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I briefly touched upon FitPort in my article about HealthKit apps. The app debuted today as the App Store’s first HealthKit-enabled application following yesterday’s iOS 8.0.2 software update that fixed a bug in iOS 8.0 which prevented HealthKit apps from functioning properly.

Created by Flask, FitPort isn’t yet another daily activity, health and fitness tracker, but a wannabe replacement for Apple’s stock Health app in iOS 8.

Having spent an hour or so playing with it, I can safely conclude that FitPort deserves your attention so let me discuss it in greater detail.

Above all, FitPort is a very promising fitness dashboard.

Featuring a simple dashboard that can be customized to your liking, it provides an at-a-glance overview of your daily fitness statistics and lets you compare data to the previous day or week to see how active you’ve been.

Taking a page from other tracking applications, FitPort also makes it easy to set your personal goals so you can monitor your progress.

Like any app that uses HealthKit, FitPort first needs your permission to access your Health database. You’ll be asked to selectively choose which of the supported stats will get synced back into the iOS 8 Health database.

As you’ve probably realized by now, HealthKit is hugely convenient because it, along with other HealthKit apps such as FitPort, can feed Health its data about your physical activities.

A quick backgrounder: because iOS 8’s Health app collates data from HealthKit apps and accessories, programs like FitPort help build a comprehensive outlook of your health. Health also lets you visualize data using pretty charts, manage your privacy, selectively share data with other apps and much more.

Back to FitPort.

You can input data manually into the app and all changes get synced immediately with Health. The following Health data types are supported by FitPort: Steps, Walking + Running Distance (mi, km), Active Calories (kcal, kj), Dietary Calories (kcal, kj), Weight (lb, kg, stone) and Body Fat Percentage (%).

The app underscores that “your health data will not be sent to our servers.”

Privacy-minded individuals needn’t worry: you always have complete control over every bit of information you’d like shared with Health — just use the ON/OFF switch next to each category you’d like synced with Health, as seen on the image below.

The good news is, this level of privacy isn’t specific to FitPort as Apple demands all HealthKit apps provide the same granularity. This lets users explicitly enable read and write capabilities for every supported Health data, from Active Calories to Body Fat Percentage to many, many more.

It gets even better: Health sync is two-way.

As you can see below, FitPort was able to import my Steps Taken from Health’s database. If you own an iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, here’s the thing — your device already has some basic data to work with. Go ahead, try it yourself: first launch Health, then tap Health Data on the toolbar and finally add Steps and Walking + Running Distance from the Fitness section to your dashboard.

But where did this data come from?

Thank Apple-designed M7 and M8 coprocessors for keeping track of your motion activity in the past seven days, without impacting your battery, because these chips monitor the iPhone’s sensors without ever waking up the main A7 or A8 processor.

Wrapping up, FitPort still needs some work.

For starters, the app lacks a food database so you must use other apps to log calories. I’m also disappointed that active calories are not calculated automatically, which is a shame, really. Additional Health categories will be integrated over time, the Tokyo, Japan-based developer promised.

Other health, fitness and nutrition tracking apps enabled for HealthKit today: MyFitnessPal, FitStar Personal Trainer, WebMD, Yummly and Carrot Fit, with many more to gain prominence in the coming days for sure.

Now that I’ve seen what’s possible with third-party HealthKit integration, I’m very much excited about what the future holds.

You?

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The Basis Peak Wants To Be The First Heart

It’s finally arrived: an activity-tracking wristband that promises accurate, real-time heart rate monitoring during the heat of exercise. The Basis Peak is lighter, slimmer, brighter and more elegant than the Basis wearable it replaces, and when it goes on sale in early November for $200, it stands a good chance of restoring dignity to the heart-rate monitoring space.

Make no mistake, most wrist-worn wearables have laughable heart-rate tracking features. They can only do heart rate “spot checks” that report how fast your ticker is ticking when you stop whatever you’re doing, and keep your body perfectly still like a terrified squirrel. It’s a quaint feature at best—when the devices work. Their performance is usually inconsistent, but of course you already know this if you own one of Samsung’s many wearables, including the Gear Fit. Jon Phillips

Compared to earlier Basis models, the Peak has a lower-profile design, and is made of forged aluminum instead of plastic. The new display is also brighter and higher contrast.

