Tag: sunlight

bookmark_borderHow You Photosynthesize (And Why a Vitamin D Supplement Is Not the Same)

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by Daniel Brouse

Did you know you photosynthesize?

Most of the vitamin D in your body is created by exposure to sunlight.

“During exposure to sunlight, the high-energy UV photons (290-315 nm) penetrate the epidermis and photolyze 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) to previtamin D3. Once formed, previtamin D3 undergoes a thermally induced isomerization to vitamin D3 that takes 2-3 days to reach completion.” (Photosynthesis of vitamin D in the skin: effect of environmental and life-style variables )

That is to say, the sunlight hits your skin and you photolyze vitamin D3. Actually, it is previtamin D3. This is the important part as to why you can not obtain the same benefits by taking a vitamin D supplement. Previtamin D is not the only part of the chemical equation you produce while photosynthesizing. There are photo proteins, melatonin, other hormones, and important ingredients your body needs to maintain a healthy immune system (among other things.) Some of these ingredients have unique biologic properties. Unique means you can not obtain them any other way than through sunlight.

“Sunshine may play a role in regulating hormones and sleep patterns by affecting the melatonin circadian rhythm. Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, from the chemical melanin. Melanin is produced in the skin through sun exposure. Melatonin helps with inducing sleep.” (Sleep, sunshine & vitamin D)

The complex process of photosynthesis and metabolism starts in your skin. Most of the immune system benefits happen from the start of the process (skin) and continue for 2 to 3 days on the way to the blood stream. After a couple days, a small piece of the process makes it into your blood as Vitamin D3. When you take Vitamin D3 supplements, you miss all the benefits of the photosynthesis process, as well as, the “good gut bacteria” process.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are great risks to exposing your skin to sunlight. Exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation can cause premature aging of the skin and signs of sun damage such as wrinkles, leathery skin, liver spots, actinic keratosis, and solar elastosis. UV rays can also cause eye problems. Most skin cancers are a result of exposure to the UV rays in sunlight. There are also many people that need to take vitamin D supplements for other reasons. You should talk to your doctor. “Vitamin D supplements have potential harms, such as a risk of hypercalcemia and kidney stones, when given at high doses.” (Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplementation to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer)

In some cases, vitamin D supplements may be advised by your doctor. Listen to your doctor. For most people, sunlight is the best thing to do. It only takes 30 seconds to a minute-and-a-half of sunlight per day for your body to make enough Vitamin D. The crucial elements of the equation are: how direct the sunlight and how dark the skin. (e.g. If you have dark skin and live in Canada during the winter, you will need a lot more sunlight.) Some studies suggest that once skin is exposed to the sun it becomes increasing less effective at producing D. I try to remember to expose my wrists from time-to-time. The more virgin to sunlight the skin, the better the skin is at creating vitamin D through photosynthesis. It also reduces the amount of time needed exposing the skin to dangerous radiation.

Learn More About Vitamin D and Sunlight
Vitamin D, Health, and Wellness

Back to the NAD+ Immune Boosting Diet

bookmark_borderInterferons Interfere With Disease

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by Daniel Brouse

An interferon is a protein released by animal cells, usually in response to the entry of a virus, which has the property of inhibiting virus replication. A natural substance that helps the body’s immune system fight infection and other diseases, such as cancer. Interferons are made in the body by white blood cells and other cells, but they can also be made in the laboratory to use as treatments for different diseases. In cancer therapy, interferons may help keep cancer cells from growing and may help kill cancer cells. There are three main types of interferons: interferon-alfa, interferon-beta, and interferon-gamma. An interferon is a type of cytokine and type of immunomodulating agent. [1]

Several new studies of immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease, suggest timing could be critical for interferons. These immune proteins suppress viral replication early in disease. Yet if they are active later, some scientists think they can exacerbate the harmful inflammation that forces some COVID-19 patients onto life support. Interferons are “a double-edged sword,” says immunologist Eui-Cheol Shin of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. [2]

The timing of the creation and the implementation of interferons appears to be a critical part of the immune system. Synthetic interferons may do more harm than good. Synthesizing and synergizing interferons by the body may be a safe and effective way to boost the nonspecific immune system. It may also be a safe and effective way to boost the specific immune system.

