How to Optimize Your Vitamin D
To optimize your levels , you need to expose large portions of your skin , such as your back , chest , legs , and arms , to sensible sun exposure . And , contrary to popular belief , the best time to be in the sun for vitamin D production is actually as near to solar noon as possible .
During this time you need the shortest exposure time to produce vitamin D because UVB rays are most intense at this time . Plus , when the sun goes down toward the horizon , the UVB is filtered out much more than the dangerous UVA .
Just be cautious about the length of your exposure . You only need enough exposure to have your skin turn the lightest shade darker . Once you reach this point your body will not make any additional vitamin D due to its self-regulating mechanism . Any additional exposure will only cause harm and damage to your skin .
Avoiding processed foods is another important consideration , as they tend to be loaded with the herbicide glyphosate ( used on most conventional and genetically engineered food crops ), and glyphosate has been shown to interfere with enzymes responsible for activating vitamin D in your liver and kidneys .
# 2 : Omega-3 Fats
Low concentrations of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA2 are associated with an increased risk of death from all causes , and omega-3 deficiency has been revealed as the sixth biggest killer of Americans . Most Americans eat too many inflammatory omega-6 fats ( think processed vegetable oils ) and too few anti-inflammatory omega-3s , which sets the stage for a number of health problems , including cardiovascular disease , cancer , depression , Alzheimer ' s , rheumatoid arthritis , and diabetes , just to name a few .
Telltale signs that your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio may be out of balance include dry , flaky skin , alligator skin , or " chicken skin " on backs of arms ; dandruff or dry hair ; soft brittle nails ; fatigue ; menstrual cramps , and poor attention span .
The ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats is about 1:1 , but the typical Western diet is between 1:20 and 1:50 , so in addition to upping your omega-3 intake , you also need to reduce the amount of omega-6 in your diet , which means cutting down on processed and fried foods .
Sardines are one of the most concentrated sources of omega-3 fats , 3 with one serving containing more than 50 percent of your recommended daily value . They also contain other nutrients that many are deficient in , such as vitamin B12 , calcium , and choline . If you decide to take omega-3s in supplement form , I believe krill oil is superior to fish oil . The omega-3 in krill is attached to phospholipids that increase its absorption , which means you need less of it .
60