May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month - Protect Yourself!

There are many things to celebrate in the month of May - Cinco de Mayo, the Tulip Festival and Mothers' Day, farmers' markets are opening up for the season, and Victoria Day, the first long weekend kicking off summer.  May is also abundant with awareness days and weeks, and May itself marks Mental Health Awareness, Asthma & Allergies Awareness, and - the subject of this post, one that really hits home for me - Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

Just over two years ago, in early March 2012, my fair-skinned, strawberry-blond, copiously befreckled husband stepped out of the shower, and as he was dressing, I noticed a particularly dark spot on his left shin - something I could not recall having seen there before.  I had just completed an advanced pathology course, and knowing how to spot potentially cancerous moles was one of the subjects covered in the lectures.  Kevin's freckles are generally small and a light reddish-brown colour, even the larger mole- or birthmark-like spots, and this one was dark and shiny, with an irregular pinkish border on one side.  I urged him to have it checked out by our GP, who removed it for biopsy.

Kevin's suspicious mole, March 3 2012,
later confirmed stage 0 melanoma.
Note the colour and irregular border.
This mole was approximately 0.5cm in diameter.

He got the call at work, and called me afterward to share.  Sure enough, the results had came back, in a bad news/good news kind of way.  The bad news: it was melanoma.  The good news: it was only stage 0 - we had caught it just in time.  I still can't quite describe the mixture of emotions running through me at that moment - fear and panic ("I was right to be concerned!"), relief and gratitude ("We caught it early, thanks to that course!"), and juuust a touch of hysteria ("I need to take care of you!  What happens now?  Let's go load up on vitamin D, sunscreen, and new hats, right now!").  Not surprisingly, he took the rest of the day off, not for himself, but for me.

Though they were sure they got it all when they did the biopsy, the area around the cancerous mole would be removed as a precaution in August: 1cm deep and 1" around, and a skin graft from a spot a few inches away applied to the excised area.  The excised tissue was tested and he was pronounced cancer-free, but he must go for full-body dermatological check-ups every 6 months until the 5-year mark.  Edit: he recently had one of these check-ups, and since he's been clear for nearly 2 years, he now only needs to go annually.

January 2013 (5 months post-op) -
Kevin now has 2 sizable scars on his left shin,
where the melanoma was excised (bottom)
and where the skin graft was taken (top).

In the time between and following Kevin's diagnosis and surgery, this story prompted many friends and family members to become more vigilant and check their own skin for irregular spots.  Now I'm sharing it with you, and I hope you'll take these steps to protect yourself and someone you love:

Know the signs and check yourself.  If you have any freckles or moles, do a monthly "spot check".  Be aware of the ABCDE visual signs of skin cancers.  Look in the mirror in good light - use a handheld mirror where necessary.  Get a friend or loved one to look at spots on your back or other hard-to-see places.  Take good-quality pictures of new or possibly unusual spots, preferably with a ruler or small object for measurement references to compare with next month's pictures of the same spots.  Be consistent - use the same camera and lighting sources.

Load up on vitamin D.  First, get your blood levels checked.  Ask your GP to add vitamin D to your blood work.  Unfortunately, this is not covered by OHIP (unless you meet certain criteria) and may cost around $50.
Why is vitamin D important?  Recent and growing research is showing that vitamin D helps modulate the immune system, an important factor in preventing and managing cancer cell growth.  Additionally, vitamin D is synthesized in the skin with sun exposure, and may provide some protection from the harmful rays of the sun.
Around 15 minutes per day of unprotected sun exposure in the summer can be enough to boost levels adequately, if not for the full year, then at least for the season.  However, as Canadians, we have less sun exposure in general, and are thus more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency, not just in the winter, but year-round (and especially with this winter having lasted so long, I suspect many people may be more deficient than usual).  For this reason, it is imperative to have your blood levels tested in the late winter-early spring when levels are naturally lowest, and supplement accordingly year-round.
In terms of supplementation, the RDI for vitamin D is 1000IU for adults and 400IU for children per day - if no deficiency currently exists.  Those who are deficient (showing <30ng/ml or <75nmol/L) need more than this to bring levels back to optimum (40-60ng/ml or 100-150nmol/L).  As an example, my first vitamin D blood test showed a very surprisingly low 25nmol/L, and I took between 2000-4000IU of lanolin-sourced emulsified vitamin D3 per day for over a year (with the higher amount in the winter and on very cloudy days), until my next annual physical, where my blood test showed 126nmol/L.  I recommend at least 2000IU per day for adults on a regular basis, and more for those who are immune-compromised (e.g. autoimmune, inflammatory conditions, digestive disorders, etc) or suffer from seasonal affective disorder.

