Recent headlines have talked about the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and breast cancer, but many of the articles have highlighted a genetic variance that, when present, nearly doubles the risk of breast cancer. This gene is called the vitamin D receptor gene (VDR), and was found to significantly increase the risk of breast cancer among women, as well as result in a more aggressive form of breast cancer for those women who were diagnosed with the disease.
There are really two stories to look at here. First is the realization that vitamin D deficiency is indeed one of the primary causes of breast cancer. The vast majority of Americans and people in western societies are deficient in vitamin D. This can be easily alleviated by taking cod liver oil supplements, or, of course, by getting plenty of natural sunlight on your skin on a regular basis without using sunscreen that would block ultraviolet rays.
The second item here is that a gene does determine the degree to which vitamin D can be received or utilized by the human body. Women who have greater vitamin D sensitivity by being gifted with the correct gene are able to essentially do more with less. In other words, they can get by with less vitamin D in their system because their sensitivity to vitamin D is heightened. Those who lack the gene have less sensitivity to vitamin D, meaning they are, in a sense, vitamin D resistant. This means they would need far more vitamin D in their body in order to avoid vitamin D deficiencies. But the big point in all of this -- which hasn't been mentioned in any of the press on this study -- is that the gene doesn't matter if you don't get enough vitamin D in the first place.
There is a tendency in western medicine to focus on genetic variations as the causes of disease, when in fact, breast cancer is a nutritional disorder, not a genetic disorder. The human body does not have a genetic blueprint that is programmed to give people breast cancer. Yes, there are variations in the sensitivity to vitamin D, but this variation only comes into play when women are deficient in the vitamin in the first place. Once a person has sufficient vitamin D in their system, either through nutritional supplementation or by manufacturing their own vitamin D by getting natural sunlight on their skin, this genetic variation becomes irrelevant. You can avoid breast cancer for your entire life regardless of whether you have this vitamin D receptor gene by making sure you have plenty of vitamin D in your body, and doing that is remarkably simple. It can be done through dietary changes, nutritional supplements, and getting natural sunlight.
When you see articles in the popular press that talk about diseases being caused by genes, look at that news with a high degree of skepticism. Most so-called genetic disorders are actually nutritional disorders that are influenced in a small way by a person's genetic code. Nearly all of these genetic variations can be easily overcome by pursuing a healthy lifestyle and making choices in your diet and exercise habits that ensure you have all of the nutrients your body needs to fight off disease and maintain a high state of health.
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In 2010, Adams created NaturalNews.TV, a natural living video sharing site featuring thousands of user videos on foods, fitness, green living and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also the CEO of a highly successful email newsletter software company that develops software used to send permission email campaigns to subscribers. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org
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Sunday, August 08, 2004
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