Vitamin D?

[Jessican]

My midwife ran blood tests and I'm severely defecient in Vit D. I live in NY state and there just isn't enough sun even if I WERE an outdoorsy type person.

I have tried to do a search but I'm coming up short as to natural ways to get Vit D other than sunlight? the MW wants to put me on prescription strength Vit D supplements.

[DopeRawAbundance]

Mushrooms and sunlight are the only things I know of.

[RawKnitster]

I have the same issue here in Washington State. I choose to supplement with Vitamin D3. It is available in a liquid form called "cholecalciferol". It comes from combing sheeps wool. (As a knitter I obviously don't have a problem using sheep's wool. ;)) Five drops a day in a glass of water provides 2,000 IU. It is a bioactive form of D, good for bone health and immune health. There is a warning on the bottle that if you are pregnant, consult your health care professional before using the product.

I can't advise you what to do, I'm just throwing out another possible option that you should discuss with your MW.

:)

[Amarynth]

I'm in the same boat as you are. I'm in upstate NY too and found out a few months ago that as well as testing positive for Lyme, I am Vit D deficient. I'm not certain if I have this right, but I thought I read somewhere that dark leafy greens offer some Vit D. I'll have to look it up. Currently I'm taking supplements as ordered by the doctor (a multi vit and vit D). I'll let you know if I come across any other information. Good luck! :)

[DeniseM]

There are vitamin D lamps available that give off UVB rays -- you may want to look around for one of those. I'm not sure what kind of stores would carry them, but you could certainly order one online. I believe there are also special lightbulbs that help you produce more vitamin D.

Apart from that, there are vitamin D-enhanced mushrooms grown under UV light that have a considerable amount of vitamin D. They aren't available everywhere, but look around at local grocery stores and see if you can find some place that carries them...

Supplementation is always an option too.

[Riiiya]

hm i just gave in and started taking supplemental D3. I live in Northern Indiana. :/

[Jessican]

Denise - yea I know I can supplement - my Dr called in a script for 50,000IU pills for me. But the pharmacy is always my last option IMHO I was hoping there was something else I could try first. But since there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of alternatives to sun I think I'll get the prescription. If I weren't pregnant I probably wouldn't bother. LOL

[DeniseM]

Here is one place with info on the vitamin D lamps:

http://sperti.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=81

Congrats on being pregnant! Prenatal nutrition is sooo important; it's great you're concerned about covering all of your nutritional bases. :)

[Factoid]

Jessican: Did you say 50 000IU pills?? How much IU in a single pill and how many to be taken per day?

[Jessican]

Jessican: Did you say 50 000IU pills?? How much IU in a single pill and how many to be taken per day?

yup. Fifty thousand IU per pill to be taken once a week for 8 weeks and then get my bloodwork re-drawn. But after that probably just back to over-the-counter dosages.

I was SEVERLY defecient. I'm not an outdoors person to start with (and never drink fortified milk) so I probably started off the winter defecient. And now I'm two people. <3

That's why I'm not going to quibble about taking the prescription. I don't think I'll catch up just on mushrooms and I can't afford the $200+ lamp that Denise linked to. lol

[honeyb1]

Most foods with vitamin D are not vegan and raw accessible, supplements are also a great source of vitamin D, check this out:

http://www.algaecal.com/vitamin-d/vitamin-d-sources.html

[Factoid]

I am also massively defficient, it's just that I haven't been able to find any supplements in Australia for more than 1000IU/ day. The UK was similar too..I might try to order online.

[Jessican]

Factoid - doing the math - you should be able to take 7 x 1,000IU pills each day and that would give you close to the 50,000IU I take once a week. I'm pretty sure my Dr wanted me to go down to 2,000IU/day after the 8weeks. But like I said I'm pregnant so I'm not sure if that would be less if I weren't. HTH

[Rick2009]

hm i just gave in and started taking supplemental D3. I live in Northern Indiana. :/

Me too. I'm from Canada and I take it all winter. My doctor says 1200IU is the standard dosage but I take 1500IU. I don't want to be low on this vitamin. Its one of the most important of all.

[Factoid]

Factoid - doing the math - you should be able to take 7 x 1,000IU pills each day and that would give you close to the 50,000IU I take once a week. I'm pretty sure my Dr wanted me to go down to 2,000IU/day after the 8weeks. But like I said I'm pregnant so I'm not sure if that would be less if I weren't. HTH


Indeed that's true but the cost really is massive in comparison to getting supplements that are just more concentrated. If I were to do this with the ones I'm taking it would mean I would be paying AUD63.70/ month minimum (I only calculated a month as 4*7 here).

Btw what Vit D brand is everyone taking? I am looking for one that is vegan.

[Jessican]

Ouch! I didn't realize that would cost that much. Of course I have no idea what the currency exchange is LOL

I just got my Dh a bottle of 2000IU - I want to say there were 90 in the bottle? it was only like $7USD But I have no idea wether it would be veagan. I'm not vegan for moral reasons - just health ones. (don't stone me!) And DH is no where near vegan LOL