What are 2 things you should do to you look after your family’s health this October? 

1. Get ready to add Vitamin D.   Who needs it and how much?  Here’s a guide:

• Babies under 12 months need 5 micrograms of vitamin D3 as a supplement every day from birth if they are breastfed or have less than 300mls or 10 fluid oz (ounces) of infant formula a day (formula is fortified with Vitamin D.)

• Children age 1-4 need 5 micrograms from Halloween to St. Patrick’s Day

• 10 micrograms for healthy children age 5 to 11

• 15 micrograms for healthy teenagers and adults

• Some people need more and may need to take it year round, especially people with darker skin.  (Mythbusting:  skipping the sunscreen does not boost your Vitamin D!  Be sunsafe!)

2. Book your family Flu Vaccine before Halloween (you can remember it as “Flu before Boo”) for it to give you the most protection.  Flu vaccines are free for children, and many adults with a number of medical conditions. Check HSE information or with your pharmacy. I’ll be myth-busting about the flu vaccine in a later post, or you can check back on some previous posts on flu vaccine.