First a comment or two on monitoring vitamin D. I think there is very good reason to check your vitamin D level at least every year. Your Doctor may not agree, but I think you will after my little story. I have noted on a few occasions people who had been taking a steady dose of vitamin D have their level go way up all of a sudden.
      For instance, in one case a person taking 8,000 of vitamin D for several years found his level very high after consistently running a blood level of eighties to ninety. I think what happens is the fat tissue gets filled after a long period, then the vitamin D has no other place to go except the blood. Although toxicity is at over 200 ng I see no good reason to go above 100 ng, except perhaps in a very threatening illness. This particular person found that 2,000 iu would do what 8,000 was doing before.
Any one who tells you how much to take is the right dose to do indefinitely, does not understand how this works. The only way to monitor is by a blood test. To low a number means you are not getting the benefits you would get with a higher number. By the same token to high a test number would be unknown and that person would not know to take corrective action. The proper dose starting out is 1,000 iu per 25lbs body weight and this with a caveat. Test in three months and see where you are. Then adjust accordingly.
On  www.grassrootshealth.net there is a table of what to expect if you have a certain blood level and how much it takes to obtain a better reading. It is not a linear relationship. For instance: If you blood level is 20ng and extra 1000 iu a day will increase your blood level ten ng to 30 ng. If your blood level is 88 ng and extra thousand will increase it to only 90 ng. Not a linear relationship and it depends on your starting level. So test!
So today's News Letter.
Vitamin D may delay puberty in young girls. Breast fed infants are low in vitamin D. There are bunch of other subjects there that are only available to members. It is well worth joining in my humble opinion.

Vitamin D Council Members Blog Relationship found between vitamin D, hospital mortality
June 20, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
New research published in The American Journal of Medicine has found an increased risk of all-cause mortality for patients entering the hospital with low vitamin D levels. Continue reading → (membership required) Dear Dr Cannell: Vitamin K2 for my child?
June 22, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
A blog member writes to Dr Cannell about his child’s autism. The father asks if he should add vitamin K2 to his son’s supplement regimen. Continue reading →  (membership required) Vitamin D levels in children around the world
June 13, 2013 -- Tom Weishaar
In the last year there have been a number of studies looking at vitamin D levels in children in various locations around the world. Tom Weishaar compares and contrasts the results. Continue reading → (no membership required) Vitamin D may help improve muscle recovery after nerve injury
June 24, 2013 -- Rebecca Oshiro
In a new animal model, researchers in France report on a detailed look at how and if vitamin D plays a role in the nervous system. Continue reading → (membership required) Does vitamin D keep Crohn's patients out of the hospital?
June 15, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
New research reports that higher vitamin D status is associated with a decreased risk of hospitalization and surgery for patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. Continue reading → (membership required) Is curcumin mimicking vitamin D?
June 19, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
There has been some research showing that curcumin works by masquerading as vitamin D. What does Dr Cannell think? Continue reading → (membership required) Low vitamin D linked to higher risk of kidney cancer
June 16, 2013 -- Kate Saley
Higher vitamin D levels are associated with significantly lower risk of renal cell cancer in adults, according to research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Continue reading → (membership required) Are we paying enough attention to magnesium?
June 21, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr Cannell brings attention to prevalent magnesium deficiency and the need for more interest from health care providers and researchers. Continue reading → (membership required) Vitamin D supplements after hip fracture: Are they prescribed?
June 11, 2013 -- Kate Saley
Low vitamin D levels may not be adequately treated among older hip fracture participants, according to research published in Osteoporosis International. Continue reading → (no membership required) New paper: Autism, will vitamin D treat core symptoms
June 12, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr Cannell publishes fourth peer reviewed article on vitamin D and autism while with the Vitamin D Council, this latest one in the journal Medical Hypothesis. Continue reading → (membership required) Announcement New international conference on vitamin D set for April 2014
June 21, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Organizers out of Queen Mary University of London, UK, have announced a new conference for vitamin D, set to take place April 23rd-25th, 2014, in London. Continue reading →

Vitamin D conference for health care professionals
June 21, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Professor Adrian Martineau of the Queen Mary University in London is organizing a vitamin D conference for physicians, researchers, and public health professionals. Continue reading →
Vitamin D News Room Prenatal vitamins leaving infants deficient in vitamin D
June 12, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
New research out of Italy has found that prenatal supplement recommendations are too low to ensure vitamin D sufficiency in newborns. Continue reading →
Mendellan randomization says low vitamin D can trigger high blood pressure
June 17, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Low vitamin D levels can trigger high blood pressure, according to research presented at the European Society of Human Genetics conference on Tuesday. Continue reading →
Vitamin D may delay early puberty in girls
June 20, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Vitamin D supplementation may help prevent early onset of puberty in young girls, according to research presented at the Endocrine Society’s Annual Meeting on Monday. Continue reading →
Breastfed infants severely deficient in vitamin D in South Korea
June 14, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Breastfed infants in South Korea carry a significant risk of vitamin D deficiency, according to new research. Continue reading →
Researcher to study role of vitamin D in depressed women with diabetes
June 24, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
A Loyola University Chicago Niehoff School of Nursing researcher has received a 4 year, $1.5 million grant to study vitamin D and mood in depressed women with diabetes. Continue reading →

