As you simplify your Life, the Laws of the Universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness. – Henry David Thoreau
Your Life can be amazing. Simplicity is a unique tool for achieving amazing inner Harmony and Peace, within yourself and with others around you.
Humanity is facing difficult times Today and will confront even more in the future. In these moments it is important to reflect upon the Truly Beautiful things in Life. And the most Beautiful is YOU, and the awareness that you are deeply Loved.
Love is simple. It is. It simply is.
To Love can have an immeasurable, beneficial effect upon our physiological functions. Love will influence your Heart rate, and lower blood pressure and decrease levels of stress hormones. Love is a simple way to Live longer.
Living together, brings us the Blessing of our need to care for one another. Because you are a Loving person, your way of thinking and doing and seeing things becomes the best of qualities others can find. The real person that God Created you to be, can Live Peacefully with all that is Beautiful in His Nature.
There is something about a River, the sound of the water, the ebb and flow and the rhythm that puts the body and mind into a state of relaxation, that is so soothing to us. It is really hard to believe how amazing we are as Rivers of Life. In utero, our Human bodies are made up of 94% water. As infants we are about 75% water. Later in Life, our water composition can drop to 50%. The organ of our lungs is about 83% water, the muscles and kidneys 79% water, the brain and the Heart 73% water, the skin 64% water, our bones 31% water. That is why staying hydrated is vital for your organs to function.
We are tall pillars of water with a brain attached to the top. We are simply Rivers of water also flowing to the Sea.
Words of encouragement are provided by God. They exist to restore your Faith in Humanity.
The Holy Word of God will Heal and make the World a better place for you, and for all His Children.
“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your Inner Peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole World seems upset.” – Saint Francis de Sales
When the whispering wind caresses your face, it is like an Angel kisses your cheeks. Sweet sounds of Nature whisper so softly to you. As your eyes see the Light of God’s Glorious Day, let go of your worries and your fears. God will carry them far away and give you His Blessing. He Loves you. You are Deeply Loved.
Thank God for the Wonder of Life, for the Truth of His Love, and for the Joy of Being. Accept His Love. Be Grateful to be here. . In the Graceful Name of God, Pray that He may protect us from evil, and help us to Live fulfilled Lives. His Precious Love will bring a feeling like no other. Treasure it.
Let the Sacred Word of God be Engraved in your fragile mind and Guide you in the direction of a positive Life, Lived for others, every day. It is Time to put aside all the illusions, all of the things that happen Today and every Day, and return your Heart to Love and Peace.
To focus upon the things in Life that hurt, will cause you not to see many of the Beautiful things in our World.
Our World has so many Beautiful Gifts from God. God’s World offers us Love, laughter and Joy, and so many more things that make Life worth Living.
Whatever you may be going through, will get better with a Prayer for His Love. Be Kind, and Kindness will come back to you.
We have always Lived in an Earthly Paradise and did not realize it.
To Live Joyfully, find the Beauty, and God’s Love in everything you see.
He Loves us every Day.
The Love of God is at the Heart of us all.
The answer to every question is Love. Love clears the Heart and Heals the mind. Forgiving provides simplicity. It eases our Lives. It is a Gift we can give to ourselves. . You will find a sense of Inner Peace and feeling of Freedom when you allow your mind to simply Be, and your body to simply breath. Thank God for this wonderful experience of simply Being.
I wish you all an amazing Day, a bountiful Year and a Blessed Life. . Goodnight.
These Superfoods Can Provide Important Nutrients With a Single Bite
What daily habits have you tried out in the name of good health?
Diana Rodgers, an author and registered dietician, is the host of the Sustainable Dish Podcast where she sometimes recounts her attempt to eat 100% of her daily values of all nutrients for a whole month, that is, to consume 100% without supplements. A nearly impossible task, Rodgers relied on eating liver, oysters, and other particular and sometimes expensive food sources every day to meet the demand.
Yet there are certain foods that are so rich in a particular nutrient that a mere bite can satisfy one’s daily requirements. Sometimes these foods are not advocated for by government agencies in particular, because they go against existing nationwide recommendations against eating too much meat, or fatty foods.
It bears repeating that RDAs, or recommended daily allowances, set by government agencies, have long been established at the bare-minimum for survival.
Harri Hemilä, a researcher at the Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki in Finland, details that even as late as 1990, the RDA recommendations for Vitamin C were “arbitrarily set at 60 mg/day to ‘provide an adequate margin of safety’ against scurvy,” even though the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who first discovered Vitamin C advocated for a gram per day, and that there were all kinds, (and there are) of problems that can arise from low C intake before the “pre-mortal” condition of scurvy.
However if a single bite covers the bare minimum, it isn’t outlandish to imagine a second would serve as a realistic 100% dose, and here are some of those 1-3 bite doses.
Selenium — The Brazil Nut
Selenium is important for many processes. It is one of the principal resources for neurogenesis, and its dietary addition increases creation of new neuro stem cells even in mice aged the equivalent of 80 years in humans.
Also in the body it’s used to create antioxidants, while its effects preventing cancer are currently being investigated. Deficiency in selenium can lead to severely compromised intestinal function, and dysregulation in the use of zinc and copper in the body.
According to Nutrition Data one solitary Brazil nut, weighing 5 grams, contains 132% of the USDA’s RDA for a 2,000 calorie per day diet.
