Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, has recently emerged as one of the most important preventative factors in our health. While it can be provided in foods and supplements, sunlight is the best and only natural source of vitamin D. Ninety percent of our vitamin D is made naturally when our skin is exposed to sunlight. This exposure naturally initiates the conversion of cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D3. It's the way our bodies are intended to make it and therefore the body takes what it needs and removes the extra.

There are hundreds of studies that now link many forms of cancer, heart disease, depression, dementia, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, and many other conditions and diseases to a vitamin D deficiency. A decrease in obtaining vitamin D through its only natural source has led to decreased vitamin D levels. Although the public has been led to believe that any UV exposure is harmful, research has shown that regular exposure to the sun for short periods of time, without burning, does not pose a significant risk of damage to the skin.

According to the Vitamin D Council, "research does show that there is a link between vitamin D and breast cancer. Studies have shown that women with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to develop breast cancer" and that "in women who already have breast cancer, those with low levels of vitamin D are linked to worse outcomes, like bigger tumors, cancer spreading to other body parts, and death."

It's important to get your vitamin D levels checked before adding supplements to your diet. If you can't get your vitamin D from the sun, then try supplements or foods high in vitamin D. It's one of the things we can do to prevent breast cancer and many other debilitating diseases.

Every year, millions of dollars are spent on items that are "pink," representing the pink ribbon that is associated with breast cancer. In October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, everyone wants to get on board with having their products pink. It's as if buying pink products will actually help find a cure for breast cancer. When it first began, I'm sure that was the intention. But now, looking at statistics, we see that this "awareness" has not led to a decrease in breast cancer or finding a cure. While everyone is personally aware of breast cancer, it seems that awareness is just not enough.

Many women with breast cancer feel that "pinkwashing" is taking advantage of their illness. A variety of products that carry the pink ribbon actually contain ingredients that are known carcinogens. While these companies consider themselves as leaders in the fight against breast cancer, they continue to use ingredients in their products that contribute to cancer.

Breast Cancer Action is a national education and activist organization whose mission is to achieve health justice for all women at risk of and living with breast cancer. Karuna Jaggar, executive director of Breast Cancer Action, says:

"Pinkwashing has become a central component of the breast cancer industry: a web of relationships and financial arrangements between corporations that cause cancer, companies making billions off diagnosis and treatment, nonprofits seeking to support patients or even to cure cancer, and public relations agencies that divert attention from the root causes of disease."

The quote above definitely makes us pause and take a real look at the "pinkwashing" façade. As women, we must open our eyes and move awareness into action. We must be vigilant--continually searching for answers and guidelines to use in living a healthy life. If we fight on the front end and concentrate on prevention, our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, daughters, and friends will eventually be able to live a life free from the stress, pain, and loss due to breast cancer.

Jamie Kiffel-Alchec, managing editor of Clean Plates, suggests adding 8 naturally pink foods to the diet to help fight breast cancer (http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/8-pink-foods-fight-breast-cancer-1).

Breast Thermography: A big step toward early detection and prevention of breast cancer

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Angiogenesis is defined as "the physiological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels." Angiogenesis occurs normally in embryo development and wound healing. In addition, women in their reproductive years go through normal angiogenesis each month. These new blood vessels are the key to forming the uterine lining that is shed during menstruation. The healthy body maintains its blood vessels in a continued state of balance.

However, in certain diseases, angiogenesis can occur too often or not enough. In most forms of heart disease there is a decrease in the chemicals that would stimulate new blood vessels to grow. On the other hand, an abnormal and rapid growth of blood vessels has been implicated in many diseases, including cancer.

These new blood vessels grow to feed cancers. If we could stop the formation of these vessels, could we actually cut off a tumor’s blood supply? Could we actually starve a tumor by cutting off its oxygen and nutrients? William Li, head of the nonprofit Angiogenesis Foundation thinks so. He suggests that the first step in anti-angiogenesis is "eating foods that cut off the supply lines and beat cancer at its own game" (video can be seen below).

Eat to Beat Cancer (http://www.eattobeat.org) is studying the potency of certain foods to determine their anti-angiogenesis capabilities in hopes of establishing a new cancer preventative diet. Dr. Li says that "once a food has been established as antiangiogenic, the next step is determining which strain or varietal of that food is the most potent."

If we can concentrate on eating a diet that is full of foods that have antiangiogenic properties, we will be more likely to "starve" tiny microscopic cancer cells--preventing them from developing into full grown tumors. These foods can actually boost our body's ability to produce angiogenesis inhibitors naturally.
 
I'm sure you're wondering what foods are included in this list! In discussing beneficial foods, Dr. Li points out that "We need red grapes. If you’re not crazy about red grapes, red wine will do the trick. Not a big drinker? Green tea works. If you like curry, you'll be glad to hear that turmeric can help; if you're a baker, ready that cinnamon shaker. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries; oranges, grapefruit and lemons; apples and pineapples; soy beans, kale and bok choy; garlic, tomatoes and olive oil—all these common foods are also weapons against the development of cancer. (Oh, and don't forget dark chocolate. I know I won't.)"

Thermography is a test of physiology that has the ability to detect angiogenesis. By "eating to starve cancer" and incorporating thermography into your yearly wellness evaluation, inhibiting cancer can truly become a reality.

It's October… time to take care of your breast health.

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