Vitamin D3...it's free

Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin because your body makes it from cholesterol when your skin is exposed to sunlight.

This vitamin has recently garnered a lot of attention for its role in immune health, specifically regarding COVID-19. It's also critical to bone health and many important functions throughout your body.

Most adults should get 4,000–5,000 IU (international units) of vitamin D daily. You will need 30 - 60 minutes of sun exposure (w/o sunscreen) in shorts and a t-shirt to get enough. While certain foods, such as fatty fish and fortified dairy products, do contain this D3, it's difficult to get enough in your diet alone. It's one of the "top 10" vitamins you need every day. It's no surprise, that vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide.

Research found that almost 42% of U.S. adults have a vitamin D deficiency. This figure goes up to almost 63% in Hispanic adults and 82% in African American adults.

Vitamin D3 activates your immune system. The flu season is actually the vitamin D deficiency season. If you get colds or flu frequently, you may be low in vitamin D. Several large studies have shown a link between a deficiency and respiratory tract infections such as colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Recently, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of COVID-19, as well as an increased risk of severe effects and lingering symptoms often referred to as "long covid".