The Sun is Heart Healthy

[69GTX]

The Guy Daniels book on the results of nutritional studies prior to 2010 suggested a strong link between fat soluble vitamins A,K2, and D3. You need those 3 in the proper dose to get them to work optimally together for calcium balance. Too much of any one can actually make things worse and be negative for your health (ie calcifying your tissues, arteries, and organs, while breaking down your bones).

While he did specify what he fell reasonable doses of A and D3 would be, he didn't address K2, even though he states it's important to the other 2. Dr. Sinatra and Dr. Mercola recommend K2 in the 150-200 mcg range each day to activate the K2 (MK-7 menaquinone 7 form of K2). I just try to get my K2 from food though there is a small amount in my daily multi-vitamin (80 mcg). I'd probably agree that under-dosing is better than mega-dosing. I took a lot more vits and supplements 3-4 years ago. I take about 1/2 of what I used to take. I take NOW "Adam" multi's along with supplemental CoQ10, C, D3, and Hawthorne Berry. Multi-vits from your supermarkets tend to be pretty marginal, and maybe not effective at all. Though Stop and Shop's Nature's Made seems to offer a number of decent products.

 

[GaleHawkins]

Originally Posted By: dblshock
wished I knew more about K2 dosing, I take 1000 mcg menaquinone-4
and 200 mcg menaquinone-7 weekdays with 10,000 mg D3, anyway can't seem to find info, is this enough K2?


That is what I have been taking for about a year now. I use Super K from LifeExtension that has the same ration. There is no known overdose for K2 per the research I have read.

I did not know until last last year taking Vit D3 without K2 could encourage cardiovascular disease by putting calcium into the heart valves and arteries. Vit D3 needs a steering wheel to know how to get calcium into only the bones and teeth. Vit K2 is that steering wheel per my understanding today.

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Whatever the heart benefits of the sun itself, I suspect that people who are "out in the sun" are also doing something while out there other than sitting on a couch eating junk food mindlessly watching TV. However, take a look at the CDC Heart Disease Map of the USA and note that there is a distinct concentration in the south--an area known for the sun, while look at all the places well north that have a much lower rate. There is a lot more to heart disease than one factor.


Yup..MS has the highest obesity rate in the world..duhhh..its about obesity, diet, and heart health.




I noticed south Florida and most of Arizona, two of the sunniest areas ever, rank quite low on this map.

 

[JustinH]

I lived in western new york for 30 years. Fought depression and general sadness, especially in winter.

I used to take a high dose of vitamin D as well, prescribed by a doctor. Even after the pills, it was still below recommended levels in bloodwork.

Down in Texas I feel much better. Take a 30 minute walk in the sun on lunch, year round. I wear sunscreen every day. Just had some bloodwork done, vitamin d level is normal with no supplements.

Skin has never looked better.

As for mississippi and some gulf states, I know a couple people from there. Several of their family members have died from heart disease, as a result of diet, at a very young age.

Their diet is very poor. Fried fish, fried chicken, ribs, mac and cheese, cornbread, are all good in moderation, but can not be the cornerstone of one's diet.

 

[AuthorEditor]

How about Nevada on the map? Lots of heart disease there and lots of sun too. Here's a list of the sunniest places in the USA.

 

[tig1]

More people than ever are dying from skin cancer. Three years ago I had two Melanoma's removed. I was sun burned very bad in my youth. I had large blisters which contributed to my cancer at 68 years of age. So the sun today is my enemy as I have to be very careful with sun exposure.

 

[supton]

I fear that our long winters will be what drives me out of New England. Love it here, but until I retire (20+ years from now) it's just a fact that I'll be stuck indoors for most of winter.

I've contemplated what it'd cost to spend a week in Feb or so every year in FL. Just for my sanity.

Anyhow, with my fair skin the sun is usually my enemy. I usually buy the highest SPF (yeah I know, anything over 30 is dubious but I just grab what is at Walmart, the generic stuff). Cover up as I can but I sweat profusely.

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
How about Nevada on the map? Lots of heart disease there and lots of sun too. Here's a list of the sunniest places in the USA.


Just because it's sunny, doesn't mean that people are going out in the sun. The medical community has scared the heck out of the public to never go out during peak sunlight hours...and always wear sunscreen if you do. Hence...no vitamin D benefits. With so many variables between age, diet, exercise levels, stress, smoking/non-smoking, alcohol, etc....it's quite hard to run a study where you accurately look at one variable such as "sunshine" exposure. Even in Nevada for half the year, you don't adequate sunshine to produce Vit D3.

Heart disease is probably more closely linked to diet than anything else. Sunshine is but one smaller factor in the equation. If you're a typical meat/dairy eater, your risk of heart disease is probably 10X to 20X higher than someone who doesn't eat meat/dairy. Sunshine isn't gonna save you from that. And to complicate things more, it differs from person to person. No one is exactly "the average."