Protect your skin.  "Slip on a shirt, slap on a hat, slop on some sunscreen."  I grew up with this mantra for sun protection, and it still holds true.  Cover up wherever possible.  After you've gotten some unprotected sun exposure for vitamin D synthesis, apply sunscreen.  Look for natural brands with an SPF of at least 30 at your local health food store, eco shop, or larger supermarkets, or try finding one online or through independent cosmetics retailers.  If there is a "tester" tube available, try it first to be sure you like the feel of it on your skin, as some may be thick and greasy, which could clog pores and exacerbate breakouts; and/or leave a white residue on skin and clothing.  I like Aubrey Organics, Nature's Gate, and Arbonne Baby Care sunscreens.  The protection factor (SPF) weakens over time, so it's best to replace your sunscreen annually.
Avoid tanning, including tanning beds.  Over time this damages your skin, leading to premature aging, and increases your risk for skin cancers.  People with fair complexions, many freckles or moles, blue eyes, and blonde or red hair (such as Kevin) are at higher risk.
Remember too that your skin absorbs about 60% of whatever you put on your skin into your bloodstream within just minutes after application!  Avoid products containing known carcinogens, such as parabens and phthalates.
Sunburns (even just one bad one) also increase the risk of skin cancers.  While after-burn care may not reduce your risk, it's still worth doing to get relief.  Try fresh aloe vera gel or chilled chamomile tea on your skin, or a natural after-sun or calendula cream to cool the burn.  Coconut oil is also soothing.  Up your intake of antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, and minerals zinc and selenium, all of which are crucial to good skin health.  Orange, yellow, and red fruits and vegetables, as well as cruciferous vegetables and dark leafy greens, are great sources of vitamin A and C.  Nuts and seeds, particularly Brazil nuts, macadamias, pecans, and almonds are abundant with vitamin E, zinc, and selenium.  These nutrients are also available together in supplement formulas (look for "ACESZ" or similar).

So enjoy the sunny days of summer - and keep your skin safe.

How do you care for your skin in summer?

Earth Month in Closing - My Favourite Everyday Green Practices and Products

Earth Month may be drawing to a close, but environmentally sound practices should be taken to heart year-round!

Go organic.  As a nutritionist, this is my number one initiative to improve not just my clients' and my own health, but the health of the world at large.  Yes, buying everything organic gets expensive.  Learning to shop around for sales and deals, taking advantage of in-store "points" systems, and maximizing one's use of online coupons and offers, as well as knowing which vegetables and fruits are "safer" than others to buy conventional using the EWG's Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists, are all very helpful practices to make going organic easier on your wallet.
Farmers' market season is also fast approaching, and clean local picked-this-morning produce can often be found at better-than-supermarket prices.  Ask questions, shop around - and see if you can haggle a little!
And of course, try to grow your own!  If space is a concern, consider creative solutions such as aero- or hydroponic setups and "living wall" gardening.  I've seen this, this, and this popping up on Facebook recently.
 Or go small and try sprouting some organic seeds in your kitchen, either by Googling around for instructions or picking up a sprouting kit with complete instructions and materials.

AquaFarm photo from eartheasy.com - little fishy friend,
plus homegrown veggies!  Sounds good to me.

