Q1: What is vitamin?
A1: Vitamin, is a class of substances that is crucial not only in maintain human life activities but also an important active substances that maintain human health. Although the amount of vitamin in our body is very very small, however, it plays an important role in human growth, metabolism, and also development process.
Q2: Can folic acid reduce cancer risk?
A2: Folic acid, closely related to folate, is a B vitamin. It may be found in many vegetables, soy, fruits, and whole grains. Lack of folic acid is said to increase the risk for colorectal and breast cancer. Scientists recommend taking folic acid from plant food sources to reduce cancer risk.
Q3: Can vitamin C reduce cancer risk?
A3: Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables and many studies have linked such fruits and vegetables with cancer prevention. However, studies on Vitamin C pills could not be linked with reduced cancer risk.
Q4: What is the difference between a wholesome plant food and vitamin pills?
A4: Vitamin pills are nutrient which artificial extracted and are not diseases-preventable. They contain only part of the plant nutrients, and can not be compared with the wholesome nutrition, thus overdose will bring side effects. Wholesome plant food, however, will not have any side effects. Inside the wholesome plant food, there are rich in phytochemicals, antioxidants, polysaccharides and other nutrients, all these are important substances which can be used to enhance the body's immune function.
Q5: Can vitamin pills replace a well-balanced diet?
A5: No, the best sources of vitamin intake is through a wholesome plant based diet. Replacing a balanced diet with vitamin pills can lead to a body's dependence on vitamin pills, and overdose can also lead to poisoning.
Q6: Can vitamin pills reduce cancer risk?
A6: Thus far, no evidence shows that vitamin pills can reduce cancer risk. Results of clinical tests linking vitamin pills and cancer prevention have been disappointing. Some studies have shown that vitamin pills reduce stomach cancer risk for the severely malnourished people of China and South America. However, when high dose of some nutrients were administered, results showed no benefits and even harm in some cases. Many experts maintain that whole foods are the best source of nutrients. They say that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods may reduce the risk of cancer as these foods may reduce the risk of cancer as these foods contain many healthy compounds such as antioxidants, phytochemicals, and polysaccharides, which are not found in a vitamin bottle. In many cases, scientists have not been able to isolate the exact compounds that give this beneficial effect.
Q7: What are the possible side effects of taking too much vitamin pills?
A7: Excessive amounts of vitamin A may lead to osteoporosis, fatigue, liver damage; excessive vitamin B may cause paralysis, depression; excessive vitamin C may lead to heart and liver disease; excessive vitamin D may lead to kidney disease; excessive vitamin E may slow down Immune function, leading to fatigue and so on.
Q8: Why excessing of eating plant food does not cause side effects like vitamin pill?
A8: Vitamins found inside plant are exist in the form of natural molecular structure, it is easily digested and absorbed by the body, thus there is no side effects. Once the vitamin is separated from the plant and is process to the form of pills, it is no longer a complete food, because the original balance has been destroyed, which turns it into a chemical, and it is possible to cause side effects. When the vitamin is present in an orange, it is an antioxidant; and after separation, it is no longer an antioxidant, on the contrary, it will create hundreds of millions of free radicals, which is extremely harmful to the human body.
What is a Dietary Supplement?
A dietary supplement is a product intended for ingestion that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to add further nutritional value to (supplement) the diet. A "dietary ingredient" may be one, or any combination, of the following substances:
- a vitamin
- a mineral
- an herb or other botanical
- an amino acid
- a dietary substance for use by people to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake
- a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, or extract
Dietary supplements may be found in many forms such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, or powders. Some dietary supplements can help ensure that you get an adequate dietary intake of essential nutrients; others may help you reduce your risk of disease.
What you need to know first about dietary supplements?
Dietary supplements include things like vitamins, minerals, herbs, or products made from plants. They can also be made from animal parts, algae, seafood, yeasts, fungus, and many other food substances or extracts. They include powdered amino acids, enzymes, energy bars, and liquid food supplements.
Some dietary supplements are formulated under careful conditions in clean, controlled laboratories and labeled accurately. Others are made less carefully, and have been found to contain none of the substances listed on their labels. And some supplements contain other substances that are not listed on their labels – fillers, different herbs, or actual drugs that are known to be able to cause harm.
If you are thinking about using dietary supplements as part of your cancer treatment, you’ll want to know more before you decide what to do. The information here will help you learn more about dietary supplements so you can make a more informed decision about using them safely.
Dietary supplements are considered safe until proven unsafe!
In 1994, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) defined dietary supplements as a category of food, which put them under different regulations than drugs. They are considered safe until proven otherwise. The DSHEA says that dietary supplements cannot contain anything that may have “a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury” when the supplement is used as directed on the label, or with normal use if there are no directions on the label.
