16 Cancer Causing Foods You Probably Eat Every Day It’s probably not something you think about every day, whether or not the foods you are eating could contain carcinogens, but with almost 1.5 million people diagnosed with some type of cancer just last year, perhaps it’s time to look at what is in our foods that could be causing such a huge number of new cancer patients. Here is a list of the top 10 foods that you most likely consume every day that may contain carcinogens or be suspected of causing cancer.
1. Microwave Popcorn Those little bags of popcorn are so convenient to just stick in the microwave, you wouldn’t think for a minute that they could be dangerous to your health, but they are. First, let’s talk about the bag itself. Proved by Wikipedia, conventional microwave popcorn bags are lined with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid ( PFOA). This is a toxin you can find in Teflon also. According to a recent study at the University of California, PFOA is linked to infertility in women. Numerous studies in lab animals and humans show that exposure to PFOA significantly increases the risk of kidney, bladder, liver, pancreas and testicular cancers. You can read more about this substance and the above mentioned studies at cancer.org. Now, let’s talk about the contents. Although every manufacturer uses slightly different ingredients, most of them use soybean oil (a GMO product) as well as various
preservatives such as propyl gallate, a chemical that is causes stomach problems and skin rashes. Now they don’t actually say they are using GMO corn kernels, but that’s because the government says they don’t have to. Even if they don’t use GMO corn, you can bet they aren’t using organic corn! Also, applied to the popcorn itself, is a chemical called diacetyl. Use of this chemical caused Conagra Foods to remove it from their brand of popcorn, ACT, because it was causing lung diseases in the workers at their factory.
2. Non-organic fruits Fruits that are non-organic are contaminated with some very dangerous pesticides such as atrazine, thiodicarb, and organophosphates, as well as high nitrogen fertilizers. Atrazine is banned in European countries but still used here. This is a weed killer that causes severe problems in humans, especially in our reproductive capabilities. A 2009 study found that when pregnant women drank water contaminated with atrazine, their babies had reduced body weights. Were you aware that the sewage from cities in the USA (nicely called bio solids) is used in the fields of farms in the USA as a form of fertilizer? You will never find organic food being cultivated in composted human sewage waste! Conventional foods are also subjected to an enormous amount of these types’ chemicals as well as hormones, to make the fruit and veggies grow bigger. Apples are probably the worst offenders with pesticides showing on more than 98 per cent of all apples tested. Fruits with a 90 per cent positive rate of pesticide residue included oranges, strawberries, and grapes. Washing fruit does not remove 100 per cent of the residue. Pesticides are toxic chemicals to insects as well as human beings.
3. Canned Tomatoes Actually, most canned foods are a concern because of what the can is lined with. The lining of almost all canned foods are made with a chemical called bisphenol-A, or BPA. A study published in May of 2013 by the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences showed that BPA actually affects the way genes work inside the brain of rats. Even the FDA agrees that there is a problem with BPA as it is supporting efforts to either replace or at the very least, to minimize the amounts found in canned foods. You know it must be bad when even the very lax FDA is concerned! Tomatoes are exceptionally dangerous due to their high acidity, which seems to cause BPA to leech from the lining of the can into the tomatoes themselves. The level of BPA can be so high in fact; you should seriously consider not feeding them to children. Due to FDA laws, there are no standards for labeling BPA so simply because a can does not say it has it does not mean that it does not contain BPA. Be safe and avoid cans. Cook fresh or buy glass bottles.
4. Processed Meats What exactly are processed meats? This is a long list that includes, but is not limited to, sausages, hot dogs, bacon, most lunch meats like bologna or pimento loaf. Researchers who wrote in the journal of BMC Medicine said that the excessive salts and chemicals that are used when making processed meats are damaging to your health. The study showed that 1 in every 17 people who were involved in the study died and those who ate 160 grams or more of processed meats increased their risk of early death as much as 44 percent within 12 years as opposed to those who ate 20 grams or less. This study involved people from 10 European countries and went on for almost 13 years. All these processed meats contain numerous chemicals and
preservatives, including sodium nitrates, which make them, look appealing and fresh but are well known carcinogens. Smoking meats seem to be particularly bad as the meat picks up tar from the smoking process. Yes, tar, the same deadly ingredient that cigarette smoke contains.
