The most important vitamin. Vitamin D stops cancer cell growth Avoid sunscreen

Each of us wants to be healthy, live long and, if possible, do without medication and visits to doctors. These natural human desires are very effectively used in the development of advertising for various vitamin complexes, dietary supplements and antioxidants.

The USA is especially successful in this. About 3,500 different food supplements with multivitamins and minerals are produced and sold here. Statistically, seven out of ten Americans use some of these supplements, and four out of that same ten do so regularly.

American vitamins have been advertised in European countries for so long that their use has become the norm; moreover, it is the number of supplements on the shelf that has become a measure of a healthy lifestyle. Whether this is so is for each person to decide individually.

In Russia, there are no statistics on the use of dietary supplements yet, since vitamin complexes are just coming into our lives. Further in the article we will try to take a closer look at what vitamins (American) are, which of them can be seen on Russian markets, and what effect manufacturers promise from taking them.

Domestic or imported?

Almost every Russian asks this question when a doctor prescribes vitamins. It should be noted that today our therapists are in no hurry to prescribe dietary supplements and only recommend taking a certain course to strengthen the body after a serious illness.

However, advertising has results, and American vitamins began to flood our market, captivating everyone with bright prospects. In fact, I would like to somewhat cool the ardor of our readers: any vitamin supplement should be prescribed by a doctor after a special analysis, which will show which vitamin you are currently lacking. But enough digressions, let's move on directly to considering the most effective complexes.

For women

As statistics show, American or domestic vitamins are most often consumed by the fair half of humanity. This is facilitated by the marketing focus on a more responsive consumer, and the passion of the fair sex for diets, during which it is necessary to replenish the supply of necessary substances with the help of vitamin supplements.

One of the most popular complexes is considered to be “Female Multiple” from Solgar. This is a complete composition of vitamins and minerals for every day. It is designed specifically for busy women. Its price is 1500 rubles.

However, today on the Russian market you can much more often find vitamins (American) from the Nutrilite company. In particular, for women the following can be distinguished:

Complex “Iron Plus” (770 rubles), which, in addition to iron, includes folic acid and spinach concentrate.
Complex “Beauty Formula” (2020 rubles), which includes biotin and vitamin C, as well as silicon and collagen.

We will consider American vitamins for women further, because they are brought to the market in a huge assortment.

For pregnant and lactating women

Pregnancy is a special period in the life of every woman, and she naturally wants to be sure that the baby is provided with all the substances necessary for growth and development. American vitamins enjoy great trust among our fellow citizens, by the way, perhaps this is facilitated by the high price, which is associated with good quality.

First of all, I would like to mention the drugs from the Vitamax company. This is a unique “Nutriklinz”, which contains medicinal herbs, vitamins, enzymes and lactobacilli. Thanks to it, the body is cleansed of waste and toxins and the excellent functioning of all excretory systems is ensured, which is very important for the expectant mother. The price of the drug is 2570 rubles.

American vitamins for women are unique and unparalleled complexes that will make you feel light and comfortable. An excellent option for expectant mothers is the drug “Vitabalance”. It contains components that are aimed at maintaining all organs and systems of the body, as well as meeting its needs for minerals, vitamins and microelements.

Pay attention to Solgar vitamins. This is a dietary supplement for expectant mothers, it contains:

microcrystalline cellulose;
stearic acid;
titanium;
silicon;
vegetable glycerin;
Magnesium stearate.

Moreover, the complex does not contain:

gluten;
wheat;
sugar;
starch;
dyes and flavors.

The named drug is a complete source of vitamins and minerals. These are vitamins A, C, D, E, full B complex, as well as minerals: iodine and iron, magnesium and zinc, selenium and copper, magnesium, manganese and chromium, sodium, potassium. In addition, the composition is enriched with amino acids, which is extremely important for a woman in such a difficult period.

American vitamins for pregnant women are the best way to provide the body with all the necessary substances; it is a guarantee of quality and excellent well-being for both mother and baby.

For those over 40

Psychologists characterize this age as a crisis age. External attractiveness begins to fade, stress and fatigue accumulate, children grow up and start their own lives, often adding to their parents’ worries. The best American vitamins are created precisely to allow you to survive a difficult period of life with the least loss.

General Vitamin Corporation has developed Stress Formula specifically for these cases. This is a complex of vitamins B, C, E, in addition, calcium pantothenate and trace elements are included here: and The drug contains substances necessary for the construction of tissues in our body. In addition, it is very important for the production of hemoglobin and the formation of antibodies.

If you use this drug regularly, it will guarantee good health. You will feel stronger and more resilient. The stress formula gives a good supply of energy, brain cells begin to function normally, and the head becomes clear. Stress decreases, sleep improves - you will get up rested in the morning. This is a powerful anti-aging agent, which is especially indicated for chronic fatigue and stress, problems with the cardiovascular system. Cost - 1650 rubles.

