Do you have asthma? A report that was brought to my attention by Dr. WC Douglass says that low levels of Vitamin D makes you more susceptible to colds and flu.

You already know that vitamin D keeps bones strong, teeth healthy, and protects against colon cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis… and that’s just a few of its many miracles. 

This study specifically looked at people who already have preexisting respiratory diseases like asthma or emphysema. Turns out asthma patients with low levels of D are five times more likely to develop respiratory infections. 

The researchers examined data compiled in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey – in all about 19,000 American men and women. 

So what can you do to make sure you get enough D this never ending winter? According to Dr. Douglass, eat plenty of eggs, fish, and dairy products to do it the dietary way. Or you can fortify your body with a daily dose of supplemental vitamin D — up to several thousand IU without worry. But most importantly, expose yourself to as much sunlight as you can: get your exercise in with an outdoor walk— even just sitting for 15 or 20 minutes a day in front of a sun-soaked window is better than nothing. 

Even if you are not regular supplement taker I urge you to look further into supplementing with Vit. D at the minimum, it’s inexpensive and from all the reports I’ve read over the past 12 months, critical to our ability to fight off the daily bugs and bigger lifestyle ills we may encounter.