Month: January 2013

  • Vitamin D and breast cancer

    Health

    A new study published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control revealed that women with high levels of Vitamin D in their blood decrease their chances of developing breast cancer by up to three times.

    The study led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and collaborated with researchers from San Diego State University and Heartland Assays of Ames, Iowa, examined blood levels of 1,200 healthy women, 600 of whom later developed breast cancer while the other 600 remained healthy.

    Comparing the Vitamin D levels of these women, the researchers found out that the 600 women who developed breast cancer had lower levels of Vitamin D in their blood.

    "Based on these data, further investigation of the role of vitamin D in reducing incidence of premenopausal breast cancer, particularly during the late phases of its development, is warranted," said principal investigator Dr. Cedric Garland, professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at UC San Diego.

    “While the mechanisms by which vitamin D could prevent breast cancer are not fully understood, this study suggests that the association with low vitamin D in the blood is strongest late in the development of the cancer," he said.

    The researchers, comparing several studies, estimates that 4000 IU per day of vitamin D from food and supplement sources, which would bring blood levels of vitamin D to 50 ng/ml, could lower the risk of premenopausal breast cancer by 50 percent. Garland believes that the action of vitamin D is critical most especially during the last three months before tumor diagnosis is made.

    Garland said that this is the time when the tumor actively recruits blood vessels required for its growth.

    Despite these findings, he urges patients to first ask their health care provider to measure their vitamin D blood levels, particularly serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D, before increasing their vitamin D intake. 25(OH)D is the form of vitamin D after it passes through the liver. It is also the metabolite used in measuring vitamin D levels in blood plasma.

    “Reliance should not be placed on different forms of vitamin D, such as vitamin D2, and megadoses should be avoided except those ordered by a doctor for short-term use,” he cautions.

    Note that many commercially produced foods like milk, tofu, and cereals are already fortified with vitamin D, still that doesn't mean that they are good sources of the nutrient, as such, it is always better to choose natural. Here are some natural sources of vitamin D:

    1. Cod liver oil is the richest source of vitamin D at 21,803 IU or 5,451 percent of the daily recommended values for adults, but then who would want to drink 1 cup of cod liver oil in a day? One teaspoon or 4 grams of the oil is able to provide 450 IU or 113 percent of the daily recommended value. Many supplements are available in the market, mostly in capsule form, and most of these have been stripped of their "fishy" smell, making it even more acceptable to the palate. Aside from vitamin D, cod liver oil is a good source of vitamin A at 90 percent of the daily recommended value, and Omega 3 fatty acid. It also has strong anti-inflammatory properties making it an ideal supplement for people suffering from arthritis.

    2. Fish. The fish with the richest source of vitamin D is raw Atlantic herring at 2,996 IU or 749 percent of the daily recommended values for a 184 grams fillet. This is followed by raw wild catfish at 795 IU or 199 percent of the daily recommended values for a 159 grams fillet. What would be widely available to us would be canned Pacific sardines in tomato sauce. Each 38 gram sardines would contain at most 182 IU or 46 percent of the recommended daily values. Tuna would have the lowest at 66 IU or 17 percent of the recommended daily values.

    3. Mollusks, particularly wild raw oysters, are another rich source of vitamin D. A 100-gram serving would have around 320 IU or 80 percent daily values of vitamin D. Oysters are also a rich source of protein, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. And contrary to popular notion, they actually have a very strong anti-inflammatory factor according to Nutrition Data. Researchers suggest that this is because of its high Omega-3 fatty acid content, purported to have anti-inflammatory properties, at 672 mg per 100 grams. Oysters, however, has very high cholesterol content, the reason why it is also advisable to eat in moderation.

    4. Mushroom. A cup of drained canned mushroom at 156 grams contains 32.8 IU or 8 percent daily values for vitamin D. So, if you're having pizza or some pasta, load it up with some mushrooms and increase your vitamin D intake. Aside from vitamin D, mushrooms are a good source of vitamin B6, folate (vitamin B9), iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, manganese, fiber, thiamin (vitamin B1), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), phosphorus, copper, and selenium. And, unlike other sources of vitamin D mentioned earlier, mushrooms has very low saturated fat and cholesterol, making it a great nutritional source for those trying to control their cholesterol levels.

    5. Sunshine. Our body naturally produces vitamin D, particularly cholecalciferol or vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 is ergocalciferol and is synthesized by plants. Vitamin D3 is produced in our skin when it is exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays, particularly UVB. A thirty-minute whole body exposure to UVB could produce around 10,000 to 20,000 IU of vitamin D. So, the next time you try to hide from the sun, think again. The best times to be exposed to the sun (in the tropics) would be around 7 to 10 in the morning, after that, the UV rays you'll be getting from the sun would be more harmful than beneficial.