The Basis Peak, announced Tuesday, aims to deliver a heart-rate monitoring experience that rivals what we currently only get from chest-strap monitors and earbud systems like LG’s Heart Rate Earphones. Basis, which was acquired by Intel in March, says the Peak has a completely revamped heart-rate sensor that serves a reliable, continuous data stream regardless of how hard you’re pushing your body.

It’s exactly what you need for zone-based cardio training, and improves upon the previous Basis heart-rate sensor, which was mostly enlisted to calculate general calorie-burn numbers and sleep quality in the B1 Band and Carbon Steel Edition.

The forward march of sensor tech

So what’s changed? For starters, the company’s new spectroscopic sensor has a brighter LED. This makes it “less susceptible to channel interference; interfering light has a harder time disrupting the signal,” says Ethan Fassett, Basis VP of Product. Second, the sensor has an improved photo receptor. This is the element that absorbs the LED light, providing a footprint of the blood flow beneath the surface of your skin.

Third, the Peak is lighter than Basis products it replaces. The reduced mass translates into less dramatic “inertial movements” that might cause the Peak to break contact with your skin. Fourth, the sensor housing now has a raised berm that forms a stronger connection point to your skin—almost like a sealed gasket. And, finally, Basis’ new straps are stretchy, flexible silicone. You can pull them tighter without giving up comfort, and the snug fit ensures more reliable data collection.

Jon Phillips

Battery life remains rated for a generous four days, and the new charging puck is must less clunky than earlier Basis iterations.

With all these improvements working in concert, the quality and consistency of the heart-rate data improves significantly—enough for Basis to claim its breakthrough. I can testify that the Peak is more comfortable to wear then the Carbon Steel Edition I tested earlier this year, and an improved black-and-white LCD display is indeed much easier to read than Basis’ previous dim, low-contrast screen. Still, only real-world testing in November will prove out the company’s sensor claims.

Beyond the new heart-rate sensor, the Peak uses the same accelerometer, skin temperature sensor and perspiration sensor it deployed in earlier products. Algorithms have been improved, and Basis’ Body IQ feature can still automatically sense whether you’ve initiated a walking, running or cycling workout. The Peak is rated for 5ATM water resistance, which means you can take it swimming. Body IQ, however, won’t automatically recognize swimming activity—yet. “It’s a use case we’re aware of, and we’re pretty excited about it,” said Fassett.

Improved design, top to bottom

Even without the new heart-rate sensor, the Peak improves nearly every facet of Basis’ industrial design. The body of the device has a lower profile than earlier Basis products, making it less prone to snagging on shirtsleeves. It’s also now made of forged aluminum instead of plastic, and the improved, high-contrast display is a full touchscreen, allowing Basis to ditch its archaic button control.

Basis

No, it’s not a smartwatch. But as a highly sophisticated fitness and sleep tracker, it finally looks like something you might want to wear as a watch.

Battery life remains at four days—a generous duration when Android Wear watches can barely make it through the night. The wearable’s charging puck has also been redesigned, and is much easier to snap on and off. When the Peak goes on sale, a matte black model will come with a black strap bearing red accents, while a brushed silver model will come with a white strap bearing gray accents. But Basis has ditched its custom strapping apparatus, so you’ll be able to outfit the Peak with any 23mm replacement strap you fancy.

Basis wearables already appeal to quantified-selfers. In particular, the company’s Advanced Sleep Analysis system can report not only light and deep sleep, but also REM sleep. But once you add in continuous heart-rate monitoring, you have a wearable that can cover all your activity, from your deepest slumber to your most adrenaline-charged exercise. As Fassett repeated frequently, it’s a true 24/7 device.

Basis

Smartwatch-style notifications are coming, just not when the Peak launches in early November.

All that’s missing are smartwatch-like functions, like notifications for texts, emails and incoming phone calls. Well, it turns out those are coming too, care of an over-the-air update that Basis projects will arrive before the end of the year. Notifications will only live on the device for a maximum of five minutes, but maybe that’s OK.

