The Highly Effective Belted Resistance Band Squat!

 

If you are not including the use of flat, circular resistance bands in your training you are missing out!    These bands provide several powerful benefits including:

The ability to train at high speed without momentum – aka power training which is key to athletic performance.

Variable resistance that provides ideal overload to key movements like the chest press, overhead press and squat.

The belted resistance band squat is one of the many exercises you can do with these bands, and this exercise allows people with back issues to squat safely because the load is on the hips and down – not on the shoulders!

How to Perform Hip Belt Resistance Band Squats

You will need some type of belt such as a standard weight training belt or dip/chin belt (see here:  https://tinyurl.com/4trn6hss ) or you can create your own belt using a large, wide diameter resistance training band like this one:   https://www.serioussteel.com/collections/bands-1/products/7-mega-steel-band-41

The best bands are multi-layered latex bands (unless you have a latex allergy).   They deliver the best variable resistance, feel fantastic, and last much longer than cheaper bands!

1. After you have a suitable belt ready you will need to select the right flat, circular band to deliver the correct amount of resistance during the squat.   This may take some experimenting but it is worth your time!

2. With the belt on low around the top of your hips step one foot into one end of the loop of the band you selected.

3. Guide the other end through the belt loop (see videos below) and then down to other foot so both feet are now standing on one end of the circular resistance band.   You can do this standing or seated – less work when seated.

4. Stand up and adjust the position of the belt and band for comfort.

5. Then perform your squats.

To see how to do this using two different belts check out these excellent instructional videos: 

Band Squat Set-up from resistancebandtraining.com - https://youtu.be/lCqnMzlMfCs showing how to use a large band as a belt.   Excellent video that also shows you an easy way to adjust the load of the band higher by creating an additional loop the feet.

Hip Belt Squat from Testosterone Nation - https://youtu.be/LabcPf9kIoE - shows how you use a dip/chin belt and several variations including using a dowel for both hands.  

What is really great about this set-up is you can add load to jumping exercises to allow for some of the most effective explosive power training possible without overloading your low back!

Is Red Meat Really Bad for You?

 

The vast majority of people believe red meat and associated saturated fat are bad for you? However, that is not what the science says!

In fact, a recent extremely well-done study showed just the opposite!  Unlike many other studies that looked at meat consumption and health - this one included a world-wide population.  The study also corrected for other lifestyle factors such as smoking, lack of exercise, and alcohol consumption making this a much better test of whether red meat is really the villain it is purported to be!

In this study the authors looked at the overall health effects of total meat consumption in 175 countries around the world.  Here are their key conclusions:

“…Consumption of energy from carbohydrate crops (grains and tubers) does not lead to greater life expectancy, and that total meat consumption correlates to greater life expectancy, independent of the competing effects of total calories intake, economic affluence, urban advantages, and obesity.”   WOW – not what you thought right?

Further that “humans have adapted to meat-eating from the perspective of their more than two million years of evolution.”

"Meat of small and large animals provided optimal nutrition to our ancestors who developed genetic, physiological, and morphological adaptations to eating meat products and we have inherited those adaptations.”

“Our take home message from the paper is that meat-eating is beneficial to human health provided that it is consumed in moderation and that the meat industry is conducted in an ethical way.”

To check out the study click here:   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8881926/

If you are concerned about saturated fat intake from meat you may want to check out this previous blogpost on the subject because as a general rule saturated fat is NOT a problem for most human beings:    http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2016/10/is-saturated-fat-and-cholesterol-really.html

Caffeine - A Natural Pesticide that Helps Prevent Alzheimer's Disease!

 

Sounds crazy – but it is true!   Caffeine is produced by many plants and acts as a natural pesticide to protect them against insects.   It also can help protect your brain function.

We usually consume caffeine for the energy boost it provides, but for the plants that produce it, caffeine serves as a pesticide that drives away insects and animals that would like to munch on their leaves and fruit.

Science has discovered that caffeine stimulates the production of an enzyme that can help fend off Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

The enzyme, NMNAT2 (nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 2) helps improve brain health in two ways:

• It protects neurons from the negative impact of stress.
• It helps prevent tau proteins from folding the wrong way and forming masses of harmful plaques in the brain’s neurons.

Improperly folded proteins are linked to Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) as well as Alzheimer’s.

Brain Cell Stress Reduction

Research has shown that caffeine reduces the activity of a receptor called adenosine A2A.  This receptor increases stress in brain cells and can slow your mental abilities as you age.   Reducing the activity of this receptor prevents it from interrupting memory circuits in key areas of the brain.