5. Farmed Salmon Although fish sounds like one of the healthiest foods possible, farmed salmon is one you should avoid. Unfortunately, more than 60 percent of the salmon consumed in the USA is farm raised. These fish are fed unnatural diets and are contaminated with chemicals, antibiotics, pesticides, and other known carcinogens. They live in very crowded conditions which results in these fish having 30 times the number of sea lice than wild salmon. (Doesn’t that sound appetizing?) Farmed salmon are fed chemicals to make their meat that reddish pink color that should occur naturally but doesn’t because of the diet of chicken litter that they are fed.
6. Potato Chips Yes, we know, potato chips are cheap, great tasting, quick snack, however, the negative effects they have on your body may not be worth the little bit of pleasure you derive from these crispy snacks. Potato chips are high in both fat and calories, which are sure to bring on weight gain. A study done in the New England Journal of medicine found that eating just 1 once of potato chips per day caused an average 2 pound weight gain in one year. Besides being full of trans-fats which can cause high cholesterol in most people, they have excessive sodium levels which, for many people, cause high blood pressure. Potato chips have artificial flavors, numerous preservatives,
and colors as well, which is something else your body doesn’t need. Potato chips are fried in high temperatures to make them crispy but this also causes them to make a material called acrylamide, a known carcinogen that is also found in cigarettes. It’s hard to say no to your kids demands for chips sometimes, therefore, as a sneaky alternative, buy them baked potato chips or tortilla chips which are at least lower in both fat and calories. Air popped popcorn and whole wheat pretzels are another healthier option. Or try baked apple chips or banana chips which are dehydrated. Both are crispy and are far healthier than regular potato chips.
7. Hydrogenated oils Let’s start from the point that all hydrogenated oils are vegetable oils. Vegetable oils cannot be extracted naturally like butter is, vegetable oils must be chemically removed from their source, and then they are changed to be more acceptable to consumers. They are frequentlydeodorized and colored to look appealing. All vegetable oils contain high levels of Omega–6 fatty acids. An excess of Omega- 6 fatty acids cause health problems, such as heart disease and in increase in various cancers, especially skin cancer. You need a good balance of both Omega 3 and Omega 6. Try to get plenty of Omega 3 every day. You can do this in the form of supplements and grass fed meats, also fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel are a very good source of Omega 3. Hydrogenated oils are used to preserve processed foods and keep them looking appealing for a long as possible. Hydrogenated oils influence our cell membranes’ structure and flexibility, which is linked to cancer.
8. Foods that are highly salted, pickled, or smoked Foods that are cured by use of nitrates or nitrites act as preservatives as well as adding color to the meat. Although nitrates do not cause cancer in and of themselves, under certain conditions these chemicals change once they are inside the body into N-nitroso composites. It’s this N-nitroso that is associated with a greater increase the risk of developing cancers. Smoking foods such as meat or nuts causes these food items to absorb considerable amounts of the tar that smoke produces. Tar is a known carcinogen. Meats such as bacon, sausage, bologna, and salami are high in fat and salt. Pickled foods are also very high in salts.
9. Highly processed white flours Most of you have already heard by now that white flour is not a good thing, but you most likely have no idea just how bad it really is for your health. Refining grains destroys its natural nutrients. Mills are no longer content with waiting for their flour to whiten with time; mills now bleach flour with a chemical called chlorine gas. The EPA states that chlorine gas is a dangerous irritant that is not safe to inhale and in large quantities can be lethal. White flour lurks in many processed foods. White processed flour has a very high glycemic rate which quickly raises the blood sugar level and insulin levels, which can be a direct cause of diabetes, not to mention it is believed that it spreads cancer cells by feeding the cells directly. Cancerous tumors feed mostly on the sugars in your bloodstream. By avoiding refined grains such as white flour, you can avoid, or at the very least, starve tumors.