    Here is a 2010 ABC report on a similar study:

    Source: Newswise | Photo from Times of India/Getty Images. Video from YouTube. All food nutrition figures quoted in this article were from Nutrition Data.

    NEXT | Tribo's Cup | PREVIOUS

  • Sinulog: Devotion to the Infant Christ

    Culture

    The Sto. Niño is believed to have arrived in the island of Cebu through Spanish Empire-commissioned Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan as a gift to the island's Queen Juana on the occasion of her baptism together with her husband, King Humabon, and the rest of the village on April 14, 1521.

    "Our devotion to the Sto. Niño is not only religious by nature. It also has a historical dimension," Fr. Leonard Realiza told The FREEMAN in an email interview. Realiza is the curator of the Basilica Del Sto. Niño Museum.

    The baptism of Queen Juana is the start of the evangelization of the Philippine islands, and even with the death of Magellan and his crew days after, the devotion to the Infant Jesus apparently continued, as evidenced by the discovery of the image by Spanish soldier Juan Camus in one of the houses that the Spanish colonizers burned.

    While many native Cebuanos suffered the fire started by Legaspi, the Sto. Niño survived, and not just survive, it was discovered unscathed – fully intact and in all its splendor, with velvet clothes, woolen red hood, and jewelries.

    "Our devotion to the Sto. Niño testifies to the birth of our faith and the beginning of the evangelization of our country," said Realiza adding that this mission is continued by the Agustinian Order by "proclaiming to the whole world the same Jesus, who once assumed the form of an infant when he was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary."

    As the devotion to the Infant Christ in the Philippines was in its infancy, in the Catholic West, this devotion was already reaching its peak. Apparently, at this time, devotion to the Infancy of Christ in Spain was at its height owing to the visions of St. Teresa of Avila, who was also known to bring a small image of the Infant Christ wherever she sets up a new convent.

    And so, the devotion to the Infant Christ has become popular all throughout like the Infant Jesus of Prague (Czechoslovakia), Sto. Niño de Atocha (Spain), Divino Niño Jesus (Colombia), and Santo Bambino di Aracoeli (Rome) to name a few.

    However, Realiza said, that the despite the many names of the the Infant Christ, devotion is one and the same and the difference merely "reflect (the) different aspects of one and the same faith which those who fabricated them wanted to underscore." Fellow Agustinian scholar Fr. Czar Emmanuel Alvarez, concurred to this.

    This is also the reason why in the Philippines, the Sto. Niño de los Pobres was born, reflecting the struggles of most Filipinos, and the Sto. Niño de Pescadores revered by fisherfolks. When one visits the Sto. Niño exhibit at Ayala Center Cebu, one would notice the many faces, costumes, and postures of the Sto. Niño.

    "The differences in the way one and the same Infant Jesus is represented correspond with the place and time that the devotion to Him is promulgated and how the local people express their faith in Him and enter into a relationship with Him," Realiza explained.

    "Here in Cebu we express our devotion to the Child Jesus in various ways, such as through the novena Masses in preparation for the liturgical feast of the Sto. Niño every third Sunday of January, processions, religious dances (Sinulog), novena prayer, the singing of the so-called “Gozos” or the Batubalani sa Gugma song accompanied by the waving of the hands, asking petitions by saying “Pit Senyor” while indicating the names of persons, and so forth," he said.

    He clarified that there is no standard expression of devotion and worship since one's relationship with the Sto. Niño is personal, but he emphasized that "certain order or discipline" must be observed to avoid exaggerations.

    "More importantly, our outward expression must correspond with what we really have in our hearts or what we truly believe in," he added.

    This year, Realiza emphasized the theme adapted by the Basilica for the celebration – "Journeying Together in Faith with Santo Niño."

    "The risk of reducing the whole celebration to a purely secular and cultural event is very high. People might end up focusing on the on-going external festivities, the gaiety and pageantry, the street dancing, the deafening music by various bands, the colorful costumes of the Sinulog dancers, etc., and forget the religious dimension of it all," he said.

    "We want the people to grow in faith and to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ, who deigned to become a man like each and every one of us," he added.

    "I hope that through their participation in the novena Masses they would intensify their faith experience as they listen to God’s word and message and really let the Child Jesus grow in their hearts and become the central point of reference of their entire lives," Realiza concluded.

    First saw print in The FREEMAN on January 19, 2013. 