Horizon Worlds Isn’t The Killer Vr App Meta Wants It To Be

So I was prepared to take the hatchet to Meta’s Horizon Worlds, the metaverse app that looked a lot like Ralph Breaks the Internet when it debuted last year. But the reality is that, Horizon Worlds — well, Horizon Workrooms, which is sort of a subset of Worlds — is a lot like Facebook. And it’s not entirely bad. Just mostly.

At Meta’s headquarters, I was invited to try out the Meta Quest Pro in various scenarios. But I was as equally as interested in knowing if the Meta Quest Pro could be used as well in a productivity scenario as in an entertainment context…even if Meta employees have already decided not to use it. Weirdly, Horizon Workrooms and Worlds is a year old, and yet no one outside Facebook really knows what it is.

Horizon Worlds is attractive, but ultimately lacking

I’ll talk about what I thought of the Meta Quest Pro in a separate hands-on. But as for Horizon Workrooms, well, it’s Facebook.

Meta’s illustration of Horizon Workrooms. This looks more engaging than my experience.

Boost Your Health With A Little Nature Therapy

When was the last time you stopped and listened to the wind blowing through the trees? Or notice how the lake in the park at the end of the street glistens? If it’s been a minute, you might want to consider going outdoors. Studies show that eco- or nature therapy (also known as spending time outside) can have a positive impact on our mental and physical health. And we could all use some help with that these days.

Nature’s relationship to our psyche has garnered a fair amount of attention over the last decade or so. Science has shown it is an effective and often free way to reduce anxiety, improve focus and memory, enhance a general feeling of wellbeing, and even boost immune function. With anxiety and depression numbers on the rise, more and more psychologists and therapists are prescribing time outdoors to their patients to help them improve their condition.

If you’re ready to try it out for yourself, put on some sunblock and give trees a chance. In the worst-case scenario, you end up enjoying a nice walk.

What is ecotherapy?

Like any other kind of therapy, the purpose of ecotherapy is to benefit mental health by helping patients tune in with the natural world. But it’s about more than using nature as a backdrop for other therapeutic practices—it’s about building a relationship, a connection, between you and the world you live in, says Craig Chalquist, professor of east-west psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and co-editor of Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind. And as it turns out, it’s a very beneficial relationship to invest in.

[Related: There isn’t much science supporting wilderness therapy for teens]

Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing may be the most well-known method in nature therapy. Contrary to what you might think, this Japanese practice doesn’t require actual bathing, and it involves consciously and contemplatively immersing yourself in the sensory experience of the forest. The point is to spend time “taking in the forest atmosphere” and soaking up the sights, sounds and smells of your natural surroundings. Research has shown patients experience a handful of benefits after this experience—from lower concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol, to lower blood pressure.

But there are plenty of activities that qualify as ecotherapy. As long as the goal is to be mindful, observant, and surrounded by nature, anything, from taking a walk in the park to snuggling with a therapy animal, or even filling indoor spaces with more plants, qualifies.

How ecotherapy works

Going for a walk and taking a deep breath of fresh air will help you improve your mood. But science shows that location makes a difference, and the maxim is clear—the more nature, the better. Various studies have noted participants have significantly reduced pulse rates, decreased depression, fatigue, anxiety, and confusion post-forest bathing than after strolling in urban areas. Some studies even suggest certain beneficial bacteria in soil can give serotonin levels a bump, meaning dirt could alleviate feelings of depression.

Still, every bit counts. Other data shows that something as simple as a fish tank can help increase appetite in Alzheimer’s patients, and studies show post-op patients recover faster when they have a window to green space in their room.

“Because we evolved in the natural world we are nature, but we’re the part of nature that forgets what it is,” says Chalquist.

For him, we don’t spend enough time outdoors, and he takes it one step further, suggesting that our mental health is intertwined with the health of the planet—so if its health declines, our health declines.

Take a hike

“Even simple introductions to nature make a huge impact,” he says.

