3 Simple Steps to Optimize Your Vitamin D Naturally This Winter

Optimize Your Vitamin D Naturally This Winter in 3 Simple Steps

As we get into the depths of winter, many people worry about their vitamin D levels due to reduced sun exposure. But did you know that your body is designed to produce its own vitamin D naturally? Contrary to popular belief, supplementing with synthetic vitamin D can disrupt the delicate balance of essential minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium, leading to unintended consequences. In this blog, you’ll learn three simple, natural steps to help your body produce its own vitamin D during the winter months—without relying on synthetic supplements. By the end, you'll have practical tools to support your health using real whole foods, ancestral wisdom, and foundational healing as nature intends.

Step 1: Optimize Your Magnesium Levels

Optimizing vitamin D starts with ensuring your body has enough magnesium, an essential mineral that activates vitamin D synthesis. Without adequate magnesium, your body can't efficiently produce or utilize vitamin D, even with sun exposure. Incorporate magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains into your diet. For additional support, consider bioavailable magnesium supplements like magnesium malate, magnesium glycinate, or magnesium threonate. You can also boost absorption with Aussie Trace Minerals in your water and by applying Ancient Minerals Magnesium Lotion topically. This foundational step ensures your body has the tools it needs to naturally regulate vitamin D levels and support overall metabolic health.

Step 2: Eat an Animal Fat, Retinol-Rich Diet

Next, focus on consuming an animal fat, retinol-rich diet. Animal-based retinol (vitamin A) is critical for vitamin D synthesis and absorption. Without it, your body struggles to utilize the vitamin D it produces. Include wild-caught fish like sardines, mackerel, herring, anchovies, salmon, and cod livers for their nutrient-dense profiles. Full-fat dairy, raw milk, butter, eggs, and fattier cuts of meat are also rich in retinol. Additionally, applying tallow-based lotions to your skin delivers fat-soluble vitamins, including retinol, directly to your body, supporting both skin health and internal nutrient absorption. High-quality cod liver oils, like Jigsaw Cod Liver Oil or Rosita’s Cod Liver Oil, offer another potent source of retinol to support your vitamin D production.

Step 3: Prioritize Sunlight Exposure

Finally, sunlight exposure is crucial, even during winter. Your body is naturally equipped to produce vitamin D when it receives adequate sunlight—but only if magnesium and retinol levels are sufficient. Even dim winter light can stimulate vitamin D production when it reaches your eyes and skin. Make it a daily habit to get outside, even on overcast days, to support your body’s natural vitamin D synthesis. Apply Ancient Minerals Magnesium Lotion and tallow-based lotion to exposed skin before heading out to maximize absorption and protect your skin from harsh weather. In summer, I enjoy breakfast in the morning sun, while in winter, I bundle up and ensure my face and sometimes my hands are exposed during a 10-30 minute walk. This simple practice empowers your body to maintain healthy vitamin D levels all year long.

Final Thoughts

Optimizing your vitamin D levels in winter doesn’t have to rely on synthetic supplements that disrupt your body’s natural mineral balance. After all, don't supplement something the body is intended to make in just the right amount. By focusing on magnesium intake, an animal fat, retinol-rich diet, and regular sunlight exposure, you can empower your body to produce vitamin D exactly as nature intended. These foundational steps align with holistic health principles, helping you achieve sustainable well-being and long-term health benefits. For more personalized guidance on real whole foods, ancestral wisdom, and foundational healing, visit Rejuvenance.com and discover how we can support your journey to vibrant health.

Stop Taking Vitamin D & Start Fixing How Your Body Makes It

In today’s post, we’re diving deep into a topic that might challenge everything you thought you knew about Vitamin D. If you've been told that supplementing with Vitamin D is essential for your health, this post will open your eyes to the often-overlooked risks and why nature's approach is superior. By the end, you’ll walk away with a clear understanding of why your body is designed to make its own Vitamin D, the unintended consequences of supplementing with man-made synthetic Vitamin D, and how to support your body’s natural processes for optimal health.

The Hidden Dangers of Synthetic Vitamin D
Many people believe that low Vitamin D levels automatically mean you need to supplement. However, what most don’t realize is that Vitamin D is not just a vitamin—it’s a steroid hormone. Your body is naturally equipped to produce and regulate Vitamin D in precisely the right amounts. Taking synthetic forms of it can disrupt this natural balance in ways you might not expect. Supplementing with Vitamin D can lead to potassium depletion, disrupt iron metabolism, and increase calcium absorption at the expense of magnesium (Ferris et al., 1962; Reddy & Edwards, 2019). This imbalance contributes to oxidative stress and can leave you with more health issues while throwing off the natural balance the body requires to feel good. Furthermore, research from Johns Hopkins University has shown that there is no clinical benefit in having 25(OH) Vitamin D levels greater than 21 ng/mL (Amer et al., 2012), despite the common recommendation to maintain higher levels. Rather than boosting your health, these supplements may be silently undermining it.

What Does Your Body Need to Make Its Own Vitamin D?
Instead of asking how much Vitamin D you should supplement, the real question is: What does your body need to make its own Vitamin D in just the right way? The answer lies in three key factors: adequate sunlight exposure, sufficient magnesium, and high-quality retinol from animal fats. Sunlight is the natural trigger for Vitamin D production in the skin, but without enough magnesium, your body can’t convert Vitamin D into its active form (Reddy & Edwards, 2019). Retinol, the active form of animal-sourced Vitamin A, is equally critical for modulating immune responses and ensuring the balance of other fat-soluble vitamins. When these elements are in place, your body produces exactly the amount of Vitamin D it needs—no more, no less.

