How to fight the colds and flus

Great article by Dr. Mercola

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THE Number One Way to Conquer a Cold or Flu: Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an amazingly effective antimicrobial agent, producing 200 to 300 different antimicrobial peptides in your body that kill bacteria, viruses and fungi.

In the United States, the late winter average vitamin D level is only about 15-18 ng/ml, which is considered a very serious deficiency state. It’s estimated that over 95 percent of U.S. senior citizens may be deficient, along with 85 percent of the American public.
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The best source for vitamin D is direct sun exposure. But for many of us, this just isn’t practical during the winter. The next best thing to sunlight is the use of a safe indoor tanning device. If neither natural nor artificial sunlight is an option, then using oral supplements is your best bet.

Remarkably, researchers have found that 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day abolished seasonal influenza. This is somewhat surprising, as it is half the dose of what most adults need to achieve ideal levels of vitamin D

Please note that this is far greater than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) advised by public health agencies like the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recently doubled the RDA of vitamin D for children to 400 IU. This new guidance still falls absurdly short of what’s needed to keep kids healthy, especially during flu season.

In order to prevent the flu, children and adults need 35 IU of vitamin D per pound of body weight. So, for example, a child weighing 57 pounds would need 2,000 IU a day of vitamin D.

Adults typically need an average of 5,000 IU per day—but some adults have to take 20,000 to 30,000 IU daily to get their vitamin D level up to optimal levels. Exactly how adults absorb and process vitamin D so differently is still somewhat of a mystery, so the only way to know if your vitamin D level is therapeutic and nontoxic is by having your blood tested.

Not all vitamin D testing is accurate, so make sure your health care provider is ordering the correct test.
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Look at your multivitamin--it is likely to have some Vitamin D, but not enough. Here's where you can get the supplement with the recommended 5,000 IU. Get started now, BEFORE you get sick this winter!

Doctors recommend Vitamin D supplements for better immunity and much more!

While it's the beginning of flu season and people are considering the swine flu vaccine, how about learning natural ways to boost your immune system for all purposes? The issues related to Vitamin D deficiency are now getting more press. Read more from the doctors' research and how the Canadian government has figured out they can save billions from their health care costs by treating Vitamin D deficiency.

How are you protecting you and your family's health? Are you taking a good multivitamin with a good level of Vitamin D?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and everyone should consider how different cancers are affecting loved ones around us and take better care of our health. All women need to think how Vitamin D can help support their bodies' immune system, as a cancer prevention measure, as well as an osteoporosis prevention. One of my dear friends who is an inspiring breast cancer survivor has long known about Vitamin D and it's relation to cancer remission. She takes Vitamin D supplements, even though she is in sunny LA. As we age, our skin doesn't produce Vitamin D like it's supposed to.

Anyone concerned about their health, and all parents, should read this article with recommendations from the Academy of Pediatrics. At least 1 in 5 kids are D-deficient, putting them at risk, especially during this flu season. Kids who are picky or inconsistent eaters will definitely benefit from a multvitamin with bioflavinoids from a range of fruits, AND it has the recommended D supplement level that also tastes great.

How do you know if you're vitamin D deficient and by how much? You don't need to wait for your next doctor's appointment, when you can do an inexpensive home blood test available through the Vitamin D Council. All my East Coast friends, think about how little sunshine you're getting during the dark winter months?

Formulated by a medical and science board, the highest potency Vitamin D supplement can be found here.