Take Vitamin D At The Right Time, Try Ginger Tea For Blood Pressure—And 3 More Health Tips

 

Winter is here, and so are the wellness questions filling your feeds. From the best time to take vitamin D to whether baby carrots actually help you sleep, this week’s roundup breaks down the trends worth trying and the simple habits that can support your health right now.

1. Take our Vitamin D in the morning ☀️

Vitamin D supplements become more popular in the winter because reduced

sunlight raises the risk of deficiency. Taking your supplement at the right time may help you get the most benefit.

Try taking it in the morning so it doesn’t disrupt your sleep later at night. Vitamin D in the evening may reduce melatonin production, interrupting your body's sleep–wake cycle.¹

2. Prioritize vitamin D and calcium if you're over 30 🦴

Your health needs change as you age, and adjusting your supplement plan can help you get the most benefit. 

If you're a woman over 30, vitamin D and calcium are the most important supplements, according to Jacqueline A. Vernarelli, PhD, a public health nutritionist and an associate professor of public health at Sacred Heart University. This combination helps protect your body, as hormonal changes associated with aging lead to lower bone density. 

3. Gelatin and collagen aren't the same 💅

Gelatin and collagen are both popular supplements for skin, joints, hair, and nails, but they aren’t the same. Collagen is a protein in your body. Gelatin is a cooked, partially broken-down form of collagen.

Collagen is typically sold as a supplement, while gelatin is more common in cooking and has far less research on its health benefits. Collagen dissolves in water, and your body absorbs collagen—especially collagen peptides—more quickly than gelatin.

Both are generally considered safe, but you should talk with your healthcare provider before adding any supplement to your routine.

4. Try beets and ginger tea for blood pressure 🫖

Beets and ginger have both been linked to better blood pressure control because they contain compounds such as nitrates that widen and relax blood vessels. Combining them in a tea might offer some benefit, but the effect is unclear.

Adding beet peels to ginger tea may support circulation, although studies suggest that eating whole beets or drinking beet juice has a stronger impact on blood pressure.²

Grönroos R, Eggertsen R, Bernhardsson S, Praetorius Björk M. Effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure in hypertension according to European Society of Hypertension Guidelines: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2024;34(10):2240-2256. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2024.06.009

5. Baby carrots could be a healthy bedtime snack 🥕

Social media claims that baby carrots can help you sleep better, but there’s no research to support that.

Even so, baby carrots make a nutritious, crunchy, low-calorie bedtime snack. They’re packed with antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber—all of which support overall health. Your body relies on many of these same nutrients for healthy sleep, so choosing carrots before bed can still contribute to your overall well-being, even if they don’t directly make you sleep better.