Nature’s Solution: Supporting Your Body’s Natural Processes
Rather than relying on synthetic supplements, the key to vibrant health lies in supporting your body’s natural hormone production and nutrient cycling. This means getting adequate sunlight exposure to naturally stimulate Vitamin D production and consuming nutrient-dense, whole foods like heritage-raised animal products, organ meats, and fermented foods. These foods are rich in the magnesium, copper, and retinol your body needs to regulate Vitamin D naturally. Additionally, one of the best ways to obtain nature-made Vitamin D is through high-quality cod liver oil, such as Jigsaw or Rosita's brand CLO, which provides a balanced source of Vitamin D and essential nutrients. By focusing on real, ancestral foods and natural sources like cod liver oil, you’re giving your body the tools it needs to thrive without the risks associated with synthetic interventions.

Take Control of Your Health the Natural Way
We've covered why your body is designed to produce its own Vitamin D, the hidden risks of synthetic supplements, and the importance of nutrients like magnesium, copper, and retinol. By understanding the bigger picture of how your body manages nutrients and hormones, you can make more informed decisions that lead to lasting health. If you're ready to ditch the synthetic supplements and embrace real whole food, ancestral wisdom, and foundational healing as nature intends, I invite you to work with me at Rejuvenance.com. Together, we can unlock your body’s full potential and guide you toward vibrant, sustainable health.

References

Amer, M., & Qayyum, R. (2012). "Relation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and all-cause mortality in the general population: a meta-analysis." American Journal of Cardiology, 109(10), 1510-1515.

Ferris, T. F., Levitin, H., Phillips, E. T., & Epstein, F. H. (1962). RENAL POTASSIUM-WASTING INDUCED BY VITAMIN D*\u2020. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 41(6), 1222–1229. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci104583

Gossweiler, M. (2024). "High-dose vitamin D supplementation and its effects on bone integrity." Journal of Orthopedic Research, 42(1), 45-53.

Reddy, P., & Edwards, L. R. (2019). "Magnesium Supplementation in Vitamin D Deficiency." American Journal of Therapeutics, 26(1), e124–e132. https://doi.org/10.1097/mjt.0000000000000538

The Hidden Truth About Iron Anemia & Low Iron: What Your Blood Test Isn’t Telling You

Are you struggling with fatigue, anemia, or low energy despite being told you have low iron? You might be surprised to learn that the problem isn’t a lack of iron in your diet but rather how your body processes and stores it. In this blog, we’ll explore the misunderstood world of iron metabolism, uncover the critical role of copper in regulating iron, and explain how stress might be sabotaging your body’s ability to manage iron effectively. By the end, you’ll have a new perspective on your iron levels and actionable steps to support your body’s natural balance.

1. The Iron Misinterpretation: Why Low Blood Iron Doesn’t Mean Deficiency
When your doctor tells you that you have low iron based on a blood test, the assumption is often that you need more dietary iron. However, the reality is more complex. Iron may appear low in the blood, but it could be accumulating in your tissues, causing oxidative stress and contributing to chronic fatigue. This happens because iron is not being properly recycled in the body—a crucial process often overlooked in conventional medicine. The key isn’t just increasing iron intake but ensuring that your body can efficiently utilize and recycle the iron it already has. It’s never about simply supplementing highs and lows—for example, seeing low iron on a blood test and immediately reaching for iron supplements. Instead, low blood iron is often a sign of iron being stuck in your organs and tissues. The real magic lies in repairing how the body moves tissue iron back into the blood in a balanced manner.

2. Copper: The Missing Link in Iron Metabolism
While iron gets most of the attention in discussions about anemia and fatigue, copper plays a critical role in managing iron metabolism. Think of copper as the general directing iron, the foot soldier. Without enough copper, iron becomes trapped in the tissues, unable to move through the necessary pathways for proper use and recycling (Crawford, 2000). This leads to a false appearance of iron deficiency in blood tests while iron overloads the tissues, causing inflammation and fatigue. Ensuring sufficient copper levels through diet—like consuming organ meats and shellfish—is essential for balanced iron metabolism.

3. How Stress Disrupts Iron Regulation
Beyond diet and mineral balance, chronic stress plays a significant role in disrupting iron metabolism. Stress triggers the production of hepcidin, a hormone that blocks iron from being released from storage in the tissues, leading to low blood iron readings (Paulson & Wu, 2011). This process is further complicated by the body’s response to perceived threats, which can deplete copper levels, compounding the problem. Managing stress through mindfulness, movement, and proper nourishment is crucial in restoring your body’s natural iron balance.

Reclaiming Your Health Through Foundational Healing & Balancing Your Minerals
Understanding the intricate relationship between iron, copper, and stress gives you the tools to address fatigue and anemia at the root. Instead of focusing solely on iron supplements, it’s essential to support your body’s natural processes of mineral balance and stress management. At Rejuvenance, we specialize in real whole food, ancestral wisdom, and foundational healing to guide you on this journey. If you’re ready to move beyond conventional approaches and uncover the true cause of your fatigue, reach out to work with me. Let’s restore your vitality as nature intended.

References:

• Crawford, R. (2000). The Iron Elephant: What You Should Know About the Dangers of Excess Iron.

• Paulson, R., & Wu, L. (2011). Stress Erythropoiesis and Iron Metabolism: The Role of Hepcidin in Iron Homeostasis.