Seasonal Affective Disorder and Eyesight

[Lovedtodeath]

Since I had Lasik my eyesight is especially affected by lack of light. If it's cold as well, it's worse.

 

So, if you haven't had Lasik, I wasn't at all helpful. . .

 

You did help, because I am paying more attention to my contacts. Your reminder about eyedrops was what I needed, even though the drieness had a different reason.

[Lovedtodeath]

The only 'artificial' D you can currently get is D2, which isn't what you want anyway. it's a biologically inappropriate analog when it comes to human physiology.

 

Get D-3/cholecalciferol. It all comes from fish liver or (very rarely) lanolin.

 

 

 

Good to know. Thanks. I take a lot of Salmon Oil along with other fish oils. Could I be getting D from that without knowing?

[cillakat]

Good to know. Thanks. I take a lot of Salmon Oil along with other fish oils. Could I be getting D from that without knowing?

 

No. not unless you're taking cod liver oil....which you really don't want anyway. It's best to take plain fish oil (or better yet, eat fatty fish), then take D separately.....and small amounts of A if needed.

 

K

[Lovedtodeath]

Thanks again!

[Storm Bay]

What triggers the expression of genes though? Often environmental factors. It could be very possible that d insufficiency is one of those factors.

 

It's looking that way with autism and colon cancer.

 

Katherine

 

But autism has a variety of causes, as any good DAN! MD knows. Have you ever taken one of your dc to a DAN! MD? I have a child who doesn't have autism (was never diagnosed with it, and, in fact, we were told by one of the area experts in the field that she has no form of it--she doesn't belong on the spectrum) that I took to one for other reasons, and she had a whole battery of tests. These same tests are used for kids with autism. I know families with children diagnosed with autism--in one case it was purely immune, in another it was unrelated. It can be food sensitivities (way beyond just gf/cf), immune problems, any number of things. I am extremely skeptical that one cause will ever be found for it.

 

Any study on one vitamin is simplistic and one of the pitfalls of medical studies--too much focus on only one factor. The learning will be helpful, but not enough. We take the correct D3 supplements, since we can't be outside enough every day due to weather, etc. But I think that despite the perils of too much sunshine, living indoors is unhealthy. I will say that when I had a couple of perfectly healthy moles removed (because I wasn't going to go through 5 visits like dh did to get a biopsy, go back and have him recommend removal anyway) he noticed that I didn't get much sun on my back (I haven't tanned on my back for nearly 20 years due to moles as one dermatologist told me to cover up years ago), he pointed out that melanoma doesn't come from the sun. But then you'll find conflicting studies on these things. There are other forms of skin cancer, too.

 

 

The thing is that over the years I've seen these studies come and go, and information changes dramatically. I have to watch depression, but I get it from wheat, not my vitamin D levels, which are fine.

 

Most of all, what rate of death per capita are we looking at as a direct result of too much sun exposure? How does this compare with the rate of death from auto accidents? Are we all going to stop driving because that's the biggest killer out there for most age groups?

 

Why is cancer in general on the rise? No one knows, but one could certainly hypothesize that it's not enough time outdoors based on our huge lifestyle changes over the past century, couldn't they? We've moved indoors as a whole.

 

My uncle did oncology research for about 40 years (well known in biochemical circles, but not a household name). Cancer doesn't have just one cause--different cancers are different, and not all have the same cause. I suspect that triggers vary. Why did the youngest dd of our neighbours die of sarcoma while all her siblings are fine? Why did my parents' super-healthy-lifestlye friend die at 37 in the early 1990s of chest cancer? You can't base it all on one vitamin as that's unrealistic and not medically sound.

 

It used to be vitamin E that was touted as the anti-cancer vitamin, and look what people say about it now. Look what's happened with cholesterol & hormone knowledge. I take all of these studies with a grain of salt, or scientific skepticism. Most of the time the studies aren't well enough done to convince me and I don't waste my time reading many of them anymore. One of the advice twins, (either Dear Abby or her sister) wrote a funny piece (or did she quote it?) on this subject a few decades ago that linked cancer to carrot consumption.

