Calcium is a Doubled-Edged Sword

Insufficient calcium leads to bone loss, muscle cramps and insomnia. Too much calcium may result in calcium being deposited in unwanted areas of the body such as the arteries. So, where is the sweet spot for calcium intake? The chart at the end of this article from the National Institute of Health (NIH) lists the [...]

Vitamin D Winter

Vitamin D is one of the main topics of my forthcoming book, The Sun Companion. It is critical for you and your family to get this vitamin/hormone in the right amount. I used to think that I was not deficient. After all, I live in California and I am outside biking, walking and gardening – [...]

Risk Factors for Vitamin D Deficiency

I’ve listed some of the specific risk factors for vitamin D below. Which ones apply to you and your family members? Not enough exposure to sunshine when vitamin D producing UV-B rays are abundant. Dark pigmented skin without enough sun exposure. Daily use of sunscreens or sunblock – (SPF 15 blocks 95% of UV-B rays) [...]

Vitamin D Deficiency and Cancer

Dr. Lani Simpson, D.C. Excerpted from her forthcoming book,The Sun Companion As we are nearing winter months, I am concerned that many of my readers are vitamin D deficient and unaware of it. In this newsletter we will focus on vitamin D deficiency and cancer, risk factors for vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D testing, and [...]

How the skin produces Vitamin D: Free 10-minute podcast with Dr. Simpson on Vitamin D

Click below to listen to a short 10 minutes podcast with Dr. Lani Simpson, D.C. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Vitamin D testing at Home

Why test Vitamin D? Vitamin D deficiency is very common, particularly in northern climates with little sunshine. Vitamin D has been found to be important in protecting the body from a wide range of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, cancer, autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes (types 1 and 2), [...]