Caffeine and Alzheimer’s

While NOT a panacea – research has confirmed that daily caffeine intake up to 261mg per day (the amount in two – three cups of coffee) significantly reduced the chance of developing dementia.  

Dark Side of Caffeine

Keep in mind that too much of a good thing is not a good thing!  Caffeine intake beyond 261mg has NOT been shown to improve benefits so limit your caffeine intake. This is the equivalent of one large coffee.

In addition, there is significant variation in how individuals respond to caffeine with slow and fast metabolizers.  If you happen to be a slow metabolizer be very careful with how much caffeine you consume – and take none after Noon or you will likely disturb your sleep which is very bad for brain health! 

How Heart Rate Variability can Help Optimize Recovery, Sleep and Results!

 

We all know that exercise is key to health and fitness, but it is easy to lose sight of the fact that exercise is a stimulus and stressor and that progress occurs during recovery from exercise!

There are many factors which affect our ability to recover from and improve from exercise including adequate sleep, breathing patterns, hydration, nutrition, and mental ability to relax to name a few.

Measuring your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is an accurate and easy way to check your recovery status.  HRV refers to the fact that the time between each heartbeat continuously changes!   The picture above shows the change in time between each beat of the heart on an electrocardiogram.  Even though the time between each heart beat is always varying your heart rate - expressed as beats per minute - can be steady at times.

For example, an average heart rate of 60 beats per minute (bpm) does not mean that the interval between every heartbeat is exactly 1.0 sec, instead they may fluctuate/vary from 0.5 sec up to 2.0 sec.   During exercise, HRV decreases as heart rate and exercise intensity increases. HRV also decreases during periods of mental stress.

As a general rule of thumb we want to see HIGHER Heart Rate Variability.    Higher HRV indicates that your body is in a highly responsive state and able to quickly adjust to changes and challenges to optimize homeostasis.   Homeostasis refers to the need for your body to maintain a consistent internal environment to function properly so your body needs to constantly adjust to changes such as changes in air temperature, changes in muscle activity, changes in light level, etc.

HRV is regulated by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which controls the function of our internal organs such as heart, lungs, intestines, level of arterial tension, digestion, etc.    The Autonomic Nervous System has two parts:  Sympathetic and Parasympathetic.  

The sympathetic nervous system is the "fight or flight" system, while the parasympathetic nervous system is often considered the "rest and digest" system. In many cases, these systems have "opposite" actions such as the Sympathetic System turning off digestion and the parasympathetic System turning on Digestion. 

Parasympathetic activity decreases heart rate and increases HRV, whereas sympathetic activity increases heart rate and decreases HRV.    Recovery is all about increased parasympathetic activity.   When your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) is active for long periods of time – you cannot recover from stress and sooner or later you will begin to experience symptoms and disease.  This is what being “Stressed Out” is all about!

Measurement of HRV

Measurement of HRV allows you to know how your body is responding and adapting to all the stressors in your life.  By measuring HRV each morning upon waking before you rise from bed or eat or drink anything you can very accurately track your recovery status.   There are several easy-to-use devices and apps available to measure your HRV:

 

•      Fitbit – in the Sense, Versa 2 and 3, Charge 4, Inspire 2 and Luxe models – less expensive than many other options

•      Oura Ring – www.ouraring.com – very popular and one of the best available and simple ring

•       http://www.elitehrv.com/ - gold standard device for HRV!

 

By looking at your HRV daily you will quickly notice patterns and find out how different workouts, alcohol intake, stress and caffeine affect your recovery.  You will also see how your HRV score tracks directly with the quality of sleep.   When you have a great nights sleep you will see it reflected in improved HRV!

 

Strength Training Reduces All- Cause Mortality!

 

A large study looking at data for 80,306 adults aged 30 or higher showed that participation in any strength-promoting exercise was associated with a 23% reduction in all-cause mortality and a 31% reduction in cancer mortality. There was also a slight dose-dependent effect with more strength-promoting exercise associated with a lower all-cause mortality.

The study showed that bodyweight exercises yielded comparable results to equipment-based activities.

So the take home message is simple – get your strength training in at least 2 times per week every week – consistency is way more important than which type of strength training you do and it all works including:

Selectorized machines with weight stacks

Free weight exercises using dumbbells and barbells

Kettlebells

Bands

Bodyweight

Intermittent Fasting for Health and Fat Loss!