First, evaluate your schedule. Go through it hour by hour and take note of how much time you spend outside. Chalquist says that many people are often surprised by how little nature appears in their day-to-day experiences.

Then, make time to insert nature into your routine. Go outside to participate in activities like gardening or painting; exercise outdoors instead of in; go on walks or sit on a bench in the park. Just don’t scroll mindlessly through your phone as you do it. We’re used to being constantly stimulated and at first, it may be difficult to set distractions aside—but it pays off. Be intentional about what you’re doing and what’s going on around you.

“Just watch what nature does,” Chalquist recommends.

A good trick is to do what children do—imitate their sense of wonder and curiosity by studying the veins of a leaf or feeling the petals of a flower. It may sound strange, but wander around with a handful of fresh soil for 20 minutes and see if it affects your mood. Going to an animal sanctuary and interacting with a wider variety of animals than you’re used to is also a good idea. Research suggests that the more diverse the nature you’re in contact with is, the more health benefits you reap.

And if you can’t go outside, bring more plants indoors to surround yourself with nature wherever you are.

[Related: Four plants that are scientifically proven to be therapeutic]

However you approach ecotherapy, the key to getting the most out of it is to be intentional. If you’re feeling tense, anxious, or stressed, check in with yourself before heading outdoors by rating your mood on a scale of one to ten. Then, after spending 20 minutes or so being present and observant of the sights, smells, and sounds around you, rate it again. Chalquist is willing to bet it will almost always be higher, which will serve as motivation to spend more time outside.

If you want to go the extra mile, keep track of your mood in a journal and ask yourself if spending time outside is actually making you feel better. If the answer is “yes,” keep it up.

Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight Review: The Laptop Your Boss Wants To Buy You

Best Prices Today: Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight

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The Dell Latitude is a mainstay of laptop fleets across the globe. This becomes an odd challenge, as the needs of an organization’s IT department comes first. The user’s satisfaction is secondary. The result is the laptop equivalent of oatmeal. It does its job—very well, in fact—but it’s not what most people would pick from a menu. While we loved the keyboard and display, performance was less-than-stellar and the price tag is pretty high. IT admins should give the Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight a long, hard look, but individual buyers should probably turn their attention elsewhere. Read on to learn more.

Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight specs and features

The Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight offers dozens of options that go well beyond the processor, RAM, and hard drive. Shoppers can snag this laptop with one of five displays, a Smart Card reader, and an LTE modem, among other extras. Dell will even ship the laptop with Ubuntu Linux, if you’d like. These business-friendly options really up the value of this specific laptop.

CPU: Intel Core i7-1265U

Memory: 16GB

Graphics/GPU: Intel Iris Xe

Display:1920 x 1080 non-touch IPS screen

Storage: 512GB SSD

Webcam: 720p with privacy shutter

Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C 4 with Power Delivery and DisplayPort, 1x USB-A 3.2, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x 3.5mm audio jack.

Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2

Biometrics: None

MSRP: Starting around $1,800

My review laptop was a mid-range configuration. It had several hardware upgrades, including an Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM, but was missing extras like LTE mobile data and biometric security. These modest additions up the as-tested price to an intimidating $2,594.74.

You’ll find a vPro chip on this device, which makes it all the more enticing for business professionals. Intel’s vPro tech allows IT admins to fix, maintain, and manage a PC from a remote location. This program makes mass-installation easier, too. If your work laptop is ever stolen, vPro enables you to quickly erase the hard drive. It also supports multi-factor authentication and full disk encryption. If you need vPro, you know it, and its features are worth their premium in a large business environment.

Design and build quality

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight is the least attractive laptop to cross my desk this year. The black magnesium alloy chassis isn’t offensive, but it’s certainly forgettable. The display bezels are small, but not slim enough to stand out, and the laptop has no distinctive markings aside from a small Dell logo.

Pick it up, however, and you’ll notice its (lack of) weight. The Latitude 7330 Ultralight lives up to its name at a feathery 2.13 pounds. It’s among the lightest 13-inch laptops sold today. Samsung’s Galaxy Book Pro 13 is the only serious contender that’s lighter, weighing a tad below two pounds.

