A first, at last I ruffled a few feathers the other day when I accused the medical industry of not wanting to eradicate cancer because it refuses to come to a consensus about the ability of nutrients -- especially vitamin D -- to do just that. But apparently it's not the entire medical industry that's looking to profit from keeping doubts about vitamins deeply rooted in the public mindset. After news of the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition hit, the Canadian Cancer Society immediately went to work on a national effort to encourage all adults to take vitamin D supplements. According to the sources I read, this effort is the first-ever public health program to endorse a vitamin as a cancer-preventive therapy for the general public. While you're not likely to hear a similar recommendation being made by the FDA, NIH, or any other U.S. agency anytime soon, that certainly shouldn't stop you from following the Canadians' lead and Dr. Wright's long-standing advice to increase your levels of vitamin D. The simplest and least expensive way to do that is to spend about 20 minutes in the sun with your face and arms exposed (and sunscreen-free). But supplements are a good idea too, to cover you on those rainy days, as well as the 9-10 months of the year where the sun's rays aren't strong enough to do the whole job in those of us who don't live near the Equator. Dr. Wright recommends at least 2,000 IU per day, though levels up to 4,000 IU per day have been proven safe. | 