 

Done properly fasting can be very beneficial for improving health and accelerating fat loss.   There are many different types of fasts, but the most popular and practical is called intermittent fasting.  

The most popular way to do intermittent fasting is also known as time-restricted eating where you restrict your daily food intake to a specific window of time - typically six to eight-hours per day.

For example, if you skip breakfast and make lunch the first meal of your day, you might restrict your food intake to the hours of Noon and 8:00 p.m. If you are a breakfast lover, your window could be between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.    It is also important to eat the last meal at least three hours before bedtime because the body's circadian rhythm are negatively impacted by eating near bedtime which negatively impacts sleep and help.

By fasting about 14 to 16 hours a day, you give your body enough time to drain your glycogen stores (storage form of blood sugar) and shift into fat-burning mode. This pushes your body to use fat as a fuel.  Because fat is a slow-burning fuel, you will not only have a more balanced energy supply, but you will also avoid the typical sugar "highs" and "lows" that come with typical diets.

While you will undoubtedly feel hungry on occasion, that is perfectly normal. Once your body adjusts, you may be surprised to discover how much less food you will consume to feel completely satisfied. In many cases your food cravings literally disappear once you have regained your ability to burn fat for fuel.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting provides a number of health benefits including:

• Forcing the body to become efficient at burning fat as the primary fuel which can eliminate sugar cravings
• Increased growth hormone which helps with fat-burning and maintenance and growth of lean tissue like muscle and organs!
• Enhances brain health and helps prevent neurological disorders like Alzheimer's
• Reduces oxidative stress and fights aging and diseases like cancer
• Lowers triglycerides and reduces inflammation
• Dramatically boosts brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons.
• Dramatically increases the process of Autophagy

Benefits of Autophagy

Autophagy means “self-eating” and refers to processes that your body uses to clean out various debris and detoxify while also recycling damaged cell components.   It is quite literally like your body’s recycling program.   It improves metabolic efficiency, gets rid of faulty cellular parts, and retards development of cancer in early stages.   It also helps to dramatically decrease inflammation throughout the body.

During the bio-energetic challenge of exercising or fasting, autophagy is increased.   This stimulates stem-cells including muscle stem cells which can help prevent sarcopenia (muscle loss with aging).     So, intermittent fasting can help maintain the regenerative capacity of muscle stem cells.

There are three ways to boost autophagy:   exercise, fasting, and nutritional ketosis.  

Who Can Benefit from Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting can benefit just about everyone, but athletes may benefit even more. A 2016 study that tracked the effects of intermittent fasting on 34 resistance-trained men found that restricting their eating to an eight-hour window positively affected several health-related biomarkers, while decreasing fat mass and maintaining muscle mass.

For eight weeks, the participants divided their daily calorie intake across three meals eaten at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. They fasted the remaining 16 hours of the day, and completed three weekly sessions of resistance training on non-consecutive days. Among the biomarkers noted, there was a significant decrease in blood sugar for the intermittent fasting group as compared to the normal diet group.

While additional studies need to be completed to further investigate the effects of intermittent fasting on athletes, it seems that intermittent fasting could be used during maintenance phases of training when the goal is to maintain muscle mass while reducing fat mass.

The Importance of Proper Food Choices during Intermittent Fasting

During intermittent fasting and reduced food intake, your food choices are very important. Since you'll be eating less, it's vitally important that you get proper nutrition from your food. Healthy fats are essential because intermittent fasting pushes your body to switch over to fat-burning. Particularly if you begin to feel tired and sluggish, it may be a sign that you need to increase the amount of healthy fat in your diet.

Cutting net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) is equally important. Focus on:

• High quality fat intake in the form of avocados, coconut oil, organic grass-fed butter, organic egg yolks and nuts.
• High-quality protein from from organically raised, grass-fed or pastured animals, eggs, chicken and fish.
• High amounts of fresh, low-net-carb vegetables, ideally organic

Contraindications for Fasting

Although most people can safely benefit from intermittent fasting, it's important to take caution if you have certain health challenges. Do NOT use fasting unless approved by your physician if any of the following are true:

• You are underweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 or less
• You are malnourished
• Children should NOT fast! They need nutrients for continued growth; if your child is obese, consider cutting him or her back on refined grains and sugar to promote weight loss
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should NOT fast because a consistent flow of nutrients must be shared with the baby to ensure its well-being
• If you take medications that should be taken with food you will need to be very cautious about fasting and consult with your physician first.   This is especially true for diabetics and those with gout.

