Cancer & Immunology: The Role Of Holistic Urology In The Black Community (A Doctoral Of Science Research Program Proposal In Holistic Medicine)

My research position with Da Vinci College has taken my knowledge in Prostate Cancer and Holistic Urology to a new dimension. My work with black men and prostate cancer has totally been transformed in finding ways to deal with black men diagnosed with prostate cancer and finding preventive remedies for cancer situations in the black community. Cancer differs by race, and until we know how our system behaves, we are unlikely to find a cure for the cancer situation in the black community. Breast cancer strikes 1 in 10 black women and Prostate cancer also strikes 1 in 4 black men.

Scientists and physicians in the black communities need to wake up. I am interested in finding a cure and preventive medicine for prostate cancer using evidence based alternative medicine which I coined the new medical term “Allopathic Alternative Medicine”

What is Vitamin D?
Black men have more aggressive form of the disease when diagnosed. Research has focused on lack of Vitamin D deficiency in black men as the cause partly because of our skin colour- being black, with high Melanin acting as a protecting covering from skin cancer.So, the darker the skin of black men, the higher their risk of prostate cancer.Likewise, the lower the Vitamin D deficiency in black men, the higher their chances of getting prostate cancer!

The prevention of prostate cancer remains a challenge to researchers and clinicians. In this research, I review the relationship of vitamin D and sunlight to prostate cancer risk. Ultraviolet radiation of the sunlight is the main stimulator for vitamin D production in humans. Vitamin D's antiprostate cancer activities may be involved in the actions through the pathways mediated by vitamin D metabolites, vitamin D metabolizing enzymes, vitamin D receptor (VDR), and VDR-regulated genes.

Vitamin D is not really a vitamin but the herald to the potent steroid hormone calcitriol, which has widespread actions throughout the body. Calcitriol regulates numerous cellular pathways that could have a role in determining cancer risk and prognosis.

Synopsis:
A strong immune systems fight cancer and therefore cancer triggers when there is total shut down of the immune system. A strong immune system also holds the cancer and prevents it from spreading. Holistic immunology is the gold standard rather than synthetic immunotherapies. Prostate cancer is a central issue of concern in the black communities. Black men have higher chances of getting prostate cancer than men of other races. Black men have 60% chances of getting prostate cancer and more form of the aggressive cancer when diagnosed with the disease. Race is one of the key risk factors of getting prostate cancer as the skin of black men acts as a protective covering from getting the right amount of Vitamin D level needed for prostate health.

Existing orthomolecular research indicates that most cancers may be treated with the same regimen of vitamins because orthomolecular treatments for cancer do not focus on the cancer tissues themselves, but rather attempt to boost the body’s own natural defense system to control the cancerous growths.

Research Interests and Goals
My research interests are focused on the prostate cancer in black men, prostate cancer screening in black communities, Holistic Immunology, orthomolecular oncology, functional medicine and integrative approach to prostate cancer management in Ghanaian men.

Specifically, I am interested in examining the effects of alternative medicine of what I termed “Allopathic Alternative Medicine” that is scientifically proven alternative remedies for its use in Ghanaian men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

This observational study will not only yield a deeper basic understanding of Vitamin D levels in Ghanaian men as we have abundant sunlight in the country. Holistic Urology should be the gold standard of practice in managing Ghanaian men diagnosed with prostate cancer. But also, the evolutionary processes of new era of Holistic medicine in the system in management of prostate cancer and finding ways to deal with the side effect of conventional prostate cancer treatment. It may aid in finding a breakthrough in cancer management and also help in finding how alternative medicine can act as a natural immunotherapy agent to aid breakthrough in prostate cancer treatment using alternative ways. It may also aid as a marker to use in testing for Ghanaian men who intend to check their prostate status as the PSA is not the best marker for diagnosing prostate cancer.

Previous Postdoc Research
Summary
My Post-doctoral work centered on the hibiscus as a preventive medicine for men concern of prostate disease and gave promise, inter alia, of improvement of hibiscus tea also known as “SOBOLO”, as the best tea for men’s prostate health and of the deepening of our understanding of the role of Hibiscus tea as a preventive medicine and has become a trending tea in Ghana.

Therapeutic relevance
In the Postdoctoral research, the work provided the best knowledge in the use of hibiscus tea as a preventive medicine and supporting the quality of life of men diagnosed with the disease with its high anti-oxidant properties than the green tea.

Proposed Research
Background
Vitamin D deficiency has been proposed in most scientific literatures to correlate to black men prostate cancer risk as they age. Black men skin is acting as sunscreen agent making it impossible to get the right amount of it to fight prostate cancer. Those also diagnosed have the advance form of the disease. Hence, the darker the skin of black men the higher their risk of prostate diseases. The research would help to redefine and bring Vitamin D in the Ghanaian community and also as form of holistic approach in the management of men diagnosed with the disease. This research would also be the first of its kind in Ghana for research to focus on measuring Vitamin D level in Ghanaian men diagnosed with prostate cancer and healthy men considering preventive measures.

