Vitamin D

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kmtetour
kmtetour Posts: 300 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just got the results to some bloodwork back from my doctor today. She told me that my Vitamin D was a little low. Anyone have any suggestions (other than supplements and sunlight) as to how to get more into my diet? It's hard to track since MFP doesn't have a place for it on their nutrition stuff.

Replies

  • CatMauro
    CatMauro Posts: 225 Member
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    Almonds!
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    Vitamin D milk :D
  • VegGrrl
    VegGrrl Posts: 336 Member
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    From what my naturopath tells me - it's hard to get enough D solely through diet unless you eat fish. (I don't.)

    http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-vitamin-D-foods.php

    I take a supplement daily, and also try to get 10-15 minutes of sun (without sunscreen of any type) per day.

    And if you're getting your D from fortified processed foods (cereal, dairy) - why not just take a supplement and eat healthier foods instead? (MHO.)
  • danger_kitteh
    danger_kitteh Posts: 301 Member
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    http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000102000000000000000.html

    but if you can, 10-15 minutes of sunshine between 10a-2p each day will give you what you need.
  • Terriann7
    Terriann7 Posts: 78
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    After learning a lot about Vitamin D3 because I too was low, it is really best to take a supplement in addition to diet and sunshine. Vitamin D from the sun is difficult to get. There are a lot of factors such as geographical location, time of year, time of day, skin type. etc. I live in Arizona and have a pool yet I was deficient. I take between 5000 and 10,000 iu per week. It will help in so many areas such as energy, weight loss, absorbing calcium and on and on.

    There is a ton of information on the internet.

    Hope this helps.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    From what my naturopath tells me - it's hard to get enough D solely through diet unless you eat fish. (I don't.)

    http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-vitamin-D-foods.php

    I take a supplement daily, and also try to get 10-15 minutes of sun (without sunscreen of any type) per day.

    And if you're getting your D from fortified processed foods (cereal, dairy) - why not just take a supplement and eat healthier foods instead? (MHO.)

    This.
    I don't get this aversion to multi-vitamins and other mineral/vitamin supplements that I keep coming across on MFP. When I was trying to get pregnant I was taking prenatals every day and my hair and nails never looked or felt better. Just an example.
  • mcmoosehall
    mcmoosehall Posts: 36 Member
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    I started taking a solgar supplement for D3 in partcular. There is loads of new research about the role of vit d in the body, how it acts almost like a hormone and plays a role in so many processes. Some breads and cereals and especially yoghurts are fortified but I know there are 2 types of vit D, d3 being the one in shortest supply. Hope that helps :)
  • korygilliam
    korygilliam Posts: 594 Member
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    Vit D is a fat soluable vitamin, so need to take any supplements w/ food that has fat in it. It is reported that it is best absorbed thru dairy products (guessing it is because of the fat content there). It is also reported to take the D3 version of the supplement, because its form is the most appropriate for human conversion. Most people get their Vit D from sunlight. I am extremely deficient and am now up to 5000 IU/daily w/o much improvement in my scores. If the supplements don't work, there is a shot that you can get monthly as well. Research is showing that our current thought of recommended values isn't actually enough and that most people are deficient in the current lab levels and that Vit D impacts so much more of our bodies needs than what was previously thought.

    (it's why they call medicine a science and it's application practice...its an ever evolving process)
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
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    Vitamin D is difficult to get with diet. Especially enough to get levels back up. I am also Vitamin D deficient it is common in my area due to weather. Sun or supplements are pretty much to way to go to bring your levels back up.
  • kmtetour
    kmtetour Posts: 300 Member
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    Thanks, everyone! I'm in Chicago, and while I could sit in the sun most days over the summer, it doesn't really work past September. Also, I'm a pasty ginger, so I burn super easily. I'm not against taking supplements, it's just that I have a very difficult time swallowing pills, and they can be expensive. I guess that's probably the best route, though. I will search for chewables.
  • korygilliam
    korygilliam Posts: 594 Member
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    Just FYI--the pills that I get are liquid...about the size of a pencil eraser and smooth/plasticy coating. Is easy to swallow and doesn't disolve on your tongue. Just FYI
  • kmtetour
    kmtetour Posts: 300 Member
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    Thanks, Kory, I'll look for those.
  • stephanie_88
    stephanie_88 Posts: 29
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    Wellesse makes a liquid vitamin D3. I buy it at Walgreens or Rite Aid. Or you can ask your doctor for a prescription for a 50,000 IU gel pill that you can take once a week. It is very small. The same size as the 400 IU pills. I've been taking them for a little over a year plus about 2,000 IU daily and my level has gone back into the normal range. I have MS and almost all people with MS have low vitamin D.
  • paulaercksn
    paulaercksn Posts: 29 Member
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    If you have a membership or know someone who does, they are really cheap there. In Kansas City I got 600 count of 2000 IU for less than $11. And they are also the small liquid gels.
  • kmtetour
    kmtetour Posts: 300 Member
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    I got some at Wal-Mart. I managed to get a double pack for the same price as the regular (100 count for $6), so not TOO bad. They are so tiny! I don't know what I was worried about. Thanks everyone!
  • saralye
    saralye Posts: 10
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    I too was told I was Vitamin D deficient after having bloodwork done - like, 100% deficient, actually. My doc prescribed me an 8 week super-dose of D to bring my levels to normal, and recommended a daily supplement on top of and beyond that.

    As a daily supplement, my nutritionist recommended Vitamin D Synergy by Designs for Health, which also has some K as well which is importand for absorption. You will also need plenty of calcium to assist in absorbing any Vitamin D supplement, but if you are eating plenty of dark, leafy greens (i.e. spinach) and getting fortified milk regularly, you shouldn't need a separate calcium supplement beyond your daily multivitamin. Unfortunately Designs for Health I'm pretty sure you have to get from a distributor, but you might be able to find one if you google their website.

    I asked my doc about going in the sun for 15 minutes to replace having to take a supplement, and she was adamant that the healthcare industry no longer recommends this, even with sunblock. But as humans have been going in the sun for ages, I'm not about to skip a bike ride or trip to the beach every once in awhile, especially in the summer!

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