eileen

this one i will print copies to distribute! with the movie "sicko" selling out nationwide yesterday just maybe i won't have to move to canada......yet lol

http://citizenweekly.com/index.cfm?sid=41337&sc=140

The Amherst Citizen

It's refreshing to see the Canadian Cancer Society come out in favour of Vitamin D.

The society recently announced there is a link between Vitamin D and reducing the risk for colorectal, breast and prostate cancer. In fact, the higher the level of vitamin D in the blood, the lower the chances of developing cancer.

As well, pre-menopausal women who combine vitamin D3 with calcium could greatly reduce their risk their risk of breast cancer by a whopping 77 per cent.

Canada seems to be quicker to endorse Vitamin D than the United States, as it's still insisting that nutritional supplements have no role to play in cancer prevention. Perhaps the U.S. isn't pushing the vitamin because a nutrient can't be patented. Whatever the reason, Canada is being responsible by encouraging its citizens, many of whom don't get enough natural Vitamin D from the sun during the fall and winter months, to take 1,000 international units per day. Those individuals with darker skin may have to take higher dosages.

This Vitamin-D announcement makes me feel like someone out there is taking cancer prevention seriously, and is more concerned with saving lives than dollar signs. Sometimes it seems like treating cancer is a business and the bottom line is more about how much money can be made off of sickness, than actually stopping it from happening in the first place.

So, since the natural form of Vitamin D - sunlight - is free, will the next the announcement be that Canadians are to spend more time in the sun? Even though research will soon be conducted to more accurately determine just how much sunlight exposure people need to achieve optimum Vitamin D levels, the answer for now is no.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society website, SunSense guidelines won't change. However it is suggested that a few minutes of unprotected time (no sun screen or long sleeved clothing) in the sun per day is enough to get a good dose of Vitamin D.

Sorry sun worshippers, baking under hot rays is still considered a health hazard.