Does anyone have low vitamin D levels?

[HeatherLynn]

This is what I wonder though, for those outside without suncreen constantly, who eat the high D foods and are still low...what the heck is the problem. Both my husband and I got told we were low, my husband was very low. We spend at least an hour outside per day. On weekends its more like 8 hours. We don't wear suncreen ( I do on my face in the summer but thats it). I do drink some milk but it very very limited. We don't eat tons of eggs but I would say 4 to 6 per week for each of us. We eat salmon once a week. We are both taking Vitamin D3 pills currently and he was put on high doses he took once a month for 3 months and then she wanted him back for more tests.

I swear its just one more way to torment us. Always always more tests. Sometimes it feels like they are just looking for something else to diagnose so more pills can be prescribed.

 

[Wifezilla]

You ARE NOT going to get enough D from food.

You get it from the sun. And not just from a little on your hands. You need full body (or close to full body) exposure.

 

[noodleroo]

Quote:
Yes, you do not get vitamin D from food alone. The sunlight is the 'catalyst' if you will, that causes your body to produce vitamin D. But you have to have consumed the right things for that to happen.

Lets take cows, for instance. They don't eat meat and they don't drink milk (as adults). Where do they get their calcium? Their bones are just fine and they don't take vitamin D supplement. They eat grass, better known as a 'leafy green'. Leafy greens + sufficient sunlight take care of their vitamin D needs. USUALLY that's all it takes for us too. It is my understanding that 10 minutes of exposure to the sun with your arms, neck and face exposed without sunglasses or sunscreen is sufficient.

 

[TsaLaGi Acres]

Quote:
SEE thats my thought EXACTLY!! What about our vedgies, I eat greens twice a week at least, I love them!! I'm out in the sun......just seems awfully odd that there are so many ppl being diagnosed at the same time .......

 

[robin416]

Quote:
SEE thats my thought EXACTLY!! What about our vedgies, I eat greens twice a week at least, I love them!! I'm out in the sun......just seems awfully odd that there are so many ppl being diagnosed at the same time .......

Actually leafy greens are not the correct form of D that we are all lacking. Its the D3 that is derived from the sun, many different fishes and I think liver. I'd have to find the study again to list the foods that have the correct D.

There is something not quite right about someone having no detectable levels of D3 in their system. Per what the endocrinologist told me, D is vital for life. No detectable D leads me to believe that there is no life or a life in critical condition.

 

[booker81]

The way I see it, with the fads of diets and whatnot on what is "healthy" we still manage to be deficient in a whole heck of a lot of things, not just D.

How many people a eat a dinner of a green and/or colored vegetables, with a good fat, with a strong protein, every single day, in and out? No processed foods? How many eat like that every day - lots of vegetables and fruit, high quality protein, few grains, and only complex ones, low or no refined sugar, etc - the type of food the human body is to consume as an omnivore (and if you are vegan/vegetarian, this means always eating your plant based proteins with a grain for a complete protein).

Gut issues affect absorption of many vitamins...how many people have IBS, Chron's, or diseases which affect the ability to absorb fat - and therefore fat solubles? How many people stress their livers with toxic food, when it's supposed to be a filter AND a storage mechanism for fat soluble vitamins (kidneys too).

This isn't even taking into consideration the absolute complete destruction on our environment - our air, water and soil. I used to test most all of the lake, stream and groundwater in the State of Michigan for organic contaminants, namely chemicals classified as "Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds". We have to set the machines at a base level so we don't always report certain chemicals, because they ALWAYS are there. I assisted with Volatile Organics as well for soil and water, SVOCs for soil, and some Air testing. Some things that are always, always in the air or water or soil, depending on it's common state are things like tricholorethylene, various phthalates, toluene, phenols, on and on. I handled - regularly - water that was laden with PCBs, mercury, cyanide, and various other toxic and flammable things....all from water sources in the environment - water sources we DRINK from. Heck, drinking water generally has chloroform in it, but it's "ok".

So my little soapbox aside, why are we jacked up? Because we're poisoning ourselves every single day.

Depressing isn't it....which is why I don't care any more, and no longer work in that field - now I can proclaim ignorance.

/soapbox

 

[CoyoteMagic]

My Endocrinologist used to have me on 50kIU per week, but has changed it 4000IU per day. He's one of those docs that does lots of reading of various research being done. He also insists that the vit.D needs to be in an oil not water because it flushed out of your system too quickly.

I am also required to spend 15 minutes in the sun every day withOUT sunscreen because the body can't process D without the sun exposure and the rays that are being blocked by the sunscreen. Taking the puppy out for potty breaks does the job!

 

[noodleroo]

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I'm with you on this one. I've never heard of this happening to a person. My friend was feeling exhaused, like she could barely move. Her doctor told her that most people would be in intensive care. So, why wasn't she? She's doing fine now, about 2 weeks into the meds.

 

[noodleroo]

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For about a year I ate a raw diet like the one you describe. I felt great, my weight normalized and it was easy...that is until it wasn't. I ate fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds; nothing out of boxes or bags and no meat. I used proper food combing. It required planning ahead. If I ate anything 'cooked', I would feel it for about 3 days. My skin was clear, my dead thyroid started to function again; it really is amazing. I'm trying to work my way back to this now and its not that easy. Cooked food is addicting.

No other animals cook their food. Heat kills the enzymes and although we don't have to get every enzyme out of our food, we should plan to get as many as we can.

I agree completely that we are being poisoned and poisoning ourselves every day. Lucky for us we have filtering organs that take care of a large portion of the poisons. I have a rule that I don't put anything on my skin (the biggest filter) that I wouldn't put in my mouth. I make cleaning products from vinegar, baking soda and essential oils. I make my own shampoo and conditioners from herbs and vinegar. Its always a good idea to think about what you are doing and why...

 

[BarkerChickens]

Quote:
I am pale-skinned, live in the desert of southern California (born and raised in the SW US), a geologist by occupation (in the field a lot...not all the time, but a lot), a hiker/backpacker by hobby, garden, etc and I rarely wear sunscreen (some native american blood is great..I rarely burn!). I am still low (at the bottom of line of normal) in Vit. D.

Oh....not being treated yet as my doctor is currently finishing up the last batch and tests and has mentioned that if the cortisol test comes back high again, that I will be seeing a endocrinologist. I assume it will all be addressed when I see him/her.