Preventing Cancer with Vitamin D

The other day my husband and I found out that the dark mole on his back is melanoma. So while he goes off to enjoy life, I go online to research skin cancer. Discovering that melanoma is the deadliest of all forms of cancer because it spreads so quickly, I prepared for the worst. I can't tell you the relief I felt today to learn that his melanoma is in the earliest stage, which means that once it's completely removed, he should be fine.

Honestly, my husband was the last person I'd suspect of getting melanoma. He's not fair skinned and freckle-faced like me. He didn't have excessive sun exposure as a child like me. What happened? More importantly, what now? Once you've been diagnosed with melanoma, you're chances for getting it again are significantly greater.

Fortunately, I stumbled upon a study out this summer that vitamin D can dramatically reduce cancer risk. Research from Creighton University School of Medicine found that participants cut their risk of cancer by 77 percent when taking 1100 IUs of vitamin D3 combined with 1,400-1,500 mg of calcium. Calcium alone was found to make no difference.

Ten minutes of sunshine a day without wearing sunblock also supplies the body with the vitamin D3 it needs. People living in northern states and countries above the 37th parallel can't rely on the sun for their intake during the winter months.

Since we live where the winters are long and cold, I'll be sure that my dear husband is supplemented with vitamin D3 when the season changes. He can also look forward to my regular reminders to have his dermatologist check his moles. Now that I know he's going to be just fine, I plan to keep him that way.