To maintain beauty

A woman's attractiveness is made up of a number of different factors. This is primarily a good mood and cheerfulness. A smiling woman becomes prettier and younger before our eyes. The condition of the skin, figure, hair and nails is also important. It is already clear that choosing a vitamin complex that will provide improvement in all these indicators is difficult, so we will tell you separately about the complexes that help normalize weight and improve hair condition. However, first of all, we need to ensure good health and mood.

Natura Vigor offers you Stay Healthy. This is the perfect multivitamin with mineral supplements. These dragees differ from others in that they consist of two layers. First of all, a layer of 12 quickly soluble minerals is absorbed, and after 6 hours 13 vitamins begin to be absorbed. Thus, vitamin C and copper, B12 and iron never meet each other, which ensures their normal absorption.

The complex contains all the microelements that the body needs. The drug is balanced in such a way that there is no deficiency or excess. That is, it can be consumed daily on an ongoing basis. One package, costing 1,790 rubles, lasts for 5 months.

These are American-made vitamins that are trusted by a huge number of people around the world. Based on reviews, we can add that this complex helps improve overall well-being, improves mood, strengthens the immune system and counteracts cold and flu viruses.

For weight loss

Especially in this group I would like to note the well-known American ones. And one of the most famous is the L-carnitine complex. Under its influence, metabolism improves and accelerates, that is, energy is produced from excess fat reserves.

Reviews of the mentioned American vitamins can most often be heard from athletes:

the drug allows you to increase endurance;
Helps burn excess fat faster:
protects muscles during training;
promotes their rapid recovery after physical activity.

But even those who are far from sports can use them to avoid heart problems and obesity.

The second popular complex for weight loss is Chromium Picolinate. This element plays a vital role in the biochemical processes of the body. First of all, this element contributes to the normalization of carbohydrate metabolism. This is especially important for patients with diabetes. That is, this food helps reduce cravings for sweets, which is often the cause of excess weight gain. If you are just planning to practice dietary nutrition, then this drug will help you at first and significantly improve your results.

For nails and hair

In terms of relevance, in second place after the topic of losing weight for women is the health of hair and nails. And this is where problems most often begin. Stress, diets, ecology - all this affects curls in the most unfavorable way. There comes a time when neither new care products nor the advice of a consultant from a beauty salon help, and all because the problem needs to be treated from the inside.

American vitamins for hair and nails provide ideal conditions for growing beautiful braids and a wonderful manicure. The Natura Vigor company offers you the “Skin, Hair, Nails” complex. He contains:

vitamin C, D, B1, B2, B6;
folic acid;
biotin.

In parallel, the complex includes:

calcium pantothenate;
phosphorus;
zinc;
selenium;
turmeric extract;
collagen;
black pepper seed extract.

As a result, taking this formula can enhance hair shine and prevent flaking of the skin, brittle nails and thinning of the hair structure.

There are other American hair vitamins. For example, Skin, Hails & Hair from Solgar. The composition includes zinc and copper, as well as silicone. Typically, silicones are used to care for hair from the outside, but here you get this element from the inside. Thus, your hair can begin to shine literally just a few months after you start taking it.

Not all cosmetologists agree that one complex can effectively affect the skin and hair. It is in this regard that American vitamins for hair, nails and skin are divided into several different highly specialized preparations:

Nutra Skin (super hair) from Natura Vigor, which, in addition to vitamins and minerals, contains aloe vera and chamomile flower extract. As a result of taking it, the formation of wrinkles is prevented, and inflammatory processes, including acne, are treated much faster.
Super Hair (super hair). This is an ideal combination of essential vitamins and minerals, trace elements and amino acids.

American vitamins for women allow you to maintain youth and significantly delay the aging process. After a while, you will notice that your skin and hair have become healthier, and it is much easier for you to get up for work in the morning.

For immunity

A very important element for maintaining strong immunity is ascorbic acid. Therefore, he recommends trying the drug from Solgar “Vitamin C and Rosehip”. It contains rose hips and vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and prevents various inflammatory processes.

The drug alleviates colds and flu, prevents the development of cancer, reduces the harm caused to the body by smoking, and ensures healthy skin.

For men

American vitamins for men are positioned much less frequently in advertising. Probably because women are more responsive to marketing techniques. However, the strong half of humanity needs vitamins no less. Moreover, if the biochemical processes occurring in their body require a standard set of vitamins and minerals, then male strength must be maintained.

This is very well facilitated by the Mega Man drug from Nanura Vigor. The composition includes vitamins A and E, zinc. In addition, it is enriched with:

concentrate of bovine prostate and bovine gonads;
Siberian ginseng extract;
diamine leaf extract;
bee pollen.

Such a rich composition helps to increase sexual desire, prolongs life and has a pronounced stimulating effect. The named composition ensures the prevention of inflammation of the prostate gland, normalizes intestinal activity, increases appetite and performance.