10. GMO’s Genetically modified organisms, more commonly called GMO’s, are foods that have been modified by chemicals and grown with chemicals. In a study done by Dr. Pusztai at the Rowett Institute in Scotland, rats were fed GMO foods, especially potatoes. ALL rats showed damaged immune systems, pre-cancerous cell growths, along with smaller brains and livers, in just the first 10 days of the project. American consumers believe that the FDA has approved these GMO foods and this is simply not the case. The FDA has NO testing procedures for GMO foods, NONE. The only human study ever published showed that those foreign genes that are present in GM food transfer to the DNA in the bacteria in our digestive systems. We, the American consumer, are the guinea pig (or rat) in this case. Unfortunately, almost all grains, including soybeans, wheat, and corn, have been grown via GMO’s. GMO’s do not have to be listed on food labels, so read carefully and look for labels that state the food is GMO free.
11. Refined Sugars Refined sugars are not only known to spike insulin levels, but also to be the most preferable food for cancer cells, thus promoting their growth. Cancers seem to have a sweet tooth. This is a known fact that has been around for many years. The Nobel laureate in medicine, German Otto Warburg, back in 1931, first discovered that tumors and cancers both use sugars to “feed” themselves and/or to increase in size. In order to proliferate, cancer cells seem to prefer feeding on fructose-rich sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS); the reason is that HFCS is being metabolized by cancer cells most quickly and easily.
Now it is clear why high-fructose corn syrup is considered the worst offender. And since cakes, pies, cookies, sodas, juices, sauces, cereals, and many other extremely popular, mostly processed, food items are loaded with refined sugars and HFCS in particular, this helps explain why cancer rates are on the rise these days.
12. Artificial Sweeteners Most people use artificial sweeteners to either lose weight or because they are diabetic and must avoid sugar. The main problem in all this is that there are numerous studies that show people who consume artificial sweeteners on a regular basis, such as in sodas, or coffee sweeteners, actually gain weight. It also does little or nothing to help those with diabetes. In fact, artificial sweeteners actually make it even more difficult to control their blood sugar levels and worsen conditions that are related to diabetes such as cataracts and gastro paresis. Sometimes aspartame has been found to cause convulsions, which some people will mistake for an insulin reaction. Not to mention that artificial sweeteners inhibit your body’s ability to monitor its daily calorie consumption and make the body crave even more sweets. Well, we’ve already discussed how refined sugars can cause cancer. There is mounting evidence that the chemicals that make up these sweeteners, especially aspartame, break down in the body into a deadly toxin called DKP. When your stomach processes this chemical, it in turn produces chemicals that can cause cancer, especially brain tumors.
13. Diet Anything Diet foods, including frozen foods, or prepackaged foods labeled as “diet” or “low fat”, including diet sodas, generally contain aspartame, which is a chemical, artificial sweetener that we talk about in detail above. There are numerous studies showing that aspartame causes many diseases and sicknesses such as cancers, birth defects, and heart problems. All “diet” food is chemically processed and made from super refined ingredients, excessive sodium levels, as well as artificial colors and flavors to make it taste good. Don’t ever forget, artificial anything is NOT real food! Although the FDA says that all these added chemicals are safe to eat, you might want to take their advice with a grain of salt. After all, don’t they also tell you that sugar and vegetable oils are safe to eat? (Not to mention GMO’s and fast food!) There have been many studies that show that these additives, for some people, can actually be addicting. They feed that “feel good” part in your brain, similar to cocaine! Well, that actually makes sense because if you become addicted to these foods, the companies making them are certain to score a lot of money, aren’t they?
