Vitamins can lower breast cancer risk

If you're looking to beat breast cancer, the answer isn't at your doctor's office.

It's in your vitamin bottles.

New research confirms that calcium and a good multivitamin--just basic, good nutrition--can do what all those screenings can't: Save women from this disease.

Researchers studied 744 women and found that those who took calcium had a 40 percent lower risk of breast cancer, while multivitamins lowered the risk by 30 percent.

The researchers say calcium can help the body repair the DNA damage linked to breast cancer. In addition, vitamins--especially antioxidants--can help fight free radicals, which are one of the causes of that DNA damage in the first place.

Put 'em together, and you've got a few little pills that can pack a real punch--strong enough to even knock out cancer in some women, according to the study presented at a recent meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington.

But of course, it won't help if you just take calcium by itself or even with a good multivitamin. You'll need some vitamin D, too--your body needs the sunshine vitamin to effectively absorb the calcium. One study published in 2007 found that women who take the calcium-D duo have a 60 percent lower risk of cancer.

Since most of us are badly deficient in D and it's nearly impossible to get enough from your diet alone, consider a supplement for this one.

The timing of the latest study is almost too good to be true... because it comes right after a series of bizarre reports in the mainstream media that have attempted to discredit vitamins, including a real hatchet job in Reader's Digest.

Remember, most print publications make a lot of money selling ads to Big Pharma, so it's in their interest to bash natural healing and vitamin supplements.

But if you've been reading House Calls, you know the truth: Vitamins are a proven and effective way of staying healthy and fighting diseases, and a great way to make sure you're getting enough of the most important nutrients--especially the ones that are hard to get from diet alone.

The researchers behind the new study say they're already at work on a follow-up, where they will try to determine what specific vitamins work best to lower the risk of cancer.

But don't wait. Make sure you're getting the nutrients you need today.

On a mission for your health,
Ed Martin
Editor, House Calls