For children

It is most important to take vitamin supplements in childhood. It is at this time that all organs and systems are formed, all the foundations for growth and development are laid. Therefore, American vitamins for children are very popular in the post-Soviet space.

Among them is the drug “Kangavites with vitamin C” from Solgar. These are chewable tablets with a pleasant fruity taste that any child will enjoy. Contains:

calcium;
sodium;
magnesium;
vitamin E;
soy lecithin;
powder from natural vegetables and fruits.

For the full development of the baby, the composition contains:

calcium pantothenate;
potassium chloride;
iron;
beta-carotene;
vitamin A;
zinc oxide;
riboflavin;
choline;
manganese;
copper;
folic acid;
biotin;
potassium iodide;
chromium; AT 12;
vitamin D;
natural flavorings.

This composition ensures the full development of your baby and excellent performance at school. You should start taking it at the age of three, and until the end of adolescence, the drug can become your good assistant and friend.

Other manufacturers also have chewable vitamins for children. This is Children Chewable from Natura Vigor. This is for children, which enhances immunity and prevents flu. Each tablet contains vitamins A, C, D3, E, B1, B2, B6, B12. The complex is enriched with magnesium and silicon and flavoring additives.

Daily intake of vitamins fully provides the growing body with vitamins and accelerates recovery from illnesses. This in turn prevents rickets and growth disorders, strengthens teeth and bones, improves metabolism and strengthens the nervous system, and relieves school fatigue.

Children under 4 years of age are recommended to take one tablet once a day, and over this age - two tablets per day. Many parents note that after regularly taking these courses, their children began to get sick much less.

Let's sum it up

As you can see, there are a lot of vitamins from American manufacturers on the market today. In our short article, we were able to talk about only a small part of them. Any of these complexes has passed clinical trials and is certified, so you can use them without any fear.

Judging by the reviews, American vitamins give an excellent effect. Almost from the first days you feel an improvement in your well-being, your mood and performance improve. Of course, vitamins are not a magic elixir, and if you stop taking them, the effect will slowly wear off.

Each capsule contains only a daily dose of essential vitamins and minerals that the body uses for its needs. It is especially important to take high-quality vitamin and mineral complexes during periods of increased physical and mental stress and recovery after a serious illness. Judging by the reviews, a number of domestic drugs that are sold in the retail network do not give the same results as those discussed in our article, so if you are looking after your health, then be sure to pay attention to the drugs described.

Does this happen? Of course not, anyone, even a not very informed person, can easily prove that all 13 vitamins, without exception, are absolutely necessary for us and the absence or serious deficiency of any of them will inevitably lead to the most serious consequences. And yet, if you ask me which vitamin we cancer patients should worry about first, I would say vitamin D without any hesitation.

Recently, this confidence has become especially stronger for me, because, simply, in large numbers, works are appearing showing the decisive role that vitamin D has not only on the development of the cancer process, but, more importantly, on the likelihood of contracting many types of cancer.

And if only it were cancer. Although cancer has long been in the leading group of killers, in fairness, it should be said that in most developed countries, cardiovascular diseases remain the number one killer. The results of recent publications can hardly be called anything other than incredible. The results of a five-year study, “Vitamin D can produce “amazing” improvements in heart function, study finds,” were just published in April, involving 160 patients suffering from chronic heart failure (often leading to fatal outcome) were divided into two groups. All of them received standard treatment, but patients in one of the groups additionally received vitamin D.

Using ultrasound, patients were measured so-called. “ejection fraction” is a value indicating the amount of blood ejected with each heartbeat. So it turned out that among those who took vitamin D, this important indicator increased, compared to the control group, by an average of thirty percent.

Here is another study that lasted 54 months (conducted under the auspices of the Institute of Medicine (IOM)), which involved 422,800 completely healthy adults. By the end of the term, over four and a half years, some of them, unfortunately, died from a variety of reasons. What can I say, we are all mortal, but it turned out that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of dying from any cause by 88%.

But what is a deficiency, where is that “magic” level of vitamin D that increases our chances of remaining, if not rich, then at least healthy.

Honestly speaking, I would not return to this topic, vitamin D, it has been discussed on this site more than once and in great detail (), if not for the growing number of works, based on which, we can already quite confidently say that ideally it is necessary to constantly maintain vitamin D in the blood plasma at a level of 40-60 ng/ml and a value of 40 ng/ml is a kind of threshold value that opens the way to a better life. And a better life means a lower likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, stroke, high blood pressure, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and numerous types of cancer.

Which ones exactly? Of those that are documented, i.e. The results of studies published in peer-reviewed journals indicate that the most prevalent are prostate and breast cancer, ovarian, lung and pancreatic cancer. There are 16 types of cancer in total, this is what has been confirmed, but judging by the mechanism of action of vitamin D, which will be discussed later, this list can be expanded to all epithelial types of cancer.

