Earlier this month, I got a flu shot. I also took 2000IU of vitamin D3. Some people see this as redundant. Not me.
The recent news that pregnant women who get flu shots protect their fetuses and themselves meshes perfectly with the recent news that vitamin D3 is more of a (helpful) steroid hormone than a vitamin. Too little vitamin D means more fatal infections.
Almost two thirds of the U.S is deficient in vitamin D. That’s nothing to sneeze at. Some scholars believe Vitamin D deficiency is the “seasonal stimulus” for flu epidemics. In fact, 2000 IU daily prevented nearly 100% of the flu in an excellent RCT study of post-menopausal women.
You can test your vitamin D levels–both vitamin D2 and D3 deficiency or excess–by using this simple at-home test.
Epicurious asked me for a list of flu-fighting foods: I came up with six (actually six categories):
Quercetin Powerhouse Produce, Vitamin D–Rich Foods, Chicken Soup, Green Tea, Yogurt/Kefir, and Chilies.
But even these foods should be used in addition to vitamin D3, and a flu shot.
The more people learn about the relationship between what they eat and their personal health, the fewer medications and devices they are likely to need, and the less disease they are likely to have.