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WHAT’S YOUR D-LEVEL?
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Maintain your Vitamin D level
between 100 – 150 nmol/L

 
LATEST VITAMIN D NEWS
A Life Well Lived: The Passing of Carole Baggerly, Founder of GrassrootsHealth
Nov 12, 2024

It is with hearts full of admiration, appreciation, love and sadness that we write today to inform our followers and supporters of the passing of Carole Baggerly, the founder of GrassrootsHealth, this past Saturday, October 26th.

As many of you know, it was after Carole’s diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in 2005 that she first learned of vitamin D and began the journey that would lead her to meet the scientists involved in formulating the Scientists’ Call to D*action, followed by the launch of GrassrootsHealth and the Vitamin D*action project, an endeavor of hers that would continue through the next two decades. Carole and her husband Leo traveled across the United States and Canada to meet with top vitamin D researchers, to really dig into what vitamin D is, how it works, and how many people could benefit from knowing about it, and most importantly, knowing what to DO about it (hence, Vitamin D*Action). She asked for a sense of urgency to get the word out to Move Vitamin D Research into Practice and found a group of scientists to step up and join her.

full story . . .
Vitamin D Supplements Could Help Lower Blood Pressure in Obese People
Nov 12, 2024

Key Takeaways

Vitamin D supplements appear to lower blood pressure in seniors who are obese

Seniors taking supplements experienced lower blood pressure

  • TUESDAY, Nov. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D supplements might lower blood pressure in seniors who are obese, reducing their heart health risk, a new study says.

    But taking more than the recommended daily dose will not provide additional health benefits, researchers report in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

    “Our study found vitamin D supplementation may decrease blood pressure in specific subgroups such older people, people with obesity and possibly those with low vitamin D levels,” said researcher Dr. Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan of the American University of Beirut Medical Center in Beirut, Lebanon.

full story . . .
The Sun May Hold the Key for a Longer, Healthier, Life!
Oct 29, 2024

World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Distribution

TORONTO, ON (October 28, 2024) - November is the month that Vitamin D winter begins in northern latitudes – including all of Canada. A time when the sun can no longer trigger vitamin D production in your skin as fall and winter UVB rays are too weak. The Vitamin D Society is reminding everyone that now is the time to TAKE ACTION to ensure you are not vitamin D deficient through winter.

During the last 16 years the Vitamin D Society has educated the public about the benefits of vitamin D and sun exposure through November Vitamin D Awareness Month and World Vitamin D Day on November 2nd to help prevent vitamin D deficiency.

The importance of regular, non-burning sun exposure for health was highlighted this year by a new study published by researchers from the University of Edinburgh. This study looked at the health records of 395,000 people from the UK Biobank database and found that the people who use solariums and who live at locations with higher annual average sun exposure in the UK have a lower risk of both cardiovascular and cancer mortality.

full story . . .
How vitamin D deficiency can lead to autoimmune diseases
Oct 22, 2024

McGill discovery explains link, highlights the importance of adequate vitamin D intake, especially in children

As Canadians brace for “vitamin D winter” – months when the sun’s angle is too low to produce the vitamin in the skin – a McGill University study explains why vitamin D deficiency early in life is associated with a higher risk of autoimmune diseases.

During childhood, the thymus helps train immune cells to distinguish between the body’s own tissues and harmful invaders. A vitamin D deficiency at that stage of life causes the thymus to age more quickly, the researchers discovered.

“An aging thymus leads to a ‘leaky’ immune system,” said lead author John White, a Professor in and Chair of McGill’s Department of Physiology. “This means the thymus becomes less effective at filtering out immune cells that could mistakenly attack healthy tissues, increasing the risk of autoimmune diseases like Type 1 diabetes.”

full story . . .
Mental Health in the Sun: The Role of Vitamin D Deficiency in Mental Illness
Oct 17, 2024

Key Takeaways

  • Vitamin D plays a neuroprotective role, influencing serotonin synthesis and brain plasticity, relevant for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
  • Deficiency in vitamin D is linked to increased risk of depression, ADHD, anxiety, and suicide, with supplementation showing potential benefits.
  • Testing vitamin D levels is essential in psychiatry to identify deficiencies and tailor treatment, supporting personalized mental health care.
  • Despite research limitations, vitamin D supplementation is a simple, effective intervention that can enhance standard mental health treatments.