It is no coincidence that, when talking about vitamin D, I start and put in first place its role not in influencing an existing cancer formation, although this is also not small, but in preventing cancer, this is its key role.

Why, despite the avalanche-like amount of research directly indicating the key role of this vitamin in the prevention of cancer, is it silent, no, in this case it is not science, but precisely those who, by duty, are simply obliged to bring this information to the masses. I am far from conspiracy theories, but how to explain this silence or, even worse, the release of unsubstantiated information.

The same Institute of Medicine (IOM), under the auspices of which the above-mentioned studies were carried out, publishes verbose treatises where you can find everything, except for the main thing, a mention of the established connection between the level of vitamin D in the blood plasma and the risk of cancer.

The good news is that there are a lot of caring people who are well aware of the scale of the problem and are ready to act and are already acting.

An example is the non-profit structure GrassrootsHealth. A Consortium of Scientists, Institutions and Individuals Committed to Solving the Worldwide Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic. (a consortium of scientists, institutions and individuals committed to solving the global epidemic of vitamin D deficiency) is making a truly enormous effort to widely disseminate this vital information. And this is not just about communicating information to the general public. In addition, they have organized an algorithm according to which anyone can order a test kit for a very reasonable fee to determine their 25(OH)D value (the value that determines the content of vitamin D in the blood plasma). It is not at all necessary to order this kit; such an analysis can be done at any district clinic. But it is absolutely necessary to do it, since we are all different and you can determine what daily dose of vitamin D3 (namely D3, in no case D2) you need to take only by knowing its initial content. Let's say, if your test shows 20 ng/ml, then, according to the methodology developed by GrassrootsHealth, you will need to take 5000 IU/day to reach the threshold level of 40 ng/ml and 10,000 IU/day in order to reach the level of 60 ng/ml ml. (the table can be viewed on the website http://www.grassrootshealth.net)

I fully share the concerns and goals that GrassrootsHealth sets and am doing what I can, so I am writing this text in the hope of conveying this information not only to cancer patients, but also to completely healthy people. It would be very useful if this text was placed on their pages by everyone who reads it here and, who knows, how many people it could save from many troubles.

Is it really that important? Let's look at the numbers. First, to prevent cancer.

On this serious issue, I don’t want to be unfounded in the slightest, so I will refer to original works, which I usually don’t do.

Sharon L. McDonnell, Carole Baggerly, Christine B. French, Leo L. Baggerly, Cedric F. Garland, Edward D. Gorham, Joan M. Lappe, Robert P. Heaney. Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations ≥40 ng/ml Are Associated with >65% Lower Cancer Risk: Pooled Analysis of Randomized Trial and Prospective Cohort Study. PLOS ONE, 2016; 11 (4): e0152441 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152441

Here, in particular, it is shown that the likelihood of developing various forms of cancer for women with a high level of 25(OH)D -40 ng/ml is 65% lower, compared to those with this indicator below 20 ng/ml

But the work establishing such a dependence on breast cancer,

Vitamin D Supplement Doses and Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin

D in the Range Associated with Cancer Prevention

CEDRIC F. GARLAND1, CHRISTINE B. FRENCH2, LEO L. BAGGERLY2 and ROBERT P. HEANEY3

1University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, U.S.A.;

2GrassrootsHealth, P.O. Box 234208, Encinitas, CA 92023, U.S.A.;

3Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, U.S.A.

where it was shown that a level of 50 ng/ml is associated with a 50% reduction in the likelihood of developing breast cancer.

Similar results were obtained in recently published works:

PLOS ONE, 2016; 11 (4): e0152441

PR Web April 6, 2016

UC San Diego Health April 6, 2016

In other words, all of these studies found that low vitamin D levels are associated with a greater likelihood of being diagnosed with cancer.

But this, as it turns out, is only half the trouble. Much worse is that this same low level is directly associated with the “aggressiveness” of the cancer.

Take, for example, prostate cancer. Here, probably like no other type of cancer, there is a huge range, from sluggishly ongoing for years to rapidly metastasizing aggressive.

http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2016/03/vitamin-d-prostate-cancer.html

LOW VITAMIN D PREDICTS AGGRESSIVE PROSTATE CANCER

Low level of vitamin D at time of surgery is linked to potentially lethal cancer in men

Low vitamin D levels predict aggressiveness of prostate cancer

Low vitamin D levels at the time of surgery are associated with a high likelihood of fatal cancer in men

There is nothing to add to this. Perhaps this kind of addiction is not at all the privilege of prostate cancer.

And what can and should we do, who are already living with this diagnosis? Should we try and raise our vitamin D levels or is it too late to drink Borzhom?

