- Are You Vitamin D Deficient? Probably.
- Vitamin D Deficiency – What Difference Does it Make?
- You Could be Vitamin D Deficient if You:
- Risk Factors for Vitamin D Deficiency
- What Should Your Vitamin D Level Be?
- How to Get The Vitamin D You Need
- Three Easy Ways to Get Your Vitamin D Level Tested
- How to Take an In-Home Vitamin D Blood Spot Test
- How to Get From Wherever You Are to a Healthy Vitamin D Level
Are You Vitamin D Deficient? Probably.
“Over three out of every four Americans now have vitamin D levels below what we believe is necessary for optimal health.” -Dr. Adit Ginde, an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. Read article.
Vitamin D Deficiency – What Difference Does it Make?
Vitamin D has been linked to all of the following diseases and conditions:
For an updated list and complete details for each health issue, visit this page on the Vitamin D Council’s website.
You Could be Vitamin D Deficient if You:
- Do not sunbathe regularly
- Do not use a low pressure tanning bed regularly
- Do not take a Vitamin D3 supplement regularly
Risk Factors for Vitamin D Deficiency
- Age. The older you are, the harder it is for your body to make vitamin D from sunlight.
- Lifestyle. The more time you spend indoors during the daylight hours, the less opportunity you have to make vitamin D.
- Geographical location. If you live in a place with relatively long winters, you get less sun over the course of the year because the sunlight isn’t strong enough to make vitamin D in the winter.
- Race. People with very dark skin, especially those of African descent, find it difficult to make vitamin D from limited sunlight (their ancestors evolved in a part of the world where sunshine was available year round).
- Culture. Certain cultures require that their women cover themselves entirely in heavy clothing that blocks out the sun.
Taken from: The UV Advantage: The Medical Breakthrough that Shows How to Harness the Power of the Sun for Your Health
What Should Your Vitamin D Level Be?
According to the Vitamin D Council, your results should be between 50–80 ng/ml, year-round for both adults and children.
GrassRoots Health recommends 40-60 ng/ml.
How to Get The Vitamin D You Need
Best Way – Sunbathing
The single best way to get the vitamin D you need is by regular sunbathing. Why is it best? A couple reasons.
- Your body will naturally regulate the production of vitamin d to optimal levels for you – no blood tests required.
- When you sunbathe, you receive the benefits of not just UVB for vitamin D production, but also the benefits of every other wavelength of light being absorbed by your body.
The key to sunbathing is to avoid sunburn. Your body has made all the vitamin D it needs for the day in less than half the time it takes your skin to show signs of burning.
Second Best Way – UV Light Therapy – Low Pressure Tanning Beds
Third Best Way – Quality Vitamin D Supplements
Here is a Vitamin D Dosing Calculator provided by GrassRootsHealth.net.
How Much Vitamin D Do You Really Need to Take?
Taken from the Vitamin D Council’s page How Do I Get the Vitamin D My Body Needs?
Three Easy Ways to Get Your Vitamin D Level Tested
1. Ask Your Doctor
If you have health insurance, you can ask your doctor to order this exact test: 25-hydroxyvitamin D test, also called a 25(OH)D.
2. Order an In-Home Test Through the Vitamin D Council.
They’ve arranged for reduced rates – you can get one test for $65.00 or 4 tests for $220.00. Click here for details about the test, and how to order.
3. Go to GrassRootsHealth.net and join D*action.
This is what I just did. You have to register with the site with an email and password, then fill out a short questionnaire (sample). After that you can purchase your in-home Vitamin D test for $65. The results will be sent directly to you. You have the opportunity in another 6 months to do it again.
Their goal is to gather information for 5 years and stop the Vitamin D Deficiency epidemic before millions more lives are needlessly lost. As of this writing, a full 60% of those tested through D*action have been Vitamin D Deficient. Are you? Are your kids? Please check, and pass the link on to everyone you care about.
Join D*Action Today – https://www.grassrootshealth.net/proj-welcome/?pr=95284
How to Take an In-Home Vitamin D Blood Spot Test
How to Get From Wherever You Are to a Healthy Vitamin D Level
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21310306