A dietary supplement is considered “new” if it contains an ingredient not recognized as a food substance, unless it was sold as a supplement before October 1994. If it is new, the manufacturer must provide the FDA with reasonable evidence that the new ingredient is safe before the supplement is marketed to the public.
But manufacturers are not required to test new ingredients or supplements in clinical trials, which would help find risks and potential interactions with drugs or other substances. The DSHEA gives the FDA permission to stop a company from making a dietary supplement, but only when the FDA proves that the product poses a significant risk to the health of Americans. This means they are found unsafe only after they cause harm. This is the reverse of the way prescription and non-prescription drugs are handled.
Dietary supplements are usually self-prescribed, so there’s no controlled system for reporting bad reactions and side effects. Doctors and patients can report problems, but are not required to do so. If a supplement has unknown side effects or interactions with other drugs, foods, or supplements, they are not likely to be discovered as quickly as those of new drugs on the market.
Risks and side effects of dietary supplements
Like drugs, dietary supplements have risks and side effects. But sellers aren’t required to do research studies in people to prove that a dietary supplement is safe. And unlike drugs, dietary supplements are mostly self-prescribed with no input from informed medical sources like doctors, nurses, or pharmacists.
There’s a lot of wrong information out there. Even for those who are usually well informed, it can be hard to find reliable information about the safe use and potential risks of dietary supplements.
As part of its function to monitor supplement safety, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks reports of illness, injury, or reactions from supplements. And supplement makers are required to report serious harmful effects to the FDA. Early numbers are reported on the FDA website. Recent FDA information shows that the number of reports has continued to climb each calendar year:
2010: 1,009 reports of dietary supplement adverse events
2011: 2,047 reports of dietary supplement adverse events
2012: 2,844 reports of dietary supplement adverse events
Exposures to supplements (such as vitamins, herbs, protein powders, and botanicals) accounted for more than 35,000 calls to US poison control centers in 2011. Of these calls, more than 4,000 people were reportedly treated in health care facilities. More than 800 cases were described as having moderate to severe outcomes, with 4 deaths reported to poison control centers.
Most people who suffer unexpected side effects, illnesses, or drug interactions from dietary supplements don’t call a poison control center or the supplement manufacturer. This means that the numbers we have are likely very low estimates of actual events.
Used properly, certain dietary supplements may help reduce the risk of some diseases, reduce discomfort caused by certain drugs or conditions, or simply make you feel better (improve your quality of life). And most people can use dietary supplements safely within certain dosage guidelines. But taking dietary supplements can be risky, especially for people who are getting cancer treatment.
Special problems for people getting cancer treatment
There are several ways that supplements can cause problems for people during cancer treatment. For example, some dietary supplements can cause skin sensitivity and severe reactions when taken during radiation treatment. People who are getting radiation treatments should talk to their doctors before taking any supplement.
People getting chemotherapy may be at higher risk for drug interactions if they take dietary supplements. There is also concern that antioxidants might interfere with cancer cell-killing treatments. Cancer experts often recommend that patients avoid dietary supplements altogether until their cancer treatment is over. But if you decide to take supplements anyway, be sure to let your doctor know exactly what you are taking.
Here are some images taken from the book <Enjoying Health & Longevity With Nutritional Immunology> by Dr Jau-Fei Chen.
If dietary supplements are able to help to cure diseases, why till today, mortality rate still climbing high?
It was 20 years ago since the law was announced that all dietary supplements' ingredients must reviewed by FDA (Foods and Drugs Administration for their safety before they are marketed. However, human still suffer from various types of chronic diseases till today, are the advanced medical technology that we human possessed today, still unable to ourselves from such diseases?
Take a look at these numbers, taken from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (link located at bottom of the picture).
Why are there such huge numbers of death caused by Heart disease? Cancer, a disease which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues, ranked number 2 of death caused in US for year 2014 alone! It is very clear that something has gone wrong or misconception about the diet that we practised everyday. I believed that everybody has this experience, where we visit clinic or hospital when we fell sick, doctor will issued us medications such as pills and pain killers, and antibiotic. Are these pills really helped to cure our illness? Do you know that such medication will caused harm to our body rather than helping to free ourselves from falling sick?
Panadol (aceraminophen), belongs to a group of medicines called analgesics (pain relievers) and antipyretics (fever reducers). It works quickly to relieve pain caused by conditions such as headache and osteoarthritis, and to reduce fever caused by infection. It is used by itself as well as in combination medication products for cough, cold and pain relief. (Details link here: http://chealth.canoe.com/drug/getdrug/Panadol) It is very sure that Panadol is not the medicine to cure our fever, or cough, or flu, but to slows down or more precisely, suppresses our pain caused by these illnesses.
