The Importance Of Vitamin D To Our Immune System

As we’re all very well aware, there’s a pandemic going on at the moment and it isn’t really showing any signs of slowing down, so it’s more important now than ever to focus on our health and wellbeing, doing all we can to give our immune systems as much of a boost as possible.

One of the most important features in any fully functioning immune system is vitamin D, but stats from the British Nutrition Foundation show that around one in five people in the UK actually have low levels of vitamin D, which are associated with a higher risk of poor musculoskeletal health. This can lead to rickets, poor muscle strength, osteomalacia (softening of the bones) and an elevated risk of falls.

Vitamin D helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in our bodies, nutrients that keep our muscles, teeth and bones nice and healthy.

We can get vitamin D from sunlight but with winter just around the corner, you might want to consider taking a supplement for peace of mind, especially with all these lockdown restrictions meaning you may be spending more time inside than you perhaps might do otherwise.

You can also get vitamin D from various food sources, so revise your diet a little to make sure you’re eating healthily. Stock up on the likes of sardines, salmon and other oily fish, liver, red meat, egg yolks and fortified foods like breakfast cereals.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include fatigue, bone pain, muscle aches, cramps or weakness and changes in your mood, so keep an eye on yourself and how you’re feeling.

Taking your immune system as a whole, there are all sorts of ways you can help keep it in good working order, allowing it to do its job and defend you successfully against all sorts of viruses and diseases.

First of all, if you smoke, you might want to give up - especially when you think that there’s a debilitating respiratory virus doing the rounds right now. Getting regular exercise will really help your immune system, as will following a diet that’s high in fruit and veg.

Try and drink alcohol in moderation if you can (difficult with the festive season on the approach), make sure you get enough quality sleep and make sure you maintain a healthy weight.

You could also consider antioxidant liver detox supplements to help keep your immune system ticking over nicely. Your liver has all sorts of incredible functions and is responsible for a huge number of functions that we take for granted, so it’s essential that you give it the love it deserves.

The way we lead our lives these days can put a huge amount of stress on our liver, however, so taking supplements is just one way in which you can put your mind at ease that you’re doing all you can to look after it properly.