Vitamin C — Kiwi or Guava
Vitamin C is important for creating antioxidant defenses, synthesizing collagen, fighting off diseases, and much more. One medium kiwi will provide 273%, of the already discussed RDA of vitamin C.
Picking up a kiwi is much easier to eat, and is more familiar than a guava, but a guava fruit contains far more dehydroascorbic acid, a form a vitamin C, than a kiwi. Dehydroascorbic acid is used by two of the major glucose transporters, and therefore vital for metabolic health.
Vitamin B12 — Sardines
A cofactor in DNA synthesis, vitamin B12 is critical in both fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. It is important in the normal functioning of the nervous system via its role in the synthesis of myelin, and in the maturation of red blood cells in the bone marrow. It is a common deficiency in the diets of vegetarians and vegans, based on the fact that plants use other biological equipment to perform the functions which animals do with B12.
A single can of sardines in olive oil will provide 137% of one’s B12 needs.
Copper/Vitamin A — Beef Liver
Yes, beef liver isn’t commonly eaten in the United States, or most other places. Modern society has lost its custom for the metallic and slightly bitter flavor of organ meat. However if one can but fry beef liver in a pan and cut it into 1 ounce (28 gram) slices, and eat just one of those a day, they would be conferring upon themselves and their family, 208% of the RDA for copper, and 146% of their RDA for vitamin A.
Because of its role in facilitating iron uptake, copper deficiency can produce anemia-like symptoms, neutropenia, bone abnormalities, hypopigmentation, impaired growth, increased incidence of infections, osteoporosis, hyperthyroidism, and abnormalities in glucose and cholesterol metabolism.
Vitamin A on the other hand is a class of different compounds, some well-known of which are retinol and beta-carotene, which have a large variety of functions. It’s essential for embryo development and growth, for maintenance of the immune system, and for vision, where it combines with the protein opsin to form rhodopsin, the light-sensing molecules in our keys key for both high and low light environments, which also trigger hormonal responses to day and night cycles.
Vitamin K — Collards (greens)
Vitamin K is vital for blood health, in particular the function of blood coagulation is seriously impaired under low-K conditions. It allows the liver to create a secondary molecule that chelates calcium, and regulates the binding of calcium to bones.
Just one ounce of collard greens contains 154% of one’s RDA for vitamin K. K isn’t usually a common deficiency, but can be found within people with a particular aversion to green vegetables.
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Let us remember treasured moments, like a walk through the Forest of our Dreams during a full Moon.
To Treasure our memories can heal your Spirit and your mind. Let your body relax and your mind be calm. Allow your reflections to flow with the music and the magic of each moment.Wrap your precious Heart around the Peace that prevails in Nature. The calm you discover will be conveyed to your Heart and mind. And you will be Grateful to God.
God’s World is so Beautiful. The sounds of Mother Nature are a relaxing melody in the Dream that is the Nature of our Sacred Earth. It is so very Beautiful. . Simply, and very simple, Love it.
“Our Life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” – Henry David Thoreau
Become distracted by Nature. There you will find Natural music, Natural Beauty and the Freedom to be Happy.
Do what your Heart tells you. The feeling that creates a Loving memory will never go away. Such memories will be with you Forever. The wind runs through the Trees and plays near the echoes of your mind, and reminds us of the Hope in our Hearts.
You can run through the Trees and sit beside the running waters, making Flower crowns and enjoying the simple pleasure of just Being. . Create the good memories and be Happy again.
Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. Life is about being Grateful to the Lord for every precious Day.
A new chapter for Humanity is beginning. The Light and Love of our Lord is the only Reality. Embrace His World and you will open your Heart, open your mind, and open the door to a World filled with Love. . Goodnight.
Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs for building and maintaining healthy bones. That’s because your body can only absorb calcium, the primary component of bone, when vitamin D is present. Vitamin D also regulates many other cellular functions in your body. Its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties support immune health, muscle function and brain cell activity.
Vitamin D isn’t naturally found in many foods, but you can get it from fortified milk, fortified cereal, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Your body also makes vitamin D when direct sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into an active form of the vitamin (calciferol).
The amount of vitamin D your skin makes depends on many factors, including the time of day, season, latitude and your skin pigmentation. Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, vitamin D production might decrease or be completely absent during the winter months. Sunscreen, while important to prevent skin cancer, also can decrease vitamin D production.
Many older adults don’t get regular exposure to sunlight and have trouble absorbing vitamin D. If your doctor suspects you’re not getting enough vitamin D, a simple blood test can check the levels of this vitamin in your blood.
Taking a multivitamin with vitamin D may help improve bone health. The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years.
Evidence
Research on vitamin D use for specific conditions shows:
Cancer. Findings on the benefits of vitamin D for cancer prevention are mixed. More studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Cognitive health. Research shows that low levels of vitamin D in the blood are associated with cognitive decline. However, more studies are needed to determine the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for cognitive health.
Inherited bone disorders. Vitamin D supplements can be used to help treat inherited disorders resulting from an inability to absorb or process vitamin D, such as familial hypophosphatemia.
Multiple sclerosis. Research suggests that long-term vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis.
Osteomalacia. Vitamin D supplements are used to treat adults with severe vitamin D deficiency, resulting in loss of bone mineral content, bone pain, muscle weakness and soft bones (osteomalacia).
Osteoporosis. Studies suggest that people who get enough vitamin D and calcium in their diets can slow bone mineral loss, help prevent osteoporosis and reduce bone fractures. Ask your doctor if you need a calcium and vitamin D supplement to prevent or treat osteoporosis.