    NEXT | Tribo's Cup | PREVIOUS

  • Preparing for the Sinulog

    Culture

    Local tourists are filling up the hotels in the city and the streets of Cebu during the one-day Sinulog festival and even days before and after the festival that promoting this already famous festival outside the country is not necessary.

    From this, one could surmise that one of the major reasons why Cebu is flocked during the Sinulog is for the religious aspect of the festival. And with the city-hosted Sinulog carnival, the festivity has welcomed even visitors of non-Catholic faiths to marvel and join in the revelry.

    Spiritual preparation

    The Sinulog is a lot of things for us, and for each individual this popular festival has a different meaning. But whatever that reason may be, one could have a better experience of the fiesta if they also take time to ready themselves spiritually.

    Attend the 9-day Novena Mass. The novena mass is one of the many ways for a devotee to show his/her utmost devotion to the Sto. Niño. It is a daily sacrifice for many, and for most an intimate meeting being looked forward to every year. The novena mass also prepares the devotee for the solemn procession of the miraculous image of the Sto. Niño, which can be considered as the apex of the celebration.

    Reserve one hour of your day for reflection. A relationship with one's God is not one way. Just like any relationship, it has to be mutual, and as such, give God the opportunity to give you an answer. Learn to listen to God, allow him to speak, stay quiet and just reflect on the beauty of the Child Jesus.

    Contemplate on the virtues of the Infant Jesus. The Sto. Niño de Cebu is a representation of the Infant Jesus, although Cebu's image is unique because of the miracles attributed to it, starting from its discovery to being spared from burning. Fr. Reginald Marie Garrigou-Lagrange in his book "The Three Ages of the Interior Life" pointed out the innate qualities of the child, as taught by St. Teresa of Lisieux, and is "found in an eminent degree in the child of God" are simplicity and consciousness of weakness. Simplicity allows the child to see events and circumstances around him on face value, as it is. This simplicity brings with it trust, the reason why the child would believe what an adult would tell him. The consciousness of weakness brings humility as the child realizes his dependence to his parents.

    As one makes this practice, a prayerful devotee can be assured of a much meaningful spiritual experience.

    The Sinulog carnival

    Should you wish to enjoy the city-hosted festival, it would be wise to follow these tips:

    Know your goal. What is your reason for joining the Sinulog? Is it to enliven your spiritual life or to simply enjoy the festivity? Beer drinking perhaps or go party hopping? Whatever your reason is, make that your goal and plan your activities with the thought of experiencing your goal.

    Calendar your activities. The Sinulog has plenty of related events and activities, all to entertain the city's visitors. But there are activities that are purely Cebuano or Visayan. One of these is the annual Cebu Pop Music Festival, which has produced such great talents as Raki Vega, Chad Borja, and Vina Morales. The Sinulog Foundation, which handles the carnival, and the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, who handles the religious aspect of the festival, have already posted the different schedules leading to the Sinulog day. You can start planning your activities from there. The city's different hotels and shopping centers have also scheduled various events. For that, check out their websites or call their respective customer service hotlines.

    Map your route. Many of the major roads of the city will be closed for the festival, and with this, expect a lot of walking. Walking the stretch of Osmeña Boulevard, however, can be fun during the Sinulog because you won't just be walking, you will also be marveling at the different gimmicks and plots initiated by enterprising Cebuanos. A road map would be very useful. Know where you are going and see if there are back alleys and short cuts that you can take.

    Buy your pasalubong ahead. After the festivity, visitors would be seen flocking such popular pasalubong centers and establishments like the Tabo-an for dried fish and danggit, or at souvenir shops for t-shirts and other delicacies. In order to avoid the pasalubong rush, try to make it a point to buy them when you arrive in the city, right after you've settled down in your hotel. For the danggit and other dried seafood products, make sure they're tightly sealed to avoid the spread of any funny smell in your room or your bag.

    Enjoy. Lastly, you should remember that you are joining the Sinulog because you want to enjoy. While the church-led celebration focuses on silent reflection and sincere devotion, the city-hosted carnival is about thanksgiving. Have fun, go wild (in a responsible way), and experience something new. Have a henna tattoo, wear fashionably weird clothes, or dance in the middle of the street. Just remember not to leave courtesy in your room, bring it at all times, especially during the street parade where you would surely encounter many rowdy people.

    First saw print on January 13, 2013 in The FREEMAN, a daily regional paper in the Philippines. Photos: Reynan Villena/Philstar.com and Ferdinand Edralin/Philstar.com.

    NEXT | Tribo's Cup | PREVIOUS