Vitamin D Light

[Tallman]

50,000iu weekly for 8 weeks is the recommended Treatment for low vit D levels, This dose can safely be taken for up to 12 weeks without need for any lab work. If this dose is for longer your Physician should do lab work. Once your Vitamin D level is in normal range a maintenence dose of 50, 000iu Monthly will keep it there. Monthly dose Vit D Prescription is on the $4.00 list at Walmart, Kmart, etc... Some people choose to purchase and take a daily supplement. I prefer one little pill once per month.

Low vitamin D levels are now epidemic, Everyone should ask their Physician to check this level. Vitamin D deficieny is being linked as a contributor to the development of several diseases including MS.

Forget the light bulb therapy. The only effective bulb for Vitamin D is the one God turns on every morning.

D2 is usually the prescription-form-It is effective,(D2 doubled my vit D level)Although D3 is the more absorbable form. If you are purchasing a supplement on your own try to find D3.

Wow, very helpful. How did you become so knowledgeable on this subject?

 

[Tallman]

The lights that help your body generate vitamin d HAVE to be UVB lights. I know they make them for reptiles, but I hear the people sized ones are expensive. The easiest and cheapest ways to fight a vitamin D deficiency are...

1. Sun bathe naked. Seriously.
2. Liquid vitamin D3 drops from Carlson....about $14/bottle at vitamin cottage.

So should you lay on your stomach or your back? I was thinking stomach for maximum sq footage exposure.

Big D, I would bet it is based upon how a person is built. Some of us have a great mountain that rises between our waist and our shoulders when we lie on our back. I just figured that this great piece of anatomy is there just for the purpose of naked sun soaking. Glad you brought it up.

 

[Wifezilla]

I go for even exposure on both sides

 

[Beekissed]

Actually 20 minutes of sun exposure, even in the winter time, on your face and your hands/arms can give you most, if not all, of your Vit. D needs. I've read that it's very important to not wear sunglasses during these times, as this is supposed to increase your Vit. D production.

The pleurisy is an inflammatory process between the pleural layers of your lungs(think of the lining on a purse as your lung and the actual inside of the purse as a layer inside your chest wall). These two layers are inflamed and rubbing against each other with every breath. Usually a doc will prescribe steroids to decrease the inflammation and encourage fluids.

Ibuprofen is a good anti-inflammatory to use at home and it will help with the pain also.

I've had pleurisy and it is horrible! Very painful!!

 

[Tallman]

Actually 20 minutes of sun exposure, even in the winter time, on your face and your hands/arms can give you most, if not all, of your Vit. D needs. I've read that it's very important to not wear sunglasses during these times, as this is supposed to increase your Vit. D production.

Bee is that 20 min. of sun per day or what?

Thanks for the information about the pleurisy. I run a nebulizer and when I mention to the doc that I thought I had pleurisy, my medicine was changed. It went from $17 per box to $220 per box so I'm wondering if this new med is steroids. I hate steroids.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, 20 min. of sun per day....and ya don't even have to do it nekked!

I usually bundle up in a warm fleece jacket and sit out in my adirondack chair and let the sun hit my face, watch my chickens, sheep and dogs play and contemplate the universe.....does a body good!

With your pleurisy, I wouldn't recommend doing it just now, as the cold air can make your lungs work a little harder.

Steroids usually don't cost very much...old med and all. I'd say they probably put you on an antibiotic. They DO cost!

Get some sun on that face, power up on some good OJ, get plenty of rest, drink water, water, water and eat green, leafy veggies every day. You'll soon be on the mend!

 

[Tallman]

Get some sun on that face, power up on some good OJ, get plenty of rest, drink water, water, water and eat green, leafy veggies every day. You'll soon be on the mend!

WILL DO BOSS!! It's been a long hard pull, but I think we are figuring out what the problems are.

Thanks to all.

 

[dragonlaurel]

Actually 20 minutes of sun exposure, even in the winter time, on your face and your hands/arms can give you most, if not all, of your Vit. D needs. I've read that it's very important to not wear sunglasses during these times, as this is supposed to increase your Vit. D production.

Bee is that 20 min. of sun per day or what?

