The Sun Doesn’t Cause Cancer, Radiation Causes Cancer: Dr. Paul Stallone looks at skin cancer prevention and treatment from a naturopathic perspective

For three decades, more people have been diagnosed with skin cancer than all other cancers combined. In fact, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. Cancer or many other diseases occur when a number of factors come together. Eliminating as many risk factors as possible is the best way to minimize our probability of disease.

The sun is not the enemy, but excessive radiation is. We have the sun to thank for our very existence, and without it life would not have started, nor would it continue. Vitamin D is one very important reason to get some sun exposure. Our body converts the vitamin D it produces from the sun into another hormone that organs use to repair cellular damage, including damage from cancer cells. Vitamin D increases the suicide of mutated cells which would otherwise lead to cancer and reduces the production of cancer cells. Applying sunscreen or avoiding the sun altogether blocks our ability to produce vitamin D, contributing to a weakened immune system. Many experts believe a deficiency in vitamin D is considered a high risk factor for skin cancer.

Each person will require a certain amount of sun exposure to obtain healthy levels of vitamin D, but after that, precautions should be taken to avoid sunburn. Sunburn causes DNA damage in our cells, and that is another risk factor for skin cancer. Organic sunscreens should be applied instead of the commercially available variety, because those products may actually contain known carcinogenic ingredients and endocrine disruptors. According to the Environmental Working Group, the data available doesn’t even support claims that sunscreen alone prevents cancer.

Because most sunscreens may be more dangerous than helpful, it may seem as if we have limited options, but that is not the case. There are numerous foods and supplements that we can take to prevent disease; just make sure to get the cleanest and highest quality possible. There are tests for specific deficiencies and what the most appropriate dose is. Preventing skin cancer is quite possible with the right information and tools. A naturopathic physician can not only be the best defense in preventing disease, but also in helping the body’s immune system.

Gather alternative opinions before starting any course of treatments. Conventional or mainstream treatments usually consist of poisoning, cutting or burning cancer from a patient, and may result in serious side effects, which can include death. Harsh treatments weaken the best defense, our immune system. Naturopathic doctors are educated in which nutrients may induce cancer cell death and help reduce cancer from spreading. They know the importance of prescribing a cancer-specific diet, removing toxins from the body and reducing risk factors. A naturopath can administer intravenous therapies that deliver high levels of nutrients directly to the bloodstream that are difficult to be absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract.

There are numerous ways to treat skin cancer naturally, including topical creams, nutritional supplements and IV therapies. There are even more ways to prevent skin cancer and other diseases. Consulting a naturopathic physician is the best step in preventing and addressing disease.

Paul Stallone, NMD, founded the Arizona Integrative Medical Center, located at 8144 E. Cactus Rd., Ste. 820, in Scottsdale. He combines natural/alternative/conventional treatments to best fit and benefit each individual patient’s needs. For more information, call 480-214-3922 or visit DrStallone.com.