14. Alcohol An American study that followed the diet and lifestyles of more than 200,000 women for almost 14 years found that postmenopausal women who drank one drink per day or less had an almost 30 percent increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who did not drink at all. Alcohol use is the second leading cause of cancer, right behind tobacco use. While a moderate or low consumption of alcohol can be healthy and lead to a reduced risk of heart
disease, excessive drinking is known to cause heart failure, stroke, and sudden death. In 2007, experts working for the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer looked at the scientific evidence regarding cancer and alcohol use from 27 different studies. They found sufficient evidence to state that excessive alcohol use is the main cause of mouth, esophagus, liver, colon, mouth, rectum, and female breast cancers. Don’t fret! You can still enjoy that glass of wine with dinner, but, for your health’s sake, no more than one!
15. Red Meat For those of you, who love your T-bone steak, calm down. There is evidence that shows that red meat is actually a good thing in your diet, in small, infrequent amounts, Grass fed beef contains conjugated linoleic acid that actually fights against certain cancers. However, in a study done over a 10 year period, eating red meat every day, even a small amount, such as that quarter pound hamburger you like to enjoy at lunch, increased a man’s risk of dying from cancer by 22 percent and a woman’s chance by 20 percent. A separate research study has shown that eating a lot of red meat increased the risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancer. Red meat seems particularly dangerous when talking about colon cancer. A study done in the US followed almost 150,000 people between the ages of 50 and 74. This study showed that the long term consumption of red meat significantly increased the amount of colon cancer found in the subjects studied. On the other hand, the long term consumption of fish and poultry appeared to be protective in nature. Enjoy that T-bone, but not every night, perhaps not even every week. Save those steaks for a once in while treat and be sure you are consuming grass fed, organic beef for your best
health. Be smart and eat nature’s own, natural “diet” food; fruits and vegetables! (Organic, of course!)
16. Soda Pop Perhaps you heard about the recent study that was published in May in the American Journal of Nutrition? It found that people who consumed more than one soda per day had a higher risk of stroke than people who did not drink sodas. Loaded with sugar, sodas are an empty source of calories that cause weight gain and contribute to the nationwide epidemic of obesity. Drinking large amounts of this rapidly digested sugar causes your blood sugar to spike which can lead to both inflammation and insulin resistance. Soda is often the root cause of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, which is when the contents of the stomach leak into the esophagus causing not only pain but an actual burning of the esophagus from stomach acid. Although sodas are not a direct cause of ulcers, they are known to irritate and make those with ulcers have more pain. Sodas also contain artificial colorings and food chemicals like derivative 4-methylimidazole (4-MI); no wonder soda pop has been shown to cause cancer. Source: http://naturalon.com/10-of-the-most-cancer-causing-foo ds/16/
Cancer-Proof Your Diet I have cancer. You do, too. But don’t panic. I’m not talking about the disease. Rather, I’m talking about the random cancer cells that regularly pop up in your body just about everywhere—a byproduct of eating, breathing and, well, just living. If we’re healthy, they get nipped in the bud by our immune system. This function, called apoptosis (also known as programmed cell death), causes unwanted cells to self-destruct and is our body’s innate cancer-prevention process. The trouble starts when too many cancer cells get together and figure out how to outfox our body’s natural defenses. “Cancer is like a weed,” says Donald Abrams, M.D., chief of oncology at San Francisco General Hospital and director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “You need to tend your garden carefully to make the soil as inhospitable as possible so it can’t take root in the first place.” Step one in developing a strong anti-cancer diet is eliminating its “fertilizers,” Abrams says. “Dairy, sugar, refined flours and red meat are the top foods for feeding the weed,” he explains. These foods also add inches to our waistlines, fattening us up and raising our national risk of developing cancer. Losing excess weight might be the best thing you can do to lower your risk for cancer, says Colleen Doyle, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition and physical activity for the American Cancer Society. “People who are overweight have higher levels of circulating estrogen and insulin— both of which are