Could Viagra be Effective for Alzheimer's Disease?

 

Believe it or not recent research has shown that the little blue pill (traditionally used for erectile dysfunction) may have another big benefit!   

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic used gene mapping to identify commonly prescribed drugs that might be effective for treating Alzheimer’s Disease.   Out of all the drugs identified Sildenafil (Viagra) came out on top!

This was not entirely surprising since Viagra has already been identified as a potential dementia treatment by other groups.   It has been shown to significantly improve cognition and memory in preclinical models.

The researchers also found that Viagra can be effective early in the disease process:     “Notably, we found that sildenafil (Viagra) use reduced the likelihood of Alzheimer’s in individuals with coronary artery disease, hypertension, and type-2 diabetes – all of which are comorbidities significantly associated with the disease.”

The researchers looked at medical records from insurance records for over 7 Millions Americans to see if there was a relationship between sildenafil (Viagra) and Alzheimer’s disease outcomes.     The results were impressive with Viagra users 69% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease than non-users after six years of follow-up.

Researchers emphasized that more study is need to prove the causal relationship through clinical trials with large numbers of people.

Secrets to Effective Glute Training

 

The “Glutes” are important for function and aesthetics, yet there are a lot of misconceptions about how to best target, shape, and strengthen these muscles.

The Glutes consist of three different muscles:

1.    Gluteus Maximus (the largest of the glute muscles and most powerful)

2.    Gluteus Medius (which is higher up on the side of the hip)

3.    Gluteus Minimus (which is located below and underneath Gluteus Medius)

Any good glute conditioning program will target all these muscles.    Different exercises will produce different levels of glute activation at different places in the range of motion emphasizing different parts of the glutes.

For example:

In squats and lunges peak glute activation happens in the bottom of the movement when the glutes are in their maximally extended/stretched position!   Therefore, the bottom of the glute is the focus during these movements.

The greatest peak glute activity in a deadlift occurs in the mid-range position so emphasizes the middle of the glute.   

The greatest peak glute activity in the hip thrust occurs at the end of movement in the fully contracted position so emphasizes the top of the glute!

Balanced Glute Workout to Optimize Glute Development

By putting together exercises that emphasis the stretched, middle, and fully contracted positions along with loading through all planes of motion we can optimize glute shape and function.     This includes hip abduction exercises along with hip external rotation exercises to hit the glutes from all angles.

Importance of Hip Flexor Stretching During Warm-up

Work on Hip Flexor lengthening to maximize glute activation.   The hip flexors are the antagonistic muscle to the glutes which means that if they are tight you literally cannot get maximum glute activation!    In addition, since we spend too much time sitting they are chronically shortened in most of us.   So stretch them often and particularly BEFORE your glute workouts to allow for optimum glute activation.

Great Glute Routine

Warm-up with bodyweight lunges, side lunges, hip hinges, etc followed by stretching the hip flexors.

Do Hip Thrusts - 3 sets of 10 with a five second hold at the top of the movement focusing on squeezing the glutes maximally at the top!  Hip thrusts can be done on the ground or by placing your shoulders along a bench and feet on the floor.    

Progressions:

Add load by holding a dumbbell or barbell across the hips.  If you are lucky your gym will have a Matrix Glute Trainer which allows for weight and/or band resistance in a very comfortable position:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE1pCWzzsyY 

You can also do single leg hip thrusts to create more challenge.

The key is keeping your back neutral and focusing your head down.   To learn optimal form watch this fantastic video from Brett Contreras (aka the Glute Guy!):   https://youtu.be/qE1pCWzzsyY  He shows you exactly how to do this at about 5:00 minutes into this great glute exercise video.

Goblet Squats – 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions done properly – use the link above to see the keys to getting the most from this amazing type of squat at 9:10 into the video.

Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts – 3 sets of 6 – 8 reps – see tutorial at 15:00 in the video above.

45 Degree Hyperextension – 3 sets of 10 – to get the most from this exercise it is important to learn how to optimize glute vs hamstring targeting which the video above will show you at 17:45.

Bulgarian Split Squat – 3 sets of 10 – the king of exercises for the fully stretched position and emphasizing the bottom of the glutes – watch the video above at 21:23 to learn exactly how to do this highly effective glute exercise!