Memory T cells are created when a naive T cell acquires the memory of an antigen. Acquired T cell responses are critical for the host’s defense against microbial pathogens. T cells, by the release of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), induce autophagy, phagosomal maturation, the production of antimicrobial peptides such as cathelicidin, and antimicrobial activity. There is a a mechanism in which vitamin D is required for acquired immunity to overcome the ability of intracellular pathogens to evade macrophage-mediated antimicrobial responses.[3]

While the inflammation generated by innate immune cells [neutrophils, macrophages, monocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs), etc.] is important in the initial containment of the infection, it also informs and directs the expansion and differentiation of adaptive immune cells. Responding to the inflammatory environment created by the innate response, cells of the adaptive arm of the immune response (B cells, αβ T cells, and γδ T cells) are stimulated to expand in number (proliferate) and to differentiate into cells with a range of functions appropriate for the immunological challenge.[4]

What is necessary for the creation and implementation of interferons?

The role of eating meat in your diet is not yet clearly known; however, animal proteins and amino acids obtained through eating meat likely play an important role in creating interferons. We do know that bacterium found in ruminant cattle (meat and milk) is essential for humans to make Vitamin D. [5] We also know that exposure of the skin to sunlight (UVB radiation) is required for the body to photosynthesize Vitamin D and create the photoproducts. Previtamin D3 and vitamin D3 also absorb UV B radiation and are converted into a variety of photoproducts some of which have unique biologic properties. [6]

“We’ve discovered a new component of the interferon system,” said Michael J. Holtzman, MD, the Selma and Herman Seldin Professor of Medicine. “It does something that other components don’t do, and it works on both sides of the fence: It dials up the body’s internal genes that fight viruses, and it attacks viral proteins directly.”

The researchers’ strategy did not involve increasing the amount of interferon, the first step of this important antiviral signaling cascade. Instead, it dialed up amounts of the protein STAT1, the second component of this cascade, without altering the system’s overall interferon on/off switch.

“Past work to boost this system just kept the interferon signal on all the time,” Holtzman said. “When the system is chronically activated, it is no longer regulated, and that’s where the autoimmune problems may come from. Our system is still regulated by the presence or absence of interferon. Interferon amounts increase when there is an infection and decrease when there is no infection. We’re not boosting interferon itself, but the secondary signal that interferon activates, which sets off the rest of the antiviral cascade. It’s like greasing the wheels. We’re not pushing the system any harder. But when we do push, we get a bigger effect.” [7]

COVID, Vitamin D, Health, and Wellness

Vitamin D, Sunlight, the Season, and People of Color

Your Immune System and Photosynthesized Vitamin D

1. Interferon National Cancer Institute
2. An Immune Protein Could Prevent Severe COVID-19—if It Is Given at the Right Time Scientific American
3. Vitamin D Is Required for IFN-γ–Mediated Antimicrobial Activity of Human Macrophages NIH
4. T cell responses: naïve to memory and everything in between NIH
5. Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki Podcast / Australian Broadcasting Corporation

6. Sunlight and Vitamin D NIH
7. Study reveals new, potent way to boost immunity and fight viruses​​​ Washington University in St.Louis

bookmark_borderOmnivores: About Your Immune System and COVID

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By Daniel Brouse

Humans are omnivores. A human’s immune system is dependent on eating an omnivore’s diet. Your immune system is really a collaboration between many of your body’s systems, such as, neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular, and circulatory systems. The “health” of your immune system is dependent on your overall status, but more importantly, the ability of your immune system to respond to any given battle at a particular time.

COVID can cause damage to your organs directly during the fight. COVID can also cause damage to all your body’s systems. Post-COVID chronic ailments comprise both categories. Many COVID cases result in damage to the lungs, heart, kidneys, and brain. Many COVID cases also cause damage to your immune system. (eg Long Haulers Syndrome)

Diet and lifestyle choices are detrimental in both the immune system’s ability to fight individual battles, as well as, your immune system’s ability to survive the war.

