Studies continue to flood in. The evidence of the benefits from Vitamin D is now overwhelming and it presents an exciting opportunity to improve our health with an easy step:

• Please watch this short and very exciting Charles Gibson ABC News report about Vitamin D's important role in reducing breast cancer, its spread and deaths from the disease. Click here .

•  Vitamin D is essential for health in ways we never dreamed. Check out this chart that shows the percentages of certain diseases that could be prevented at various blood levels of the vitamin.

•  A very high percentage of the population is either frankly deficient or at least limping along at suboptimal levels.

•  Since Vitamin D is one of the most important components of strong immune resistance to seasonal ailments, everyone should promptly have their levels tested with the 25-hydroxyvitamin D test —also called a 25(OH)D. Levels should be above 50 ng/ml year-round, in both children and adults. Some say that the optimum level is even higher—between 60-100.

•  Alert doctors who are aware that they should test their patients may still be misled by the “norms” on the report. Those standards are just too low (e.g. 35) according to many experts. (I think the labs establish the norms by just averaging anyone just well enough to be up walking around.)

•  Studies show that Vitamin D is safe up to 10,000 IU per day for extended periods. Until you know your blood levels, most experts recommend between 2,000-5,000 IU per day as a supplement. If you learn your blood levels are quite low, some doctors use single boosts of 50,000 IU to play catch up. Dr. Cannell (founder of the non-profit Vitamin D Council) told me that Vitamin D at the first sign of an illness can shoo it away but that most people don't take enough. (He takes 200,000 IU for one day.)

There is more information about Vitamin D in my article on building a supplement program . Also learn more at the Vitamin D Council .

These are sponsors of our radio show that sell Vitamin D:

RealFoodGrocery.com —This online store carries the fine HealthWorks brand (2,000 IU) and another type that is nifty little pellets that dissolve under your tongue. (They come in 5,000 IU for routine use and 10,000 for special purposes.)

Jarrow Formulas – They make products from 400-2,500 IU and are available in most health food stores. There is also a link on their site to a report on this interesting study about Vitamin D and improved HDL levels and lower risk of metabolic syndrome.

Nordic Naturals – Cod liver oil is an historic source of Vitamin D as well as Vitamin A and the all important fish oils. Because the levels of Vitamin D in cod liver oil are low, Nordic has begun adding extra. They also have Omega D capsules.