October has been “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” for a number of years. It seems impossible for an average American to be unaware of breast cancer. All have had a friend or relative with breast cancer, and far too many of them have died. Those that lived suffered from the effects of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. The statistics are ominous: 1 in 8 women will have breast cancer in their life; 1 in 3 people will have some cancer (non-skin); 1 in 5 people will die from cancer. Suppose you could reduce your own odds by 90% or more—would you do it? Some of the preventive steps are very easy and some are difficult. But, each one has benefits that extend to other health matters. They may also reduce risk for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Sound impossible?
To people who have researched prevention, the evidence is clear that a huge per cent of breast cancer and all cancers is preventable. I will provide information that you may judge for yourself if breast cancer can be reduced by 90%.
Multiple research sources document the reality and feasibility of breast cancer prevention. This article provides references for 3 separate actions that may be the most powerful. 1) Appropriate exercise reduces cancer incidence by 20 to 30%, 2) a vegetarian diet reduces incidence by 40 to 50%, 3) vitamin D3 supplementation reduces incidence by 50 to 60%. A woman could decrease her risk of breast cancer by approximately 90% if she engaged in all three of these actions. Scientific references in this article give you the opportunity to learn from the actual sources and judge the merit.
Exercise and diet improvement seem difficult for most people, so I will start with the easiest action first. That is to take a small pill of vitamin D3. D3 is the “sunshine vitamin” because exposure of bare skin to direct sun produces D3 in the body. Therefore, it is not a vitamin, it is a hormone, like estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol.
The first reference is BREAST CANCER RESEARCH AND TREATMENT, 10/23/2009. This periodical printed an article titled “Meta-analysis of vitamin D, calcium and the prevention of breast cancer”. This is a summation of 21 vitamin D studies. Those women with the highest blood levels of D3 had a 45% decrease in breast cancer incidence. Highest calcium levels reduced breast cancer risk 19% (15 studies).
Research reported in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION, June, 2007,found that supplementation of 1100 IU of D3 and 1400 mg calcium reduced all cancer incidence 60% the first year and 77% in years 2-4. (Breast cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in women.)
An article in CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY, BIOMARKERS AND PREVENTION of May, 1999, found breast cancer rates varied with sunlight exposure (which produces vitamin D3 in humans) and vitamin D3 intake. Greatest sunlight exposure and oral intake reduced breast cancer incidence by 65%. Are not most adult women already taking calcium and vitamin D3 for osteoporosis prevention? The only alteration of behavior needed is to take a larger dose of D3, 5,000 IU minimum. (Vitamin D3 is so inexpensive and so important that I GIVE IT FREE to any person who purchases a minimum of $60 of other supplements from me!)
To produce 10,000 IU of D3 requires near full body skin exposure for 20-30 minutes in direct sunlight between 10 AM and 2 PM. Dermatologist advice is to avoid direct sunlight during those hours. What evidence is there that moderate sunlight exposure of 20-30 minutes proportioned over front and back (10-15 minutes each) will cause any skin cancer? I am sure to hear from some dermatologist on this question—please provide your original source reference.
I don’t think many adults have the ability to sun bath that much in a minimal bathing suit. So, sunlight exposure as primary D3 supply is unlikely. Supplementation of 5,000 to 10,000 IU (international units) is safe for any adult. The more you weigh, you more D3 you need. Blood tests can reveal your status, with a minimal level of 50 ng/ml as target, 100 ng/ml as highest (I was 83 ng/ml on last test.) It is suggested that supplemental vitamin K2, magnesium and iodine be taken as well for effectiveness.
How many times from how many health specialists have you read that exercise is good for your health? Appropriate exercise is known to reduce incidence of cardiovascular problems, obesity, diabetes, cancer. It applies to breast cancer in a significant way.
Research in the JOURNAL OF NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE, 1994.86(18):1403-1408 found that 3.8 hours per week of exercise reduced breast cancer incidence 58% in women 40 years old or younger. That seems almost too good to be true, and maybe it is. One study never convinces scientists that a hypothesis is true—it takes more than one or two or three.
