So, a few days ago I had my Vitamin D levels checked, firstly because I have in the past had low levels of Vitamin D, and secondly given that we have a deadly virus living amongst us I needed to make sure that my D levels were 100% - this vitamin is crucial to a healthy, well-functioning immune system.

Unfortunately, like so many other people Worldwide (currently an estimated 1 billion people) and even in S.A. where we get huge amounts of sunshine, people are still Vitamin D deficient, just like me.  

I immediately began supplementing with our plant-based Vitamin D3 with K2 to make sure my levels increase (I first spoke to my Dr about the daily allowance I should be consuming due to my deficiency).  Your Vitamin D levels unfortunately do not increase very quickly and can take up to 4-6 months to even show a small increase in levels. The best way is to take it daily to make sure you are getting your recommended daily allowance.  Getting a simple blood test to check your levels would also be a great way to see where your levels are at.  Many people that have low D levels are completely unaware until the signs and symptoms start showing.    

I get a good amount of sunshine.....I am outdoors literally every day and mostly in the sunshine and yet it just wasn't enough.  We are told to lather on the sunblock to ward off skin cancer, but this has other knock-on effects with our absorption of Vitamin D.  I could be a lot worse off though if I worked in an office environment where going into winter now, the days are getting shorter and the time we can spend outdoors before/after working hours is getting progressively less and less.

So, you may ask yourself what is Vitamin D all about, why is it really important and what can happen if you have low levels?

Vitamin D is produced by the skin via exposure to sunlight, hence the nickname “the Sunshine Vitamin”.  People on a plant-based diet can incorporate more products that are fortified with Vitamin D, i.e., cereals, oatmeal, some orange juices, soya milk and organic mushrooms (a good source of Vitamin D2) but it's not the same as D3. 

At Vivo Life we get our Vitamin D3 from a Vegan Cholecalciferol derived from Algae.  The reason why we added the K2 in is for even better absorption.  The Vitamin D3 and K2 has a symbiotic relationship in that the one aids the other. Vitamin K2 is important for the body to maintain healthy bones and aids the cardiovascular system.        

If your Vitamin D levels are low you can experience a whole host of symptoms, namely, fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness, muscle cramps, anxiety, mood swings, and falling ill frequently.  In older adults it can contribute to osteoporosis, and bone fractures or broken bones.  Low levels have also been known to affect heart health, increase obesity, and have been linked to auto-immune diseases like Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and Type 1 Diabetes, to name a few.  

If there is only one supplement you can afford right now this definitely would be it.  

Wishing you a sunshine day!

Tania 

*Do not exceed the stated dose unless recommended by a Health Practitioner

**Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a healthy varied diet