Guest guest Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 In my previous posting on Vitamin D concerns, I mentioned that I was awaiting results of my Vitamin D blood test (25-OH). Well, the results are in and it indicated that my Vitamin D was very low. My reading was 12 ng/mL. The reference range provided by the lab was 20-100 ng/mL. The note included on the lab page said this: " Levels below 20 ng/mL suggests Vitamin D deficiency while levels between 20 ng/mL and 30 ng/mL suggest insufficiency. In both situations, there is a need for intense to moderate supplementation. " So, let this be a word to the wise. If you eat a raw vegan diet and reside in an area where you can't get Vitamin D from sunlight during the winter months, and you don't take any animal-derived Vitamin D supplements (cholecalciferol) or use a UVB sun lamp, then you're probably deficient as well. For those skeptics, don't take my word for it; get your own blood tested. I plan to get another test mid-summer when I'm out in the sun almost every day so I can compare results with my winter test. Some people on this list seem to think you can obtain Vitamin D from tender greens. Personally, I think that's incorrect. My diet consists of a variety of fresh fruits and a HUGE salad of tender greens *every day*, yet I'm still Vitamin D deficient. And I've been taking vegan D2 (ergocalciferol) tablets twice/week. It's too bad that Dr. Douglas Graham in his book " The 80/10/10 Diet " doesn't address the Vitamin D issue. He recommends a diet of fresh fruits and tender greens with no supplementation. Apparently he must think everyone lives in a tropical region and can get adequate sunshine exposure year-round. Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Hi, I live in Maine. Very cold and not a lot of sunshine. Last winter I had mine checked and mine was 64 ng/ML. I spend at least an hour outside each day. I love fresh air and just bundle up when it it below zero and go in and out. I would NEVER resort to taking an animal based supplement. Keep trying. Laura 100% raw vegan Jan <jantese wrote: In my previous posting on Vitamin D concerns, I mentioned that I was awaiting results of my Vitamin D blood test (25-OH). Well, the results are in and it indicated that my Vitamin D was very low. My reading was 12 ng/mL. The reference range provided by the lab was 20-100 ng/mL. The note included on the lab page said this: " Levels below 20 ng/mL suggests Vitamin D deficiency while levels between 20 ng/mL and 30 ng/mL suggest insufficiency. In both situations, there is a need for intense to moderate supplementation. " So, let this be a word to the wise. If you eat a raw vegan diet and reside in an area where you can't get Vitamin D from sunlight during the winter months, and you don't take any animal-derived Vitamin D supplements (cholecalciferol) or use a UVB sun lamp, then you're probably deficient as well. For those skeptics, don't take my word for it; get your own blood tested. I plan to get another test mid-summer when I'm out in the sun almost every day so I can compare results with my winter test. Some people on this list seem to think you can obtain Vitamin D from tender greens. Personally, I think that's incorrect. My diet consists of a variety of fresh fruits and a HUGE salad of tender greens *every day*, yet I'm still Vitamin D deficient. And I've been taking vegan D2 (ergocalciferol) tablets twice/week. It's too bad that Dr. Douglas Graham in his book " The 80/10/10 Diet " doesn't address the Vitamin D issue. He recommends a diet of fresh fruits and tender greens with no supplementation. Apparently he must think everyone lives in a tropical region and can get adequate sunshine exposure year-round. Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Normal ranges for tests were developed by using people eating a SAD so the " normal " doesn't really mean the same thing for someone eating a raw vegan diet. Kim rawfood , Jan <jantese wrote: > > In my previous posting on Vitamin D concerns, I mentioned that I was > awaiting results of my Vitamin D blood test (25-OH). Well, the > results are in and it indicated that my Vitamin D was very low. > > My reading was 12 ng/mL. The reference range provided by the lab was > 20-100 ng/mL. The note included on the lab page said this: > > " Levels below 20 ng/mL suggests Vitamin D deficiency while levels > between 20 ng/mL and 30 ng/mL suggest insufficiency. In both > situations, there is a need for intense to moderate supplementation. " > > So, let this be a word to the wise. If you eat a raw vegan diet and > reside in an area where you can't get Vitamin D from sunlight during > the winter months, and you don't take any animal-derived Vitamin D > supplements (cholecalciferol) or use a UVB sun lamp, then you're > probably deficient as well. > > For those skeptics, don't take my word for it; get your own blood > tested. I plan to get another test mid-summer when I'm out in the > sun almost every day so I can compare results with my winter test. > > Some people on this list seem to think you can obtain Vitamin D from > tender greens. Personally, I think that's incorrect. My diet > consists of a variety of fresh fruits and a HUGE salad of tender > greens *every day*, yet I'm still Vitamin D deficient. And I've been > taking vegan D2 (ergocalciferol) tablets twice/week. > > It's too bad that Dr. Douglas Graham in his book " The 80/10/10 Diet " > doesn't address the Vitamin D