Psoriasis. Applying vitamin D or a topical preparation that contains a vitamin D compound called calcipotriene to the skin can treat plaque-type psoriasis in some people.
Rickets. This rare condition develops in children with vitamin D deficiency. Supplementing with vitamin D can prevent and treat the problem.
Our take
Generally safe
Without vitamin D your bones can become soft, thin and brittle. Insufficient vitamin D is also connected to osteoporosis. If you don’t get enough vitamin D through sunlight or dietary sources, you might need vitamin D supplements.
Safety and side effects
Taken in appropriate doses, vitamin D is generally considered safe.
However, taking too much vitamin D in the form of supplements can be harmful. Children age 9 years and older, adults, and pregnant and breastfeeding women who take more than 4,000 IU a day of vitamin D might experience:
Nausea and vomiting
Poor appetite and weight loss
Constipation
Weakness
Confusion and disorientation
Heart rhythm problems
Kidney stones and kidney damage
Interactions
Possible interactions include:
Aluminum. Taking vitamin D and aluminum-containing phosphate binders, which may be used to treat high serum phosphate levels in people with chronic kidney disease, might cause harmful levels of aluminum in people with kidney failure in the long term.
Anticonvulsants. The anticonvulsants phenobarbital and phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek) increase the breakdown of vitamin D and reduce calcium absorption.
Atorvastatin (Lipitor). Taking vitamin D might affect the way your body processes this cholesterol drug.
Calcipotriene (Dovonex, Sorilux). Don’t take vitamin D with this psoriasis drug. The combination might increase the risk of too much calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia).
Cholestyramine (Prevalite). Taking vitamin D with this cholesterol-lowering drug can reduce your absorption of vitamin D.
Cytochrome P-450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates. Use vitamin D cautiously if you’re taking drugs processed by these enzymes.
Digoxin (Lanoxin). Avoid taking high doses of vitamin D with this heart medication. High doses of vitamin D can cause hypercalcemia, which increases the risk of fatal heart problems with digoxin.
Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac, others). Avoid taking high doses of vitamin D with this blood pressure drug. High doses of vitamin D can cause hypercalcemia, which might reduce the drug’s effectiveness.
Orlistat (Xenical, Alli). Taking this weight-loss drug can reduce your absorption of vitamin D.
Thiazide diuretics. Taking these blood pressure drugs with vitamin D increases your risk of hypercalcemia.
Steroids. Taking steroid mediations such as prednisone can reduce calcium absorption and impair your body’s processing of vitamin D.
Stimulant laxatives. Long-term use of high doses of stimulant laxatives can reduce vitamin D and calcium absorption.
Verapamil (Verelan, Calan SR). Taking high doses of vitamin D with this blood pressure drug can cause hypercalcemia, and might also reduce the effectiveness of verapamil.
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A mountain of studies have found an overwhelming amount of people who test positive for Covid-19 do not have enough vitamin D in their bodies and the sickest of patients are often deficient.
Britons are most at risk of being vitamin D deficient between October and April when sunlight levels are too low for the body to make the vitamin – with those with darker skin at even higher risk.
Around two in five Brits are deficient during the winter, when respiratory infections are most common. In the US, at least two in five citizens also lack sufficient levels of the vitamin.
It has led to calls for doctors to dish out cheap vitamin D supplements – which cost as little as 3p a day and have no dangerous side effects – to fight the disease.
It comes as researchers from University of Brighton have today called for care home residents to be given the ‘sunshine vitamin’.
Vitamin D supplements are safe, cheap and readily available – costing as little as 6p a pill and sold in most pharmacies, supermarkets and health shops
As well as in supplements, vitamin D is also available through foods, including oily fish, red meat and eggs. A Singaporean study earlier in the year of nearly 800 people found almost 99% of Covid-19 patients who died had vitamin D deficiency.
CARE HOME RESIDENTS ‘SHOULD BE GIVEN VITAMIN D’
Care home residents are not being given vitamin D, which may be protective against Covid-19, despite Government guidance, researchers say.
Advice from Public Health England from before the pandemic states: ‘People whose skin has little or no exposure to the sun, like those in institutions such as care homes, or who always cover their skin when outside, risk vitamin D deficiency and need to take a supplement throughout the year.’
They should take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms all year round, and not just in the winter when there is less sunlight.
However, interviews with people involved in elderly residential care, such as GP’s and care home managers in southeast England, found that none was aware of any care home routinely offering the supplement, The Times reported.
Only a dietitian seemed aware of the guidance, according to the findings in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.
Despite health chiefs advising residents should be given supplements all year round because they rarely go outside, academics found this was not happening in care homes in the south east of England.
Trial volunteers will receive tablets containing either 800 IU or 3,200 IU a day of the vitamin, which they will be asked to take for six months.
There will also be a control group taking the NHS recommended amount of 400IU a day.
Although this level is advised for the winter months, experts said taking more wouldn’t pose a risk as the vitamin is harmless and the body simply removes any excess levels.
Researchers will track the incidence of doctor-diagnosed or laboratory-confirmed acute respiratory infections in participants during the trial, to see whether the supplements have affected their risk or severity of infection.
Dr David Jolliffe, from Queen Mary University of London, said the study had the potential to give a ‘definitive answer’ on whether vitamin D could protect against coronavirus.
