Vitamin D – we need sun for survival.   Sunshine converts cholesterol in our skin into vitamin D, an essential nutrient that controls the expression of some two thousand genes. Low levels of vitamin D are linked to a host of mental disorders, including depression, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and seventeen types of cancer. Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to lowered immunity – which may be the reason we get sick in the winter months when there is less sunshine. It is also a reason why when any of my patients get sick, I recommend hefty doses of Vitamin D3 for a few days and most get better without ever having to resort to antibiotics.

Best Sources: Sunlight, fatty fish, butter & lard from pasture-raised animals, mushrooms (must be exposed to the sun)