Let's try to clarify the mechanism of action of vitamin D, what is in it that has such an effect on the cancer process. In its most general and accessible form it looks like this. Our body converts vitamin D into calcitriol (sorry, I couldn’t find a Russian translation), its active hormonal form, which tumor-affected organs use to repair the damage caused and which itself initiates apoptosis (programmed self-destruction) of cancer cells.

But this is not the most important thing. More importantly, calcitriol together with calcium form a glue-like substance E-cadherin (again without translation, sorry), which affects the structure of epithelial cells, allowing them to hold within certain boundaries the array of cancer cells that make up the tumor and preventing them from leaving this quasi-structure. If the level of vitamin D falls, the integrity of the structure is disrupted, with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, it is certainly very important to have adequate levels of vitamin D at any stage of the cancer process.

As for practical advice on how and where it is best to get it, I have already written about this http://montreal15.livejournal.com/5415.html and now, there is little I can add to this.

Today, Natural Factors is one of the largest food manufacturers in North America. The brand's history begins in the 1950s in a valley between two lakes south of Armstrong (USA), where a special piece of land is located - the Natural Factors farm. This organic location gives Natural Factors complete control over sourcing the best quality raw materials. This company monitors the entire production process, from selecting the best seeds to the finished product. Few manufacturers in the world can boast such a degree of control over their activities. Natural Factors Farm has truly unique fertile soil containing enormous amounts of organic matter. Another distinctive feature of this company is the careful selection of seeds. The company guarantees that they are non-healthy and non-GMO. The farm grows many medicinal herbs such as Echinacea purpurea, astragalus, alfalfa and lavender. The company also has full control over the harvest. For example, Echinacea flowers are carefully inspected and only mature flower heads are processed because they contain the highest levels of active ingredients. This is a big advantage compared to mechanical harvesting, which does not take into account the maturity of the plants. That's why Natural Factors offers only the purest, most trusted ingredients, grown on our own organic farm.

Natural Factors

Good Omega-3 Supplements. But like most people, there may be fishy burps. I noticed that I only burp when I take it before meals. Those. it's not that critical.
I tried this company to see if it was right for me or not. I had problems with other fish oils. Either rancid or the capsules are large.
The dosage and quality are good. My husband also takes Omega-3 from the same company.
It is better to choose a high dosage since the daily requirement of Omega-3 should be at least 1000 mg and as a result you will need to take 1-2 capsules and not overpay.
Completely satisfied with this company. The brain starts to work much harder...

2016.05.01 at 14:39 wrote: Evgenia Suslova

Natural Factors

Frankly speaking, I purchased the supplement from Natural Factors out of pure curiosity, without particularly hoping for any results. However, it unexpectedly exists! But first things first. It contains choline, silicon and other components designed to produce collagen in our body. The droplets are slightly thicker than water. Unfortunately, I can’t praise this product for its smell and taste. because in my opinion they are simply monstrous. But there is a way out by mixing it with some juice, for example an orange. I used it for several months. I was impressed with the results; my nails no longer break, my skin has changed, and my joints no longer bother me. I'm thinking of ordering more.

At the request of one family who plans to travel to Canada and is a regular reader of our blog, I am posting this post, which will be dedicated to medications and everything that can be attributed to them in Canada. This will also help you decide what to take with you to Canada for the first time.

More specifically, I will try to draw an analogy with the medicines that we used in Ukraine and what we use here in Canada. Due to the fact that I do not have a pharmaceutical education (but in contrast, I can note that I grew up in a family of doctors of various qualifications :)), I will not always delve into all the names of drugs or their components. But I will definitely clarify what I remember.

I will also note in advance that we are all, to some extent, “chronicles”, so everyone knows better what to take with them for the first time in terms of this fact. I will give a more standard version. Also important is the fact that you can take almost all medications here only with a doctor’s prescription, especially for chronic diseases or those that require antibiotic therapy.

So, before me is our first aid kit of today's life in Canada, which has been increasingly decreasing in size since our arrival in the new country. I remember what a mountain of medicines we carried with us in order to provide for everything. I don’t regret that we brought all this, because it’s better to be safe in this case. Although we simply threw away 70 percent of that set after the expiration date. For ease of classification, I’ll start with the head, as the topmost and one of the most important components of our body :)) Of course, painkiller. Unfortunately, having reached my 30s, I am fully familiar with headaches and, moreover, migraines. Therefore, I invested a variety of products in my suitcases: nimesil, ketanov (ketonal), spazmolgon. Canada has its own analogues - Tylenol, it’s also based on acetomenophen, if I’m not mistaken, which is used as an antipyretic for children and adults. This is the most gentle option for the body. And in principle, it can help, but not much and not for long. There are also Advil(ibuprofen), a stronger option that can quite cope with moderate headaches and other pain. Both are also available in children's format (for children from 3 months), which is used to reduce fever and relieve cold symptoms. Perhaps these are the most frequent “guests” of our first aid kit.

