The Benefits of Vitamin D and Cancer

Stop Using Sunscreen

A very interesting article is in this month's Harvard Magazine (not online yet). The theory is that by using sunscreen, people prevent their bodies from producing Vitamin D, and thereby create a higher risk of several types of cancer, far outweighing the risk of skin cancer. Here are some excerpts:

According to a new theory, sealing our skins off from the sun may cause more cancer deaths than it prevents.

Associate professor of medicine Edward Giovannucci notes that UV-B radiation, the source of suntan and sunburn, is also the component of sunlight that enables human skin . . . to synthesize the "sunshine vitamin" -- D -- used by every type of cell in the human body. Animal research has associated a lack of vitamin D with multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, and pathological processes that underlie several forms of cancer, including those of the colon, breast, prostate, and digestive tract . . . .

"If you look at the cancers as a group," says Giovannucci . . . "you'll see that 30 people dies of these cancers for every one who dies of skin cancer."

The article then discusses several key pieces of evidence:

1) A recent study shows Vitamin D's role in preventing cell proliferation, etc.

2) Northeastern people have higher rates of colon cancer.

3) Fat people have higher rates of cancer along with lower levels of vitamin D (which is fat-soluble).

4) Black people have much lower levels of vitamin D and higher rates of cancer, particularly prostate cancer. Giovannucci says that in a study of the Health Professionals sample, he was able to control for a wide variety of variables affecting the rates of cancer for white vs. black people, but "the only factor we found that showed a significant difference was vitamin D levels."


Also worth noting: 20 minutes in the sun can produce 10,000 units of vitamin D, which is the equivalent of drinking 100 glasses of fortified milk.

In concluding, Giovannucci says: "More sun, and higher rates of vitamin D, correlate with fewer cancers. It might ultimately prevent only a fraction, perhaps 30 percent, of those cancers it seems to affect. But that would still be vastly more cases than any skin cancers it causes. I don't recommend that people go out and get sunburned -- use common sense. But if the studies hold up, vitamin D will be a relatively important factor, since it affects such a large number of cancers. It may be time to rethink the message we are sending about sunlight."

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Cancer Clinic Visit Yesterday-PSA Up

It was a sad day yesterday as I attended a dear friend and neighbour's funeral.He had been fighting prostate cancer for many years,along with diabetes and bad hearing.Through it all right to  his death he joked,smiled and remained cheerful a lovely brave man.
  I had a cancer clinic appointment at the same time as the funeral so had to change the appointment to a later time in the day.The funeral service was a Humanist one and very moving as it was very personal about my friends life.
 The result of my cancer clinic visit was an increase in my PSA from 11.2 up to 13.9.The doctor said he wasn't concerned about it as PSA count can vary and fluctuate,all my other readings eg. creatine,testosterone were Ok,hardly any testosterone! tell me about it! lol.Of course I'm concerned about any PSA increase as during the past 2 years I've lost 3 friends to prostate cancer all living within a 1/4 mile radius from me,perhaps it's something in the water!.
 Since my previous PSA check I have been eating organic cheese and Kerri gold grass fed butter, where as before I had cut out all dairy but usually eat 2 eggs for breakfast most days.
 At the clinic yesterday the doctor was doing a survey and asked about arthritis in the family,and any fractures I may have had that had taken a long time to heal.The survey was to check bone density in prostate cancer patients,He also asked about dairy intake,perhaps at last doctors are looking at diet and cancer as I'm a great believer in this.
 I have always thought that if hospital patients were given the right diet they would recover quicker,and feel it's equally if not more important than any treatment received,perhaps they have even ended up in hospital due to years of poor diet. After all you wouldn't expect a car to run well or at all if you filled it with any fuel but quality petrol or Diesel!

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Frequent Nightime Loo Visits

Wow last night was the first time I slept nearly all night without getting up for at least one pee often two or more,I went six and a half hours.The only difference in my lifestyle and diet is I started eating Quinoa 2days ago and ate no wheat or potatoes or meat yesterday.could it be the Quinoa ? it apparently has many health benefits and is low in sugar creating carbs,low fat,wheat free and very tasty with a texture like rice,and can be used in much the same way.