While the world has its breath held for the distribution of the COVID19 pandemic, the rest of us are left wondering what to do with ourselves prior to getting the shots.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do at home while you wait for the vaccine. In addition to your work, hobbies, and family time, you can get the occasional sunbath in your backyard. Is this a good way to get a tan? Definitely. Can this help me lessen my chances of getting the coronavirus? Yes!
What Does Sunlight Do To COVID19?
COVID19 is to coronavirus as AIDS is to HIV. It’s a general rule of thumb that any viral or bacterial pathogen will likely perish under direct sunlight or be exposed to extreme temperatures of heat and cold.
It’s been established that the coronavirus will die if it’s exposed to a dry and hot environment. A patient infected with the coronavirus will NOT be cured of COVID19 if they bring him (or her) out in the sun! This also does NOT mean the virus cannot be spread on a sunny day. As long as the virus has a vehicle (liquid droplets) that another person inhales, they will get COVID19.
How Sunlight Affects your Body
Aside from the obvious tan you get in the summer season, sunlight has other effects on your body. The sun helps your brain produce serotonin to get you into action. That’s why you’re more inclined to be in a good mood during mornings. The lack of sunlight will tell your body to produce melatonin which helps you sleep better at night.
Sunlight also helps you maintain a good eyesight. In a darkly lit room, your pupils will dilate. This means the muscles in the iris will relax. Prolonged pupil dilation will eventually mean your eyes won’t be able to adjust its lens to adjust to the required visual acuity. If you’ve been spending some time indoors, it’s better to have your eyes checked. Sam’s Club has eye exams that can help you determine if you need to have prescription glasses or not.
Vitamin D is also activated in your skin if you’re exposed to the sun. Vitamin D helps with calcium regulation and this is where it becomes an important factor in helping people lessen their chances of contracting COVID19.
Calcium’s Role in the Human Body
Here is a list of things calcium does in our body:
- Strengthens teeth and bones
- Aids in muscular contraction
- Plays an important role in blood clotting
- Nerve signal transmission
- Helps regulate other hormones
Calcium is stored in the bones and teeth in the form of calcium compounds that make up an inorganic substance called hydroxyapatite. This inorganic substance is made from calcium carbonates, phosphates, fluorides, and hydroxides. When the blood has less calcium, it draws from the bones supply, making your skeletal system weak and brittle.
Calcium also helps your nerves communicate, and subsequently, helps your muscles contract. Calcium acts as a receiver for neurotransmitters, which then helps muscle contraction. This is very important as the heart is also a muscle.
How Vitamin D and Calcium Decrease Chances of Developing COVID19 Complications
In a study done in Puerto Rico, it was found out that Vitamin D helps prevent respiratory infections. This works because it helps the lungs produce mucus which traps viral and bacterial agents. This helps the body protect against a COVID19 infection.
Calcium has a more indirect effect in preventing a person developing COVID19. Patients who died due to COVID19 usually had weak immune systems or had pre-existing conditions. People with cardiovascular diseases are more likely to die from a COVID19 infection.
The COVID19 infection sabotages the lungs’ ability to draw in more oxygen. People with existing heart conditions will find their body having difficulty distributing oxygen to all parts of the body. This lack in oxygenation and circulation will eventually lead to multiple organ failure.
Calcium helps the heart contract properly and enables it to distribute oxygen rich blood throughout the body. If the blood has low levels of calcium, heartbeats will become erratic (also known as arrhythmia).
Calcium also plays a role in blood clotting and one of the complications of the coronavirus infection among individuals with pre-existing heart conditions is blood clots. Blood clots are dangerous. If left unmanaged, the clots can obstruct blood flow to important organs like the heart itself, and the brain.
Which Supplement Should I Take?
Endocrinologists and other health professionals have identified the importance of Vitamin D in helping people recover and avoid complications of the coronavirus infection. In a TLDR version, Vitamin D helps boost the immune system, and calcium helps maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, both of which are important in preventing complications of a COVID19 infection. Go out in your backyard and help yourself with a dose of sunlight.