Low weight doesn’t mean the Latitude 7330 Ultralight is fragile. It lacks the heft of a heavier premium laptop, like Apple’s MacBook Air or Dell’s XPS 13, but the chassis is rigid. It’s superior to alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 13 and LG Gram 14, both of which feel flimsy.

Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Latitude 7330 Ultralight is a treat for typists. It provides a spacious layout and excellent key feel with long travel and a crisp, tactile bottoming action. I also enjoyed the palm rests, which are relatively deep and wide for a 13-inch laptop.

Though fantastic to use, the keyboard looks ugly and the material used for each key is a cheap plastic that feels reminiscent of an aging action figure or a cheap storage bin.

A keyboard backlight is available but provides just two brightness settings controlled by a function key shortcut. It looks mediocre, as some keys are not evenly lit, and the brightness isn’t especially high at its maximum setting.

The touchpad is a mix bag. It’s small, measuring about four inches wide and two inches deep. Windows’ multi-touch gestures can feel cramped. It’s responsive, however, and the touchpad’s surface is distinct from the palmrest material that surrounds it.

Display, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

Dell offers the Latitude 7330 Ultralight with a bewildering array of five display options. All five are 13.3-inch 1080p displays, but some models offer touch, and they differ in maximum brightness. My review laptop had a 13.3-inch, 1080p, non-touch display that claims up to 400 nits of brightness. My testing placed it close to that figure at 387 nits.

The display is functional, and I mean that in the best way possible. It’s clear, sharp, and bright. An effective anti-glare coating tames reflections to keep the laptop usable in a sunlit room. The display is well suited to document editing, web browsing, and other tasks that involve working with small fonts.

If you want to enjoy entertainment, however, you won’t be pleased. The display falls short in color gamut, accuracy, and contrast. Alternative laptops with OLED displays, like the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED, Dell XPS 13 OLED, and Samsung Galaxy Book Pro2 360, look more vivid and have deeper, darker black levels.

The Latitude 7330 Ultralight’s decision to avoid OLED makes sense, as OLED displays have a glossy coat that can show significant glare. That’s not ideal when using a laptop in a bright environment like an office or airport.

Audio quality falls flat. The Latitude’s speakers are tinny, weak, and muddy. Dialogue comes through clearly, so video conferencing is enjoyable, but music sounds grating and distant.

The Latitude 7330 Ultralight comes with Waves MaxxAudio Pro software that alters audio presentation when headphones are connected. I turned it off, but was prompted again each time I connected headphones. It’s an annoying bit of bloatware that’s best uninstalled.

Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight offers a variety of webcam, microphone, and biometric options. My review laptop skipped most of them, offering a basic 720p webcam with microphone. Biometric login wasn’t supported, though other configurations can include a fingerprint reader and IR camera.

Video quality isn’t good. The 720p webcam has decent color presentation and brightness, but looks soft and grainy even in good lighting. The microphones are clear, but volume is a bit low, and background noise cancellation is unreliable.

Connectivity

Wired connectivity is an area I’d expect a productivity laptop to stand out, but the Latitude 7330 Ultralight is rather basic. It has two Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C 4 ports, both of which support DisplayPort and Power Delivery, and a single USB-A Gen 3.2 port. My model also had an HDMI 2.0 video output and a 3.5mm audio jack.

That’s it. There’s no Ethernet, no additional USB-A ports, and no dedicated DisplayPort or mini-DisplayPort. An optional Smart Card Reader is available, but this feature is of use only to corporations and organizations.

Wireless connectivity, on the other hand, is excellent. The Latitude 7330 Ultralight supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard and Bluetooth 5.2. My review laptop lacked an LTE modem, but Dell offers optional LTE modems with support for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon networks (in the United States).

Performance

Though expensive, the Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight configuration I reviewed had decidedly mid-range specifications. The most significant was the Intel Core i7-1265U processor. It has a total of ten cores, but only two are Performance-cores.

