Author Archive

A reminder to review the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) policies on taxable benefits   If you are an employer and offer taxable benefits to your employees or workers, please review the January 1, 2023, updates to taxable benefits policies on gifts, awards, long-service awards, social events, hospitality functions, and parking.…

Optimizing Your Health with Exposure to Sunshine: A Sunshine Month Review Published on May 30, 2023 GrassrootsHealth.net   As public guidelines begin to change, knowledge of the harms of avoiding sunshine exposure must be balanced with the harms due to sunburns and overexposure Key Points While vitamin D supplements can partially make up for inadequate sun exposure, no supplement can replace all the health benefits provided by sunshine exposure Due to the majority of current public health recommendations, most individuals are not getting the amounts of sunshine exposure their bodies need, and are therefore putting their health at risk by practicing sunshine avoidance According to world renowned dermatologist, Dr.…

Are Your Lifestyle Habits Putting You at Risk for Sunshine and Vitamin D Deficiency? Published on May 29, 2023 GrassrootsHealth.net FacebookTwitterRedditLinkedInEmail   This quick quiz can help you determine if your daily habits are more or less likely to be supporting and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels Key Points To help educate individuals about their unique risk factors for vitamin D deficiency and to highlight when testing may be of extra importance, GrassrootsHealth created The Vitamin D Deficiency Risk Assessment Quiz (Beta), a short set of questions about an individual’s supplemental vitamin D intake, UVB exposure, and low exposure indicators to assess risk level of having a low, moderate, or high risk of having a vitamin D level below the scientists’ recommended minimum of 40 ng/ml (100 nmol/L) Based on all the factors considered, the role of midday sunshine and UVB exposure proved to have a large influence on an individual’s vitamin D level, demonstrating the importance of exposure to UVB for vitamin D status, and highlighting the need for vitamin D supplementation when one does not meet their daily UVB requirements Receive the full benefits of vitamin D and sunshine by getting to know your vitamin D level first, followed by learning how to create a healthy supplement and sunshine or UVB exposure routine based on your unique individual factors GrassrootsHealth, with Dr.…

Making the Most of June Promos from New Sunshine To register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2618271868263750491…

How Sunlight Exposure Affects Immune Health and Viral Spread Published on May 26, 2023 GrassrootsHealth.net FacebookTwitterRedditLinkedInEmail   A review of studies demonstrate the multiple effects exposure to sunshine has on immune health and viral transmission Key Points Vitamin D, produced upon exposure to UVB from sunshine, has demonstrated anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, and influences approximately 2000 genes, many of which have to do with immune cell function Nitric oxide, released upon exposure to UVA, plays a key role in immunity, cellular function, neurotransmission, and also has antimicrobial and anticancer effects Several studies reviewed provide evidence that increased sunlight may not only help reduce the risk of severe viral infections, but it may also be an effective disinfectant for  influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses Exposure to sunshine can have profound impacts on immune health.…