 

fwiw, I did minor in a science and am familiar with scientific technique--the good, the bad & the ugly.

[cillakat]

I'm not going to continue defending good science in this particular thread. Hopefully, anyone interested in being healthy and in having healthy children will go have a look at the huge body of sound vitamin D science at vitamindcouncil.org

 

The risks associated with insufficient vitamin d are massive and life threatening. The risk of too much is not quite unfounded, but nearly so.

 

 

 

All the best,

Katherine

[Lovedtodeath]

Some children make a complete recovery from autism if food sensitivities are removed from their diet as well. Their are different reasons for different people.

 

I have recovered from severe CFS with Fibromyalgia. I was deficient in B12 and Potassium. I had adrenal and thyroid fatigue. I had imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. I needed a mineral (that I was deficient in) to produce insulin on my own. I had food and hormone allergies.

 

Does everyone with CFS and Fibromyalgia have these problems? No. Do I tell anyone looking for answers to CFS and Fibromyalgia to check these things? Yes. Do I ignore research on new answers? No. If I did then I would never have read "From Fatigued to Fantastic" and talked my family physician into testing me and treating me for the above and I would still be disabled while spending $1000 a month on prescription medication.

 

So to sum it up I agree with both of you in different ways. And I am going to get some Vit. D and get my family tested just as the website says. Why? b/c I have some of the symptoms of Vit D deficiency.

[Lovedtodeath]

Hey guys. My autoimmune condition was affecting my eyes. I didn't know that was a symptom. So here is to asking your doctor first ha!

 

My doc put me on a bunch of stuff and one of them was... 10,000 IU of vit D every day. I have been taking 2,000 IU a day for about a year. It was not enough. :001_smile:

[cillakat]

I was going to say the eyesight thing is about getting old, LOL! I find that I cannot read if there is not enough bright light. For me, it is an "over 40" thing.

 

However, if you have other symptoms of SAD, such as lack of energy, feeling blue, listless, achiness, you might look into things to help manage it. Here is my list:

2. Vitamin D. Research is showing that we are woefully deficient in vitamin D and we need much more than previously thought. My doc has me taking 3000 IU's of vit. D daily.

 

And if you test your 25(OH)D levels you'll find that 3,000 IU probably isn't enough. In the absence of *summer* sunlight, midday, in a bikini, we probably need about 1,000 IU vitamin D per 25 lbs body weight. Some will get some D from summer sun and incidental exposure (paler skins, lightly dressed during spring, summer, fall) but many will not get any significant D from sun at any time - even during the summer:

 

those who are indoors most of the time

those with darker skin

those in northerly latitudes.

 

I've beenworking on my D status for 5 years. When i wore no sunscreen and got lots of 'incidental exposure' (two toddlers, outside all of the time) 2,000 IU per day was enough to boost my levels to optimal.

 

Now that I'm more sun protective and inside more often, I'm taking 6,000 IU per day and just tested D again.

 

There is a $40 vitamin D test available from grassrootshealth.org I'd urge everyone here to do it.

 

:)

K

[cillakat]

Some children make a complete recovery from autism if food sensitivities are removed from their diet as well. Their are different reasons for different people.

 

I have recovered from severe CFS with Fibromyalgia. I was deficient in B12 and Potassium. I had adrenal and thyroid fatigue. I had imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. I needed a mineral (that I was deficient in) to produce insulin on my own. I had food and hormone allergies.

 

All of the things you mention are symptoms of D deficiency with the exception of B12 and potassium deficiency...... all of them incl the food allergies, the insulin issues, the adrenal and thyroid issues, CFS/FM.....you're a wise woman to get your D levels tested:)

 

A $40 test is available from grassrootshealth.org....And it's as part of a study that will be huge and may change the face of public health. I'm so glad for the opportunity to participate.