But when a migraine occurs, they are not able to alleviate it. Anyone who knows what a real migraine is will understand me. It's a nightmare that just needs to be lived through. Only nimesil or ketanov helps me with this. This happens, fortunately, extremely rarely. And my headaches were initially associated with high blood pressure, so I also brought medications for this case. But, fortunately, after moving to Canada, this problem completely disappeared.

Rhinitis, sinusitis, or, simply put, a runny nose, as such, in Canada is treated exclusively by rinsing with sea water :) There is no pinasol, vibrocil, euphorbium compositum, to which we are so accustomed in Ukraine, here. But there is otrivin :) True, only for adults. Based on this, I would advise taking something vasoconstrictor for those flying with children under 10 years old. (Otrivin, Nazivin are always in our first aid kit). Yes, you can’t use it for a long time or a lot, but in the first days of illness, sea water, no matter how correctly and thoroughly you rinse your nose with it, will not allow the child to breathe freely at night. During the first year of my illness, I developed a runny nose, which lasted and became so severe that I was prescribed antibiotics. Then I found out that this is also a recipe here. I don’t know whether it would be correct to recommend bringing them with you from Ukraine, because this is a fairly serious drug and must be used very carefully. Therefore, I would rather not recommend it only if you are exactly familiar with the conditions and rules of its use.
You can also find all kinds of warming powders here without a prescription, such as Fervex. But we prefer ginger tea with lemon and honey, or, for adults, mulled wine, and for those who are especially resistant to this kind of treatment, Irish grog :))

Laryngitis, pharyngitis, sore throat. I remember that we took some sprays and tablets from Ukraine for these ailments, but we never used anything, although I consistently get tonsillitis 1-2 times a year. If the situation is not severe, there are many lozenges here that ease the course of the disease. Last year I suffered from a purulent sore throat, for which the doctor prescribed me some nasty rinse solution. After 3 days I forgot about the sore throat.

Otitis. In Ukraine, I was very familiar with the drug and tested it myself. candibiotic, so I took it with me. He helped me out 2 times. It is contraindicated in children under 6 years of age. I don’t think it’s necessary to take it with you. but if you know another specific one that you have checked and want to play it safe, then why not.

Barley, conjunctivitis. Unfortunately, Masha often suffered from it. From Ukraine we brought a well-tested phloxal, which can be used even by newborn babies. Here such drugs are only prescribed by a doctor. I always ask you to send these drops from Ukraine, because they help quickly and are proven. As for drops for dry, tired eyes (Visin) with the same name (Visin) is also available here, sold without a doctor’s prescription.
For those who often have herpes on the lips (les feux sauvages), There is an excellent ointment available over the counter - abreva. If you start using it from the first hours of the appearance of herpes, then most likely there will be no further development :)

Vitamins, immune-strengthening drugs etc. ( echinacea, for example) we order from Amway, like many other household products. In general, there is a special situation with vitamins, because in Canada it is not customary to take vitamins as a preventive measure or to strengthen the immune system in the autumn-winter period. It is believed that if you play sports and eat a balanced diet, then you do not need vitamins. And there is some truth in this. So, there is no point in taking vitamins with you. Here you can buy a variety of analogues, such as Centrum, without a prescription. I haven’t come across immuno-strengthening agents as such here, but you can find a lot of all kinds of herbal teas and dietary supplements that have a similar effect. For example, .

We are also big fans of aromatherapy, but unfortunately the choice here is very limited essential oils or they are quite expensive. Recently I found a nice store called Avril, which has a good selection of oils. But most often I buy seeds for germination there. There are still oils. But if possible, we order oils from Ukraine.
I remember in Ukraine I seasonally gave Masha some aflubin or other homeopathy for prevention. In Canada this is not necessary.
Antihistamines (Claritin, loratadine, diphenhydramine, diazolin etc.) are also available for free sale here, including for children in the form of syrup ( Benadryl). It is worth taking only if one of the family members has severe allergies and is helped by a certain drug.
Medicines for intestinal infections. A popular disease here is gastrointestinal flu, which occurs with or without fever and is characterized by general weakness, nausea, vomiting and dehydration. In general, treatment takes place at home with the absorption of copious amounts of fluids (electrolyte solutions) and medications for nausea and general gastrointestinal discomfort. All this is sold without a prescription. In more rare cases, hospitalization is necessary. Last year I had to resort to the latter option due to severe dehydration. But after a couple of hours of IV drips, I went home to finish my treatment. :) Activated carbon I haven’t seen it on sale here, but for almost 4 years in Canada we haven’t had the need to use it. We also took with us antacids (Rennie, Maalox, Almagel). There are similar drugs here too, most often they are included in syrups that improve the general condition of the gastrointestinal tract after poisoning.
Some other drugs that we initially carried with us were associated with chronic diseases and analogues of which are not sold by prescription: drugs for exacerbation of gastritis and pancreatitis (mezim, pancreatin, ranitidine, vikalin, etc.) Until you get a diagnosis and you go through everything the necessary research may not take a year or a month, so in this case, it is better to play it safe.
Iodine, brilliant green... :) I won’t say anything about brilliant green and potassium permanganate, because I’ve never used them, but a 2% iodine solution is sold here without a prescription. As well as alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide.
Sedatives (novopassitis and company) These products are partially no longer needed in Canada, except perhaps during the session :) But most often, regular herbal tea with a calming effect helps me.
Cardiac (Corvalol, Valocordin) It makes sense to take it if you know exactly WHAT helps you and if these problems are not serious.