Thanks for the information about the pleurisy. I run a nebulizer and when I mention to the doc that I thought I had pleurisy, my medicine was changed. It went from $17 per box to $220 per box so I'm wondering if this new med is steroids. I hate steroids.

I thought it might be too cold or you to go bare, but it is the most efficient way to get D.
If you like curries, it might be a good idea. Turmeric is a good anti-infammatory. Pineapple is too, but it would have to be fresh.

Might want to do probiotics since you've been on antibiotics.

 

[sylvie]

....and ya don't even have to do it nekked!

Buzzkiller! I really wanted to hear how that went for Tallman!

I read that researchers felt that sun exposure to the back of the knees was more useful than most any other part of the body.

 

[Wifezilla]

Actually 20 minutes of sun exposure, even in the winter time, on your face and your hands/arms can give you most, if not all, of your Vit. D needs.

Not necessarily. It totally depends on where you live, time of year, your age, etc...

The average woman uses 4000 IU of vitamin D per day. The average man uses 6000 IU. While mid day sun exposure can generate 10,000 IU in that time, most of us as not getting mid day sun exposure. In Winter, you are not going to generate near that level.

"Sun Exposure: Catching some rays each day is definitely desirable, and healthy young people can usually get the vitamin D they need from around 10 to 30 minutes of sun exposure per day - depending on their location and the time of year. Most adults in today`s modern world, however, do not even attempt to get this much sun exposure - much less achieve it. But even if they did, would it matter, or are there other variables standing in the way?

Location: Vitamin D is produced in the skin from a cholesterol derivative when we are exposed to UVB radiation from the sun. However, because of the axial tilt of the earth, the further north one lives, the less the sun`s UVB rays will be able to activate vitamin D in the skin. So sun exposure does not necessarily equal optimal vitamin D status if you`re living in the wrong location. Living down south is better, of course (south of the 35 N latitude line seems to be the best), but there is still more to consider.

Age: Say you do live close to the equator, or are significantly below the 35 N latitude line. That`s a good thing, and it probably helps. If you`re around 35-40 years old or above, however, you`re likely losing the ability to activate sufficient levels of vitamin D in your skin, even in the unlikely event that you`re getting adequate UVB sun exposure (4).

Dark Skin: What if you have dark skin? If you have a lot of pigment in your skin, this is going to shield you from the UVB radiation you need, and you`re probably deficient in vitamin D.

Weight: Vitamin D requirements are also relative to body weight. If you`re overweight, your body requires more vitamin D than if you are not overweight. If you get a lot of sun, but are on the heavy side, you`re probably still not getting enough vitamin D.

Chronic Illness: Chronically ill? Have cancer? The body demands more vitamin D when you`re sick, and is probably using it up faster than you can get it from the sun.

When one considers that many Americans are victims of not just one but many of the above drawbacks, it becomes readily obvious as to why there is such a widespread vitamin D deficiency epidemic. Not getting enough sun is bad enough, but lack of sun exposure combined with being middle-aged, overweight, and chronically ill is an absolute disaster - and it is the devastating situation that many (most?) Americans find themselves in today.

Is Sun Exposure Really Not Enough?

Yes, sun exposure is a good thing, but too often, it`s simply not sufficient to achieve the kind of levels necessary for disease prevention and treatment. This applies even in places like Hawaii, where individuals get plenty of sun exposure, and the latitude is around 21 (5, 6). The role of sunlight should not be downplayed too much, however. If you`re healthy, young, and live in a subtropical region, then you might have sufficient vitamin D levels. In fact, some young people in the subtropics who get sun exposure all day long have levels between 80-100 ng/ml. This is incredible, and it means that sun exposure really does work provided the conditions are right.*

The point being made in this article is simply that not everyone is young, not everyone is healthy, not everyone lives in Houston, and not everyone gets enough sun exposure every day. It is those people who need to supplement with vitamin D. This also happens to be most people.

Blood Testing is Crucial

How do you know if you`re getting enough vitamin D, and how much is enough? The only way to know is by testing your blood. Fortunately, testing vitamin D, as far as blood testing goes, is pretty cheap. You can set this up with your doctor, order tests online and get blood drawn at a local lab, or order a vitamin D home test kit, whereby you simply order the test, prick your finger, send in the blood, and wait for the results to come back to you."