Is there a holistic, natural approach to addressing vitamin D deficiency without supplements or medication?
Vitamin D can be obtained in two ways, through dietary intake and sun exposure. The foods with the highest amount of vitamin D include fish and halibut and cod liver oils. Smaller amounts of vitamin D are found in pork, egg yolks, lamb, beef, and mushrooms. Some foods are fortified with vitamin D such as milk, cheese, butter, and most cereals. The greatest source of vitamin D production comes from the sun. In the summer time, one can make up to 15,000iu vitamin D in 10-15 min of sun exposure without sunscreen. However, this is dependent on the intensity of the sun light. For example in Boston, no vitamin D can be produced from November through February. So the body uses stored vitamin D and dietary vitamin D during the winter months in northern climates. This is the main reason we recommend supplementing with vitamin D during the winter months. A level of about 50ng/mL is thought to be the most optimal for health.