Emergency kit in case of injury ( bandages, cotton wool, bandages, plasters etc.) can be found at a regular pharmacy. Since I took an ambulance course in the first year, I took a complete kit there for such a case.
Preparations for burns, antiseptics and wound healing ( panthenol, levomekol, etc.) . Of course, we are not talking about serious burns and cuts. We only took with us Boro Plus, a wound-healing cream based on herbs. It promotes speedy healing. We found local analogues - Polysporin And First Aid Cream.
Thermometer, heating pad, syringe and other “accessories” of the first aid kit are available for free sale here. We only took a blood pressure monitor with us, because we didn’t know if it would be possible to buy it here. In principle, we didn’t regret it, because every year my mother-in-law comes to us, who has problems with blood pressure. But I saw blood pressure monitors on sale.

Cough medications. This is a particularly interesting point, since cough is also not particularly treated here. And there is no question of simply buying cough syrup for your child at the pharmacy. All such medications are prescribed by a doctor. But it seems that last year a wonderful cough syrup based on plantain appeared on the Canadian market - Helixia. There is also an excellent warming ointment based on essential oils - Vicks Vapo Rub, for children and adults.
I remember I bought anti-motion sickness pills (Dramine) on the plane, but we didn’t need them at all.
For very young children who are teething, there are also pain-relieving gels. There are also anti-colic drugs.
Probiotics for adults can be found without problems. For very young children there are biogaia drops (BioGaia), but they are not cheap and are not available everywhere. For children over 6 years old, it is more realistic to find probiotics. It is unlikely to carry them with you, because they require special storage conditions. We got out of this situation by buying a yogurt maker and making homemade yogurts. Dry store starters are available in almost every grocery store.
I also saw creams and ointments for muscle and arthritic pain on the open market. But to what extent they are direct analogues of our usual means, I don’t know.

Summarizing everything written above, I can say that it will still be cheaper to see a doctor first, and then go to the pharmacy with his instructions, because the prescribed medicine, most often, can be covered by state insurance, or collective insurance (if you have one). at the place of work). Most medications for children are covered by insurance to the maximum extent possible. In addition, you can check with your doctor whether this medicine will be covered by insurance or not, or you can even ask for a cheaper analogue of the medicine, if this is the case.

Researchers at McGill University have explored the molecular basis of how vitamin D prevents cancer; its active form neutralizes cancer cells. People with high concentrations of vitamin D in their blood live much longer!

The team, led by Department of Physiology professors John White and David Goldsman, found that the active form of vitamin D interferes with the function and function of the cMYC protein through various mechanisms. This protein potentiates cell division.

An increased level of this protein in tissues is recorded in more than half of cancer cases. These results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Over the past few years, there has been significant interest in its role in health promotion and disease prevention. Recent data indicate a direct link between low concentrations of this vitamin in tissues and the occurrence of various forms of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Candidate of Sciences, Professor Stephen Krichevsky discovered an interesting relationship:

We found vitamin D deficiency (less than 20 nanograms per milliliter of blood) in one in three of our study participants. This is associated with an increase in the mortality rate among older people to fifty percent, Krichevsky said.

Our findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency deserves significant public health attention, especially in older adults.

Although vitamin D can be obtained from some foods and directly from the sun during the spring and summer, poor diets and infrequent sun exposure cause varying degrees of hypovitaminosis in some groups of the world's population.

They can manifest themselves differently in people, depending on the physiological characteristics of each person’s body.

It is known that vitamin D is involved in many physiological processes and its deficiency is associated with an increase in the incidence of cancer. This connection is especially clear in relation to malignant diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as, for example, colon cancer, and certain forms of leukemia.

Professor White said: My laboratory has devoted years to studying the molecular mechanisms of vitamin D's behavior in cancer cells, particularly its role in preventing them from dividing. We found that this vitamin controls both the production and degeneration of the cMYC protein. More importantly, we found that vitamin D is directly involved in the production of MXD1, a natural antagonist of cMYC that neutralizes its function.

The team members applied vitamin D to the skin of mice, which resulted in a drop in cMYC levels and a decrease in its activity. Moreover, mice lacking specific receptors for this vitamin had high levels of cMYC in various tissues, including the skin and the lining of the large intestine.

