I have written a lot about vitamin D over the years —  and there is a very good reason for this. If there is one supplement that would be at the very top of my list for helping prevent and support the healing of Breast Cancer, it would be vitamin D!

Vitamin D Deficiency: A Global Problem

The importance of getting enough vitamin D wouldn’t be such an issue if the majority of us had adequate stores of it in our bodies. However, most women that my team and I have coached on the 7 Essentials System®,  have very low Vitamin D levels. (like the majority of people in the world)

A 2009 report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine measured vitamin D levels in the United States between 1988-2004. It found that in 1988, 45% of the individuals in the U.S. government’s National Health and Nutrition Examination survey had vitamin D levels that were “sufficient for overall health.” In 2004, however, only 23% had “sufficient” amounts.

This means that three-quarters of teens and adults in the U.S. are currently vitamin D deficient! The situation worldwide is not much better, according to the World Health Organization. The best way to get adequate amounts of vitamin D is through sunlight exposure. But our modern indoor lifestyle and artificial lighting have prevented us from enjoying the benefits of sunlight. 

Why Vitamin D is So Important

In reality, vitamin D is not really a vitamin. It is a steroid hormone that affects over 100 genes in the body. The majority of tissues in the body have receptors for Vitamin D. Vitamin D has the ability to affect some pretty major functions in the body, such as calcium absorption and bone development. Deficiency has been linked to depression, weight gain, and many kinds of cancer. According to the Vitamin D Council, Vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial for autoimmune disease, chronic pain, high blood pressure, and possibly even for preventing autism.

And when it comes to preventing breast cancer, the evidence about vitamin D is crystal clear:

Conventional medicine recommends that vitamin D levels of roughly 25-30 ng/ml are safe.

However, according to a study published in the American Association for Cancer Research, when the Vitamin D level in the blood was doubled to 50 ng/ml, there was an 83% reduction in Breast Cancer!

-A Canadian study found a 60 percent reduction in cancer overall with the use of Vitamin D. The results of this study caused the Canadian Cancer Society to endorse Vitamin D as a major cancer-prevention strategy in the late 2000s;

-A University of South Florida College of Medicine study found that Vitamin D suppresses leptin stimulation which may also inhibit corresponding cancer growth and reduce Breast Cancer risk among obese women;

Still not convinced about the connection between vitamin D and cancer prevention? Did you know that to date there have been over 1,00 studies on the subject? For some of the top study results, check out this comprehensive list HERE.

The First Step: Get Tested

Don’t be in the dark about your Vitamin D level. Get it checked through your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor today. 

Finally, you may also qualify to be part of one of several current Vitamin D studies going on right now through the health awareness organization, Grass Roots Health.

Grass Roots Health was founded by Carole Baggerly, a brave and amazing woman who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2005. Like so many, Carole endured traditional cancer treatments that left her weak and traumatized. When she was diagnosed with osteoporosis a few years later, Carole decided to take her health into her own hands and began researching Vitamin D. She discovered that raising her own level could possibly help her as well as thousands of others. Since that time,  she has been on a “mission to educate the world” about Vitamin D.

Want to volunteer? 

According to Susan Siljander, Director of Marketing for Grass Roots Health, the organization is especially looking for women under 60 who have cancer or want to prevent it for their D*Action study. Women 60 and older are encouraged to contact them regarding their five-year Breast Cancer Study. Participants in both studies receive a Vitamin D level check.  For more information about some of their studies, check out this video:

Remember the Importance of Vitamin D!

Breast Cancer patients with high levels (60-80 ng/ml) of vitamin D are twice as likely to survive a Breast Cancer diagnosis than those with lower levels. Get your D level checked today, or contact Grass Roots Health to be part of one of their studies. By participating, you are not only taking a major step for your own health, but you will be making a difference in the lives of others as well!

And if you do start a vitamin D/D3 supplementation program, be sure to get a supplement that includes vitamin K2. Read THIS BLOG to learn more about the connection between D and K.

Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, better known as Dr. V, is the founder of The 7 Essentials System ®, a step-by-step guide that teaches you exactly how to prevent and heal Breast Cancer Naturally.