Vitamin D–Sun, Food or Pills?

Low Vitamin D? You may not need synthetic pills made in a laboratory which is usually all the doctors suggest when you show up low in Vitamin D on a blood test. Before deciding for yourself, consider this list of possible side effects from taking a supplement:

Kidney stones.
Confusion or disorientation.
Muscle weakness.
Bone pain.
Weight loss or poor appetite.
Extreme thirst.
Frequent urination.
Nausea, vomiting, or constipation.

Before you take your chances, consider spending time in the sun with a hat–and without your sunglasses since your eyes absorb Vitamin D the best.  And there are a number of foods that contain Vitamin D so get after those, as well:

• Fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon.
• Pastured Beef liver.
• Raw Cheese.
• Pastured Egg yolks.
• And…cod liver oil. Get the lemon-flavored or squeeze your own lemon juice into it. Great for immune function, too!

And what about sunscreen?  Interestingly enough, since sunscreen was introduced in the 1950’s there has been no decrease in skin cancer rates, yet a significant increase in Vitamin D deficiency. Getting regular sun exposure in small amounts without sunscreen will help you build your Vitamin D level, but be careful to minimize any sunburns by using a hat and longsleeve shirt when your exposure expands beyond 20-25 minutes. And when you do need sunscreen, choose one that uses zinc and/or titanium–not PABA.

I have had personal experience with getting the news that a latest blood test revealed I was low in Vitamin D; the food choices and hat without sunglasses did the trick!

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