‘Vitamin D supplements are low in cost, low in risk and widely accessible; if proven effective, they could significantly aid in our global fight against the virus,’ he said.
Professor Adrian Martineau, who is also involved in the study, said: ‘There is mounting evidence that vitamin D might reduce the risk of respiratory infections, with some recent studies suggesting that people with lower vitamin D levels may be more susceptible to coronavirus.
A study by Tehran University, in Iran, and Boston University analysed data from 235 hospitalised patients with Covid-19. Patients who had sufficient vitamin D – of at least 30 ng/mL— were 51.5 per cent less likely to die from the disease. Although no one in the study under age 40 died, fatalities (red) were more common among vitamin D deficient people (under the black line) of all ages
A correlation graph showing the relationship between levels of viamin D (bottom, measured in nmol/l) compared to infection numbers of coronavirus by the University of East Anglia. Countries with low vitamin D levels tend to have the highest case rates per million – but the graph was from a study in May, when outbreaks looked very different to how they do now and testing was patchy in most countries
University of Chicago researchers studying 500 Americans’ vitamin D levels found 60 per cent higher rates of Covid-19 among people with low levels of the ‘sunshine vitamin’
What have just some of the DOZENS of studies into vitamin D and Covid-19 shown?
Cordoba University in Spain.
What did scientists study? 50 Covid-19 hospital patients with Covid-19 were given vitamin D. Their health outcomes were compared with 26 volunteers in a control group who were not given the tablets.
What did they find? Only one of the 50 patients needed intensive care and none died. Half of 26 virus sufferers who did not take vitamin D were later admitted to intensive care and two died.
What were the study’s limitations? Small pool of volunteers. Patients’ vitamin D levels were not checked before admission. Comorbidities were not taken into consideration.
University of Chicago.
What did scientists study? 500 Americans’ vitamin D levels were tested. Researchers then compared volunteers’ levels with how many caught coronavirus.
What did they find? 60 per cent higher rates of Covid-19 among people with low levels of the ‘sunshine vitamin’.
What were the study’s limitations?
Researchers did not check for other compounding factors. Unclear whether or not volunteers were vitamin D deficient at the time of their coronavirus tests. People’s age, job and where they lived – factors which greatly increase the chance of contracting the virus – were not considered.
Tel Aviv University, Israel.
What did scientists study? 782 people who tested positive for coronavirus had their vitamin d levels prior to infection assessed retrospectively and compared to healthy people.
What did they find? People with vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml – optimal – were 45 per cent more likely to test positive and 95 per cent more likely to be hospitalized.
What were the study’s limitations? Did not look at underlying health conditions and did not check vitamin D levels at the time of infection.
Brussels Free University.
What did scientists study? Compared vitamin D levels in almost 200 Covid-19 hospital patients with a control group of more than 2,000 healthy people.
What did they find? Men who were hospitalized with the infection were significantly more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency than healthy men of the same age. Deficiency rates were 67 per cent in the COVID-19 patient group, and 49 per cent in the control group. The same was not found for women.
What were the study’s limitations? Independent scientists say blood vitamin D levels go down when people develop serious illness, which the study did not take into consideration. This suggests that it is the illness that is leading to lower blood vitamin D levels in this study, and not the other way around.
Inha University in Incheon, South Korea.
What did scientists study? 50 hospital patients with Covid-19 were checked for levels of all vital vitamins and compared to a control group.
What did they find? 76 per cent of them were deficient in vitamin D, and a severe vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/dl) was found in 24 per cent of Covid-19 patients and just 7 per cent in the control group.
What were the study’s limitations?
Small sample size and researchers never accounted for vitamin levels dropping when they fall ill.
Independent scientists in Indonesia.
What did scientists study? Checked vitamin D levels in 780 Covid-19 hospital patients.
What did they find? Almost 99% of patients who died had vitamin D deficiency. Of patients with vitamin D levels higher than 30 ng/ml – considered optimal – only per cent died.
What were the study’s limitations? It was not peer-reviewed by fellow scientists, a process that often uncovers flaws in studies.
University of Glasgow.
What did scientists study? Vitamin D levels in 449 people from the UK Biobank who had confirmed Covid-19 infection.
What did they find? Vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased risk in infection – but not after adjustment for con-founders such as ethnicity. It led to the team to conclude their ‘findings do not support a potential link between vitamin D concentrations and risk of Covid-19 infection.’
What were the study’s limitations? Vitamin D levels were taken 10 to 14 years beforehand.
University of East Anglia.
What did scientists study? Average levels of vitamin D in populations of 20 European countries were compared with Covid-19 infection and death rates at the time.
What did they find? The mean level of vitamin D in each country was ‘strongly associated’ with higher levels of Covid-19 cases and deaths. The authors said at the time: ‘The most vulnerable group of population for Covid-19 is also the one that has the most deficit in vitamin D.’
What were the study’s limitations? The number of cases in each country was affected by the number of tests performed, as well as the different measures taken by each country to prevent the spread of infection. And it only looked at correlation, not causation.
Northwestern University.
What did scientists study? Crunched data from dozens of studies around the world that included vitamin D levels among Covid-19 patients.
What did they find? Patients with a severe deficiency are twice as likely to experience major complications and die.
What were the study’s limitations? Cases and deaths in each country was affected by the number of tests performed.
‘Vitamin D deficiency is more common in older people, in people who are overweight, and in Black and Asian people – all of the groups who are at increased risk of becoming very ill with Covid-19.
