Vitamin D the natural way.

[sjeanine]

I cant believe how much I've learned already from reading these posts on this forum! Thank you so much for making this site! When I've gone to the doctors I've seen, they havent really said anything about it...they just hand me a prescription...creams to try...which never work. So good to have found this site and I already copied and pasted the preferred diet you posted, as well as the foods to avoid...I'll stick to the diet as I want relief now!!!

Vitamin D is essential in helping psoriasis. It is in the group of fat-soluble secosteroids and is unique both because it functions as a prohormone and because the body can synthesize it (as vitamin D3) when sun exposure is adequate (hence its nickname, the "sunshine vitamin").

Vitamin D is obtained from sun exposure, food, and supplements. it is biologically inert and must undergo two hydroxylations in the body for activation. The first occurs in the liver and converts vitamin D to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], also known as calcidiol. The second occurs primarily in the kidney and forms the physiologically active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D], also known as calcitriol.

So where do we get it?
#1 Your first place to look for a source of Vitamin D is the Sun. It’s free and exposure of 15 minutes three times a week is sufficient.

#2 Next you should be looking at foods. Good sources of Vitamin D in food are, Oily Fish including Salmon, Mackerel, Sardines, Tuna. Eggs (Vit D is in the yolk). Beef Liver. Mushrooms. Some manufactured foods are also supplemented with Vitamin D including, Powdered Milk, Breakfast Cereal, and Margarine. (Look for it on the label)

#3 Light Therapies: Pure UVA sunbeds are supposedly ineffective for the treatment of psoriasis on their own so make sure you have UVB.

#4 Supplements: Most people should be able to get the vitamin D they need by eating a varied and balanced diet and by getting some sun. If you insist on taking vitamin D supplements, do not take too much and check with your GP for the maximum daily intake.

OK so how much do you need?
You do not need vitamin D in your diet every day. This is because any of the vitamin your body does not need immediately is stored for future use. The recommended upper dose for an average adult is 4,000 IU (100 mcg) daily.

Salmon, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz) 360 IU (3.6 IU/g)
Mackerel, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), 345 IU (3.45 IU/g)
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 50 g (1.75 oz), 250 IU (5 IU/g)
Tuna, canned in oil, 100 g (3.5 oz), 235 IU (2.35 IU/g)
A 60g egg provides 20 IU (0.33 IU/g)
Beef liver, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz) 15 IU (0.15 IU/g)
Cod liver oil, 1 Tbs. (15 ml) 1360 IU (90.6 IU/ml)
Mushrooms, 100-g portion (grilled) from about 14 IU (0.14 IU/g non-exposed) to about 500 IU (5 IU/g exposed to UV light).

Anyone with any more information on Vitamin D please add.