UChicago Medicine: Link Between Covid 19 and Vitamin D

 UChicago Medicine Study Finds Possible Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Contracting COVID-19 (by N B C Chicago )

Winter/Flu season is coming up (Northern hemisphere)!  Take heed...

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 A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine found a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and contracting the coronavirus.

Researchers looked at 489 UChicago Medicine patients and found those who had a deficiency in vitamin D that went untreated were nearly twice as likely to contract COVID-19 when compared to patients with normal levels of vitamin D.

“Vitamin D is important to the function of the immune system and vitamin D supplements have previously been shown to lower the risk of viral respiratory tract infections,” said David Meltzer, MD, PhD, Chief of Hospital Medicine at UChicago Medicine and lead author of the study. “Our statistical analysis suggests this may be true for the COVID-19 infection.”

The patients that were involved in the study had their vitamin D levels measured within a year prior to getting a COVID-19 test.

According to the study, half of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, and even higher rates of deficiency are found in Black and LatinX Americans as well as areas like Chicago where sunlight is limited year-round.

“Understanding whether treating Vitamin D deficiency changes COVID-19 risk could be of great importance locally, nationally and globally,” Meltzer said.

According to researchers, shelter-in-place orders to reduce the spread of COVID-19 may also decrease sun exposure, and in turn, potentially increase the need for vitamin D supplementation which should not exceed 4000 IU per day.

UChicago Medicine Study

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Womens' Health: Your Healthiest YOU

  Celebrate Women’s Health!

It’s never too early or too late to work toward being your healthiest you! This National Women’s Health Week, May 14–20, is a great time to empower all women to make their health a top priority.

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Women often serve as primary caregivers for their families, putting the needs of their spouses, partners, children, and parents before their own. As a result, women’s health and well-being can become secondary. National Women’s Health Week brings together communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups in an effort to promote women’s health. So remind all the women in your life to be sure they are taking care of their own health along with all the other people they care for.

Build health by building healthy habits

National Women’s Checkup Day is May 8. Follow these tips to help stay your healthiest.

GET PREVENTIVE SCREENINGS. Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings. Important screenings for women include an annual physical, blood pressure test, and screenings for cervical cancer (pap test), cholesterol, and thyroid function. Starting at age 50, women should get screened for breast cancer every one to two years. And after menopause, women should get a bone density test to be screened for osteoporosis. Don’t forget to ask about nutrition screenings. You don’t have to guess if you are deficient in vitamin D or B12.

GET ACTIVE. Regular activity is one of the most effective strategies for maintaining a healthy weight. Regular physical activity helps to improve your cardiorespiratory (heart, lungs, and blood vessels) and muscular fitness, helps with mood, and can help reduce your risk of cognitive decline. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity daily. An example would be brisk walking—activity that raises your heart rate and during which you could talk but not sing. Also aim for strength-building (resistance) exercise 2-3 days per week.

EAT HEALTHY. Eating healthy isn’t really that difficult—and the health payoff is incredible. To reduce your risk of chronic diet-related health issues:

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables—at least seven servings per day. Smoothies can be a delicious way to increase your fruit & vegetable intake.
• Eat whole grains, such as whole wheat, oatmeal, and brown rice—and avoid white grains
• Eat lean proteins, including fish, skinless poultry, lean red meats, dry beans, and eggs
• Cook primarily with monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, and limit fried food
• Limit saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, and excess sugars
• Drink alcohol in moderation—for women, that means no more than one drink per day
• Take dietary supplements to close remaining nutritional gaps

GET ENOUGH SLEEP AND MANAGE STRESS. Try to get a good night’s rest every night. Adequate sleep makes you more productive and energetic—this means 7–8 hours per night. Develop a sleep routine that includes limiting computer screen time at night. Recognize the signs of stress and take action to address it. Focus on controlling what you can, and let the rest go.

AVOID UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS. Smoking, texting while driving, not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet, and other unhealthy or unsafe habits can severely damage your overall health.

Most of us go many days between trips to the doctor, a fact that makes it clear that we must take day-to-day responsibility for our health. Whether it’s pushing ourselves a little harder at the gym or calling our doctors to make sure we’re up to date on our screenings, we can all truly make a difference—not just for ourselves, but for all the people we love.

Fighting the Flu

Super Immunity. No flu shots for us! Our basic supplements are:  multi-vitamins (adults' or kids' version); plus additional Vitamin C, Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc, Fish Oil and Vitamin D. We really love our Vitamin D-- the Sunshine Vitamin --  especially during Flu season! We've stuck to this formula for several years. We've had very good results. This is how it came about:  My husband had the misfortune of  taking a flu shot years ago,  and it made him feel awful and very sick for  several days afterwards. There has to be another way to ward-off the flu, he thought. Based on research on strengthening  immune systems, we chose the above  supplements (with the dosage adjusted for age/weight). We take them daily after a meal; along with drinking plenty of clean water.  We also wash our hands often, and stay away from obviously-sick people. That's it, and by the grace of God, it's enough.  None of us in the family has come down with any debilitating flu of any type for several years already. Thus, no doctor visits have been needed, and no (unnecessary) antibiotics have been taken.  Even our very few colds are short-lived.  Praise God for His care and provision; and the availability of information out there.  Do your own research and make the right decision for what would work for you and your loved ones!