THE BATTLE
When an infection starts attacking your body, your immune system starts a process involving most of your body’s systems including neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular, and circulatory systems. Your brain connects with command centers throughout your body. The power supply for these command centers is called NAD+

The timing and locations of the battles are crucial for victory. Your command centers deploy Trojan horses to the nearest fight. The Trojan horses come in a variety of different breeds but are commonly called interferons. The interferons are unique antiviral proteins. They are part of the process that invades the infection, gets inside, steals the memory. Then, the interferon creates more protein. The proteins prevent the virus from multiplying. To help you win the war, the memory of the virus is then transferred to your central intelligence agency and used in your antibody production including T-cells and B-cells.

Your immunity factory needs a bunch of supplies to metabolize in order to win. It is critical that your body make and distribute the supplies to the immune factory assembly line. Supplements may be substituted in an emergency, but supplements can not replace your assembly line. You need to consume plants, animals, O2, H20, and sunlight. Time is of the essence.

WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST COVID
The simplest strategy to defeat COVID is to consume Niacin (B3) and photosynthesized Vitamin D (sunlight).

Niacin is crucial for the production of your command centers — Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)

Sunlight is crucial for the production of your interferons. The photosynthesis of Vitamin D produces the Vitamin D you need, but more important for this battle is the timing of the unique photoproducts that are also created in the photosynthesis process — interferons. The interferons need to be deployed rapidly to the exact location of the intruder. In the end, interferons are meat proteins consumed by your immune system. The role of eating meat in your diet is not yet clearly known; however, animal proteins and amino acids obtained through eating meat likely play an important role. We do know that bacterium found in ruminant cattle (meat and milk) is essential for humans to make Vitamin D.

CONCLUSION
To help prevent catching COVID, to help fight COVID, and/or to recover from post-COVID, Niacin and the photosynthesis of Vitamin D are the simplest protocol.

bookmark_borderCOVID: Vitamin D, Sunlight, the Season, and People of Color

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By Daniel Brouse

COVID-19
A human’s main source of Vitamin D is the synthesis of UVB radiation through your skin. The chemical reaction creates Vitamin D and other photoproducts essential for a healthy immune system. Taking a Vitamin D supplement is NOT the same as your body making Vitamin D.

How You Photosynthesize (And Why a Vitamin D Supplement Is Not the Same)

PEOPLE OF COLOR
People of color are more severely impacted by COVID than people with lighter skin. The darker your skin, the harder it is to synthesis Vitamin D in your body. Vitamin D supplements can not provide you with the photoproducts and metabolic processes necessary for NAD+ to perform optimally. And, this is a predominant factor in why people of color are more severely impacted.

SEASONAL IMPACT
People with all types of skin color are subject to their distance from the sun and the length of exposure to the sun. In the Northern Hemisphere, the length of daylight decreases during the fall and winter. At the same time, the angle of the sun becomes less direct to your skin. If left to its own devices, your body will not make as much Vitamin D in the winter. Both your ability to fight pathogens and age related diseases will be diminished. Less synthesized Vitamin D and less NAD+ result in sickness or death.

YOUR HEALTH
You can improve the quality and quantity of your life by learning how to safely expose your skin to sunlight depending on the day of the year, time of day, your location, and skin tone. WARNING: UVB radiation (found in sunlight) is both a savior and a killer. It is of utmost importance to figure out the optimum exposure for your body.

The Vitamin D and other photoproducts made by your body are essential for your immune system to create and utilize NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide). NAD+ is critical in preventing and fighting COVID, cancer, aging, type2 diabetes, neurodegeneration, MS, and many other ailments.