IDG / Matthew Smith

PCMark 10, a general performance benchmark, places the Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight behind the competitive set with a score of just 5,100. This is an adequate score but, when compared to other modern laptops of similar price, the Latitude is clearly behind the curve. Although performance doesn’t quite line up with the consumer laptops in the graph above, it should be noted that the Latitude has those crucial vPro security features. Those features bump up the cost quite a bit. However, it’s a fair exchange, as it makes running a business much safer.

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Cinebench R15 multi-threaded benchmark places the Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight a hair behind the pack. It falls short of not only the Intel Core i7-1260P, but also AMD’s older Ryzen 7 5800U.

This may seem surprising, as the Core i7-1265U appears to occupy a higher place in Intel’s product stack. The key is in the lettering. The i7-1265U is part of a processor line that skews towards lower power draw while the i7-1260P leans towards performance.

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Latitude 7330 Ultralight’s graphics performance also falls a tad behind the competition. It manages to slightly outpace the HP Pavilion Aero 13, which uses AMD Radeon integrated graphics. Yet the Latitude falls significantly behind Intel Iris Xe in the Lenovo Yoga 9i and Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360.

No one is buying this laptop for its graphics performance, of course, but an improved score would be preferable. This level of performance is adequate only for playing older 3D games at low detail and, in many cases, a resolution below 1080p. The Latitude will also struggle in rendering apps like Blender.

Battery life

The Dell Latitude 7330 Ultralight model I tested had a small 41 watt-hour battery. That’s smaller than average for a 13-inch laptop and it has consequences.

IDG / Matthew Smith

I recorded eight hours and 56 minutes of battery life in PC World’s standard battery test, which loops a 4K file of the short film Tears of Steel. This is well short of alternatives like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and Samsung’s Galaxy Book Pro models, including the new Book Pro2 360.

Dell offers an upgrade to a 58 watt-hour battery. That’s a capacity increase of about 40 percent which, in theory, would put the Latitude 7330 Ultralight in line with competitors. This upgrade is affordable, as it’s currently priced a hair above $20, and increases the laptop’s weight to about two and a half pounds.

Conclusion

Dell’s Latitude 7330 Ultralight isn’t meant for an average PC shopper. It’s not meant for PC enthusiasts. It’s not even meant for prosumers. This laptop targets big organizations that want to deploy hundreds, possibly thousands of functional, reliable, and identical laptops.

It hits the mark. The Latitude 7330 Ultralight is a simple machine with a great keyboard, nice touchpad, and readable anti-glare display. It’s light, packable, and the battery can be topped off with any common USB-C charger. It supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard and offers optional mobile data. This laptop also has a vPro chip, which adds a ton of security features. It really is a phenomenal work laptop.

Unfortunately, the laptop’s flaws make it unappealing for individuals. It looks and feels much less expensive than its high price tag would suggest. Consumer laptops offer superior performance at roughly half the price. But on the other hand, this laptop offers business-focused features you simply won’t find in consumer laptops (if you need them).

This leaves the Latitude 7330 Ultralight in a rough spot. It’s actually a very good laptop for business fleets. For an IT admin, this is a four star rating as far as business laptops go. However, for just a regular buyer, the Apple MacBook Air, Lenovo Yoga 9i, or Dell XPS 13 delivers far more value.

Editor’s Note (8/10/22): We’ve edited the text to better explain vPro’s features.

3 Vital Ways Vitamin D Can Potentially Benefit Your Health

Vitamin D, or the “Sunshine” Vitamin, can keep you hale and hearty. In this article, we explore all the ways Vitamin D makes for a long and strong life.

Why is Vitamin D Important?

Vitamin D is not just for your bones. It produces as a hormone by the body and can be absorbed as a nutrient from external sources like food and sunlight. Vitamin D is central to metabolism, maintaining organ and tissue health, and keeping inflammation and infections at bay.

Sunlight is the most effective source of Vitamin D. UVB (Ultraviolet B) rays release energy for a chemical reaction that breaks down the 7-dehydrocholesterol steroid found in the skin. This reaction produces pre-vitamin D2, which is further converted into Vitamin D3. But be cautious of excess exposure to UVB rays which can burn your skin and damage cells, leading to premature aging and cancer. Choose the right amount and type of sunscreen since too much or the wrong variety blocks out Vitamin D.