Methodology
In contrast, I propose a two stage approach to the study of the Vitamin D in Ghanaian men. My approach examines the correlation of Vitamin D levels in Ghanaian men diagnosed with prostate cancer and also healthy Ghanaian men who are considering testing of the disease

Stage One would look at the Vitamin D level of Ghanaian men diagnosed with prostate cancer

Stage Two will also look at the Vitamin D level of healthy Ghanaian men who are considering testing of prostate cancer.

Significance
This approach leverages many millions of years of wisdom of Vitamin D deficiency in black men diagnosed with prostate cancer and the use of Vitamin D3 in the management of men diagnosed with the disease

This research could greatly expedite the process of also using Vitamin D as a marker for prostate cancer screening and management in holistic medicine. It will further research into testing models of Vitamin D in Ghanaian men by mainstream Urologist.

Among others, I will apply this two-stage approach to the study of the mechanism of action of the Vitamin D and its use in the management of prostate cancer.

However, this approach, if successful, could be generalized for application to holistic healing of many complex human cancers.

My first Postdoctoral research in the Hibiscus tea brought the plant into the medical limelight and has become the trending tea for men’s health now as the best tea.

Recommendation
Vitamin D testing should concern all black men after 40years as part of prostate screening

Those deficient in Vitamin D should consider Vitamin D3 supplementation as early as possible

Urologists should also consider testing black men for Vitamin D as part of prostate cancer intervention.

Those diagnosed with prostate disease should incorporate Vitamin D3 supplementation

Black men should spend more time on the sun to get the adaequate amount of Vitamin D needed for prostate cancer intervention.

Black men should avoid sunscreen agents –such as pomades or creams containing sunscreen

Black men should not expose themselves too much in the air condition

The part of the sun rays that is important for Vitamin D is the ultraviolet B(UVB)

Your body can produce just about 10,000 to 25,000 IU in just a little under the time it takes for your skin to turn pink.

You make the most Vitamin D when you expose a large area of your skin, such as your back rather than a small area such your face or arms.

Pale skin makes more vitamin D quickly than dark skins.

The more skin you expose the more Vitamin D you body will produce.

As you age , your skin has harder times producing vitamin D.

The closer to midday you expose your skin, the better to this angle and the more Vitamin D is produced. A good rule of thumb is if your shadow is longer than you are tall, you are not making much Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is fat –soluble-meaning your body has a hard time getting rid of it if you take too much. The Vitamin D Council recommends taking no more than the upper limit, meaning not taking more than 10,000 IU a day. Vitamin toxicity can also be harmful and usually happens if you take more than 40,000 IU a day for a couple of month or longer.

Always test your Vitamin D level every three months if you are taking Vitamin D supplements to check if it is within the normal range.

Always buy Vitamin D3 and not D2 , which is the inactive form of the D3.

Cod liver Oil contains Vitamin D. However, the Vitamin D Council recommends against taking it because of its high amount of Vitamin A in it than in D. A is also fat-soluble so your body has to fight harder to get rid of it and too much of it can also be harmful.

Few foods also contain Vitamin D such as:
Fatty fish
Beef liver
Egg York
Forfified Milk and orange juice
Infant formula
Fortified cereals
Don’t take vitamin D if you have high calcium level

If you are taking other conventional medications try and check your Vitamin D levels often such bendro for high blood pressure and digoxin for irregular heart beat. In this case don’t take it in high doses.

Some people also realized despite taking Vitamin D supplement they still don’t get enough of it after testing. In this case, your body is having hard times in absorbing it. You have to take Vitamin D under your tongue (sublingual) rather than swallowing it.

Increase your intake and increase your sun exposure.

Conclusion
In summary, my approach to understanding Holistic Urology and the use of integrative methods has changed considerably after my appointment as research Professor in Prostate Cancer and Holistic medicine and introduction of the course Holistic Urology at Da Vinci College of Holistic Medicine. I see more patients and support them with this approach. This future Doctoral of Science (DSc) would bring the Vitamin D levels in Ghanaian men into the limelight of Medical science.

Support the work of Men’s Health Foundation Ghana to help raise awareness on prostate cancer and invest into future research into the disease as cancer differs by race.

Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu: PhD(A.M),Postdoc, MSc, Dip,BA

Research Professor of Prostate cancer & Holistic Medicine

Course Lead-Faculty of Holistic Urology

Da Vinci College of Holistic Medicine

Larnaca City, Cyprus
Director of Men’s Health Foundation Ghana; De Men’s Clinic & Prostate Research Lab, Dodowa-Akoto House for all your consultations including prostate testing advice. Tel : 0541090045. E-mail: [email protected]