There is a proposal by a Big Government man to pass a bill (S 1310) that would make all supplements conform to FDA standards and guarantees. In fact the supplements would have to live up to a higher standard than FDA approved drugs. The reason stated is that it is being done for safety reasons. There are 488 more times bad reactions to pharmaceuticals than to supplements. So the reason is not safety.
    Senator Durbin, who is proposing this bill, wants the drug industry to benefit from sales of supplements. Not surprising when you consider that the FDA has two thirds of its members as former drug company employees. The results will be prices going through the roof and companies that sell and make supplements may go out of business....
BB

Hope you found my article on fermenting food interesting. Just keep in mind anyone on blood thinners will have difficulty adjusting their blood levels if they eat fermented foods. This is due to the fact that fermented foods cause the production of Vitamin K2 and that vitamin promotes NORMAL blood clotting.
K2 is a good thing. It promotes the distribution of calcium to the bones and not arteries. Calcium in the coronary arteries is the leading indicator of a future heart attack, not cholesterol.

Vitamin D News Letter from VDC
This weeks news letter...Sunlight during pregnancy.....Can those with dark skins get enough vitamin D naturally?........Deficiency of vitamin D increases the risk of aneurysm.....vitamin D and hepatitis.....and a webinar on cystic fibrosis.
Also remember that if you take vitamin D it decreases your level of magnesium. Not a good thing as low magnesium and heart problems go together. I recommend you take magnesium malate as it is absorbed better than magnesium oxide which is primarily a laxative.



vitamin D Council Members Blog Does sun exposure during pregnancy protect against childhood cancer?
June 10, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
New research published has found a link between high sun exposure during pregnancy and decreased risk of their children developing childhood cancer Continue reading → (membership required) The autism puzzle: Latest research
June 5, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers in Italy have proposed a comprehensive hypothesis for the etiology of the autism epidemic. Continue reading → (membership required) Can immigrants from Asia get their vitamin D naturally?
June 8, 2013 -- Rebecca Oshiro
To estimate how much vitamin D dark-skinned individuals can make during sun exposure, researchers exposed a group of people of South Asian ethnicity. Continue reading →  (no membership required) Is good dietary counseling good enough for vitamin D?
June 4, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
New randomized controlled trial sought out: is good dietary counseling good enough for vitamin D or do we need to adamantly instruct on supplementation. Continue reading → (membership required) New study sees link between slow coronary flow and vitamin D deficiency
June 7, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
A new study in the journal Coronary Artery Disease reports that vitamin D deficiency correlates with slow coronary function. Continue reading → (membership required) Vitamin D in the environment
June 6, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Where do you think vitamin D exists in our natural world? You may be surprised by some of these vitamin D rich sources. Continue reading → (membership required)
Vitamin D News Room Vitamin D deficiency: Increasing your risk of obesity years later?
June 6, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
A new study published in the European Journal of Nutrition reports that vitamin D deficiency may increase your chances of becoming obese years later. Continue reading → Low vitamin D linked to aneurysms in older men
June 4, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Low vitamin D levels are associated with the presence and size of abdominal aortic aneurysms in older men, according to researchers at the Western Australian Centre for Health and Aging. Continue reading → Vitamin D and hepatitis B: What's the link?
June 10, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Low vitamin D levels are linked to high levels of hepatitis B virus concentration, according to research published in the Journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Continue reading → Vitamin D and cystic fibrosis
June 11, 2013 -- Vitamin D Event
This week's free Grassroots Health webinar features vitamin D researcher Vin Tangpricha, MD, discussing how vitamin D improves clinical outcomes in cystic fibrosis.

