Nutrition Videos

Hi! I'm Stelios Pantazis. I'm a doctor and I specialize in medical nutrition and metabolic disorders. Let's talk about something that is quite relevant today. It has to do with the current COVID-19 pandemic. We will focus on how we can protect ourselves from the virus. Especially through foods high in vitamin D, since having enough vitamin D has proven to protect from this infection. Even when the coronavirus causes SARS-CoV-2 disease, vitamin D sufficiency guarantees a better course of the disease. As early as March 2019, there have been reports that people with vitamin D sufficiency had an easier time overcoming the infection in the hospital. At the same time, studies were published, mentioning that in Italy and Spain who were hit hard by the first wave of the coronavirus, the elderly had very low vitamin D levels. There may be a correlation. Maybe Italy and Spain had more coronavirus victims due to so many of the elderly having vitamin D deficiency. It could be the case. But there are definitely more important factors. Then we had more targeted studies. Through these, it was made clear that vitamin D sufficiency helps. This was actually verified by many COVID19 treatment centers. Subsequent studies revealed the mechanism behind this. Lastly, just a few weeks ago, new studies showed that vitamin D supplements seem to protect from the coronavirus. This resulted in a triumphant victory of vitamin D which even prompted the head of the American task force, Dr. Fauci, not only to recommend that everyone takes vitamin D supplements, but to state that he does so himself. So if it is accepted by one of the world's leading authorities, that is proof enough. I've explained in the past why almost all of us have low vitamin D levels. I suggest that you have yours tested. I'll recommend foods and supplements to get it up. If you don't want to take vit-D supplements, I'll tell you which foods are higher in vitamin D, so that you can consume them more frequently. Of course, you can do both! Bear in mind that you need to ingest more than 800 IU of vitamin D daily. But because you probably are already deficient, set your goal to 2,000 IU a day, until you reach the safe zone. Let's talk about the foods. Trout is one of my favourite foods. It contains about 800 IU per 200 calories. The largest vit-D concentration in any non-reinforced food. So far I've not come across any disconcerting data from Greek fish farms, regarding trout. That's why I often enjoy a trout from the beautiful Louros river. Ideally served right next to the river, in the outskirts of Ioannina. Usually I simply buy trout from the super market. Either fresh or frozen. And I enjoy it at home. Salmon, one of the tastiest fish. Very high in vitamin D. About 550 IU per 200 calories. Unfortunately, farmed salmons are full of very dangerous toxins. Therefore, I recommend exclusively wild salmon. Please, never eat salmon from a fish farm! I promise to show you the relevant study in the future. Sardines. My favourite fish. It is delicious, nutritious and very cheap. As you know, sardines are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids, but they are also very high in vitamin D. Up to 500 IU per 200 calories. Bearing in mind that they are almost toxin free and super cheap, you should try and eat some at least twice a week. Herring. It offers 400 IU of vitamin D per 200 calories. Another great source. Unfortunately it's usually sold salted. Not a very good idea. Salted products usually develop substances that cause cancer. So you need to eat it either fresh or frozen. Mackerel. A relative of the sardine, they share many good qualities, including a low cost. It's a bit lower in vitamin D, about 350 IU, but taking into account its other nutrients, you can definitely eat it instead of sardines. Bear in mind that canning reduces nutrients. So if you can't find fresh fish, pick frozen instead. They're always better. Mushrooms. They provide 150 to 200 IU vitamin D per 200 calories. So they're another possible source. Unfortunately they're not that popular in Greek cuisine. However, it's worth including them in your diet. They contain many more nutrients, besides vitamin D. Milk. It provides about 150-200 IU of vitamin D per 200 calories. It's a good choice, if you're not intolerant. These are the foods that are high enough in vitamin D. Unfortunately, all the rest have less than 150 IU, so I can't register them as being high in vitamin D. E.g. eggs have 50 IU. Meat has less than 40 IU. Cheese, about 15 IU. So they can't cover our needs. On the other hand, just reaching the lower limit of 800 IU per day, means having to eat the fish that I mentioned on a daily basis. It wouldn't hurt, but it's rather boring. So you need to try and catch the sun more. It may help a bit, but you'll probably still need vitamin D supplements. But, as we said, Dr. Fauci does so as well. And he's a leading authority on the coronavirus. If you found this video interesting, please give us a thumbs up. Share it with people who may find it interesting and subscribe to our channel to get notified about future uploads. You can also suggest a subject in the comment section. Thank you very much!