Thursday, April 4, 2013

Vitamin D Deficient

So I've been feeling sick for the last month and after three different rounds of antibiotic, I asked my Doctor to draw some blood and test to see what is wrong with me besides my depression which is practically my main source of illness.

So the verdict came in and, praise the Lord, everything looks fine but my vitamin D is low! It's supposed to be up there in the high numbers and is down there in the very low numbers of what it shouldn't be. So, he gave me Vitamin D to take once a week for the next three months and I need to retest my blood end of June.

Then, I sought Google to tell me what Vitamin D Deficiency is all about and this is what I found:


Vitamin D deficiency can occur for a number of reasons:


You don't consume the recommended levels of the vitamin over time. This is likely if you follow a strict vegetarian diet, because most of the natural sources are animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, cheese, fortified milk, and beef liver. - I happen to eat egss every morning but I'm lacking Nemo regularly.

Your exposure to sunlight is limited. Because the body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, you may be at risk of deficiency if you are homebound, live in northern latitudes, wear long robes or head coverings for religious reasons, or have an occupation that prevents sun exposure. - It has been winter here in Dallas so this could be the reason why I haven't been outside.

You have dark skin. The pigment melanin reduces the skin's ability to make vitamin D in response to sunlight exposure. Some studies show that older adults with darker skin are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency. - I don't like to get any darker than what I am already. I don't like to even out but I don't like tanning that's for sun lovers.

Your kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form. As people age their kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing their risk of vitamin D deficiency.- Hmmm....my kidneys have been giving me problems.


Your digestive tract cannot adequately absorb vitamin D. Certain medical problems, including Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease, can affect your intestine's ability to absorb vitamin D from the food you eat.


You are obese. Vitamin D is extracted from the blood by fat cells, altering its release into the circulation. People with a body mass index of 30 or greater often have low blood levels of vitamin D. - I have a problem with this and my doctor urge me to start losing weight or else!

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