Vitamin D Deficiency and Links to Cancers, Disease, Infant Mortality

This week I have been listening to The Cure to Cancer Summit. Anyone can register for free, and all talks are available for 48 hours after they have been live. If you are interested in improving your own health, helping a loved one with their battle for cancer, or if you have a health and wellness business (nutrition, medical, oncology, etc) - I highly encourage you to take advantage of the 2nd annual summit.

Carole Baggerly, of the Vitamin D Society, is one of the guest speakers and her talk is "Vitamin D and Cancer Prevention". Below are some of the notes I have taken while listening to her talk...

Vitamin D is a hormone, not a vitamin. It is critical for cells to function. People work day jobs that are primarily indoors, children play on computers and watch television more than they play outside....our lifestyles create vitamin D deficiency. If everyone had Vitamin D levels of 40-60 it would help take care of many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, kidney stones, and several cancers. An oncologist who spoke at the summit last week, who practices in California, said that well over 90% of his patients are deficient in Vitamin D.

BREAST CANCER

- Breast cancer diagnosis can be reduced 75% if all women were given a Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy test.

- Blood serum nano-gram levels should be in the 50-60 range. Research is indicating that breast cancer is truly a disease of vitamin D deficiency.

- 10,000 units a day is being recommended. Don't fear the toxicity scare - every report of toxicity has been result of industrial accidents, stop taking D and the levels normalize.

- Women WITH breast cancer have an increased rate of cancer survival with high doses of Vitamin D. This research has been published just in recent months.

OTHER CANCERS

- Colon cancer prevention specifically requires combination of calcium (10-12,000 mg) and Vitamin D. (Baggerly states that the concern of calcium/vitamin D and kidney stones is a myth, and kidney stones are clearly linked to dehydration).

- Prostate cancer research by Dr. Bruce Hollis at the Medical University of South Carolina were given 4,000 units/day to men with stage 1 prostrate cancer. In a one year period, 55% had fewer lesions than when they started, and allowed them to bypass treatment. This also holds true for African American men, which have a greater percentage of prostrate cancer diagnosis.

For men diagnosed with lethal prostrate cancer, a 57% reduction of cancer occurred when men got their Vitamin D levels up past 37.

OTHER DISEASES

Children should be checked for deficiency as well, they are inside all the time now.Rickets is on an upsurge - we're going back to the epidemic of the 19th century. Doctors are not recognizing it because we are misled into thinking rickets is not a disease of modern times.

Type 2 Diabetes is an epidemic as well. Research indicates that 60% of Type 2 Diabetes can be prevented if nano-gram levels of Vit. D were maintained at 40%.

Regarding Type 1 Diabetes, in the 1960's inn Finland it was a medical practice to give infants 10,000 units of Vitamin D a day. Type 1 diabetes was virtually non-existent.

Unfortunately, Finland noticed that the U.S. was only supplementing their infants with 400 units of Vitamin D, so Finland switched over to this practice. The diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes increased steadily, and Baggerly states it is the clearest evidence she has seen that indicates Vitamin D can help prevent this childhood disease. Vitamin D is a major game changer with diabetes.

It is important to realize that there is a problem with Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and infant mortality. Not surprising, those who get their vitamin D level to the 40-60 range are reporting disappearance of chronic pain, muscular pain, absence of kidney stones,

Baggerly also stated that the recommendations to wear sunscreen has increased our populus vitamin D deficiency, and that most sunscreens are toxic and promote cancer.(Of course, this is why learning about what is in your skincare products is so important, and why my family chooses Arbonne for sunscreen, skincare, shampoo, etc.)

As you can see, it is very important that physicians begin testing everyone for Vitamin D levels. If yours does not, I urge you to be your own advocate and request the test.

To learn more on Vitamin D benefits visit the Vitamin D Society. I also encourage anyone wishing to donate to cancer research that makes a difference, to donate to Vitamin D research for cancer prevention, and therapy as well.
http://www.vitamindsociety.org/videos.php?sub=GrassrootsHealth.net%20and%20Carole%20Baggerly

In Remission...Now What?

So you have been through chemo and radiation with success...and are in remission...congratulations!!!

Now what? There will always be the fear of "will it come back"...we cannot shut that switch off in our brain. Yes, we can have a positive attitude... but there will be days. My husband had a morning like this today. Since "our blog" is for his journey, I am going to "talk" to those who have been there, speaking on behalf of your friends and family members asking my opinion of what you can do to ensure your body remains healed. Keep in mind, this is my personal opinion...I am not a doctor or giving medical advice, and by putting my recommendations into action is no guarantee. No one has a guarantee on life..mine can come to end tomorrow just as much as the next person.

I am a book-learned, research driven person...and my recommendations are based on holistic wellness approaches as to what I WOULD DO FOR MYSELF.

For anyone...whether you are in remission, or going through treatment, there is a pretty inexpensive test you can have done that measures the cancer cells in your bloodstream - it is called an HCG test.  Read more about it here, at the Navaroo Medical Clinic. Basically, taken every two months if in a current treatment plan, it will tell you whether or not your treatment is working. For those in remission, I would probably take the test twice a year or as often as you feel comfortable. As long as your number remains constant or goes down...you are on the right path. I am willing to bet your doctor, probably even your oncologist, is not aware of this test.

If this test were done during treatment...it would provide an early on indicator if the chosen path of treatment is successfully working. If not, find a new treatment plan of action.

We just sent away for this test for my husband, and I sent a sample in for myself as well. For $55 I can have peace of mind knowing I have cancer at bay. OR I may get a red alert and will get even more serious about a more healthy eating plan... I know I have sugar too often in one week - I am fueling my cancer cells each time I have a sweet treat.We all have cancer cells once we get past 30 - actually, with today's toxic world I don't doubt my kids have cancer cells as well. However, it is one's ability to switch cancer cells on or off that matter - and fortunately, for many our body is functioning and the off switch is working.

This is what I would do for myself if I were in remission:
- Monitor with the HCG test to measure cancer cell levels
- use pH strips to monitor my acidity to alkaline levels weekly
- eat an 80/20 diet (vegetarian/animal based foods - another way to look at this: alkaline/acidic foods)
- utilize a pure, full spectrum super green food - this will fuel cells with oxygen (more on this Sept 1)
- shop organic as much as possible
- avoid any and all artificial ingredients as well as high glycemic
- use CLEAN and PURE skin care, shampoo, etc
-  avoid chemical cleaners/pesticides in the home, and artificial fragrances (i.e. no artificial candles/plug ins)
- use a full body/organ detox protocol quarterly (look for broken cell chlorella)
- ensure the estradiol to progesterone ratio is in balance if my cancer involved any reproductive organ or breast (ZRT Labs offers test kits)
- monitor vitamin levels, D and magnesium deficiency is prevalent in cancer patients
- support the immune system - diet is key, supplementation often necessary
- utilize infra-red heat or sauna if possible - sweat - turn up the heat, not with strenuous activity, which can weaken the immune, but with heat sourcing products

Truths about cancer:
1. cancer cannot survive in an alkaline environment
2. an oxygen deprived cell fuels cancer
3. sugar fuels cancer - if your doctor says you can eat anything you want - DON'T LISTEN!!
4. cancer cells are compromised at temps over 109.4 degrees F

This is what I would do if I were in remission. I would do pretty much the same if I were in a battle with cancer - but would step up the anti-oxidant, oxygen rich food sources.

May healthy be your new happy,
Rita S.