So far in this little mini-series, Natural Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System, we have covered an Herbal Tea Blend and Water Kefir – both of which will help keep your immune stem strong and ready for battle! If you haven’t read those posts yet, those are good to check out and start implementing in your routines as summer ends, school starts and weather gets cooler.

Today we are going to discuss Vitamin D3 and Cod Liver Oil. This is a controversial subject and you can get online and in books and magazines and read one conflicting view after another regarding the sun! Is it safe? Deadly? Toxic? Cancer causing? Very rarely do I read or hear anyone talking about what I’m touching on today and that is how the sun is LIFE giving. We are now living in a generation where people are literally scared of the sun. The thought of being exposed to any sun rays will send most people into a panic, running to get their spf 50+ sunblock, wide brimmed hats, long sleeve shirts and sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I know there are people with health issues that need to be aware of too much exposure – or else bad things happen immediately. Some RARE cases are reported where natural light is, indeed, toxic and deadly to some people who are lacking the proper make-up and design our skin and body have in order to benefit from the sun – not be harmed by it. There are people who have been diagnosed with melanoma or other skin cancers and are very careful for fear of getting skin cancer again. I would never make light of situations such as these where great wisdom is needed in maintaining a safe relationship with sun and natural light.

I’m going to talk about the average, everyday person who isn’t allergic to the sun, natural light or vitamin D. The person who played in the sun all the time when they were little, but have been told by doctors that due to their ‘fun in the sun’ in their earlier years, that they will most likely develop skin cancer. This is such a disservice of our medical community and now the entertainment industry, if you want my opinion on the matter. Every time I open a magazine there is a celebrity citing that sun exposure causes skin cancer, so they always make sure they never leave the house without applying sunscreen or wearing a hat. I understand there are times to do this, but to shield yourself from the sun all the time will only lead to sickness. It’s inevitable.

What exactly is Vitamin D3? It is the active form of vitamin D in our bodies. Vitamin D is widely known as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’ (no wonder I’ve always enjoyed being in the sun)! When we expose our skin to the sun (without sunscreen), the body absorbs the ultraviolet rays from the sun and it manufactures Vitamin D. It is then converted to it’s active form, Vitamin D3, and activated by enzymes created in the kidneys and liver. Once this activation occurs, then Vitamin D3 actually functions as a hormone. This is considered the most potent hormone in our bodies that serves literally hundreds of functions. Imagine the chaos it creates when you don’t have enough of this hormones in your body!

Why Vitamin D3? When vitamin D is activated, this is when it gets it’s job done and causes good things to happen in the human body (and even in animals). Taking synthetic forms of vitamin D will do you no good. Don’t waste your money!

Vitamin D is vital to our health for many reasons. One major benefit is cancer prevention. Through many studies, research is proving that individuals with lower levels of Vitamin D3 had higher incidence of developing certain cancers including acute Leukemia, esophagus cancer and pancreas cancer.

Another process vitamin D3 is needed for is strong and healthy bones. We all have heard that it’s calcium that makes your bones strong – but it’s more than that. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium in the foods you’re eating, through the intestinal wall. If you don’t have enough Vitamin D, you will fall short in calcium levels. When this happens, your body will pull calcium from your bones to help raise those blood calcium levels – therefore causing your bones to become weak a.k.a osteoporosis. Considering calcium is the most abundant mineral in our body – we should take note of this and make sure we are maintaining proper levels of calcium and proper sun exposure is needed for that.

Vitamin D3 is also necessary for a strong immune system. Vitamin D3 plays a huge role when it comes to your T-cells (which help prevent prolonged inflammation). They actually have vitamin D3 receptors, but when you are low in this vitamin, those T-cells will actually call on other immune cells to attack any inflammation going on. Therefore, your immune system will begin to weaken. Can you see why in the winter months where we do not get as much sun exposure and we’re surrounded by sick people – why it is easier for you to become sick as well? Your immune system is weak and doesn’t have enough forces to fight off the enemy and invaders getting into your body. During these months, I do recommend taking a Vitamin D3 supplement ALONG WITH a fat, such as Cod Liver Oil. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so it will absorb better taken with a fat. Cod Liver Oil has amazing heath benefits as well, containing elongated omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA as well as Vitamin K and Vitamin D.

Now that we know why it’s vital to have enough Vitamin D3 in your body, how much do you need? The opinions on this vary, but I do find that most doctors, not realizing the importance of this hormone, do not suggest high enough doses. Factors you should consider when taking Vitamin D3 are how much sun exposure you normally get, the color of your skin (darker skin needs more), if you’re male or female, child or adult, and weight.

In general, optimum doses of Vitamin D3 range from around 4,000IU – 15,000IU per day. IU stands for International Units. I believe most people are deficient of this important vitamin/hormone and would recommend starting off with a dose leaning towards the higher amount per day. When I take VD3, I usually take around 6,000IU – 8,000IU per day with Cod Liver Oil. I normally will give my kids around 2,000IU per day along with Cod Liver Oil. We also spend a good amount of time outside, in the sun, without protection. Don’t be scared of overdosing on this (be smart). Studies in the past showing the dangers of too much Vitamin D were studies on synthetic forms such as Vitamin D2. In my opinion, anything synthetic, especially when taken in excessive amounts, is toxic to the body.

You will find that when you are supplying your body with this VITAL vitamin/hormone along with Cod Liver Oil, incidence of colds, sickness, the flu – will all be less than you’re used to! We follow these guidelines and we rarely have any of this occurring in our home. Sometimes my kids will get a runny nose in the winter season, but they never are sick, have the flu or get viral or bacterial infections. When we do see symptoms of a weak immune system, we do some preventative care and double up on Elderberry Syrup, give them the Immune Strengthening Herbal Tea Blend and I make sure they get outside in the sun and take their Vitamin D3 and Cod Liver Oil. Usually within a day, they are back to good health!

All in all, get out in the sun as much as you can, especially during the winter seasons. Fifteen to twenty minutes a day of sunshine (with arms, legs, face, shoulders and/or back exposed), without sunscreen, will do your body good! Many regions are lacking in the sunshine department during this season, so supplements are a definite must. If you find you spend most of your time inside due to your work and extra activities, then you’ll need to boost those levels up on your own!

What a wonderful way to keep your immune system strong – spend time outside in the fresh air and sunshine! Add some Cod Liver Oil and your body is on its way to a healthier season!