Honestly didn’t think much about vitamin D until my knees started doing this weird clicking thing every time I’d crouch down to pick something up. Like tiny bubble wrap popping inside my joints. Freaky. My grandma always hunched over like a question mark, osteoporosis gnawing at her bones, and it hit me—maybe I should pay attention before I turn into a human pretzel too.
My Wake-Up Call
Started noticing little things. Tired all the damn time, even after sleeping 8 hours. And my back? Felt like someone was jabbing a butter knife between my shoulder blades after sitting at my desk for an hour. Google-fu led me down the vitamin D rabbit hole. Sunlight? Barely saw it working my office job. Food? Unless I ate salmon for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I wasn’t touching the stuff. Felt pretty stupid ignoring something so simple.
Actually Trying to Fix It
First thing I did? Bought a cheap bottle of vitamin D3 pills. 1000 IU, nothing fancy. Figured, “easy peasy, just swallow one with breakfast.” Reality check: I forgot constantly. Left the bottle by my coffee maker as a visual cue. Still forgot. Went three days straight not taking it once. Felt like I was fighting against my own lazy brain.
- Day 1-3: Proudly took it Monday… then blanked Tuesday. Wednesday? Bottle stared accusingly at me while I poured cereal.
- Day 4: Got annoyed with myself. Set a phone alarm labeled “D PILL NOW YOU LAZY SOD”. Shockingly effective.
- Day 7: Actually remembered without the alarm! Felt like I’d scaled Everest. Small wins, people.
Stuck with 1000 IU for about a month. Tiredness didn’t magically vanish, but waking up felt slightly less like dragging myself through wet concrete. The knife-in-back feeling eased up too. Okay, progress. Got cocky, upped to 2000 IU. Mistake. Stomach went weirdly upset after two days. Dialed it back—sticking with my 1000 IU sweet spot.
Beyond the Pill Bottle
Pills are easy, but I’m trying to actually act like a grown adult who cares about bones. So now:
- Lunch Walks: Even if it’s 15 minutes outside, soaking up whatever weak-ass sunlight the city offers. Bonus: Boss thinks I’m extra dedicated.
- Eggs & Fish: Adding an extra egg scramble once a week, throwing tinned sardines on toast (weirdly tasty?). Not replacing pills, just helping.
Where I’m At Now
Been consistent for three months. Still taking that damn pill with my morning coffee. The joint clicking? Down maybe 50%. Energy’s definitely better—I’m not actively planning my nap schedule during Zoom calls anymore. My bones aren’t shouting at me constantly, just like… mildly murmuring. Is this sunshine-in-a-pill a miracle? Nah. But preventing future me from turning into a croissant? Worth the minor hassle of remembering to swallow a tiny blob of oil every morning. Would rather pop pills now than hear doctors clucking later. Grandma was onto something.