Hip Abduction – 3 sets of 10 - it is important to target the glute medius using either the hip abduction machine or by doing seated band hip abduction.  To learn how to set-up and use a hip abduction machine click here:  https://youtu.be/vYJlsVzaH-w

For seated band hip abduction sit on a bench with knees and hips at 90 degree angle with thick elastic band around the top of the shins. Lift feet slightly off floor and pull knees out to the side against the band pausing in the fully contracted position for 5 seconds.  Do NOT arch the back and keep the navel drawn in to stabilize the core and keep all the work on the glute medius.  This can be done with one or two bands as per here:   https://youtu.be/7cGgI5hXTUU

 

A Highly Effective Ski Conditioning Program

 

Downhill snow skiing can be an incredibly fun experience, but skiing requires ski specific conditioning and strength or you risk serious injury!   Skiing makes specific demands and to get the most from it and avoid injury you need to physically prepare!

 What is Ski Specific Strength?

Ski specific strength requires strength of the key muscles used in skiing and the right type of strength relative to the specific muscular contractions required in skiing.    The key muscles include the Quadriceps (front of thigh), hamstrings (back of thigh), Gluteals (hip musculature), inner thighs, outer thighs, calves, core musculature, low back, shoulder, back, and arms.    

These muscles will use all three contraction types: Concentric (muscle shortening to project force externally), Isometric (stationary contraction to prevent movement), and Eccentric (muscle lengthening to absorb forces – like moguls!).     

The unique requirement for skiing is Isometric and Eccentric strength and endurance which requires a specific set of conditioning exercises that mimic the sports requirements from these muscles.  The core muscles will also mostly be used in an eccentric and isometric fashion and need to be conditioned specifically as well.

The reACT Trainer - The Ultimate Ski Trainer!

The reACT Trainer (see a video demonstration here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S86Vx_4253Q) is by far the most effective exercise for developing ski specific strength, endurance, power, balance and stability.   It emphasizes eccentric muscle contractions which are so important for skiing while also demanding balance and core strength.   5 - 10 minutes twice a week for 2 - 4 weeks before your next ski trip will make a huge difference in your skiing performance!    The reACT Trainer is available at most Workout Anytime locations and you can learn to use it quickly by talking to a trainer or using these simple video tutorials:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuwTn-fHAYmTlZ64o-wcMPYaWawTfKZnl 

Slideboard Training

Slideboards are another amazing ski specific training tool.    Slideboard exercise emphasizes lateral movement, balance, coordination and timing.  It mimics the demands of skiing really well including loading the muscles in all three ways:  while shortening (pushing off), while stabilizing (while gliding) and while lengthening/absorbing (landing on the bumpers.  You can purchase a nice unit for home use here:  https://www.amazon.com/BRRRN-Slide-Board-Adjustable-Experience/dp/B08N82CDHG/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1PT22JF8L4YTJ&keywords=slide+board+exercise&qid=1643560571&sprefix=slide+board+exercise%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-6 

The reACT Trainer and Slideboards are two of the only tools that Olympic Skiers use to get ready for skiing!

Supplements to Optimize Resistance to Viral Infections!

 

Yes - there are supplements that are proven to support optimal immune function and resistance to infection!    Combined with a healthy lifestyle consisting of regular aerobic and strength exercise and a healthy diet these supplements can make a big difference in your ability to resist severe infection from many different viruses!    Learn about the key supplements to consider with your health care professional to support optimal immune function.

Quercetin – a plant chemical with strong anti-viral activity that is extremely proven to prevent and mitigate all sorts of viral infections as well as being outstanding for allergies.    In the case of Covid it is particularly well-suited because it is a zinc “ionophore” which means it drives zinc into the cells which is what hydroxychloroquine does but this does it with no side effects and no prescription.    For Quercetin to work well it is critical to take one of three bioavailable forms to optimize results..  

Quercetin Phytosome by Thorne – recommended dosage for effects – 600mg per day – 2 – 3 capsules

Quercetin LipoMicel Matrix by Natural Factors – 500mg per day – 2 capsules per day

Bioactive Quercetin EMIQ by Natural Factors – 200mg per day – 4 capsules

Two clinical trials with quercetin just proved how effective it is for Covid – see this recent blog article on the subject:  http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2021/08/quercetin-your-key-to-minimizing-covid.html

These quercetin supplements are all available on Amazon and both Natural Factors and Thorne produce supplements of the highest quality in direct compliance with pharmaceutical good manufacturing production guidelines so you know what you are taking!

Do NOT take Quercetin if you are on blood thinners of any kind!!!

