Category Archives: Vitamin D3

Biomulsion D, Heart health, Suntrex D3, Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2

Don’t be Deficient: Vitamin D and Men’s Heart Health

With any amount of luck, the year will soon be properly moving on from the cold of winter to the relative warmth of spring and the temperatures will rise for all of us. And with that comes increased daylight. However, for those who work through the night, getting enough daylight hours can be an issue not just in the winter months, but throughout the year. And, don’t doubt it; there can be biological implications if they don’t manage to do so.

Indeed, several clinical studies conducted in recent years have proved that deaths owing to cardiovascular diseases are higher in winter months than at other times of year. The reason for this? Well, it may not just be coincidence because one study suggests that men with low levels of Vitamin D are more likely to suffer from a heart attack than those with higher levels of the vitamin in their bodies1. What’s the connection here, you may ask? Well, it’s that Vitamin D’s widely referred to as the ‘sunshine vitamin’ – and for good reason. Although an essential vitamin for the human body, it is traditionally derived via exposure to sunlight as it prompts the body to produce the vitamin.

Exposure to sun for around just 15 minutes, three times a week is said to be sufficient to produce enough quantities of Vitamin D for the body. And yet, everyone’s body is different and some, maybe most certainly need far more. Indeed, there’s no question that, for instance, for the majority of the men who took part in the aforementioned study, to eradicate their Vitamin D deficiency and increasing their body’s levels of it would reduce the chance of suffering a heart attack.

What does Vitamin D do?

But what is it that makes Vitamin D so essential? Why do our bodies need it so much? Not only does it play a critical role by encouraging and ensuring the absorption of magnesium and calcium takes place in the body, but also – and perhaps why it has the aforementioned connection to heart health (especially in men) – its presence in the body makes sure there are adequate levels of calcium and phosphorous in our blood, which means both these crucial elements are carried to the organs where they’re required for our bodies to function correctly and keep us healthy and well.

Vitamin D supplements

Now, you may be one of the fortunate people who does – and, indeed, make sure you – get a decent amount of ‘sun time’ in the summer; that’s good for sure, so long as you take precautions when the sun’s at its hottest (and its harmful UV rays) are at their most potent at the height of the day. But, even so, it’s probably unlikely you’re actually getting enough Vitamin D from this method alone. And, if that’s the case, what about those poor people who are, for whatever reason, not able to do as you do come the summer months? And those who barely see the sun at all in less warm months when there’s far less daylight?

The truth then is that the vast majority of us could do with a little help in boosting our Vitamin D levels. To that end, supplementation is the ideal avenue to turn to. And one of the best Vitamin D supplements on the market (actually the best-selling for us at The Finchley Clinic) is Vitamin D3 (5,000iu) with Vitamin K2. Not only are its capsules chewable and capable of being taken sublingually, but they also have a terrific apricot flavour and, among all the other attributes and benefits to your body they offer, they’re great for supporting both the skeletal and the immune systems. Indeed, it’s the supplement’s additional ingredient, Vitamin K2, contributes to bone strength and arterial and heart health (reducing calcification or even decalcifying and likely reducing blood pressure).

Moreover, you may also be interested in the following supplements that are also ideal for boosting your Vitamin D intake:

suntrex

Suntrex D3 – a premium quality product created by extracting oil from nutrient-dense lichen plants, it provides support for the immune and nervous systems and promotes good organ, bone and brain health; suitable for vegans.

 

BioMulsion-D

Biomulsion D – A fluid-based Vitamin D3 supplement, it provides maximum strength and convenience in a few tiny drops for those who’d prefer not to take tablets or capsules.

Reference:

1. Giovannucci E., Liu Y., Hollis B. W. and Rimm E. B. ‘25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Men’. Archives of Internal Medicine. June 2008; 168 (11): 1174-1180.

Aerobic O7, Antioxidant Supreme, Curcumin Plus, Immune health, Immune products, Tapioca Vitamin C, Vitamin D3

Helping to fight the good fight: how to boost your immune system

As the year gathers speed and summer drifts into autumn, people’s thoughts turn to the weather changing and temperatures dropping. Which means they start to adjust their wardrobe and – in some cases – lifestyle accordingly. They start to think about being more vigilant about protecting themselves from the potential infections and ill health that lower temperatures can bring. In short, they start to think in terms of trying to boost their immune system. But why should they? Why is the immune system so important? What does it do for us? And what can we do to keep it operating as effectively as possible?

Put simply, the immune system is the part of the body that protects us from certain harmful organisms and toxins (some of which can be absorbed into the body when we catch infections in the forms of colds, flu and the like), which stop our body from functioning properly and so, yes, make us feel ill. The system itself is made up of a combination of cells, tissues and organs that, working together as an efficient network, prevent unwelcome pathogens from doing their dirty work in our bodies. In practice, the system’s actually made up of two parts – the innate immune system (protects against infections and aids the healing of cuts and bruises) and the adaptive immune system (protects against viruses, of which there are millions generated each year, thus this part of the system is distinguished by its ability to adapt to fight them).

