Saturday, August 14, 2010

From the desk of Ms B

SUPPLEMENTS THAT FIGHT CANCER

The best cancer fighting nutrients come from vitamins & minerals in food, but most of us don't get enough of them. A supplement can offer protection. Just don't take more than the amounts recommended here.

1.  Vitamin D : studies suggest that getting enough D may cut your risk of breast cancer by as much as 50%. People who combine D with calcium can cut the danger of developing other kinds of cancer by up to 60% when compared with those who take only calcium. How much to take : 1,000 IU a day, say experts, who call the current AI, 20-400 IU, woefully low.

2.  Calcium : in a study from the American Cancer Society, people who took calcium supplements were 30% less likely to develop colon cancer than those who didn't. How much to take : 1,000 mg if you're age 50 or younger, 1,200 if older.

3.  Folic Acid : studies have found that folic acid may reduce the risk of breast cancer by 45%. Some studies also link adequate folic acid with a decreased risk of colon cancer. What's more, a glass or two of wine a day raises breast cancer risk by 30%, but enough folic acid wipes that out. How much to take : a multivitamin provides the necessary 400 mcg a day.

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