These results suggest that topical vitamin D may be as effective as oral vitamin D in preventing cancer.

Chemoprophylaxis with vitaminDno side effects

Comparison of the results indicates the ability of vitamin D to reduce the functionality of cMYC and suggests that it can slow down the transition of cells from a precancerous to a malignant state; he is able to control their reproduction.

Dr. White said he and his team hope the findings will convince people not to neglect taking this vitamin and will encourage full-scale trials of the effectiveness of regular vitamin D supplementation in cancer chemoprevention.

The idea of preventing this genetic disease with vitamin D is not new. When the vitamin binds to specific receptors, the result of its intervention leads to the neutralization of many toxins and cancer cells. Hypovitaminosis suppresses protective mechanisms, opening the way to the development of malignant conditions.

This is one of the reasons why some forms of cancer are much less common or absent in people living near the equator than in people living further from the equatorial line.

Evidence of the anti-cancer effect of vitamin D dates back to the 1940s, when Frank Apperly pointed out the connection between latitude and cancer mortality, suggesting that sunlight could “build anti-cancer immunity.”

Both precursors of vitamin D, designated D2 and D3, are hydroxylated in the kidneys and liver into the form 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), this is the inactive, stored form; and 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), this is the biologically active form of vitamin D controlled by the body.

There is growing evidence that the 1,25(OH)2D form has anti-cancer properties, however, it is becoming known that it is not only kidney cells that are capable of producing it. This implies the possibility of high concentrations of the anticancer 25(OH)D in individual tissues.

According to candidate of sciences, epidemiologist Cedric Garland, similar theories about leading to certain cancers have been tested and confirmed in more than two hundred epidemiological studies.

Understanding the physiology of these processes is based on two and a half thousand laboratory experiments. According to Garland, “[vitamin D] is the most important substance for chemoprevention, and it is not synthetic and has no side effects.”

Cedric Garland's observations provide even more evidence for the important role of vitamin D in maintaining health.

Here are some of the most notable key points from his research:

About six hundred thousand cases of breast and intestinal cancer registered annually in the world can be prevented by introducing the practice of constant intake of vitamin D in the population. But we are talking about only two types of cancer.

By maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D in the body's tissues, at least sixteen different types of malignant diseases can be prevented, including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, prostate and skin cancers.

A large-scale study of the effect of vitamin D on malignant processes showed that this vitamin can reduce the risk of developing cancer by 60 (!) percent. This is such a revolutionary discovery that the Canadian Cancer Society has already begun to recommend this vitamin as a cancer preventative.

Based on a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, fair-skinned women who regularly spend enough time in the sun cut their risk of developing breast cancer by half.

Research by William Grant, Ph.D., a world-renowned scientist and vitamin D expert, suggests that approximately 30 percent of cancer deaths (2 million per year worldwide) can be prevented with this vitamin.

It is worth noting that inflammatory processes in the body can cause both vitamin D deficiency and many chronic diseases.

Avoid sunscreen

Skin color reflects the mechanism of adaptation to the intensity of sunlight. The production of vitamin D depends on this process, and there is also the possibility of destruction of a small amount of folic acid under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

Researchers from the University of Leeds suggest that people with very pale skin cannot spend enough time in the sun to produce the required amount of vitamin D - otherwise they will suffer sunburn. The solution is to ditch regular sunscreens in favor of non-toxic ones to increase your sun exposure.

Evidence of the benefits of vitamin D is extensive and growing. They may conflict with one of the tenets of medicine, which states that people should cover themselves with sunscreen whenever they are in the sun.

According to some scientists, these actions may lead to more cancer deaths than they can prevent.

It’s not for nothing that vitamin D is called “sunshine” - the body produces it under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Sunscreens block this process. Dermatologists and health organizations advocate the use of these products to prevent skin cancer. Now some scientists dispute this claim. The reason lies in the important role of vitamin D in the prevention of various types of cancer.

Comprehensive research indicates that 83 percent of the nearly eight hundred sunscreens on the market are either not effective enough or contain ingredients that are unsafe for health.

Only 17 percent are both safe and effective; and are able to fully protect against ultraviolet rays of the A and B spectrum. This information is based on approximately 400 studies conducted by various government, scientific and industrial organizations.

Many sunscreen products do not provide enough protection against ultraviolet raysA

Twelve percent of these products protect against sunburn only (spectrum B). Spectrum A rays, in turn, are associated with damage and premature aging of the skin, immune problems and the potential to provoke the development of skin cancer.

Sunscreens are destroyed by the sun's rays

Paradoxically, many of their ingredients lose their properties in the sun within a few hours or even minutes, allowing ultraviolet radiation to affect the skin. There is evidence that 54 percent of sunscreens on the market may contain unstable ingredients and combinations of ingredients that do not last as long as stated on the label.