Vitamin D – Are you getting enough?
Vitamin D deficiency seems to be such a common problem, with 1 in 3 adult Australians having it. I was diagnosed some time ago as having very low levels. I could not believe it!
I live in one of the most sunniest places in Australia, rarely wear sunscreen and regularly eat eggs!
Once I started taking supplements, I felt so much better and it alleviated a range of health problems I was having.
So, how do you know if you have a deficiency? Check out these symptoms and see if you can relate.
* depression, especially in the winter months
* muscle weakness
* bone pain
* fatigue
* inability to lose weight/weight gain
* insomnia
* mood swings
* difficulty concentrating
* low immunity (catching everything that’s going around)
It’s actually quite a serious problem and long-term low levels of Vitamin D are also associated with asthma, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, MS, osteoporosis, stroke, heart problems and more! Don’t get freaked out, but just be aware!
It’s important to get a blood test from your health care practitioner to confirm your levels and then take advice from there. Need a great holistic practitioner? Find one here.
So as well as taking a daily supplement, I also:
* get out in the sun late afternoon, without sunscreen, for about half an hour (I go for a walk most days)
* up my intake of Vitamin D rich foods like fatty fish like mackerel and sardines and egg yolks. Fortified organic milk and other dairy products, and beef liver all help too, but I am not so keen on those!
With one in three of us having this health problem, I wanted to share my story, in case one of you can benefit from getting it checked out.
Talk to me: has anyone experienced problems with Vitamin D?
Oh Wow….I cannot believe you have just done a post about this today…First thing this morning, I bought myself some Vitamin D tablets while I was picking up my Inner Health Plus
remember I said I was thinking about you today!!! that must be it….. hope it makes you feel better honey xx
I’m vitamin D deficit as well as I had low iron levels. Like you I went out in the sun without sunscreen- used to sit on my east facing verandah each morning getting some sun. Ate eggs and oily fish. I couldn’t believe it . I now take one tablet a month , with diet I’ve bought my iron levels up. One of specialist told me that you need to get the sun on your torso to get an effective dose of Vitamin D.
Ohhhhh well that explains it… I don’t go walking in my bra very often !! LOL 😀
Loads of people are Vit D deficient these days..sad sign ‘o the times methinks. One clarification..low D levels do not contributue to diabetes…but rather a diabetic, mainly a Type 1 diabetic, will have low D levels because of their condition.. 🙂
thanks black cats and buttons!
I’ve recently started a Vitamin D supplement to help drag me out of this depression that doesn’t seem to want to let go, and I am already seeing an improvement. It’s rarely sunny here unfortunately! I’m glad to hear you had such success with it xo
it does seem to make a difference ! hope you find it does too Kristen x
My 3yo has been diagnosed via a blood test with Vit D defficiency, he has had pneumonia, croop, ear infection and last week spent 4 days in hospital with suspected meningococcal – all since April! Not sure how to get his levels up, have increased eggs and fish – he has dark skin so apparently does not absorb as much D from the sun – any ideas on how to increase Vit D so his immume system can recover
I have olive skin too so it makes it hard for me to get it from the sun. I don’t know how else to do it, apart from supplements. You would have to check with your doctor Meg. Poor little chook…. hope he gets better soon xxxx
My Doc gives me a Vit D injection (approx every 6 months) which brings my levels right up.
I have it at the moment! I have had it for over a year and keep trying to get the levels to go up
its very hard for me and my loss of hair has been the most sad part about it:(
just had another test and I’m still not quite there
Taking 4000mg a day now:D
I got some mega awesome supps from a naturopath 🙂
I recently went for SCIO and the lady diagnosed me as lacking all major Vitamins and Minerals. I started taking a variety of vitamins and minerals, but when i ran out of the Vit D it felt like i wasn’t taking anything at all. My tired aching body returned.
It is amazing what an effect it has on a person.
I live in South Africa, so i also live in a very sunny place, but clearly i don’t get enough sunshine 😉
That’s interesting!