Learn More About Vitamin D and Sunlight

Learn More About NAD+

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderCOVID, Vitamin D, Health, and Wellness

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By Daniel Brouse

Vitamin D Essentials
Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.[1] Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone our bodies make. The active form of vitamin D tempers the damaging inflammatory response of some white blood cells, while it also boosts immune cells’ production of microbe-fighting proteins.[2] Studies have linked Vitamin D and the immune system to autoimmune diseases, some cancers, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, schizophrenia, type 2 diabetes, and COVID.[3]

Vitamin D insufficiency affects almost 50% of the population worldwide.[4]

Sunlight is required for ultraviolet-B (UVB)-induced vitamin D production in the skin. During exposure to sunlight 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin absorbs UV B radiation and is converted to previtamin D3 which in turn isomerizes into vitamin D3. Previtamin D3 and vitamin D3 also absorb UV B radiation and are converted into a variety of photoproducts some of which have unique biologic properties.[5} One of the photoproducts is transformed by UVB to corresponding, biologically active, secosteroids. New secosteroids are excellent candidates for therapy of fibrosing, inflammatory or hyperproliferative disorders including cancers and psoriasis (and COVID-19.)[5b]

How You Photosynthesize (And Why a Vitamin D Supplement Is Not the Same)

Immune Factories
Vitamin D is mostly produced in the skin in response to sunlight and is also absorbed from food eaten (about 10% of vitamin D is absorbed this way.)[6] The amount of Vitamin D you absorb through ingestion is probably not even adequate to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. Even if it were adequate, it is not the synthesis of Vitamin D necessary for your immune factories. The creation of Vitamin D is only part of the synthesis creation. For instance, if you get COVID and it’s attacking your lungs, your skin, blood, circulatory system, lungs, respiratory system, and neurological system start a series of chemical reactions. These immune factories do a whole bunch of processes, assembly, creation, and attacks at the location needed. This is of particular importance when fighting COVID, and just as importantly, COVID’s long haulers syndrome. The creation of antibodies, memory T cells, naive T cells, and cytotoxic T cells at the location needed is dependent on the creation of Vitamin D. Synthesized Vitamin D is crucial for fighting the COVID infection. Long haulers syndrome involves another part of your immune factories. Synthesized Vitamin D is essential in correcting the depletion of NAD+. Your immune factories need Vitamin D, but more importantly, they need the other by-products produced when synthesizing Vitamin D (including production of microbe-fighting proteins, the hormone variety of D, previtamin D3, cholecalciferol, a variety of photoproducts with unique biologic properties including secosteroids, and photolyzed lymisterol and tachysterol.)

The Dangers of Vitamin D
Ingesting Vitamin D is not enough. Since Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, the body has no easy way of getting rid of excess Vitamin D and consuming Vitamin D may result in overdosing. Even worse, the body will not reap the full benefits from the Vitamin D that is not synthesized by the body. Which brings us to the larger DANGER of Vitamin D — sunlight

Exposure of the skin to sunlight is essential to create active Vitamin D (which includes the hormone variety of D, previtamin D3, cholecalciferol, a variety of photoproducts with unique biologic properties, and the ability to regulate calcium and phosphate metabolism.) The skin is responsible for producing vitamin D. During exposure to sunlight, ultraviolet radiation penetrates into the epidermis and photolyzes provitamin D3 to previtamin D3. Previtamin D3 can either isomerize to vitamin D3 or be photolyzed to lymisterol and tachysterol.[7]

Exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation can cause premature aging of the skin and signs of sun damage such as wrinkles, leathery skin, liver spots, actinic keratosis, and solar elastosis. UV rays can also cause eye problems. Most skin cancers are a result of exposure to the UV rays in sunlight. Both basal cell and squamous cell cancers (the most common types of skin cancer) tend to be found on sun-exposed parts of the body, and their occurrence is typically related to lifetime sun exposure.[8]

The Vitamin D Dilemma: How to Synthesis D Without Killing Yourself
As a general rule of thumb, you want to minimize the skin’s exposure to sunlight because UV radiation can kill you. On the other hand, not synthesizing Vitamin D by exposing your skin to sunlight can kill you. What to do? The answer is unique to every individual.

Obtaining the Optimal Amount of Sunshine
Sun induced vitamin D synthesis is greatly influenced by season, time of day, the weather, latitude, altitude, air pollution, skin pigmentation, sunscreen use, passing through glass and plastic, and aging.

You should never expose your eyes directly to the sun. People with blue eyes are at the greatest risk of permanent eye damage through exposure to UV radiation.

