As the little ones scamper back to school, and colleges have students on campus, I am excited for their adventures. We know that learning is for life and so much dogma has been uprooted in our lifetimes, a refresh is required. Take science…there is frequent confusion, but only because new research matures and exploration evolves. And so, allow me to offer some crib notes (remember them?) on some current knowledge. As a former Nutritionist and always desirous of empowering patients, let’s get in on the action and learn some new and shifting concepts and recommendations especially regarding your health.

Even if you’ve given up smoking be aware: Recent studies reveal that there is “third hand smoke” (just washing a smoker’s clothes, or present in houses). This is the first we learn (but suspected) this new risk. Smoking is the number one cause of environmentally induced cancer and so now we know to avoid any and every exposure.

Are you the mother (or grandmother) sipping some wine while helping with homework? So much confusion arose from,”Have a glass of red wine a day for your heart.” Really? We know all alcohol increases risk of multiple cancers. They used to be esophageal, head and neck, gastric, liver and bladder, but now breast and colon are added. If you imbibe, just know there really isn’t a safe level and be judicious.

Some risks are unavoidable. For Olex exposed to the Chernobyl accident in 1986 as a child, his cancer has been treated, but at 37 years of age, even with negative scans, he must be made aware of risks. Guidance is empowerment. He couldn’t control where he lived when the event happened, but now the burden is on him to stay as well as possible, and he is eager for the instruction. Frankly, it includes a long list of don’ts: no smoking, no alcohol. Charred and BBQ meats increase risk, limit beef, fried foods, any processed luncheon meats and dairy. We always mention increasing fruits and vegetables but if you had to choose, its blueberries and walnuts. He isn’t put off by the direction. “Doc that nuclear cloud has been very big for me and my family. I will do my part”. I must tell him there are no guarantees.

He asks about vitamins. We thought all antioxidants and several other supplements were helpful and healthful, but now research is advising us differently. Here are 10 updates:

1. B Carotene (precursor to Vit A) has long been known to increase lung cancer risk. Vitamin A, which can be toxic to liver at high doses, can increase cancer risk.
2. Fish oil widely used for heart, arthritis and even cancer has been shown to increase metastatic disease in men (especially African American) with prostate cancer.
3. Vitamin E, an antioxidant, long thought protective for heart disease can actually increase it’s risk.
4. Aspirin is taken by most of my patients because a doctor told them to. Now we know there is risk for the elderly and that it is only beneficial for heart up to age 75. If you are on chemo or getting a procedure, bleeding and bruising are a big problem. It does, according to most recent Harvard study (January 2021) provide protection from colorectal cancer, but only if you start it before 65 and has no protection after 70.
5. As a general rule, supplements do not offer cancer protection or improve survival (American Institute of Cancer research)*. We were recently more confused about multivitamins, but a study last month found there was lower risk of cancer in women who took one a day.** But more than that increased pharyngeal cancer in women and prostate cancer in men!
6. While there are many “immune boosters” out there, best is anything with Glutathione– even a sublingual spray.
7. Too much calcium increases risk of dying from cancer. Vitamin D is not as effective as previously thought for bone health, but may protect from melanoma and breast cancer. (not found in food so a supplement needed)
8. Kava can cause liver damage. Chromium, anemia. Bitter orange heart attacks and strokes.
9. The US preventive services task force advised against use of Beta carotene and vitamin E for cardiovascular disease.
10. There is an Inverse relationship between bladder cancer and vitamin C.

Ok, no quizzes or exams, just a place to share some updated information, and like whether coffee (or dark chocolate) is or isn’t a good idea, will probably shift again in a few years. Please grab some berries and go for a walk, which is the best to boost your cognitive strength (for homework!) and has great benefit for cancer, osteoporosis, heart health and general immunity. Enough for today, class dismissed!

*www.AICR.org is a good source of nutrition information **(Multivitamin Use and site-specific cancer risk. NIH. J Nutrition January 2022)