‘The UK government already recommends that people take a low-dose vitamin D supplement over the winter to protect their bone health, but we do not know if this will have an effect on Covid-19 or if higher doses might be able to provide protection against the virus.
‘The CORONAVIT trial will test whether higher doses of vitamin D might offer protection against winter respiratory infections including Covid-19.’
Arguments on the link between Vitamin D deficiency and its observed link with poor Covid-19 outcomes started to gather pace as early as May.
The problem lies in the fact there is a lack of gold-standard medical research – the randomised controlled trials which compare people who are given the supplement with those who are not to see which group fares better.
Only one study has done this so far, conducted by the University of Cordoba in Spain and published last month.
Researchers gave high doses of calcifediol – a type of vitamin D supplement – to 50 patients hospitalised with the disease.
There were no deaths among volunteers receiving the vitamin and all 50 patients were eventually discharged by the end of the study. But two of the 26 patients in a control group, who were not given the tablets, died.
Just one patient given calcifediol felt ill enough to be admitted to intensive care, whereas half of the participants in the control group were taken to ICU and two died.
But many scientists have criticized the study, saying its sample size is too small for any firm conclusions to be drawn about the impact of Vitamin D.
Nonetheless, it was the most promising result for trials of the vitamin so far, and corresponds to earlier research that fixing vitamin deficiency might cut mortality rates by half.
A Northwestern Universitystudy, published in May, found Covid-19 patients with a severe Vitamin D deficiency are twice as likely to experience major complications and die.
Nearly 99 per cent of Covid-19 patients who are vitamin D deficient die, according to a study from Indonesian researchers who analysed hospital records of 780 people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Results revealed 98.9 per cent of infected patients defined as vitamin D deficient — below 20ng/ml — died. Yet this fell to just 4.1 per cent for patients who had enough of the nutrient.
Researchers warned the study was not definitive, however, because the patients with high vitamin D levels were healthier and younger.
Another study by Tehran University, in Iran, and Boston University, found hospital Covid-19 patients who had sufficient vitamin D – of at least 30 ng/mL— were 51.5 per cent less likely to die from the disease.
The study of 235 hospitalized patients with Covid-19 also showed those with enough vitamin D had a significantly lower risk of falling seriously ill or needing ventilation.
Patients who had plenty of the nutrient also had less inflammation – often a deadly side effect of Covid-19.
However, there were flaws in these studies, such as a lack of acknowledgement of confounding factors, such as smoking, and social economic status, which were were not recorded for all patients but could have an impact on illness severity.
Some participants’ underlying health conditions were not defined, despite having a major impact on disease severity.
There have also been at least three studies which have suggested those who have enough vitamin D are less likely to catch the coronavirus in the first place.
But Professor Ian Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading, told MailOnline: ‘My general view is that if there is no clear cut view on vitamin D after six months of debate then there is nothing in it.’
But given the findings so far, it astonished scientists that Mr Hancock was so quick to throw out the ‘sunshine vitamin’ as a potential treatment.
He was told to ‘get his facts straight’ in September after shooting down vitamin D as a potential coronavirus treatment despite a growing body of evidence from around the world suggesting it works.
Liberal Democrat MP Layla Morgan told MailOnline the secretary of state ‘needs to be listening, not dismissing’.
She added: ‘I hope Matt Hancock will take a less flippant approach to potential treatments in future and get his facts straight before making such comments. We’re in a crisis, it’s time for politicians to stop playing science and listen to the experts.’
Chris Chapman, chief executive officer of manufacturer YPV, which offers a home vitamin D test kit, said the company was ‘deeply disappointed’ about Mr Hancock’s comments.
He said: ‘We have seen a mountain of evidence that vitamin D has a positive, and at times life-saving, impact on people suffering with severe symptoms of coronavirus.
‘We fundamentally disagree with the Health Secretary on this matter, his comments display incredible ignorance.
‘We urge him to practice his well-trodden mantra by following the science, which overwhelmingly points to the benefits of vitamin D when it comes tackling coronavirus.’
The ‘sunshine vitamin’ – nicknamed because it is acquired by spending time in the sun – is postulated to protect against Covid-19.
A number of studies have suggested the immune-boosting vitamin could protect people from coronavirus after finding adults deficient in the nutrient are more at risk of catching the disease.
And those who spend more time indoors – such as in a care home – or who have darker skin – those of a Black, Asian or ethnic minority (BAME) background – are also at greater risk of Covid-19.
Officials estimate one in five Britons are deficient in vitamin D — the equivalent of 13million Britons.
But some people are more at risk than others; the rate is up to 90 per cent in people with darker skin who find it harder to obtain the vitamin from the sun.
Advice from PHE states: ‘People whose skin has little or no exposure to the sun, like those in institutions such as care homes, or who always cover their skin when outside, risk vitamin D deficiency and need to take a supplement throughout the year.’
But a recent University of Brighton study suggests care home residents are not being given the supplement.
The article was written by BSMS MSc Public Health graduate Joe Williams and the university’s Principal Lecturer for Health Promotion and Public Health, Carol Williams
The team interviewed four GPs four care home managers, a dietitian, a falls specialist, two public health practitioners and a senior doctor in elderly care, The Times reported.
A report from the Academy of Medical Sciences in July said: ‘It has been suggested that low levels of vitamin D — endemic within the UK, exacerbated by lock down and which worsen over winter — may contribute to susceptibility to Covid-19.’
