Viruses and vitamin D

Vitamin D is known as the ‘sunshine vitamin” because it is formed when the sun shines on our skin. People in cold climates, the elderly and even young adults may have a deficiency of this vitamin from working long hours indoors. Wearing sunblock also reduces natural production of vitamin D.

COVID-19 AND VITAMIN D3

With the worldwide spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), there has been a focus on boosting people’s immunity. Taking vitamin D3 is one of the natural ways of doing this, as it plays a vital role in a healthy immune system, and can help us cope better with the novel coronavirus or any other virus or bug.

While vitamin D3 cannot cure COVID-19 or guarantee that we do not contract it, supplementing with vitamin D3 helps reduce the risk of respiratory infection, regulates cytokine production, and can limit the risk of viral diseases. A serious respiratory infection can result in a so-called cytokine storm, a cycle in which our immune cells can attack our own tissues because natural regulation, provided by vitamin D, is not in place. In many patients, this infection can result in pneumonia, and may increase mortality for those with COVID-19.

Preventing vitamin D3 deficiency is undoubtedly important. A recommended daily dose is 2 000 IUs of vitamin D3 (never vitamin D2).

• Johanita Louw has had a lifelong interest in holistic nutrition. Email her at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Holistic health.

wars and power struggles, Kirsten traces the lives of three generations of the family, their disasters, their unexpected alliances ‘across enemy lines’, and loves lost and found.

Her subtitle, ‘A story of how it may have been’, provides an indication of how well Kirsten grasps the essence of bringing the past to a kind of life in this well-rounded and thoughtful historical novel. • Farmer’s Weekly’s book reviewer, Patricia McCracken, is a features and investigative journalist.

March is known as Bonsmara month in South Africa’s beef production industry. This year’s annual Bonsmara Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa’s (Bonsmara SA) communications morning, annual general meeting and Red Breed Event were scheduled to take place over two days from 17 to 18 March. It would also have been the first time that the event would have been held at the beautiful Stonehenge River Lodge in Parys, Free State.

Earlier this year, Bonsmara SA was forced to make adjustments to its normal programme as the

National Female Animal Auction had to be cancelled due to the government ban on auctions following the outbreak of footand-mouth disease in November 2019. The ban was lifted in

FW ARCHIVE ABOVE: In these uncertain times, Bonsmara breeders are still at work to produce high-quality animals.