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Couples have plans, but after the C word is dropped, those plans change to unite a couple in the medical process.

After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most widespread cancer among men, affecting one in seven every single year. Prostate cancer is also the third-leading cause of cancer death, after lung and colorectal cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

The good news today is some significant strides are being made in the prevention of prostate cancer, as well as the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

In fact, we have now learned that one remarkable nutrient can have wondrous cancer fighting and preventative properties for all kinds of cancers. You might have thought I mean vitamin C or D3, but you’d be wrong. It’s actually vitamin K2.

Vitamin K2 is proving to be a marvelous ally in the war on prostate cancer. In fact, K2 and vitamin D3 work harmoniously together for a wide range of diseases.

Higher levels of K2 and higher intake of K2 are associated with lower prostate cancer risk, and vitamin K2 deficiency status has been found in most men with aggressive prostate cancers.

Researchers for the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) have found that increasing one’s intake of vitamin K2 may lower the risk of getting prostate cancer dramatically — by up to 35 percent. With a one in seven risk of developing prostate cancer within their lifetime, this is an encouraging discovery!

But because we’re talking about a vitamin, I’m sure you won’t see commercials about it. And K2 is not something you even have to buy — it’s commonly found in foods that most of us already enjoy, such as salads, green vegetables, some meat and cheese.

There are also supplements that are sold without prescription at health food stores. However, I encourage you to ask your physician if these are right for you, as K2 can interfere with blood-thinning medications.

For people on the healing process with cancer, their number one goal is to stop the spread of cancer to other organs and tissues, termed metastasis. When prostate cancer is caught early on, before it has spread to many other organs, the interventions are more useful.

Vitamin K2 has been proven to have neuroprotective effects on the brain, to shuttle calcium out of the arteries and to the bones (where it hardens and strengthens them), help wounds and bones heal faster, improve the skin and — now hear this — reverse wrinkles as well!

Vitamin K2 is found in foods such as dairy products, meat, and dark leafy greens like salads, Swiss chard, spinach and other greens.

It is also found in very high concentration in a popular Asian fermented soy dish called natto. Other foods high in vitamin K2 include ground beef, liver, chicken, as well as cheese, egg yolks and butter.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.