You should expose your skin based on the above factors. As an example, I am light skinned and live in Pennsylvania. On a clear summer day, I attempt five 3-minute exposures between 8-10 AM (for a total of 15 minutes.) I keep my head, face and ears protected. While keeping in motion doing an activity that takes me in and out of the shade, such as gardening, I try to remember to expose the inside of my wrists and forearms. Many afternoons (after 3PM) I will swim in a semi-shaded area. These controlled exposures are dependent on many factors most importantly air quality. There are countless uncontrolled exposures. A hat, sunglasses, sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 50, and a loss fitting long sleeve shirt are recommended. Your exposure plan should be well thought out in consultation with your doctor.

Vitamin D in the Big Picture
Nnicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) depletion is of particular concern when it comes to COVID-19 and the resulting syndromes.[9] Synthesized Vitamin D and the bi-products of creating and metabolizing Vitamin D are part of a larger chemical equation. NAD+ depletion can be caused by COVID. NAD+ is essential for a functioning immune system. Lack of NAD+ in recovered COVID patients results in “long haulers syndrome“. Ade’s protocol to replenish NAD includes Vitamins C, B3, D, Quercetin, Zinc, and Selenium.[10] Each of these ingredients need to be considered both individually and combined. Taking mega-doses of any can be ineffective and deadly. A well thought out plan in consultation with medical professionals is prudent.

“Important not to forget that low NAD+ inhibits vitamin D activation. When you dig down deep enough it’s amazing how often you end up at NAD+,” added Robert Miller, co-author of COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency. “The three main steps in vitamin D metabolism, 25-hydroxylation, 1α-hydroxylation, and 24-hydroxylation are all performed by cytochrome P450 mixed-function oxidases (CYPs). These enzymes are located either in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (e.g., CYP2R1) or in the mitochondria (e.g., CYP27A1, CYP27B1, and CYP24A1). The electron donor for the ER enzymes is the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent P450 reductase. Decreased intracellular NAD+ availability, leads to decreased NADPH availability.”[11]

We do not know Vitamin D’s role in the production of NAD+. We do know that the bi-products of photosynthesized Vitamin D are crucial to the immune system’s ability to fight infections. The photosynthesis of Vitamin D produces the Vitamin D you need, but more important is the timing of the unique photoproducts that are also created in the photosynthesis process — interferons. The interferons (IFNs) are the result of unique proteins made in the photosynthesis process that work with NAD+ to boost immune cells’ ability to fight microbes. The synergistic effects of IFNs and Vitamin D are part of the nonspecific immune system.

Vitamin D, Sunlight, the Season, and People of Color

Your Immune System and Photosynthesized Vitamin D

Interferons Interfere With Disease

What you need to know about COVID and NAD+ deficiencies.

1. Vitamins and minerals – Vitamin D NHS
2. Vitamin D Harvard / The Nutrition Source
3. Relationships between hyperinsulinaemia, magnesium, vitamin D, thrombosis and COVID-19 British Cardiovascular Society
4. Vitamin D deficiency Holick MF / N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266–81
5. Sunlight and Vitamin D NIH
5b. Novel vitamin D photoproducts and their precursors in the skin NIH
6. Vitamin D Society For Endocrinology
7. Skin as the site of vitamin D synthesis NIH
8. Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation American Cancer Society
9. COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency may predispose the aged, obese and type2 diabetics to mortality through its effect on SIRT1 activity Science Direct
10. COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency may predispose the aged, obese and type2 diabetics to mortality through its effect on SIRT1 activity Ade Wentzel, R.Miller, G.A.Richards
11. Vitamin D Metabolism, Mechanism of Action, and Clinical Applications Science Direct

Vitamin-D / C38PDF

bookmark_borderHow to Mend a Broken Bone

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Question: Can you give me broken bone advice?

Usage.
Check with your doctor first; however, in most instances certain motions and impacts actually help speed bone growth.

Vitamin D.
Most Americans have a vitamin D deficiency. A simple blood screening can reveal your level. Chances are large you should be taking a D supplement. Vitamin D in conjunction with sunlight is essential for bone growth.

Electric stimulation.
You can wear an electronic stimulation device to help promote bone growth. Many insurance companies will not cover the device, so try to find a company that will donate a bone stimulator.