Why Vitamin D is SO Important!
Today’s blog topic is about something I have mentioned MANY times before - VITAMIN D! Vitamin D has always been a supplement I recommend taking. It has SO many benefits (which we will be discussing later on in the blog) but the main reason I am mentioning it today and dedicating this WHOLE blog to it is because of its possible ties to COVID-19 prevention! Lets dive into why vitamin D is SO important and why it could play a role in preventing COVID-19.
Vitamin D and COVID-19
All around the world, doctors have been finding a commonality between patients who got hit the hardest by COVID-19 - Most if not all of these patients had very low levels of vitamin D. Researchers in Canada and around the world are finding that people with vitamin D deficiency are at risk of having a more severe case of the virus if contracted - this also means a higher risk of being admitted to the ICU. This deficiency also means you are about 12x more likely to die if you contract the virus. Some more research found that countries with more vitamin D in their foods or more encouragement around taking supplements had LESS cases of COIVD-19. That being said - there is still much more research that has to be done to see if there really is a link between COVID-19 prevention and vitamin D. Of course there can be many other factors playing a role in the severity of each case - but as of now it seems that this vitamin could be a great help! The question does still stand - can vitamin D help reduce the risk of getting a more severe case or hospitalization?! We will have to wait to find out.
Other Vitamin D Benefits 
Aside from the possible COVID-19 prevention, vitamin D has many other health benefits. The fact is, most people in the WORLD have vitamin D deficiency, especially if you live somewhere cold and may not be getting sun on a regular basis. It is so important in staying healthy and happy! Why?! Because it plays a big role in the levels of serotonin in your body. Serotonin directly impacts your mood and your feelings. If we are not producing or releasing enough serotonin, this can cause us to feel sad or down. Serotonin also effects our willingness to interact with others and plays a role in our social interactions. Vitamin D plays a big role in the health of your bones. How?! Because it promotes the absorption of calcium into the body. Low levels of vitamin D can cause you to have issues with your bones later on in life such as osteoporosis or hip fractures. These 2 benefits are among many more!
Where to get Vitamin D:
The BEST source of vitamin D is from the sun. Our skin produces it when exposed to the sun. Now a days, there are many factors that can disrupt this process and stop us from getting as much vitamin D from the sun such as possible. Some of these factors include pollution, large buildings, sunscreen and the fact that many of us work inside and spend a LOT of time indoors! There are also some foods that contain vitamin D such as fish, some dairy products, and certain plants contain it as well! Lastly, you can of course get vitamin D from supplementation! Although Vitamin D is so important, we have to make sure we are getting the right amount! Too much of it is not good for us either! The key here is to stay out of the deficiency zone so we can reap all the benefits of it. To learn more about the vitamins I take daily along with vitamin D, click HERE