Yesterday I picked up my lab results from the doctor. Everything was OK, except for vitamin D and B12 which were within range but at the very low end of the scale. I was a bit disconcerted because I had just come back from walking when I got the results, so I was exposed generously to the sun. I asked ChatGPT:
Suppose I have low vitamin D. Then I'm exposed to the sun generously for a week with a decent diet. Would this be enough to elevate my vitamin D levels?
If your vitamin D levels are low, getting generous sun exposure for a week—especially midday sun with arms and legs exposed—can definitely help boost your levels, but it’s unlikely to completely correct a deficiency unless it’s very mild. The body produces large amounts of vitamin D from sunlight, far more than what you’d get from food, so sunlight is your best short-term strategy. However, factors like skin tone, time of day, body fat, and how low your levels are to begin with all affect how much you’ll actually absorb.
A decent diet with vitamin D-rich foods (like fatty fish or fortified dairy) will support your recovery but usually isn’t enough on its own. One week of sun is a solid start, but for lasting improvement, you’d need ongoing exposure or possibly a supplement, especially if your deficiency is moderate to severe. A follow-up blood test after a few weeks is the best way to know if what you’re doing is working.
Interesting, so I must have had even lower D levels before the walk, which could account for my elevated mood (along with other important factors—immersing in nature, meeting new people, plenty of exercise).
I was also flustered at the low B12. I eat a generous amount of red meat every day (perhaps 400g/a pound, sometimes more). I don't have any gut issues (that I know about). With ChatGPT's help I suspect the issue is exercise:
When you exercise regularly, especially at higher intensities or for longer durations, your body ramps up red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, and energy metabolism—all of which rely on B12. If your absorption is already borderline (from gut issues or genetics), your B12 stores might not be able to keep up with the increased demand. Endurance athletes, in particular, have been shown to sometimes run low on B12 even with decent diets. Also, repeated micro-injuries to muscle and nerve tissues (normal in training) raise the need for B12 in tissue repair and nerve function.
Yesterday I had another meaningful dream, but I will not get graphic: I dreamed that I fucked a guy whom I admire creatively. This is a first, I've never dreamed about fucking a guy (but I've had nightmares about being raped by dirty old men).
The themes of my dreams lately seem to be about the yang—the decisive, the creative, the masculine (despite the apparent gayness of the dream). I was reminded of Plato's Symposium which I asked ChatGPT to remind me in a sentence:
The man who loves men in the right way (seeking virtue, not just pleasure) is seen as more masculine because he is drawn toward strength, intellect, and a relationship of equals.
Oh dear, I sure trouble myself a lot explaining my gay dreams. So be it.