So, scientists do meta-analysis, grouping data from many research sources. These have more power to make a conclusion. The BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE, August, 2008 printed a meta-analysis of 62 studies of the relationship of exercise to cancer incidence. They found a reduction of cancer incidence of 25-30% in persons exercising consistently. Greater reductions were produced by more vigorous activity, longer duration, and normal to low body weight ( overweight individuals did not enjoy that risk reduction).
The JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, 9/10/2003 featured an article that found 30 minutes of walking 5 times/week gave a 20% reduction in breast cancer in post menopausal women. 10 hours a week gave a 30% reduction in incidence. Again, this was true only for women of normal/low normal body weight and was not protective of overweight women. These results are in keeping with the meta-analysis noted above—that higher intensity of effort and time produce better results and the benefits extend only to those women who attain a normal body fat percentage. Being significantly overweight increases chances of breast and other cancers. Most walking is minimal
intensity exercise; greater improvements can be made with less time and more intensity.
Note that attaining a normal or lower weight is needed for those risk reduction by exercise. Attaining and maintaining a normal weight is easier if you eat more vegetarian. It is very hard to be overweight as a true vegetarian unless you eat a lot of grain products (bread, pasta) or engage in sugar abuse.
The EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER PREVENTION, July, 1994, had research that compared the diets of breast cancer patients with those of non-cancer patients. Breast cancer patients ate 1/4 as much fruit and 1/2 as much vegetables as non-cancer patients. Those who ate the most processed meat had triple the risk for breast cancer.
In the EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER, vol. 36, issue 5 is a meta-analysis of 26 studies that found a reduction of breast cancer risk due to high plant food consumption. High levels of vegetables gave 25% decrease, high fruit 6%, high vitamin C 20%, and high beta-carotene 18%.
In NUTRIION AND CANCER, 1992, vol, 18 (1) had a meta-analysis of 200 studies which found a strong reduction of all cancers in 128 of 156 studies in which “relative risk” was calculated. The lowest 1/4 of individuals for plant food consumption had twice the risk for cancer.
These 3 actions are also asociated with reductions in cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, depression, Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases. All diseases have potential for significant reduction in risk and therefore actual incidence.
If you log on to the sites of the American Cancer Society and Susan B. Kagen, you will find some lip service to prevention but no real emphasis. They list normal weight as opposed to overweight, a more vegetarian diet as opposed to lots of red meat, exercise consistency. Also factors that you have little or no control over such as genetics (family history of breast cancer), first child born early in life, multiple children, and breast feeding (too late for those for most adult women). So, they leave the average woman with a feeling of helplessness, just waiting for fate to have its due.
The reality is that you do have some control over your health, but knowledge is the necessary first step. “In the age of information, ignorance is a choice”. I wish I had been the original writer of that line, but all I can do is pass it on. And tell you the natural health sites to get you started in your own quest for real information, not what your friend or doctor or newspaper says. They all could be wrong.
Life Extension Foundation (lef.org) has a 31 page treatise on breast cancer risks, medical treatments, and prevention. They list 31 individual nutrients that have a preventive effect on the incidence of breast cancer. The most powerful other than D3 include I3-C (indole 3 carbinol, from broccoli and other cruciferous veggies), selenium (a mineral) and lycopene (from tomatoes, cooked more so than raw).
(Perhaps another article is needed). In the Life Extension Foundation monthly magazine of October 2007, they reference 175 scientific papers on the health benefits of D3, many of which involve cancer.
(Perhaps another article is needed). In the Life Extension Foundation monthly magazine of October 2007, they reference 175 scientific papers on the health benefits of D3, many of which involve cancer.
Another favorite site is that of Dr. Mercola (mercola.com), the most heavily trafficked natural health care information site. Anyone can subscribe free and receive daily emails of 2 health related articles, all of which have references to scientific literature. On the subjects that I have real knowledge of, I think he is correct about 95% of the time.
Live long and live well.