issue. He recommends a diet of fresh > fruits and tender greens with no supplementation. Apparently he must > think everyone lives in a tropical region and can get adequate > sunshine exposure year-round. > > Jan > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 The reference range for a blood test is based on the average values in a healthy population; 95% of healthy people have values within that particular range. I don't think diet is taken into consideration. The value will also vary somewhat among labs, depending on their equipment and calibration. That's why every lab includes their own reference range with the results. But, Kim, why don't you tell us what you think the reference range for a Vitamin D (25-OH) blood test would mean for someone eating a raw vegan diet. I'm all ears. Jan On Mar 11, 2007, at 12:02 PM, Kim Kline wrote: > Normal ranges for tests were developed by using people eating a SAD > so the " normal " doesn't really mean the same thing for someone eating > a raw vegan diet. > > Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2007 Report Share Posted March 12, 2007 Is there a home method of me checking my Vit D levels? Perhaps with a finger prick thing for insulin checks? I can't afford to get lab work done, but might be able to invest in a home method. On 11 Mar 2007 19:12:09 -0700, Tobias Urbaitis <littleladsbasket wrote: > > Hi, > I live in Maine. Very cold and not a lot of sunshine. Last winter I had > mine checked and mine was 64 ng/ML. I spend at least an hour outside each > day. > I love fresh air and just bundle up when it it below zero and go in and > out. > I would NEVER resort to taking an animal based supplement. Keep trying. > Laura 100% raw vegan > > Jan <jantese <jantese%40gmail.com>> wrote: In my previous > posting on Vitamin D concerns, I mentioned that I was > awaiting results of my Vitamin D blood test (25-OH). Well, the > results are in and it indicated that my Vitamin D was very low. > > My reading was 12 ng/mL. The reference range provided by the lab was > 20-100 ng/mL. The note included on the lab page said this: > > " Levels below 20 ng/mL suggests Vitamin D deficiency while levels > between 20 ng/mL and 30 ng/mL suggest insufficiency. In both > situations, there is a need for intense to moderate supplementation. " > > So, let this be a word to the wise. If you eat a raw vegan diet and > reside in an area where you can't get Vitamin D from sunlight during > the winter months, and you don't take any animal-derived Vitamin D > supplements (cholecalciferol) or use a UVB sun lamp, then you're > probably deficient as well. > > For those skeptics, don't take my word for it; get your own blood > tested. I plan to get another test mid-summer when I'm out in the > sun almost every day so I can compare results with my winter test. > > Some people on this list seem to think you can obtain Vitamin D from > tender greens. Personally, I think that's incorrect. My diet > consists of a variety of fresh fruits and a HUGE salad of tender > greens *every day*, yet I'm still Vitamin D deficient. And I've been > taking vegan D2 (ergocalciferol) tablets twice/week. > > It's too bad that Dr. Douglas Graham in his book " The 80/10/10 Diet " > doesn't address the Vitamin D issue. He recommends a diet of fresh > fruits and tender greens with no supplementation. Apparently he must > think everyone lives in a tropical region and can get adequate > sunshine exposure year-round. > > Jan > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2007 Report Share Posted March 12, 2007 No, there's no home method for a Vitamin D blood test. I had a calcium level done along with the Vitamin D test (since Vitamin D helps maintain normal blood levels of calcium), and they took two vials of blood! Jan On Mar 11, 2007, at 10:29 PM, Leah wrote: > Is there a home method of me checking my Vit D levels? Perhaps with > a finger > prick thing for insulin checks? I can't afford to get lab work > done, but > might be able to invest in a home method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2007 Report Share Posted March 12, 2007 Laura, that's really hard to believe that you could get sufficient sun exposure in Maine during the winter months. This is from the NIH fact sheet: " Season, geographic latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen affect UV ray exposure and vitamin D synthesis. For example, sunlight exposure from November through February in Boston is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin. " I go out for walks during the winter, too, but because of the blustery, bone-chilling wind, I have to bundle up with very little skin exposure. Laura, you must have some other source of Vitamin D to get your level up that high during the winter. Or perhaps the lab mistakenly did a 1,25-di-hydroxy-vitamin D test or calcitriol (instead of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D). Calcitriol is often elevated in vitamin D deficiency. Jan On Mar 10, 2007, at 2:03 PM, Tobias Urbaitis wrote: > Hi, > I live in Maine. Very cold and not a lot of sunshine. Last winter > I had mine checked and mine was 64 ng/ML. I spend at least an hour > outside each day. > I love fresh air and just bundle up when it it below zero and go in > and out. > I would NEVER resort to taking an animal based supplement. Keep > trying. > Laura 100% raw vegan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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