Sun is still King
But your cells are in the shade
Health and Happiness in The Algarve
Last Update a month ago
Let’s be honest: most people think vitamin D deficiency is purely a "Northern Europe problem." Then they move to sunny Portugal, spend time outdoors, and still end up feeling flat, foggy, and vulnerable as autumn rolls in.
Here is the medical truth: living in a sunny country does not mean your cells are actually making vitamin D.
Statistically, using a clinical target threshold of 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/l), a staggering 96.4% of adults in Portugal have inadequate vitamin D levels! Over 66% fall below the critical cutoff of 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/l).
Why? Modern life constantly filters the signal:
Why age, weight, and health matter
If you supplement vitamin D, always pair it with Vitamin K2 and Magnesium. Vitamin D boosts calcium absorption, but Vitamin K2 acts as the traffic cop, directing calcium into your bones and teeth instead of letting it deposit in your arteries. Meanwhile, Magnesium is the essential cofactor required to convert vitamin D into its active, circulating form in your blood.
(Important medical check: exercise caution with Vitamin K if you take traditional blood thinners like Coumarin/Warfarin; DOACs like Xarelto or Eliquis operate differently, but always review your protocol).
Don't burn—just respect the biology. Get morning light in your eyes (no glasses), and take brief, sensible midday exposure.
Want a clean way to keep your biological signal strong as seasons shift?Don't burn, just respect the biology. Get morning light in your eyes (no glasses), and take brief, sensible midday exposure.
Want a clean way to keep your biological signal strong as seasons shift?
☀️ Explore Sun in a bottle here
Dr. Naomi Dongelmans
Integrative medical doctor
naomidongelmans.com
[email protected]
+31613845760
Join our readers and search for more free articles
Here is the medical truth: living in a sunny country does not mean your cells are actually making vitamin D.
Statistically, using a clinical target threshold of 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/l), a staggering 96.4% of adults in Portugal have inadequate vitamin D levels! Over 66% fall below the critical cutoff of 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/l).
Why? Modern life constantly filters the signal:
- We stay indoors during peak hours.
- We wear sunglasses, blocking vital light signals to the brain.
- We sit behind glass (which strips out UV-B while letting aging UV-A through).
Why age, weight, and health matter
- Aging: Older skin loses up to 75% of its efficiency in synthesizing vitamin D from sunlight.
- Higher body weight: Vit D is fat-soluble; higher body fat traps it, lowering circulating blood levels. You simply require a higher dose.
- Chronic illness: Ongoing inflammation rapidly drains your vitamin D stores to quench immune fires.
If you supplement vitamin D, always pair it with Vitamin K2 and Magnesium. Vitamin D boosts calcium absorption, but Vitamin K2 acts as the traffic cop, directing calcium into your bones and teeth instead of letting it deposit in your arteries. Meanwhile, Magnesium is the essential cofactor required to convert vitamin D into its active, circulating form in your blood.
(Important medical check: exercise caution with Vitamin K if you take traditional blood thinners like Coumarin/Warfarin; DOACs like Xarelto or Eliquis operate differently, but always review your protocol).
Don't burn—just respect the biology. Get morning light in your eyes (no glasses), and take brief, sensible midday exposure.
Want a clean way to keep your biological signal strong as seasons shift?Don't burn, just respect the biology. Get morning light in your eyes (no glasses), and take brief, sensible midday exposure.
Want a clean way to keep your biological signal strong as seasons shift?
☀️ Explore Sun in a bottle here
Dr. Naomi Dongelmans
Integrative medical doctor
naomidongelmans.com
[email protected]
+31613845760
Join our readers and search for more free articles