Published on December 29, 2021
Happy New Year! As we welcome 2022, let’s review the top hits from 2021
Now that the year 2021 is almost over, let’s take a look at the top 10 most popular blogs from this year. If you haven’t seen these yet, now is the time to read them and spread the word.
And, before the year is done, don’t forget that any kit purchase made now through the end of this year will include the new eBook Vitamin D & COVID-19: A Summary of Published Research for FREE (also free with a donation here).
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year’s to come!
NEW Loading Dose Vitamin D*Calculator!
Discover how much vitamin D may be necessary to help you achieve your target vitamin D level. The new D*calculator provides two options for increasing your vitamin D levels – a “Loading Dose” and a “Maintenance Dose” allowing users to choose how quickly they would like to achieve their desired levels.
How Much Vitamin D Does a Mother Need to Pass It Onto Her Breastfeeding Infant?
It is well-known that most breastfeeding babies are not getting adequate vitamin D and if a mother were to bring this topic up during a baby’s well-visit, the pediatrician would most likely recommend a 400 IU/day infant drop. This will work for the baby, but NHANES data has found that only 2-19% of all babies are actually getting the prescribed daily amount of vitamin D. That leaves over 80% not getting the recommended amount of vitamin D. Is there another way?
Is Your Vitamin D Level Too High?
We sometimes receive questions from participants about whether a vitamin D test result is too high if it came back higher than the recommended range of 40-60 ng/ml. In this blog we will explore what levels may be considered too high and what can be done if you want to reduce your levels. Are vitamin D levels between 60 and 100 ng/ml too high? Are vitamin D levels over 100 ng/ml too high? What is vitamin D toxicity, and what if a lower vitamin D level is desired?
14 Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency
This blog features a video that discusses several signs someone may be experiencing if they have a vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency is a major health issue, with almost 90% of the population having levels below the scientists’ recommended 40-60 ng/ml (100-150 nmol/L) blood level. Read More>
Dr. Coimbra’s Protocol for Multiple Sclerosis
Do you or someone you know have MS? Are you/they aware of the connection between vitamin D and MS? Dr. Coimbra has been able to suppress disease activity in about 95% of MS cases with variable (individually tailored) high daily doses of vitamin D. The doses are set according to the results of laboratory tests in order to compensate for that individual’s degree of genetic vitamin D resistance. This resistance seems to underlie the predisposition to (and maintenance of) autoimmune aggression. Read More>
How to Time Your Vitamin D Testing with Changes in Supplementation
Participants often ask about details on how and when to change their vitamin D supplementation based on their vitamin D test results. “How much vitamin D should I take with a level of XX?”, “When should I test again to see if my new intake has increased my level enough?”, and “Should I wait to test until after I have changed my supplement intake?” are questions we frequently receive. This blog answers these questions and more.
A Summary of Research on COVID-19, Vitamin D, Other Nutrients & Immune Health
We have shared and will continue to share a wealth of information on vitamin D and numerous other nutrients (such as omega-3s, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc) that are important for immune system function. Simply put, nutrient intake is a major and easily modifiable factor that may reduce the incidence of colds, flu and COVID-19. Here we present up-to-date scientific information in a format that is easy to access and understand to summarize the latest research on the topic. Read More>
What type of magnesium are you taking?
There are many different forms or types of magnesium contained in nutritional supplements, topical creams, and oils. Each form consists of a magnesium molecule or ion attached to another molecule, which can affect the action and bioavailability of the magnesium itself. Included in this blog is a list of some common forms of magnesium found in supplements.
How to Avoid a Rejected Blood Spot Sample
Did you know that your blood spot sample could be denied for testing if not done properly? It is especially important to provide a quality sample with multiple tests being performed from each blood spot sample.
We originally reviewed this topic back in March, and have decided to touch on it again due to the importance of providing a proper sample, especially with the new Elements Panel. Read More>
The Vitamin D and Kidney Stones Myth
The myth addressed in this blog – that taking vitamin D causes kidney stones – is based on the interplay of vitamin D with another nutrient, calcium. However, not only has the idea has been debunked with the findings of several research studies, but the opposite seems to be true! If the fear of kidney stones is preventing you from taking vitamin D supplements, rest easy and take the supplements you may need to achieve a healthy vitamin D level.
Start Your New Year Knowing Your Nutrient Status!
Having and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels and other nutrient levels can help improve your health now and for your future. Choose which to measure, such as your vitamin D, omega-3s, and essential minerals including magnesium and zinc, by creating your custom home test kit today. Take steps to improve the status of each of these measurements to benefit your overall health. You can also track your own intakes, symptoms and results to see what works best for YOU.
Enroll and test your levels today, learn what steps to take to improve your status of vitamin D (see below) and other nutrients and blood markers, and take action! By enrolling in the GrassrootsHealth projects, you are not only contributing valuable information to everyone, you are also gaining knowledge about how you could improve your own health through measuring and tracking your nutrient status, and educating yourself on how to improve it.
How Can You Use this Information for YOUR Health?
Having and maintaining healthy vitamin D and other nutrient levels can help improve your health now and for your future. Measuring is the only way to make sure you are getting enough!
STEP 1 Order your at-home blood spot test kit to measure vitamin D and other nutrients of concern to you, such as omega-3s, magnesium, essential and toxic elements (zinc, copper, selenium, lead, cadmium, mercury); include hsCRP as a marker of inflammation or HbA1c for blood sugar health
STEP 2 Answer the online questionnaire as part of the GrassrootsHealth study
STEP 3 Using our educational materials and tools (such as our dose calculators), assess your results to determine if you are in your desired target range or if actions should be taken to get there
STEP 4 After 3-6 months of implementing your changes, re-test to see if you have achieved your target level(s)
You may also like
Reducing COVID-19 Risks and Improving Patient Survival – A Summary of Research on Vitamin D, Other Nutrients & Immune Health
2020’s Top 10 Blogs from GrassrootsHealth: What made the list?
Understanding the Balance between Magnesium, Calcium and Vitamin D
With Vitamin D, Add More Insights with Other Measures