I am deeply saddened by the passing of my Dear Friend. Richard was a fellow Boy Scout and Scout Leader in Troop 17 Breckenridge and Troop 57 Abilene. His example and his help enabled me to work my way through College in broadcasting at KSTB, KWKC and KFMN radio. His caring and compassion for me, and so many others, is deeply felt to this day. Thank You Dear Lord for the Beautiful Life of Richard Curtis “Dick” Fletcher click here to read more
Remember a time in Childhood when all we had to worry about was where to go and what to do? It was a really simple and innocent time to be alive.
Every Child should spend their days like this. To survive, there must be time when there isn’t so much stress and worry, and hatred in our World. Their simply must be Time when there is Joy and Hope.
There MUST be time to soothe and clear the mind from the illusions of reality created by so much stress. We need to help every Child to get lost in a Life that is their own.
Our Nature and our dependence upon simplicity is calling upon us to think in Beautiful harmony of Life in its required simplicity.
Our imagination creates our reality. Let us not forget who we are. We are simply amazing Divine Beings.
Life can have new meaning when one realizes the Wonder that is our Creation and all the Beauty that surrounds us. . Such awareness helps us to reflect on the Sacredness of Life and give Thanks to God for His Immeasurable and Infinite Love.
Our World has changed. The innocence of that precious Time has evaporated to make space for so many brash and negative things.
But God has endowed us with Beautiful Nature. It is a Blessing to share it with the World. God is everywhere and in everything. Be glad that so much Beauty and Wonder is with us everywhere.
Blessings abound in every corner of our Sacred World. God Truly Loves us.
There is soothing magic you weave with your Beautiful expressions of caring and concern. Worry loosens it’s grip and slips away. Breathing becomes easier and feelings of well being return. God will Bless you for sharing your Love.
Peace that resides in your Heart, makes you Truly free and grateful for our Beautiful World. It is magical and stunning. As your Heart opens your eyes, it makes you wonder what will happen, when we finally realize, that Life can be filled with Love.
God is calling you. Be grateful as you heed His Call. You are Blessed. . It is so comforting to Pray amidst the storms between us and the shore. There is a Sacred Stillness in His Holy Word. Let the Lord Guide you through what may be difficult and painful.
The Wonders of Life make waves of feelings, and we don’t even have to try interpreting them. We can feel the emotions God puts into His Blessings.
There is a feeling of Natural constancy, like the rolling waves of the deep blue Sea. The Love of God that is ever present, will never be denied in our ever brief Lives.
God’s Love enters into a World of soft and gentle Beauty.
Love is an affirmation of Life itself, of everything in which people find their Happiness.
The emotions felt for this Life are impossible to describe. So, remember the Love. It will give you strength when the tears come falling down. Just don’t drown in the flood, and they will give you strength, as you feel the comfort only moments like that can bring.
There is a sense of Beauty and calm that comes over us, as we await the end of a Lovely Day. It can truly hold you in a trance. We Love how it can make us feel. As the magnificent Sun collapses in our view, we come to Truly realize that we cannot be alone in all this Beauty. . Think of what this Life would be like without it. God displays His Love for His Children.
Live your Life expressing your deep Loving emotions to every one. Choose to be Happy. Without Joy, little else matters.
There is nothing more Beautiful than Love. When you look into the eyes of someone you Love, what you see is all the Love that is inside of you. Love walks out of your Dreams, and into Rainbows of Reality.
My Dear Friend, you are a philosophical master piece. How you look at yourself determines who you are. . Strings may remain out of our perception forever, but we can perceive the Music Created by the strings.
Our Sacred Universe makes us wonder if the smallest is the equivalent of the largest, the smallest is a Universe in itself, and everything that is energy is a different form of Life. .You are Beautiful. Never give up your Dreams. You are here for a reason. . Goodnight.
I can still hear my dad’s voice reverberating across the dinner table.
“Nothing in life is free, Son,” he said, passing down some of his own hard-won wisdom to me. “But if you put your mind to something, work hard and do your due diligence, you will certainly succeed in tackling whatever challenges come your way.”
“I know, Dad,” I said, continuing with an earnest question. “But what happens then?”
“You appreciate how far you’ve come,” he said, before emphasizing. “And then you keep going.”
It was some of the best advice I’ve ever received in my entire life.
His words of wisdom echoed in my mind throughout the formative years of my 20s. They rang true when I moved to New York in the middle of the Great Recession and struggled to find gainful employment. I was reminded to just keep going even when it feels impossible. They proved useful as I eventually landed on my feet, built my career and climbed the corporate ladder. I was shown that the more I gave, the more trickled back my way as well. But they were also helpful in my personal relationships, reinforcing the idea that I needed to invest in the connections that mattered to me. The more I cared for what was close to my heart, the more supported and fulfilled I felt.
That’s what great advice does: It lifts you up and helps you unlock levels of your heart and your mind you never knew were there. It helps you show up more fully for yourself and others. It helps you claim your life as your own. But the best advice goes further. It is essential. It is universal. It is truth wrapped in carefully-chosen words. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you’ve been through, the best advice removes labels and boundaries, traverses space and time and cuts through skin and bone to reach the heart of hearts buried within all of us.
During these challenging and uncertain times, essential wisdom and excellent advice help us find perspective, shift focus and stay grounded. They show us what really matters. They restore us to right-minded thinking and wholehearted living – and break us out of our fog of fear. Right when we need it most.
