It seems that the only way to obtain Vitamin D is by either sunlight or supplements/fortified foods (which I understand to be ergocalciferol and cholecalciferol).

My question now is how are these processed? Are these things that cannot be heated as well. As a cooked, packaged-friendly vegan, this was never a concern because I would buy whatever fortified "milk" and not think twice about Vitamin D. Now that I am steering clear from those packaged products and making my own nut milks, I don't have that fortification.

Do you just take Vitamin D supplements and assume you are getting your 200 IU/5 mcg of raw vitamin D supplements? Or do you relocate to a part of the world where the sunshine is plentiful?

Thanks!

I make sure to get about 15 min. outside every day.

I take the pills. I don't want to damage my skin. But neither do I want to eat a fish's liver.

There is some in mushrooms, more when we expose them to UV, but we don't know exactly how much we can get from them yet.

Take a look at the last sentence in the "Medicinal use" section of the Shiitake mushroom about it being a natural source of vitamin D

[en.wikipedia.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/2008 02:08AM by EZ rider.

I live in Florida, USA - so the sun is no problem. From my research, the farther away from the equator the greater the instance of seasonal affective disorder.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I live in Ontario, Canada. As soon as it's +8, +9 degrees, I get down to my bikini, go outside in the apartment courtyard either @ 10:30 AM or 2:00 PM, grab my ipod and a beach towel. I lay down on my back for about 10-15 minutes, flip, and then I'm done.

A week of this sent my mood THROUGH THE ROOF. Forget supplements. I feel like a GODDESS since I've started. I am so happy... have so much energy... we definitely have solar batteries that need to charge!

20-30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure every day is optimal for Vitamin D. Just don't do it during the peak ray time (11-2). You won't have damaged skin this way. If that much burns you, you have some deeper issues the sun is only trying to heal--via your skin.

Our best source of Vitamin D is from the sun. From an evolutionary perspective, our relative mammalian hairlessness allows greater Vitamin D synthesis... same reason our hair stands up when we're cold. More sunlight. :O

Thanks SO much for your answers! I've also heard people say that sea vegetables are a good source of vitamin D. I will continue to research. Thanks for the mushroom tip. I believe that there is enough sun in Kansas, I'm just making sure I'm touching all bases. I didn't want to have to resort to some processed additives if I can get it in it's whole raw natural form.

[www.solarhealing.com]

we get more than just vitamin d from the sun

Oh...this is timely for me..I just went out tonight to get some vit a and d supps..just to see if they help my mood. I'm pretty sure I'm sun starved.

+8 degrees bikini weather...geez...you are brave and most be oh so young..I just couldn't make myself do that

Love,
Prism

Shiitake Mushrooms dried with the gills facing up (to the UV rays) are supposed to develop a lot of vitamin D. Not too convenient, I know. I guess you could always go tanning... 15 to 20 min few times a week (three maybe?) is all you need apparently.

I read your reply about the solar healing and "here comes the sun" popped into my head.

I think my hair soaks up all my sun! It's a big curly black bush of hair and I can feel the heat in it when I'm under the sun.

I'm definitely asking the local mushroom farmers about this mushroom/vitamin d thing though.

The articles I read made it seem like experimentations with UV rays. Nothing definite though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/2008 05:52AM by idarastar.

i've been sitting button mushrooms in a sunny window for 20 or so minutes and then adding them to sunflower seed pate. little doesn't like mushrooms so this is a good way to get him to eat them ('cause he Loves that pate!). other than that we get sun on our hands and faces when we walk to and from school (not peak sun times) and i undress the baby and sit her in the sun that comes into our room through the window in the morning. so far we seem to get hardly any colour in the summer since we stay mostly in the shade and wear hats when it's hot out, i don't love sunscreen and avoid it whenever i can. i used to fake and bake when i got down in the winter but it hasn't happened in a long time, i think it's because of the sunny window, it seems to be sunny year round here (southern ontario).