All happy couples make plans together, short-term plans as well as long-term: what are we doing for dinner on Saturday? Where are we going on vacation next year? How are we planning for our retirement? But after a diagnosis of the C-word (cancer), those plans shift to unite a couple in the medical process.
Prostate cancer is the second most widespread cancer among men after skin cancer, affecting one in seven every single year. Prostate cancer is also the third leading cause of cancer death, after lung and colorectal cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The good news today is that significant strides are being made in the prevention of prostate cancer as well as the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
In fact, we have now learned that one remarkable nutrient can have wondrous cancer-fighting and preventative properties for all kinds of cancers. You might have thought vitamin C or D3, but you’d be wrong. It’s actually vitamin K2.
Vitamin K2 is proving to be a marvelous ally in the war on prostate cancer. In fact, K2 and vitamin D3 work harmoniously together to fight a wide range of diseases. Higher levels of K2 and higher intake of K2 are associated with lower prostate cancer risk, and vitamin K2 deficiency status has been found in most men with aggressive prostate cancers.
Researchers for the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) have also found that increasing one’s intake of vitamin K2 may lower the risk of getting prostate cancer dramatically by up to 35%. With a one in seven risk of developing prostate cancer within their lifetime, this is an encouraging discovery! But because we’re talking about a vitamin, I’m sure you won’t see commercials about it. Why? Because it’s not a money maker for the pharmaceutical companies!
And K2 is not something you have to buy, it’s commonly found in foods that most of us already enjoy, like salads, green vegetables, and green superfoods. It is found in very high concentration in a popular Asian fermented soy dish called Natto. Other foods high in vitamin K2 include ground beef, liver, and chicken, as well as cheese, egg yolks and butter. Try this delicious recipe from my website: Fresh Rhubarb Compote.
There are also supplements that are sold without prescription at health food stores, however I encourage you to ask your physician if these are right for you, as K2 can interfere with blood-thinning medications.
For people on the healing process with cancer, their number one goal is to stop the spread of cancer to other organs and tissues, termed metastasis. When prostate cancer is caught early on, before it has spread to many other organs, the interventions are more useful.
Vitamin K2 has also proven to have neuroprotective effects upon the brain, preventing Alzheimer’s and dementia. In addition, K2 has other amazing functions: it shuttles calcium out of the arteries and to the bones, where it hardens and strengthens them. It helps wounds and bones to heal faster. It improves the skin, and amazingly, reverses wrinkles as well!
We all know that there’s not a one-size-fits-all, 100% certain solution to preventing cancer. If there was, everyone would be all over it! But if you, like me, would rather spend your precious time with your companion planning next year’s Caribbean cruise versus making appointments for chemotherapy or radiation, then hey – why not order a K2-rich salad the next time you go out for lunch? At least you’ll know you’ve done your best to take care of yourself. Your body – and your loved one – will thank you!
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