Of the many researched integrative medicine interventions for the treatment of mental health conditions, perhaps one of the simplest is vitamin D. While controversy around its use remains, including recent guidelines that recommend against testing vitamin D levels for virtually any reason,my own clinical experience combined with the latest research strongly suggest benefits for a number of mental health conditions.

full story . . .
Rethinking sun exposure: Study finds possible health benefits
Oct 07, 2024

For 40 years, Americans have been told that lying in the sun without skin protection from ultraviolet (UV) rays is a dangerous thing. After all, the incidence of melanoma − the most dangerous form of skin cancer − has been increasing globally.

But a new study from the University of Edinburgh of 360,000 people living in the United Kingdom indicates that when the health benefits of sun exposure are factored in, we might rethink the issue.

Correcting for confounding factors of age, gender, smoking, socioeconomic status, and exercise, the study found that sunbed users had a 23% lower rate of cardiovascular (CV) death and a 14% lower rate of cancer death in general.

full story . . .
 
PRESS RELEASES
Groundbreaking new study reports benefits for sunshine and sunbed exposure in northern climates

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Distribution

TORONTO, Ont (August 20, 2024) – A large, cohort study from the UK has reported that people who have higher exposure to UV through sunlight or sunbeds have a lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. The study adds to the growing evidence that the health benefits of UV exposure may outweigh the risks in low-sunlight environments.

The Vitamin D Society has been educating people on the benefits of non-burning UV exposure – the body’s primary source of vitamin D - for 15 years. This is the first time that sunbed users have been included in a large study of health benefits and mortality.

full press release . . .
Its Time for a New Look at Sun Benefits! World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Distribution

TORONTO, Ont (October 26, 2023) – Health authorities worldwide now acknowledge that sun-care advisories in the future should not be one-size-fits-all and that darker-skinned people in sun-deprived climates like Canada may not be getting enough sun and vitamin D.

That’s an encouraging sign as The Vitamin D Society and Vitamin D authorities worldwide recognize November 2nd as the 15th annual World Vitamin D Day. In Canada, as much as 93 percent of the population is vitamin D deficient mainly due to lack of sun exposure.

full press release . . .
Vitamin D helps you live longer! World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Distribution

TORONTO, Ont (October 25, 2022) – Your personal health and that of your family are the most important things in life. Optimal vitamin D levels play a significant role in helping prevent a wide number of diseases and strengthening your immune system to assist with new threats. Vitamin D and sun exposure have been found to reduce mortality and help you live a longer life.

Since 2009, we have celebrated World Vitamin D Day on November 2nd to highlight the health benefits of vitamin D and the importance of having optimal vitamin D levels of between 100-150 nmol/L (Canada) or 40-60 ng/ml (USA).  November is the month that Canadians vitamin D levels rapidly decline due to reduced sun exposure. Over 93% of Canadians do not meet this vitamin D level.

full press release . . .
UPCOMING EVENTS, BLOG AND NEW BOOKS
Events  
Toronto Vitamin D Symposium - Chatham-Kent Vitamin D Symposium
Nov 01, 2024        

Join world-leading experts in a 1-day symposium on Vitamin D! Our goal is to gain the most current information from researchers and practitioners from around the world on the role of Vitamin D in health and well-being.

ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH?

https://areyougettingenough.info/

Toronto - November 1, 2024

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/are-you-getting-enough-vitamin-d-symposium-toronto-ontario-tickets-888439475387?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete

 

Chatham-Kent - November 2, 2024

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/are-you-getting-enough-vitamin-d-symposium-chatham-kent-ontario-tickets-888368302507?aff=erelpanelorg

 

event details
Blog  
Remembering Carole Baggerly
Nov 15, 2024

By Perry Holman, Executive Director, Vitamin D Society

We recently lost an icon in the field of vitamin D. Carole Baggerly, the Founder and Director of GrassrootsHealth, passed away on October 26th at the age of 82. She played the key role in helping organize the vitamin D scientists and researchers, and determining a universal consistent vitamin D message for the public. The lives she touched and the lives she saved through her disease prevention work were enormous. Her inspiration and positive approach to life will be greatly missed.

