A study of eating patterns across different countries confirms an association between breast cancer sunlight exposure which may be protective against the disease by elevating the body's vitamin D supply.
In the study, researchers looked at dietary supply data for a number of countries in North and South America, Asia and Europe. Such data reflects only the supply of food in a given country, and not the food intakes of different people. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet-B (UV-B) rays was estimated based on a country's latitude.
As for the role of sunlight, researchers found an association between latitude and breast cancer suggesting that higher UV-B exposure was protective. UV-B rays spur the production of vitamin D in the body, it is likely the vitamin is behind the association he found in this study. Other research suggests vitamin D may help ward off cancer.
Cancer January 1, 2002;94:272-281
The evidence is becoming quite compelling that sun exposure that causes us to make vitamin D will help lower the risk of many cancers, including some of the most common ones around, breast and prostate cancer.
Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin, but a steroid hormone precursor that is primarily formed when our skin is exposed to sunshine.
Women who limit their exposure to sunshine will have lower vitamin D levels and an increased risk of breast cancer, in addition to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
This can be partially compensated for by taking natural vitamin D. The best source I know of is Carlson's Lemon-Flavored Cod Liver Oil.
This is not the oil your grandmother gave you and caused you to grimace. This actually tastes like lemon melted butter and provides not only vitamin D but also vitamin A and the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA.
Today, I am writing this comment on the first frost of the new season. This means that most of us in the US will have progressively decreasing exposure to sunlight on our skin until April next year, so now is the time to start taking the cod liver oil.
Breast feeding moms should also be aware that vitamin D may be the only supplement that their babies will require. Again, this is related to the fact that vitamin D is not really a vitamin but something that we normally get from exposure to sunshine, not food. Cod liver oil is one of the few food sources that will provide it. Not only will it provide vitamin D for infants, but the balanced DHA has been repeatedly shown to enhance brain and neurological development.
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