That’s why I’ve assembled the list of advice below. May these truths be the light that call you through the mists of fear. May they see you safely back to shore. May they comfort you and remind you of what’s important. Every single time you forget.
The 11 Best Pieces of Advice I’ve Ever Received
1. Your life is your responsibility.
Please read this carefully, taking in each and every word: There is one person and one person alone over whom you have control in this life—and that is yourself. Since you are the only person you can control, you are the only person who can take responsibility for your life. That includes your energy, your happiness, your fulfillment, your career, your choices and more. You are responsible for you and you alone. You are not responsible for anyone else. How could you be? It is their responsibility to take care of themselves. Yes, you can and should support someone in making good choices, building a life that makes them happy, and taking care of themselves. In fact, taking responsibility for your own well-being is precisely how we are better able to be present for those around us. Just remember: Support and responsibility are two extremely different approaches. You take responsibility for yourself. You support other people. Do your best not to reverse or mix up the two.
Your responsibility for your life unfolds in the present moment. Not in some bygone era. Not in some future left untold. Not when you graduate. Not when you feel like it. Not when you reach a certain age or make a certain amount of money. Right. Now.
This is not something to take lightly. It’s also not something about which to fret. This is a blessing. You get to be accountable for yourself. What a tremendous gift it is to be able to shape, craft, build, mold, and create your life! It is a privilege to have this responsibility. But it’s only when we recognize it’s ours and ours alone that we can actually seize our power.
So, take responsibility for how you show up in the world. Honor the gift of life by exercising your right to consciously choose. Again and again and again. Dignify yourself by taking responsibility for your own well-being. It is yours to claim.
Do not burden yourself by taking on responsibilities that are not yours. Focus on being responsible for yourself first. As you own this sacred duty, you will discover parts within you that you may have forgotten were there. This is how we rediscover ourselves. This is how we’re better able to show up for others. Giving to yourself is how you learn to give to others. Listen to yourself so you can better lend an ear to others. Be present with your emotions so you can better be present for the emotions of others. Put on your own metaphorical oxygen mask so you can better assist others with theirs. When you take care of Numero Uno, you’re better equipped to take care of everything and everyone else, too.
The responsibility is yours.
2. The way someone treats you is a reflection of how they feel about themselves.
That cross look? Not about you. That snide comment? Not about you. That temper tantrum? Not about you. The way a person behaves indicates where they’re at physically, mentally, and spiritually. Try not to take things personally. They probably have nothing to do with you. Learn to see someone’s behavior through the lens of love. If they’re acting out, that probably means they’re in desperate need of a love tank fill-up.
Do not react when someone acts out. Ask her if she’s okay. Inquire about what’s going on in his life. Remain open and curious and compassionate. You know that’s exactly what you’ll want when your cup of love runs low, too. And you know it eventually will.
3. Life is all about managing expectations – most of all your own.
The world will expect many things from you. And you will expect many things in return. The key is to manage its expectations of you—and yours of it. Going through life trying to live up to someone else’s expectations of you is how you end up disappointing both of you in the process. Conversely, trying to force the world to meet your expectations is like trying to make Niagara Falls flow backwards. It just doesn’t work that way.
There is another way, and it’s through finding harmony between your expectations and reality. According to Manel Baucells and Rakesh Sarin, authors of Engineering Happiness: A New Approach for Building a Joyful Life, there is even a formula for happiness that takes into account this harmony. The formula is as follows: Happiness equals reality minus shifting expectations. Thus, you’ll be happy as long your shifting expectations are lower than reality.
When you feel your energy or happiness slipping, focus on softening your expectations a bit. You’ll be better off not just in the moment but in the long run, too.
4. When you know better, do better.
Maya Angelou once said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Frequently cited by Oprah as some of the best advice she’s ever received, this quote serves as a reminder of a simple truth: We’re all figuring out this thing called life as we grow through it. We’re all doing the best we can based on the information and resources we have at our disposal. But some things are simply better learned through experience.
Do your best. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You will do better when you know how. And you often only find out when you get there.
5. Your word is your bond.
In the second film installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore imparts some wisdom to Harry, saying, “Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.”
J.K. Rowling penned those words. And both she and Dumbledore are right: Our words can hurt or they can heal. Our words can lift someone up or break them down. Our words can bring us together or tear us apart. Remember this power before you speak. Be intentional with what you say. Then, back it up with action. Keep your word. Follow through. Be reliable. It’s how you earn respect. It’s how you build integrity. It’s how you form formidable bonds.
The words you speak show your heart, your mind, your soul. Make sure what comes out of your mouth is an accurate reflection of what’s truest about you in those areas. Always.
6. Work hard. Stay humble.
Success is a beautiful thing. But unbridled by humility, it can also be an ugly, selfish, all-consuming endeavor. Here are some important reminders to stay humble as you progress on your path:
Never forget your roots.
Never forget the sacrifices others made on your behalf.
Never forget how hard you worked to get where you are today.
Never forget to say thank you.
Never forget that everything comes at a price.
Never forget to stop and appreciate how far you’ve come.
Never forget that who you are is so much greater than what you do.
You might lack skill, you might lack hope, you might lack money—honestly, most people, at one point or another, have lacked these seemingly important endowments. But if you have grit, determination and persistence, you will always make it through to brighter days because you can outlast the days that make you want to give up. If you learn to become comfortable with the discomfort of rejection, uncertainty and obscurity, you will forever persevere to claim the moments of joy and accomplishment you seek. It won’t always look how you imagined because life is rarely predictable, but it will feel familiar, it will feel right, it will feel like home.
