Yesterday I had a second visit with my new doctor. She is a doctor of osteopathic medicine, not a medical doctor. I make this distinction because my experience with her has been incredibly fresh and new. She doesn’t medicate everything! She talks about food and diet in the same breath as medication options. We talk through when I should use medicine (thyroid) and when I should adjust my diet and take supplements like probiotics (skin issues).

I had blood work drawn last week – to monitor two recurring issues: hypothyroidism and low B12.

I began to have B12 issues about 20 months into my vegan diet, which I chronicled here:

Well over a year later my latest blood test results reflect my B12 at 871 (target range 211 – 946). Working with my doctor in New York, we found what works for me – a daily 1,000 mcg B12 lozenge (and of course I love me some fortified nutritional yeast and tofu!).

My Vitamin D is another story, however.

SOURCE

It was low already but it’s dipped way low. Normal range is considered 30 – 100. Mine is down to 12.6. Here’s the truth. I have been using a Calcium/Vitamin D combo supplement and I am not great about taking it. Based on my personal blood test results my doctor is suggesting 600 IU Calcium and 5000 IU Vitamin D3 and you can’t find that magic combination in a single supplement.

My new doctor is very supportive of my veganism. When she told me to specifically take Vitamin D3 I explained that I understood most Vitamin D3 supplements to be non-vegan. She confirmed this (food sources are fish oil, egg yolks and fortified cow’s milk) so she suggested Nature’s Plus Source of Life Garden Vitamin D3. (Side note: we are playing around with my thyroid meds so when she wrote out scripts she made a point to look up the vegan option for the meds…♥ her!)

I am sharing my personal experience based on several years of consistent monitoring of my blood work. Your decision to supplement is personal and I highly recommend you make it in conjunction with your own doctor. I have walked into my appointments equipped for a conversation, though, based on some solid work from professionals that I respect:

Finally, as my doctor and I were wrapping up the consultation, I asked for her thoughts on my cholesterol panel. My cholesterol levels are higher as a vegan than when I was vegetarian (everything was really, really low back then); I asked if she was concerned. She said there’s enough controversy about the validity of the recommended cholesterol range – and that the overall picture of my blood work shows good health – that she was not at all concerned. I bring this up simply because some folks go around promising that by going plant-based you will lose weight and your cholesterol will go down. Maybe and maybe. It is my opinion that we should be careful about making promises such as these.

She did conclude the cholesterol conversation with, “You should eat more good fat. Eat avocados, raw nuts, canola and olive oils.” Um, she had me at hello! Interestingly, I shared that tidbit on Facebook last night and a couple of people voiced concern about canola oil. My super-smart pal Ginny jumped in to offer this: “Canola = monounsaturated fat + omega-3s. A total win. (And what a great doctor you have!)”. I couldn’t agree more!

Vegans, are you supplementing?