So, what is the thing that really cures us from illness? The answer is our immune system! Our immune cells, which located at various parts in our body, protecting ourselves from bacteria and viruses 24/7! (To read more about our immune system, please click here: Our Immune System ) It is very important to nourish our immune cells with proper nutrients so that our immune system works perfectly all the time. (To read more about what are the 3 nutrients to boost our immune system, click here: What is Nutritional Immunology)
Some people catch colds frequently and recover slowly. Others do not fall sick when surrounded by ill people and they recover quickly form the flu. The difference is in their immune system.
Research has revealed that humans can live meaningfully for at least 120 years, and with appropriate care and wholesome nutrition, living for 150 years is possible. However, the average lifespan is currently only around 70 to 80 years. In 2010, 8 million people died of cancer, and 17 million died of heart disease; the 1918 Spanish flu killed 40 to 50 million; in 2003, SARS took over 1,000 lives. Such alarming statistics should alert us to address the root of the problem, and achieve longevity through prevention.
Nothing comes close to a healthy immune system in defending us from disease-causing agents. So how do we keep the immune system in tip-top condition?
A seemingly healthy outward appearance is no indication of how healthy we really are inside. Diseases have a way of sneaking up on us. Infections could be lurking deep within with the only hints being slight tiredness or a persistent sniffle. Before we know it, we could fall seriously ill but by then, it would be too late for prevention. Therefore, we need to stay vigilant by nourishing our immune system daily with generous servings of the right nutrients.
Ever since antibiotics were discovered, humans have been focusing more on treatment and less on prevention. We have forgotten to take advantage of the amazing preventive and healing powers of the immune system. Nutritional Immunology is a relatively new science that emphasizes prevention over cure. This science focuses on the explicit link between proper nutrition and the health of the immune system.
The Best Doctor – The Immune System
Advancement of medicine lags behind disease development. Treatment can only begin with the appearance of symptoms, and has its limitations. Fortunately, the best doctor, the immune system, is within the body. This doctor is like a sophisticated army, always on alert to protect the body against foreign invaders.
Things we encounter, the air we breathe and the food we eat may appear clean, but are full of pollutants. A small slip-up by the immune system may allow pollutants to trespass via the skin, eyes, nose and mouth, while a fully functioning immune system can easily destroy such invaders.
Influenza causes 200,000 to 500,000 deaths every year. Among those infected, some recovered and some died. The difference is due to the immune system.
A weak immune system makes the body vulnerable to attack by microbes and infectious diseases such as SARS, pneumonia, meningitis, hepatitis, flu and tuberculosis. It can even lead to cancer.
A hyperactive or malfunctioning immune system can result in allergies or autoimmune diseases. An allergic response occurs when the immune system reacts against non-threatening agents such as dust, plant pollen and animal dander.
An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells or tissues. Examples of autoimmune disease include rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, diabetes mellitus and psoriasis.
Can medication replace immune system function?
Immune system function involves countless cells, chemicals and organs working closely together. Medications perform only specific functions such as stimulating or suppressing the immune system, and may lead to side effects, unsettling immune system balance and even leading to more diseases.
Immune system balance is the result of a healthy lifestyle:
A balanced diet: Eat mainly a variety of plant foods and reduce meat intake.
Positive and stable emotions: Stress stimulates the body to secrete corticosteroid, which suppresses immune system function, increasing risk of cancer, flu and other disease.
Adequate rest and exercise: Sleep enables the immune system to repair and regenerate. Exercise makes the body perspire, letting it purge toxins, and improves lymph circulation. If regular exercise is not possible, frequent deep breathing can help to encourage lymph circulation.
A healthy lifestyle enables us to live healthier, longer lives.
The True Health with Plant Foods
Nutrition for the immune system comes from plant foods, not animal-derived food.
Plant foods contain plant nutrients such as phytochemicals, antioxidants and polysaccharides that have been proven to prevent and defend against cancer and other diseases.
Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals can prevent the various stages of cancer formation.
Phytochemicals are unique to plant foods. They can effectively prevent diseases, nourish the immune system, accelerate recovery from diseases and can halt and reverse stages of cancer development.
Every plant has its own unique variety of photochemical, which are nutrients not found in meat. For example, cauliflower contains indoles, sulforaphane and flavonoids. They can lower risk of diseases such as breast and ovarian cancer, and can encourage molecules with cleansing abilities to interact with carcinogens for a detoxifying effect. Soy is another example. It contains isoflavones including genistein, daidzein and glycitein. Isoflavones can lower serum cholesterol levels, reduce risk of coronary heart disease, relieve menopausal symptoms, suppress cancer cell growth and lower risk of osteoporosis.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants can slow down aging.
