The elusive vitamin D saga

The recommended vitamin D by health standards in my opinion is set very low. With over 40% of the population now showing insufficient vitamin D levels we have to stop and ask why is this happening?

But first, lets delve a little deeper

Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin, but an hormone, so this opens up a question, is it possible to get vitamin D from vegetarian sources?

Well the short answer is NO, not in the true sense of the word.

Vitamin D3 is a fat soluble hormone, meaning it naturally occurs in the fats of animal products such as meat, eggs, organ meats, butter, cream, milk and fish.

Now, we know from my previous blog on the ideal diet,  that healthy cultures in the past were consuming levels 1000% higher in this vitamin. I'm not talking about a few cultures, but all of them studied by Weston A Price.

It is true, Vitamin D2 can be found in plant foods, but it tends to compete with Vitamin D3 so consuming foods high in D2 may in fact lower your available amounts of D3.

A lot of the problem started with the low fat fad. About 50yrs ago there was a tremendous push for us to eat low fat foods, but when we remove the fat we also remove with it Vitamin D.

Some of the highest food sources of Vitamin D3 are Salmon, fish liver oils and egg yolks.

A 100 gram serving of Salmon contains between 360-685 IU of Vitamin D, and interestingly wild salmon has shown to to contain up to 1300 IU which is a whopping difference.

Cod liver oil is an excellent source of Vitamin D and probably the easiest form, as once you have a bottle, it will last a few months. A maintenance dose can supply 450 IU upwards per teaspoon, so can supply 75-100% of your recommended daily amount.

Egg yolks are another great source supplying 18-39 IU from the typical battery hen and 3-4 times as much for pasture fed chickens eating grass, a little grain and of course bugs. The key here being to eat only pasture fed eggs!! If there was any food I would recommend to eat organic it would be eggs. Those cooped up chickens that eat synthetic feeds will only produce eggs which have no right on your plate.

Now the game changer

Vitamin D consumed from foods is a fat soluble vitamin but the vitamin D your body manufactures from ultra violet light is WATER SOLUABLE, yes it behaves totally different in the body and perhaps can not even be compared to the Vitamin D we are eating.

Our bodies are full of vitamin D receptors, they are in the skin as well as organs. These vitamin D receptors need to be full with vitamin D, if they are not, they leave an entry point for parasites, then starts the cascade towards the blood becoming sticky and more prone to health problems with accompanying dampness.

The problem with the recommended daily intake is compared to what can be obtained from a brief outing in the sun it becomes a bit of a joke.

Here is a snapshot of me being out in the Sun for 33 minutes in shorts on the 3rd January,  being in shorts mean that 85% of my skin was exposed and its shows the time being from 11.36am-12.06pm.

This is the time that UV rays are the highest, but with the help of my little app, which warns me how long I'm allowed, it ensures I never burn.

If you look at the total in green, it reads 12K IU. That is 2000% above the recommended dose of 600 IU, lets repeat that. My daily goal from my diet is 600 IU, I received 12,000 IU in a mere 30minutes. Previous healthy cultures from records show they consumed about 6000 IU from their diets.

Now you see the problem, why is the recommended daily amount set at a safe level of 600 IU when you can get that by being in the sun at midday for 72 seconds??

If you suffer any of the following problems you may well be deficient in vitamin D

  • Type-2 Diabetes
  • Bleeding Gums or Gum disease
  • Arthritis, sore joints, back or neck pain
  • Aching  or cramping muscles
  • Auto- immune disease
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Asthma
  • Cancer
  • Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

If you are presenting with any of the above symptoms, I would strongly urge you to get a vitamin D check from a doctor, then seek a little help.

My suggestion is to download the app dminder for free, and try to get some time in the light, as well as consume foods high in Vitamin D daily, then and only then will your bones and teeth once again become strong, as you will be utilising your calcium.

You must have adequate vitamin D to utilise your minerals!!

I am more than happy to help any of you in this matter, should you wish to contact me for a consultation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Blair
WELCOME!

My name is Blair Harvey and I have had the pleasure of working at one of Australia's best Health Retreat's for the past fourteen wonderful years. Over those years I have had the delight of working with a spectacular kitchen team, we all have an immense passion for cooking good healthy food that is unique and tantalizing to your taste buds. Together we have not only developed our skills in cooking wholesome, nourishing and out right delicious foods, but we have been committed to broadening our knowledge of healing with whole foods and exploring the beauty of healthy living. Because of our enthusiasm in the benefits of foods and there healing properties I developed a blog to help us SHARE what we have learnt with the rest of the world.

You will find tasty gems of wisdom on health, food and healing, helping to expand your mind and revitalize your knowledge of healthy eating.