Even more specifically, the nuts and bolts of both these halves of the immune system are white blood cells (or leukocytes). Once they’ve formed, these cells travel through the blood stream and enter the lymphatic system (something of a sub-section of the wider immune system) where they stimulate its organs, including the tonsils and thymus, to produce antibodies that find bacteria and other harmful organisms’ antigens, adhere to them and destroy them.

Disorders

Unfortunately, for some people the efficacy of their immune system isn’t what it should be. This could be down to many different factors, but one thing’s for sure; a weak immune system can be really bad news as you age. Lack of exercise, bad diet and the changes aging brings to the body can all contribute1. The three major types of immunity disorder are:

  • Autoimmunity – these conditions (of which 80 are known to exist, including type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis2) see the immune system attack healthy tissue it’s supposed to be protecting
  • Immunodeficiencies – these disorders may not ensure enough white blood cells are produced; they can be caused by overexposure to the likes of tobacco smoke, certain toxic metals and pesticides3
  • Hypersensitive/ over-reactive immune system – this one involves immune cells targeting and attacking harmless allergens, potentially damaging tissue and organs and increasing the chance of the body suffering from serious diseases.

Support

So to prevent such disorders, what can we do to support our bodies’ immune systems? Well, here are four headline behaviours everyone should make a priority:

  • Develop a healthy diet – processed foods and those containing refined sugars and flavourings, as well as soda, are out; vitamin- and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, blueberries, kale, spinach, lemons, avocado, oregano oil4 and garlic5, are in (especially if organic)
  • Exercise – helping to increase your oxygen intake and thus lung capacity, exercise is terrific at getting your metabolism going and promoting a healthy heart and efficient circulation; note: consistent exercise is key
  • Destress – becoming stressed increases inflammation and so will aggravate your immunity; trying to destress and finding ways to properly relax then are important (talking through problems isn’t a bad idea, nor is meditation)
  • Plant extracts – the nutrients and vitamins packed full in many easily available plant extracts are terrific for boosting your immunity; you might try echinacea (a favourite in traditional medicines for centuries and effective at fighting off colds and flu4), ginseng (especially good at tackling stress) and aloe vera (rich in antioxidants and the immunity-aiding compounds acemannan and aloctin A3, 6).

Supplements

Of course, another fantastic and easy way to consume enormously beneficial vitamins and nutrients is through supplements. The following – all of which are great immune system supplements – are available through The Finchley Clinic and, naturally, we highly recommend every one of them:

Tapioca Vitamin C (1,000mg; 90 capsules) – as this supplement’s sourced from tapioca (cassava root), it’s almost unheard of to cause allergic reactions and contains 99.9% vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid, renowned as an excellent anti-viral antioxidant, immune booster and major facilitator to anti-aging and building collagen

Tapioca-Vitamin-C

 

Vitamin D3 (5,000iu; 90 tablets) – chewable and with a natural apricot flavour, this supplement provides great support for both the immune and skeletal systems; it’s also kosher

Curcumin Plus (90 capsules) – a powerful antioxidant that aids good immune response, not least as it contains both ginger and sage extracts (specifically gingerols and ursolic acid, respectively)

Aerobic-07

Aerobic O7 (70ml) – a stabilised liquid oxygen product that’s excellent at prompting the creation of new white blood cells, which (as made clear above) play a crucial role in the efficacy of the immune system

Antioxidant Supreme (90 capsules) – a great all-rounder but especially for fighting free radicals, thus it can importantly contribute to boosting the immune system.

 

References:

  1. MedlinePlus. ‘Aging changes in immunity’. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/004008.htm
  1. MedinePlus. ‘Autoimmune diseases’. https://medlineplus.gov/autoimmunediseases.html
  1. Winans B., Humble M. C. and Lawrence B. P. ‘Environmental toxicants and the developing immune system: a missing link in the global battle against infectious disease?’. Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, NY). 2011; 31(3): 327-336. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2010.09.004.
  1. Georgetown University Medical Center. ‘Oregano Oil May Protect Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Georgetown Researcher Find’. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/10/011011065609.htm
  1. Lissiman E., Bhasale A. L. and Cohen M. ‘Garlic for the common cold’. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006206.pub4.
  1. Bany J., Siwicki A. K., Zdanowska D., Sokolnicka I., Skopińska-Rózewska E. and Kowalczyk M. ‘Echinacea purpurea stimulates cellular immunity and anti-bacterial defence independently of the strain of mice’. Pol J Vet Sci. 2003; 6(3 Suppl): 3-5.