There is a book that I checked out from the library that I am reading (and buying today!) called "How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine". I have just been skimming through it so far, and am amazed at the information inside...from foods that are good to eat to foods to avoid, and the importance of different vitamins and minerals in your diet. One thing that really shocked me was information about cured and smoked meats such as ham, hot dogs, bacon and jerky. I thought I would share the information here, because its really eye opening!
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Smoked and cured meats contain sodium nitrate and/or sodium nitrites - compounds that keep the food from spoiling but that dramatically increase the risk for cancer. These chemicals react with the amino acids in foods in the stomach to form highly carcinogenic compounds known as nitrosamines. Research in adults makes a convincing argument to avoid these foods. Even more compelling is the evidence linking consumption of nitrates to a significantly increased risk of the major childhood cancers (leukemia's, lymphomas, and brain cancers).
* Children who eat 12 hot dogs per month have nearly 10 times the risk of developing Leukemia compared with children who do not eat hot dogs.
* Children who eat hot dogs once a week double their chances of brain tumors; eating them twice a week triples the risk.
* Pregnant women who eat two servings per day of any cured meat have more than double the risk of bearing children who have brain cancer.
* Kids who eat the most ham, bacon, and cured sausage have three times the the risk of lymphoma.
* Kids who eat ground meat once a week have twice the risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia compared with those who eat none; eating two or more hamburgers weekly tripled the risk.
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I had no idea that this stuff was so bad for you! We never eat bacon, but we do eat turkey hot dogs, turkey sausage and pork ham on occasion. I just looked at a pack of our hot dogs and sure enough, they contain sodium nitrate! And here I thought I was doing good by eating turkey hot dogs instead of regular ones. When I was telling Matthew about this last night, he said that you can buy nitrate free hot dogs, and in the book they mention soy hot dogs, sausage and bacon. I am going to have to look into those alternatives, I don't think I could give the kids any of the above mentioned foods again with a clear conscious.
Another great source of information is a newsletter called Nutrition Action. Its published by the Center for Science in the public interest and is really fascinating. I have found that once I started learning more about what is in our food, I am truly shocked! Things that are known to cause cancer are routinely put in food, and I have to wonder why its not more common knowledge. Why isn't this being reported on the news every night, instead of what celebrity divorced what movie star? Crazy. Anyways, one of my favorite newsletters that they have put out is called "Chemical Cuisine, A guide to food additives". Hopefully the link will work, its really worth taking am minute to read. I am going to print out the little guide and take it with me to the grocery store.
I just want the best chance that I can have to prevent the cancer from returning, and I feel like if we have to completely change the way we eat, and the life we live, it will be more than worth it in the long run. As an added benefit, the kids will grow up knowing what foods are healthy and what to stay away from, ensuring them a much better chance of being healthy adults and living long lives.
****************************
Smoked and cured meats contain sodium nitrate and/or sodium nitrites - compounds that keep the food from spoiling but that dramatically increase the risk for cancer. These chemicals react with the amino acids in foods in the stomach to form highly carcinogenic compounds known as nitrosamines. Research in adults makes a convincing argument to avoid these foods. Even more compelling is the evidence linking consumption of nitrates to a significantly increased risk of the major childhood cancers (leukemia's, lymphomas, and brain cancers).
* Children who eat 12 hot dogs per month have nearly 10 times the risk of developing Leukemia compared with children who do not eat hot dogs.
* Children who eat hot dogs once a week double their chances of brain tumors; eating them twice a week triples the risk.
* Pregnant women who eat two servings per day of any cured meat have more than double the risk of bearing children who have brain cancer.
* Kids who eat the most ham, bacon, and cured sausage have three times the the risk of lymphoma.
* Kids who eat ground meat once a week have twice the risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia compared with those who eat none; eating two or more hamburgers weekly tripled the risk.
*****************************
I had no idea that this stuff was so bad for you! We never eat bacon, but we do eat turkey hot dogs, turkey sausage and pork ham on occasion. I just looked at a pack of our hot dogs and sure enough, they contain sodium nitrate! And here I thought I was doing good by eating turkey hot dogs instead of regular ones. When I was telling Matthew about this last night, he said that you can buy nitrate free hot dogs, and in the book they mention soy hot dogs, sausage and bacon. I am going to have to look into those alternatives, I don't think I could give the kids any of the above mentioned foods again with a clear conscious.
Another great source of information is a newsletter called Nutrition Action. Its published by the Center for Science in the public interest and is really fascinating. I have found that once I started learning more about what is in our food, I am truly shocked! Things that are known to cause cancer are routinely put in food, and I have to wonder why its not more common knowledge. Why isn't this being reported on the news every night, instead of what celebrity divorced what movie star? Crazy. Anyways, one of my favorite newsletters that they have put out is called "Chemical Cuisine, A guide to food additives". Hopefully the link will work, its really worth taking am minute to read. I am going to print out the little guide and take it with me to the grocery store.
I just want the best chance that I can have to prevent the cancer from returning, and I feel like if we have to completely change the way we eat, and the life we live, it will be more than worth it in the long run. As an added benefit, the kids will grow up knowing what foods are healthy and what to stay away from, ensuring them a much better chance of being healthy adults and living long lives.