Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Air pollution can wreak havoc in your body, impacting cognition, heart health and more. The good news is that there are powerful nutrients that can help fend off this damage.
Biotin is well-known for its ability to support healthy hair and skin, but did you know it is also needed for energy production?
vitamin D
InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH
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Today, I want to get into the facts and fiction when it comes to Vitamin D. Are you getting enough Vitamin D from being in the sun in the summer months? Is 20 minutes a day enough time for you to get exposure to sunlight to maintain healthy levels of this important vitamin? I’m going to get into how Vitamin D is absorbed in the body, why it’s important to have adequate levels of this nutrient year round, and the truth when it comes to tanning.†
WHY A VITAMIN C SERUM IS IMPORTANT FOR SUMMER – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 132. Listen Now>>
Vitamin D is often known for supporting bone health, but it actually works more like a hormone in the body than like a vitamin. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin. It plays a very specific role when it comes to heart health, brain health and immune health.†
This nutrient itself is technically a steroid hormone. We generally obtain it either through dietary intake, supplementation or exposure to the sun’s UVB rays.†
The big question is whether you’re getting enough Vitamin D from going out into the sun for 20 minutes. The true answer to that is that, for the average person, no, you are probably not getting enough, and there are many different reasons why. First and foremost, we have to think about photoprotection factors, such as sunscreen. It is smart to use sunscreen, but when we look at photoprotection, there have been studies that have been able to show that when someone applies sunscreen with SPF, this can suppress the body’s ability to actually absorb Vitamin D coming from the sun.†
But say, for example, that you’re going to go on a quick walk around the block and you didn’t apply sunscreen. Will that sun exposure be enough? Once again, it depends because the body can take time to absorb Vitamin D.†
I live in Florida and I supplement with 5000 IU of Vitamin D every single day. Vitamin D3 is part of my daily supplementation routine. There are times when I’m out in the sun, but I am still consistent about taking my supplementation. I also get my blood levels tested so that I know and 5000 IU seems to be the good amount for me to be using. This is why I always encourage people to get their blood levels tested at least one time a year. Then, you should start supplementing. Maybe you start with 2000 or 3000 IU a day. Then, maybe six months later, have that level tested and see where that lands. Ideally, you want your serum blood level to come back between 50 and 75. If it’s below 50, then you know that you probably need a higher amount of supplementation.†
In this episode, Amanda Williams, MPH addresses myths about how tanning can impact Vitamin D levels in the body. She details how the body absorbs this important nutrients and provides recommendations for how to ensure you are getting enough.†
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Thank you for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at InViteⓇ Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast.
Vitamin K2 is an important nutrient that helps ensure your bones are getting the calcium they need, but did you know it also has powerful benefits for memory? Learn more from Amanda Williams, MPH.
Many people turn to the amino acid creatine to help them build muscle, but did you know it can also be helpful for the aging body? This powerful nutrient can help support the heart, healthy cholesterol levels and more.
hepatitis c
InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
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Hepatitis C is a virus that attacks and damages your liver. Many people living with Hepatitis C infections experience no symptoms or very mild symptoms, but this changes when they develop serious liver damage. That’s why it’s called the “silent killer”. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 3,200,000 Americans are infected with chronic Hepatitis C. Up to 75% of these people do not know they are walking around with it. Because they’re not being diagnosed and the virus is not being discovered until there’s liver damage, it can become a very serious situation.†
IMPORTANT NUTRITION FOR A HEALTHY LIVER – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 57. Listen Now>>
For reasons that are not known, less than half of people who get Hepatitis C are not able to clear it out of their systems. Without treatment in the first six months after infection, the virus can become chronic, lifelong, very hard to rid yourself of and quite dangerous. Most people who get infected will develop a long-term infection. Left untreated, chronic Hepatitis C can cause serious health problems, including liver disease, liver failure (cirrhosis), liver cancer and even death. Because of this, according to the CDC, all adults, pregnant women and people with risk factors for developing this issue should get tested for Hepatitis C.†
Hepatitis C is usually spread when someone comes into contact with the blood or the fluids from an infected person. This can happen by sharing drug injection equipment, razors or glucose monitors with someone who is infected. About 6% of infants born to infected women develop Hepatitis C early on, but this can be treated. Healthcare workers are also at risk. It’s not very common, but if a healthcare worker jabs themselves with a needle, it can happen. If you have sex with someone who’s infected with Hepatitis C, it could also spread that way.†
Many people with Hepatitis C don’t have a lot of symptoms. If the symptoms do occur, it would be something that would make it obvious that there’s an issue with the liver. This could include yellow eyes, yellow skin, dark urine or clay-colored poop. You can also have a lot of intestinal problems. You may not feel hungry. Fluid can build up in your abdomen. You can have stomach pain and you can throw up. You can also develop a fever, have joint pain and feel tired. If you have these symptoms, you need to contact your doctor right away before this becomes a chronic disease.†
What can you do to help with your liver? The mineral zinc can help. We know that the immune system needs zinc to create immune cells, but zinc also prevents the immune system from harming you. It helps protect organs and tissues throughout the body. It’s well-known that zinc levels drop dramatically after you fight a virus. Studies have shown that when you have a Hepatitis C infection, zinc-related metallothioneins are needed to fight the virus and protect your organs.†
IMMUNE BENEFITS OF VITAMIN C, ZINC & VITAMIN D – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 118. Listen Now>>
Vitamin D is also needed. It’s needed for our immune system. Vitamin D is stored in the liver and activated in the kidneys. Vitamin D helps you to regulate your immune system to fight viruses better, but also to prevent the immune system from destroying you. Antioxidants do not work well if you lack Vitamin D because you become inflamed and the antioxidants are used up inappropriately.†
In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. explains the Hepatitis C virus. He describes how this chronic infection can impact the body and offers recommendations for nutrients that can help support liver health.†
Key Topics:
Thank you for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at InViteⓇ Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast.