The older you get; Vitamin D levels drop. For babies, 400 international units (IU) is the recommended daily allowance, whereas, for people up to 70, it is 600 IU. Those aged 70 and above need more since their bones are brittle and could fracture easily.

Even though food and sunlight are the primary sources of this nutrient, they only account for 1/3rd of your daily needs on average, even with fortified foods. Vitamin D supplements help, but they shouldn’t cross the 3000 IU limit for children up to ages 8-10 and 4000 IU for adults. Vitamin D toxicity can cause nausea, weight loss, anorexia, hypercalcemia, and kidney and digestive problems.

Health Benefits & Deficiency Outcomes

Below are some possible contributions to well-being that Vitamin D can provide −

Strong Bones (and Muscles)

Vitamin D has been proven to increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the bones, which promotes bone mineralization. It also improves oral health to boot. Mineralization keeps your bones hard and strong at an optimum level. Too much or too little Vitamin D will either make the bone tissue too stiff or too soft.

Vitamin D deficiency makes bones weaker and prone to breakage and deformation. In children, this presents as rickets, where the legs are bent outwards and are brittle. The equivalent for adults is osteomalacia, in which the bones become soft. Over time, Vitamin D deficiency could contribute to osteoporosis, in which bone mineral density declines, leaving hollow spaces inside. The weakening of muscles, aches, numbness and spasms often accompanies a deterioration in bone health.

Immune System

Several studies suggest that increased Vitamin D levels help to reduce the incidence, progression, or worsening of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), Type 1 diabetes, tuberculosis, IBS, and Hashimoto’s disease, i.e., hyperthyroidism.

Vitamin D cannot prevent or cure these illnesses because they are genetic. But a steady supplement dose or regular sun exposure can strengthen the immune system to resist the body’s attack against itself.

Studies indicate better outcomes for higher-level people, although more is needed. But Vitamin D can help in many ways. For example, some of the myalgia, i.e., muscle pain associated with MS, could stave off hyperparathyroidism (a result of calcium deficiency) that causes hormone fluctuations. Keeping hormone fluctuations in check, in turn, might help the system to keep diseases like diabetes and asthma at bay.

Vitamin D helps to lower inflammation in the body and fight against infections/viruses. Limited studies have shown that Vitamin D may help to reduce the severity of airborne illnesses and respiratory problems like COVID, influenza, and the flu.

Lifestyle Diseases

Various studies have shown links between increased Vitamin D consumption and a correlated lower risk for lifestyle diseases like cancer and type 2 diabetes. It may also reduce the severity of morbidity symptoms and perhaps even marginally lower mortality, i.e., death rates. But the observation groups need to be more in number. In addition, for diseases like diabetes, Vitamin D consumption only helped if the existing blood serum levels were low and not if they were normal.

For other lifestyle concerns like cardiac arrest, stroke, depression, and obesity, there are no linkages to suggest any improvement. But some studies show a correlation between these diseases and low Vitamin D levels. i.e., people with depression or weight gain are found to have lower Vitamin D levels. Seasonal Affective Disorder also results from low serotonin levels due to lack of sunlight in the winter. The data suggest that with heart issues, Vitamin D could make the arteries more flexible and reduce hypertension, indirectly improving heart health and reducing the risk of stroke. But there is no evidence that higher Vitamin D prevents heart problems.

Sources of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is found in two forms other than sunlight. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, is also called the pre-vitamin D and is produced predominantly in plants and fungi. The body produces vitamin D3, which is found in various animal-based foods.

You can incorporate the following foods in your diet which have high Vitamin D content −

Mushrooms

Dairy products, e.g., cheese, yogurt, cow’s milk

Fortified breakfast cereals and juices

Egg Yolks

Fish with fatty acids, e.g., salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna

Cod Liver Oil supplements

Vegan milk, e.g., almond, soy, or rice, can be fortified with Vitamin D for vegetarians.

Conclusion

A healthy dose of Vitamin D helps immensely. So go out, bask in the warm rays, and live a bright, nourished life!

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