actually a hormone that develops on the skin and needs time to absorb. About 24 hours post sun exposure is needed for good absorption.
#4 Do not wash your skin with soap during this time after sun exposure. Shower with warm water, wash the pertinent areas that gather bacteria and get stinky, but let your #FreeD absorb! You can get about 20,000IU of vitamin D from this type of sun exposure.
The beautiful thing about getting Vitamin D from sun exposure is your body has a natural “shut off” for this type of Vitamin D absorption that it doesn’t have with supplementation. That is why it is critical to have your D level checked so that you and your Dr. can determine the correct dosage for supplementation come this fall.
Please review Dr. Mercola’s very important paper on this subject so we can all stay healthy!
https://media.mercola.com/assets/pdf/ebook/vitamin-d-in-the-prevention-of-covid-19.pdf