 

So far 1000 people are enrolled in the US alone. 50% of those enrolled in the study are D deficient and the average amount of D they're taking is 1600 IU per day. Conventional wisdom will tell us that's no small amount....but apparently it's too small an amount.

 

Wishing you all the best,

Katherine

[cillakat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyopia

 

<<The first symptoms most people notice are difficulty reading fine print, particularly in low light conditions, eyestrain when reading for long periods, blur at near or momentarily blurred vision when transitioning between viewing distances. Many advanced presbyopes complain that their arms have become "too short" to hold reading material at a comfortable distance.[2]

 

Presbyopia, like other focus defects, becomes much less noticeable in bright sunlight. This is a result of the iris closing to a smaller diameter. As with any lens, increasing the focal ratio of the lens increases depth of field by reducing the level of blur of out-of-focus objects (compare the effect of aperture on depth of field in photography).>>

 

I feel like I am blind because it is NEVER bright enough for me in the house. Is this SAD or something else?

 

I think I do have SAD and maybe something else going on as well... How have you dealt with it? I was thinking of one of those lights that you get to tan your face maybe? I have no idea where I would obtain one. :001_huh: Vit D supplements? "Natural" light? Suggestions people!!:D

 

SAD is nothing more than vitamin D deficiency and is treatable by taking sufficient amounts of vitamin D.

 

1000 IU vitamin D per 25 lbs body weight

sufficient calcium and magnesium (all the time, but especially when taking biologically appropriate amounts of D)

sufficient potassium is amazing for energy. supplements really aren't an option b/c we need 2-4 mg potassium per calorie ingested (so thousands of mg per day) and potassium supplements contain only 99 mg per serving. produce produce and more produce is the answer. tomato products especially. bananas won't to it.

 

:)

Katherine

[Lovedtodeath]

All of the things you mention are symptoms of D deficiency with the exception of B12 and potassium deficiency...... all of them incl the food allergies, the insulin issues, the adrenal and thyroid issues, CFS/FM.....you're a wise woman to get your D levels tested:)

 

A $40 test is available from grassrootshealth.org....And it's as part of a study that will be huge and may change the face of public health. I'm so glad for the opportunity to participate.

 

So far 1000 people are enrolled in the US alone. 50% of those enrolled in the study are D deficient and the average amount of D they're taking is 1600 IU per day. Conventional wisdom will tell us that's no small amount....but apparently it's too small an amount.

 

Wishing you all the best,

Katherine

Very interesting! Thanks. My doc has it all under control now with electrodermal screaning.

[cillakat]

<< It all comes from fish liver or (very rarely) lanolin.>>

 

My bad: it's the opposite. Most D3 is currently coming from lanolin or, very rarely, fish liver oil.

 

:)

K

Edited August 29, 2009 by cillakat

[cillakat]

Good to know. Thanks. I take a lot of Salmon Oil along with other fish oils. Could I be getting D from that without knowing?

 

Nope:) Or not enough to matter anyway.

[iluvmy4blessings]

I have not read the other posts yet but I'm responding anyway!

 

I don't know where you live, but when we lived in Alaska for 3 years SAD was very common as you can imagine. There was no way to just go outside and get some sunlight. Half the year it was dark, and the other half it was perpetually daylight. All my life I have been affected by seasons, weather, time of day. If it rains, I get a little sad. If it's sunny, I'm happy! So I was afraid it might affect me and it did. The first year that I lived there I was super depressed. I ended up going on prozac and using the light therapy that some have mentioned. Believe it or not, I adjusted and got used to it. After 3 years I began to enjoy our months of hibernation and our summers of the Midnight Sun. Now that I am out of Alaska, I find myself not being affected anymore by change of seasons/weather as much as I used to be. I guess it was a crash course for me in dealing with it! I would highly recommend the light therapy and antidepressant if you think you need it. Also developing some good indoor hobbies to occupy you when the weather gets darker. I read a TON of books while I lived there.