Eat less animal produce.  It's well-known that it takes a lot of resources to produce a pound of meat or cheese than it does a pound of grain or vegetable.  The UN also urges a global reduction in animal foods consumption to help reduce the strain on resources such as fresh water and viable soil that would be used for irrigation and monoculture, respectively, of crops destined to feed livestock.  Reducing the amount of animal-based foods you eat in a day or a week has benefits for your health and helps contribute to the reduction of demand for these products, especially those coming from unsustainable factory farms.  Start small.  Consider instituting a Meatless Monday meal plan once a week.  If you are not ready or don't want to go completely meat-free, choosing more ethically-sourced, organic certified animal foods is a step in the right direction.  Again, farmers' markets can be good places to find quality local animal produce, and again, ask questions about the products you're interested in to make an informed choice.

Green your routine.  Take a look at your stash of toiletries and beauty products.  Try looking for green alternatives for your shampoo, soap, makeup, toothpaste, etc.  Green products are often biodegradable, not tested on animals and/or made with only vegan-friendly ingredients, can be free of harmful chemicals such as phthalates and parabens, and may also come in recycled/recyclable/compostable packaging.  I love Green Beaver deodorant and toothpaste, and locally-produced Purple Urchin bath products.  Live Clean has an extensive line of vegan-friendly shampoos, styling products, baby care products, body washes, etc., and can easily be found in a lot of grocery and drugstores, as well as health food and eco-shops.  If you feel adventurous, why not try making your own beauty products, such as deodorant, face masks, body scrubs, etc.?  Pinterest can be a great resource for finding DIY toiletry recipes.

Green your kitchen.  What you cook your food with, what you serve it with, how you store the leftovers, how you dispose of food waste, what you use to clean the counters and dishes... there's a lot you can do just in your kitchen.
For cooking, consider using ceramic-coated pans instead of Teflon if you want non-stick.  Teflon coatings quickly erode at high heat, releasing harmful PFCs into the air - and may make you and especially your pets sick!  Stainless steel and cast iron pans are also good options.
Try switching out plastic cooking spoons, spatulas, and even cutting boards and travel cutlery for some made with recycled or sustainable materials like bamboo or hemp.
Trade plastic containers, cellophane wrap, and one-use baggies for stainless steel, Pyrex, or silicone to take in your lunch bag.  Reusable snack bags are available in many sizes and styles for trail mix to veggies to sandwiches.  Silicone bowl covers replace plastic wrap, and are usually designed to create a vacuum seal.  I especially like reusing the jars that my nut butters, sauces, and salsas are sold in.  I keep a variety of different sizes, from small jam and spice jars to large mason-style soup jars, and I use them to store anything from homemade soups and sauces and partial contents of cans of beans, to salad-in-a-jar and fresh juice, to single servings of vinegar and olive oil dressing and protein powder for my post-workout shake.
If you cook with oil, switch out vegetable oil, which is typically made from soybean, canola, and/or cottonseed oils, as well as corn oil.  These are some of the most genetically-modified crops in the world, and are sprayed with increasing quantities of ecosystem-ravaging pesticides that many, if not most, of these crops have been engineered to tolerate.  Palm oil may be another ingredient in vegetable oils, but is available on its own.  It's also questionable due to some manufacturers' harvesting practices, resulting in deforestation and the loss of animal habitats, notably orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra.  Some companies insist that they follow sustainable harvesting practices to produce their red palm oil, but it may still be better to choose something else in order to reduce overall demand for this product.  Bonus: The Orangutan Project page linked above also gives a list of words to watch for on ingredients lists in your food, toiletries, and cleaning products to help you better avoid palm oil.

NatureMill kitchen/outdoor
composter photo from naturemill.net - cool
contraption makes my wishlist!

I recently saw a cool contraption at my local all-things-eco-store for converting your kitchen waste into compost at a much faster rate than just putting it out in a bin outside to decompose.  You add your compostables as you produce them, turn it on, and within a couple of weeks you have a couple of gallons of fresh compost to use in your garden.  This could be a great solution for urban gardeners who have little space and/or are concerned about maintaining a compost heap in their backyard, but don't want to toss all their scraps in the city's green bins or the trash.  It's definitely made my wishlist!

There are just so many ways to reduce our footprint on the planet beyond what we eat and how we care for ourselves.  Remember to be mindful year-round!  What are some of your practices?