All you have to do is keep going. No matter what.
8. Release the idea that things could’ve been any other way.
There is no point in wondering what if. There is no point in pondering what could’ve been. There is no point in believing in what should’ve been. There is only the way things actually are. The rest is all made up in your mind. Truth is, it’s useless to try to make sense of the past. The past only exists as a memory—a recollection kept alive by your belief in its importance. Like using an abstract painting to interpret reality, your mind misconstrues what happened to fit your prior experience and to favor your future expectations. The future is similarly a figment of your imagination. It does not yet exist. Thus, the only thing that matters—the only moment of any significance—is this one right now.
Life could’ve played out in a million different ways. But it didn’t. And now you are here. It might be painful. It might be uncomfortable. It might be frustrating. But it is the way it is nonetheless. The sooner you come to terms with this fact, the sooner you can go about living a peaceful, surrendered life. Would you rather torture yourself with scenarios that never played out or would you rather be at peace? Either way, you get to decide.
9. Listen more than you speak.
You were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. Perhaps it’s because you were meant to spend more time listening than speaking.
As humans, one of our basic needs is to feel heard, seen and understood. When you honor someone else with your undivided attention, you help assuage their anxiety, wash away their worry and find clarity in the chaos. Because you’re showing them that, despite how bad things might seem, they’re not alone.
Listen intently. Don’t just hear the words and syllables—listen so you can understand and relate. Listen to learn. Open your mind up to comprehend what’s happening in the world around you and within you. Listen to empathize. Open your heart up to imagine what someone else is going through.
Sometimes, we just need someone to lend an ear. The more adept you are at doing so, the better. And the more likely you are to get the same in return.
10. Do what you’re afraid to do.
Life can seem downright scary. And for good reason. It’s full of unpleasant, uncomfortable, unimaginable things like death, disease and disruption in many forms. In these moments, it feels so much easier to back down, burrow in and build walls instead of facing reality head-on.
But I’m here to offer up another way of being. Whenever and wherever possible, we should do what scares us instead of backing away from it. It’s hard to have a difficult conversation. But avoiding it only makes the situation worse. It’s scary to be vulnerable and say how you really feel. But it’s how you build authentic relationships. It’s daunting to think about making our dreams a reality. But we’ll never know if we don’t try. Honestly, it’s so much easier to turn a blind eye, ignore our intuition and be afraid of feeling our fear. But that’s not the point of life.
We are here to learn and grow. We are here to be present in the now. We are here to love. And we do those things not by seeing our darkness and shying away, but by seeking out and owning our light and showing up anyway. Any other focus is simply missing the point.
So, the next time you want to cower, avoid, deny or look the other way, do the opposite instead.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Always do what you are afraid to do.” Paradoxically, the more we face what we perceive to be scary, the less scary it becomes because we learn that the fear was only ever in our minds. All we had to do was just feel it.
This is how we live lives that are fulfilling. We choose to feel our fear instead of fearing it. And then we live to find out what’s on the other side.
11. Be kind. Always.
You never know what someone else is going through. Be gentle. Have compassion. Default to empathy. If you can’t find any love in a situation, it’s a signal to be the love the situation desperately needs. As humans, kindness is a nutrient for the heart. Love is the purest expression of this kindness. When all else fails, sprinkle a little love on it. You just might be surprised at how well it heals what appears broken. Especially when it’s turned inward.
What are some of the best pieces of advice you’ve ever read or received? Tell me in the comments below – or tweet me @crackliffe!
Life can make us feel like there is more to Life, than we will ever know. And there is. Life is a far more connected experience then we will ever realize.
Everything can appear chaotic in nature. But we get our moment to make harmonies and music out of it all, with our Human mind and our passionate Heart. And it gives us Hope that our fragile and precious existence is meaningful. The melody of each moment makes us realize just how Blessed we are to have the chance to Live, no matter how brief Life is.
Tomorrow let us do whatever we Love, Love even more, and tell everyone we know how grateful we are to have them in our Life. You can find Home in your Heart, and you can be at Home, wherever you are. . And you can put many people in the Home of your Heart, people who will always be grateful, because you let them in. The Truth is, the reality we Live in is now. But your Heart can take you back in Time, to the best of Times.
Yes, you can be like a Child again. Growing up in our World seemed so simple and filled with Beauty. What would you give to go back? Look in the rear-view mirror of your memories, and Smile. Every Life is a Story to be told.
Life is filled with great things that have happened. We must persevere, and get through amazing challenges to make us one, strong and united. Love is like water to our body.
My Dear Friends, when you look into the eyes of someone you Love, you will see all the Love that is inside of your own Heart.
May God Bless you with Light and Love, Today and every Tomorrow.
To love is to share life together, to build special plans just for two, to work side by side, and then smile with pride, as one by one, dreams all come true.
To love is to help and encourage with smiles and sincere words of praise, to take time to share, to listen and care in tender, affectionate ways.
To love is to have someone special, one on whom you can always depend to be there through the years, sharing laughter and tears, as a partner, a lover, a friend.
To love is to make special memories of moments you love to recall, of all the good things that sharing life brings. Love is the greatest of all.
I’ve learned the full meaning of sharing and caring and having my dreams all come true; I’ve learned the full meaning of being in love by being and loving with you.
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