Register here for today's webinar, which starts at 10am PST! Have a vitamin D question? You can submit your questions for Dr Tangpricha when you register. Help the Council Today


Our mailing address is:
The Vitamin D Council1241 Johnson Ave. #134San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

The recipe is real simple....It is the mechanical that is the work.. Here it is. To each five lbs of cabbage add three tablespoons of salt.
How to prep the cabbage.
Take the outer leaves off.
Rinse under the faucet.
Cut the cabbage up to a semi cole slaw consistency. Larger of smaller depending on your preference. Smaller pieces will encourage the next process. A food processor works and is easier. The bacteria on the cabbage will initiate the fermentation.
Put a layer of cabbage in your fermenting container. I use food grade plastic such as cookie recipes mix come in. This will not hold five lbs however. Add salt. Proportion the salt if you make a smaller batch. I prefer to mix the salt with a couple of ounces of water to make a kind of slurry. This encourages the fluid to come out of the cabbage when you hammer it. Also salt in water increases the surface area of the salt in contact with the cabbage.
Hammer the cabbage. A up and down motion is the correct way.  I use a five hundred cc beer bottle or wine bottle of 750 cc. As you hammer it it will start to sound mushy and you will hear sucking sounds as your remove your kraut hammer. You will see some liquid in the bottom. At his point I add more cabbage and use a little more salt water. ( I did not use all of it initially).
At one point it will start to have fluid come up to the top of the cabbage. After putting all the cabbage you want into your fermenter ...put a weight such as a small inverted plate on top the cabbage. Weigh it down with some thing. Some use a plastic bag with brine in it. Water and salt.
Salt kills bad bacteria. Only bad ( sickening ) bacteria can grow in air. So the cabbage has to be under water at all times. Any that is not will "rot" in air. If mold grows on top, do not be discouraged simply remove it and eat the kraut underneigth. If you do not have enough fluid to cover the kraut, add water. About a inch over the top of the kraut is about right.
It takes about three weeks to make kraut. The longer you let it go the more sour it will become. With a starter from a previous batch maybe a week or ten days. I refrigerate it.
The fermenter must be sealed to keep out bugs and fruit flies. They love it and will grow additions to your kraut if you do not seal it. By the same token you must not seal it so well pressure can not escape. This is a fermenting process and carbon dioxide will build up. Many use a jar with a threaded lid that they crack to relieve pressure a couple of times a day. Others use a paper towel or tea towel. A rubber band to keep bugs out is a good idea. The bugs are small and will find any opening.
A comment and fyi....our bodies contain many cells. There are ten times more bacteria in our bodies than there are cells of  us. Those bacteria are friendly or hostile. However the bacteria are very small so total weigh of those bacteria would be on the order of two to four lbs. I prefer friendly bacteria as they improve my immune function and in general make this world a better place to be.
Just keep in mind,  we are essentially hotels for bacteria. It is your choice if you want gang bangers or nice families to reside there.
BB


Supporters of the Vitamin D Council Vitamin D Council Members Blog How does vitamin D protect against skin cancer?
May 31, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers recently reviewed the evidence examining how vitamin D may prevent skin cancer. Dr Cannell explains the mechanisms. Continue reading → (membership required) Controlling for vitamin D status reduces skin-color based health disparities
May 30, 2013 -- Tom Weishaar
Tom Weishaar discusses his recent research on vitamin D status as a determinant of health disparities. Continue reading → (no membership required) Lupus and vitamin D deficiency are associated with cellular aging
May 29, 2013 -- Kate Saley
Systemic lupus erythematosis and vitamin D deficiency are associated with shorter telomere length among African Americans, according to a study published last week in PLOS ONE. Continue reading →  (membership required) Osteomalacia: More prevalent than we think?
June 3, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Detecting osteomalacia is not as easy as detecting osteoporosis. Is it going undetected? Continue reading → (membership required) Dear Dr Cannell: Rheumatoid arthritis
June 2, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
A reader tells his story of vitamin D and rheumatoid arthritis and Dr Cannell looks over current research and dire need for more. Continue reading →  (membership required)
Vitamin D News Room Low vitamin D linked to breast cancer in Saudi Arabian women
May 29, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Saudi Arabian women with low vitamin D levels are at an increased risk of breast cancer, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Continue reading →
Vitamin D benefits MS: A closer look at the genetic evidence
June 3, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Researchers reveal molecular and genetic evidence that vitamin D benefits patients with multiple sclerosis. Continue reading →
Does vitamin D help with eczema?
May 30, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Vitamin D supplementation may improve symptoms of atopic dermatitis, according to research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Continue reading →
Vitamin D and the immune system
June 4, 2013 -- Vitamin D Event
This week's free Grassroots Health webinar is live from the 2013 conference on diet and optimum health held at the Linus Pauling Institute. The webinar will feature vitamin D researcher Adrian Gombart, PhD, discussing vitamin D's role in our immune health.

Register here for today's webinar, which starts at 10am PST! Have a vitamin D question? You can submit your questions for Dr Gombart when you register. -- Its all about inflammation. Reduce inflammation...live longer and feel better. www.brucebennettblog.com....