Antioxidants are chemicals that can prevent cell damage by suppressing oxidative effects of free radicals, which are highly unstable molecules. Oxidation alters normal oxygen molecules to become free radicals. They can be produced via smoking, exposure to toxic chemicals, excessive sun exposure and metabolic processes such as digestion.
Free radicals are highly unstable and destructive. They can easily alter proteins, cell membranes, and DNA. Over time, such irreparable damage causes cancer and other degenerative diseases such as cataracts and heart disease.
Grape seed is high in antioxidants, particularly oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC). With 20 times more antioxidant activity than vitamin C and 50 times more antioxidant activity that vitamin E, it can protect cells from oxidative DNA damage, and boost health and skin’s youthfulness.
Rose is also rich in antioxidants. Besides 50 times the vitamin C in lemon, it contains niacin, flavonoid, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, E and K. It aids DNA damage prevention, wound healing, increase of macrophage activity, and improvement of skin tissue and appearance.
Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides can boost immunity, encourage natural killer cell growth and defend against tumors.
Polysaccharides are long chain of sugars. Research has shown that they can inhibit tumor growth by activating immune cells.
Polysaccharides help to balance the immune system and encourage the production of NK cells, interferons and interleukins, promoting the immune system’s destruction of cancer cells and viruses.
Research has shown that mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides, and different mushrooms have different polysaccharides. ABM mushroom, Yun Zhi mushroom, Shitake mushroom, Maitake mushroom and Reishi mushroom are particularly effective in resisting tumors and viruses. They can speed up recovery from cancer and relieve side effects of chemotherapy.
Eating a variety of mushrooms is more beneficial than eating a single type of mushroom, and consuming a concentrated extract of polysaccharides is more beneficial than consuming dried mushroom powder. In addition, only a suitable amount and combination of polysaccharides will produce optimal results.
Wholesomeness is Best!
Wholesome plant foods are Nature’s miracles. Till today, their abundant nutrients have not been entirely discovered by scientists.
Advantages of Plant Foods Over Animal-derived Food
Plant foods contain phytochemicals, antioxidants and polysaccharides that can boost immune function. Plants also contain fiber that is lacking in meat, dairy products and other animal-derived food. Fiber is non-caloric and helps to regulate blood sugar, reduce blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of coronary heart disease, aid bowel movement, decrease risk of cancer in the digestive system and aid weight management. Plant foods also contain plant protein that is easily absorbed, does not easily trigger allergies and does not lead to calcium loss.
Compared to animal-derived food, plant foods do not contain animal hormones and are more eco-friendly. In 2009, Worldwatch Institute (WWI) reported that livestock produce 51% of greenhouse gases, with 1.5 billion livestock producing more waste gases than all transport vehicles in the world combined, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Methane, produced by livestock in large amounts, is 72 times as strong as carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas over a period of 20 years. In addition, rearing livestock uses large amounts of resources, taking up around 70% of farmland worldwide. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimated that during 1961-2001, more than 60% of grain was fed to livestock. 2400 gallons of water is needed to produce one pound of meat, while one pound of wheat requires only 25 gallons of water. Hence, replacing animal-derived food with plant foods is not only healthy for the immune system, but also contributes towards saving the environment.
Hidden Dangers of Vitamin Pills
Many people think that they can make up for imbalanced diets due to busy lifestyles by taking vitamin pills. However, there are risks of vitamin pill overdose. Researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital analyzed data from trials involving 233, 000 participants, and found that beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E intake doubles the risk of hip fracture. A large-scale eight-year study by the Swedish government revealed that beta-carotene pills might increase lung cancer risk in male smokers. Researchers at Keio University in Japan found that vitamin E overdose leads to increased osteoporosis risk. An American Heart Association report of a follow-up study on 132, 000 participants pointed out that excessive vitamin D intake can lead to a rapid heart rate or arrhythmia. Research from Johns Hopkins University has shown that vitamin A overdose increase liver and lung cancer risk, and may lead to fetal deformities and lower bone density.
Wholesome Plant Foods for Perfect Nutrition
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the best way to obtain vitamins is through consuming beneficial, wholesome foods. They also emphasize that vitamin pills cannot replace a well-balanced diet.
Wholesome plant foods contain perfect combinations of nutrients. They are Nature’s greatest gifts, and cannot be replaced with man-made vitamin pills.
Let's watch a short video about how our immune system function:
