Winter's Grip: Unraveling the Link Between Solstices, Vitamin D Deficiency, and Deadly Seasonal Illnesses

As the days shorten and sunlight wanes, a familiar foe emerges: the flu season, peaking just after the winter solstice in both hemispheres and receding as longer days return. This post explores the intriguing global patterns of influenza and related diseases, delving into how plummeting vitamin D levels during low-light months fuel vulnerability to infections, while also examining the counterintuitive benefits of heat exposure and fever. Drawing on historical insights from the Spanish flu pandemic, where suppressing fever with aspirin may have worsened outcomes and heat therapies showed promise, we'll uncover the mechanisms behind these phenomena and why embracing warmth could be a key to resilience.

Diet, Behavior, Functional Medicine, General HealthScott Solomons, DDSDecember 22, 2025Flu Season, Winter Solstice, Vitamin D, Vitamin D Deficiency, Seasonal Disease, Heat Therapy, Fever Benefits, Spanish Flu, Immune Response, Respiratory Infections, Solstice Patterns, Aspirin Mortality, Heat Shock ProteinsComment

What Do Sunspots Have to Do With Pandemics Like Influenza and Covid-19?

As Covid-19 is dominating this respiratory illness season, the flu season has disappeared. It turns out that the flu virus does not conform to many known properties of infectious diseases. It can appear simultaneously around the globe and disappear just as quickly. Additionally, there may be a relationship between Covid-19 and influenza activity as well. Lastly, there is a link to solar activity, sunspot activity, and pandemics that I explore in this post.