Please read more on Carole’s extraordinary vitamin D discovery journey here and her passing.

full post . . .
UV→D NOW - Why a supplement does not replace sunlight!
Mar 03, 2022

By Perry Holman, Executive Director, Vitamin D Society

Key Points:

  • No supplement will replace all the benefits of sunlight when considering the full spectrum of light
  • UVB exposure on your skin from sunlight makes Vitamin D naturally without ever going to toxic levels
  • Most people know about the benefits of vitamin D for bone health. Vitamin D also has benefits for the immune system, cardiovascular health, autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, and multiple sclerosis, skin, and has been linked to lower incidence of many forms of cancer
  • UVA exposure releases nitric oxide stores in your skin, helping reduce your blood pressure and improving cardiovascular health
  • Visible light is beneficial for skin, sleep, happiness and relaxation
  • Infrared light is a powerful antioxidant beneficial for intercellular melatonin used by the mitochondria to repair cell damage
  • When sunlight is unavailable or not strong enough, turn to surrogates such as sunbeds, phototherapy units or light boxes
  • Overexposure to sunlight has risks too. The key is to know your skin and take care not to burn. Moderation!
full post . . .
UV→D NOW Let the Sunshine back into your life!
Nov 18, 2021

By Perry Holman, Executive Director, Vitamin D Society

How did we get to this point in our relationship with the sun? If you follow the current health recommendations from some dermatologists you would live in perpetual darkness, in a bunker, and never let the sunshine hit your unprotected skin. Sunscreen use is advised to be applied to your skin everyday of the year regardless of the whether you are indoors or not. Regardless of your skin type. This action has unforeseen consequences that I hope to shine a light on for you.

For November, Vitamin D Awareness Month, we are focusing on educating people to the many benefits of sun and UV exposure. This is why we have named it UVD NOW. Because getting UV exposure is important for vitamin D, nitric oxide and so many other photoproducts for your health. The lack of sun exposure is the main root cause of vitamin D deficiency, and studies have found that people with low vitamin D are at a higher risk of many serious diseases such as cardiovascular disease, major cancers such as breast and colorectal, autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis and even infections, flus, colds and much more.

full post . . .
Books  

Drs David C Anderson and David S Grimes
Vitamin D Deficiency and COVID-19

“For weeks and weeks people from ethnic minority communities have been wanting to know how they can better protect themselves from coronavirus.” [BBC News June 13th 2020] We believe that during Covid-19, ethnic minority communities in the UK, the USA and elsewhere, and all others vulnerable to seasonal Vitamin D deficiency, have been seriously let down by politicians and medical-scientific officialdom. As a result they have been needlessly deprived of extensive biological knowledge that would have protected them against disease and death from a novel virus, for which adequate levels of Vitamin D are essential.


Susan Rex Ryan
Defend Your Life

Defend Your Life has three main sections. The first addresses the fundamentals of vitamin D3 and its awesome benefits as well as minimal risk. The second highlights select diseases and conditions about which vitamin D3 may offer protection. The third includes the author's personal vitamin D3 story, including her theory about adequate vitamin D3 levels and how you can 'Defend Your Life'.

Reading this book will help you understand how adequate amounts of vitamin D3 are essential to enhancing your quality of life.


Ian Wishart
Vitamin D: Is This the Miracle Vitamin?

In this compelling new book,award-winning investigative journalist and bestselling author Ian Wishart brings together the most up to date science on vitamin D and how it could well save your life. Cancer? Up to a 77% reduction in risk of developing it if you take this vitamin. Heart disease? The same kind of reduction. Did you know that autism, mental illness and multiple sclerosis all appear to be caused by a lack of vitamin D during pregnancy?

The lives of every single person, including you, will be affected by the information in this book. With more than 300 scientific trials and studies cited, this book is a reference guide not just for the general reader but for medical professionals alike.


 more books...
 
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS
Click to View Dr. Reinhold Vieth

Professor, University of Toronto, Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology.


Click to View Dr. Michael Holick, Ph.D., M.D.

Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics; Director of the General Clinical Research Unit; and Director of the Bone Health Care Clinic and the Director of the Heliotherapy, Light, and Skin Research Center at Boston University Medical Center.


Click to View Dr. Cedric Garland, DrPH

Professor Emeritus in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego.


 more advisors...