 Zinc – if you regularly eat meat, oysters or pumpkin seeds you probably get enough zinc.  You want at least 15 mg per day from all sources and 30mg is better – particularly for those who drink alcohol or are vegans/vegetarians.  Use a high-quality chelated form of zinc like zinc picolinate or zinc gluconate or “Optizinc” which is another chelated form of zinc.   Keep total zinc intake no higher than 50mg per day – too much causes its own set of issues and take with a meal!

Zinc lozenges – zinc lozenges are particularly effective in dealing with all respiratory viruses including Covid and you want to have them on hand and begin taking IMMEDIATELY when you have any symptoms but NOT before then.    Not something you take prophylactically!     Best type is zinc acetate from Life Extension.     You want to ALWAYS have them available because this ONLY works when you start it right away!     Follow label directions.

 Vitamin C – if you take a decent multi and regularly eat fruit and vegetables you get plenty of C for day to day.    However, I strongly suggest you purchase several bottles of liposomal Vitamin C to have available to begin big doses at onset of any symptoms.  This form of C is the most bioavailable form you can get orally.    Start taking 2,000mg immediately and every two hours until you hit bowel tolerance.  Bowel Tolerance refers to the fact that when you take more than you can absorb in your gut your bowels get loose – nothing horrible.   IT is KEY to keep taking it more and more till you hit this level and you will find if you are sick you can take a ton of it before hitting this point whereas if you are not sick you will hit bowel tolerance much earlier.   C is VERY powerful but ONLY if you get enough in you!

Vitamin D and K2 – guys if you are not checking your vitamin d level PLEASE start – you can get a test from your doc or order an at home one with finger stick or order your own lab test without a doctor.   Optimizing vitamin d levels is the MOST important thing you can do to prevent yourself from ending up in a hospital in the event you catch covid and you need to do this NOW!  Taking megadoses when sick does NOT work nearly as well as getting tested and supplementing up to optimal levels.     See graphic below for dosing starting point based on blood test results.  

For most people this will require a minimum of 5,000iu per day of Vitamin D3 (only form to take).     ALWAYS take Vitamin D WITH Vitamin K2 – a fat soluble form of K that is critical for optimal absorption and effectiveness of D and an important part of preventing Covid Issues. D with K2 is very inexpensive and I would start taking this immediately if you are not sure you have good D levels – particularly if you avoid the sun which is understandable because sun can cause damage if you get too much.    D levels directly linked to Covid Outcomes in many studies per this graphic:

A great vitamin D and K2 product is https://www.amazon.com/Now-Mega-D-3-Mk-7-Capsules/dp/B078QQTY5G/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=vitamin+d+and+k2&qid=1628014493&sr=8-10

 Melatonin – melatonin is an extremely potent anti-inflammatory supplement that can inhibit the cytokine storm that is what causes all the issues in people that end up having big problems with Covid.   Children typically have very high melatonin levels (10 times higher than adults and 20 times higher than adults over 60) which is probably one of the reasons they have way less issue with Covid.  Do NOT take melatonin anytime but directly before bed on a day-to-day basis – the strategy for using it during an active Covid infection is entirely different!!!   I would recommend having it on hand in the event you catch covid and take as follows if you have covid symptoms: 

Melatonin Dosage Upon COVID-19 Infection
 If you are self-quarantined at home, the following dosage applies. 
 
Melatonin COVID-19 Infection Dosage:  5 milligrams to 50 milligrams
 
The lower range is for individuals with mild or no symptoms.  The higher range is for older individuals or those with more severe symptoms. 
 
Those taking ACE inhibitors, or have cardiac conditions or hypertension need to consult your doctor before taking high doses of melatonin.  Note that melatonin may lower blood pressure and cause hypotension at higher dosages.  
 
The correct infection dose should ideally be divided into daytime and nighttime doses.

Daytime – 40% of total daily dose, divided into small equal portions to be taken every TWO HOURS.  
 
Nighttime –  60% of total daily dose, divided into two portions taken 2-3 hours after dinner.  The final dose at night should be completed by 10 pm the latest.

If one is diabetic, or has insulin resistance, DO NOT TAKE MELATONIN.  Melatonin is able to suppress insulin. 
 
Please note that the oral dosage higher than physiological concentration is applicable during infections only.  Supplementation of high dose melatonin MUST BE SUPPORTED vitamin C which does NOT need to be taken at same time – follow C instructions above). You may not experience full benefits of melatonin in the absence of any vitamin C.