associated with tumor growth,” she says. Moreover, Abrams says, extra fat promotes systemic inflammation in the body. “Excess fat secretes cytokines, which prompt an inflammatory response,” he says. “More and more, we are coming to believe that chronic inflammation leads to cancer because it ties up the immune system, undermining apoptosis.” Trimming calories (and losing inches) is a good idea, but it helps to eliminate the following fertilizers from your diet: Alcohol “We know that breast cancer in particular alcohol in a negative way—possibly because excess raise estrogen levels,” says Carolyn Lammersfeld, L.D.N., CNSC, national director of nutrition
responds to alcohol can M.S., R.D., for Cancer
Treatment Centers of America. “Alcohol also contains a variety of chemicals that may have a carcinogenic effect.” Limit yourself to one glass a day. Red meat A 2006 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that women who ate 1 1∕2 servings or more per day of beef, lamb or pork had nearly double the risk of hormone-receptor positive breast cancer when compared with those who ate red meat just three times a week. If the meat is processed, the risk is even higher: A 2007 study put the number at 64 percent for women eating bacon, ham, hot dogs, sausages or other meats that may contain added sodium or nitrates. Eat meat sparingly, if at all, and stick to chicken, fish and turkey. Sugar Skip added sugars in all forms, including sweetened and processed foods and drinks. “The link between cancer and sugar isn’t clear, but there’s an indirect link in that foods high in sugar tend to be high in calories and may lead to excessive weight gain,” says Doyle. Individuals who get a lot of processed sugar in their diets also tend to miss out on nutrient-rich whole foods that are linked to cancer protection.
Dairy It’s easy to see how cakes, candies, cookies and doughnuts fall under the “sugars” heading, but Abrams adds dairy to the list. “Dairy contains simple sugars that the human body was never intended to digest past the age of weaning. Because we don’t digest dairy well, it ends up contributing to inflammation in the body,” he says. Milk, in particular, has been linked to cancers of the breasts, prostate and bladder, as well as lymphoma. The 9 most protective foods You’ve heard it before: For good health, eat a plant-based diet that centers on organic fresh fruits and vegetables and includes whole grains, too. These are, per nature’s design, the most nutrient-rich fuel for your immune system. “Any plant that has been grown outdoors organically is one that has had to fight for its life and develop chemical protections against birds and insects and sunshine,” explains Abrams. “It turns out that those same protections—phytonutrients—are beneficial for us, too.” When it comes to cancer protection, some fruits and vegetables are better than others. “I encourage people to focus on the three A’s: anti-carcinogens, antiinflammatories and antioxidants,” says Carolyn Katzin, M.S., C.N.S., M.N.T., founder of the Cancer Nutrition Center in Los Angeles. A good (if well-worn) rule of thumb is to choose the most colorful foods, and aim to get a rainbow’s worth of them each day—orange carrots, green grapes, red strawberries, pink watermelon and blueberries. “The pigment is where the antioxidants are,” says Dave Grotto, R.D., author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life (Bantam). So, stock up on brightly colored produce as well as these cancer-fighting powerfoods: 1. Barley “The fiber content of many whole grains can block the actions of some carcinogens and promote cell differentiation, making it easier for the body to know which cells to target for apoptosis,” says Grotto. Whole oats, corn and brown rice are all good sources, but barley is best.
2. Black beans All beans are a good source of fiber, but black beans stand out because of the high antioxidant content in their skin. “Black beans may also block the circulation of estrodiol, a form of estrogen that’s a problem for those at risk for estrogen-driven breast cancer,” says Grotto. The resistant starch found in the beans is thought to mimic estrogen enough to attach to estrogen-receptor sites, allowing excessive and harmful forms of estrogen to pass through the body. 3. Black raspberries All berries are good for cancer prevention, but black raspberries are the best. They contain a lot of A’s: antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic compounds, plus a fourth A that gives them an edge: anthocyanin. “Black raspberries contain a unique form of anthocyanin that has been strongly linked with reduced rates of cancers of the upper respiratory system and digestive tract,” Katzin says. 4. Broccoli “Broccoli has more than 300 studies to back its efficacy,” says Grotto. The vegetable is among nature’s richest sources of sulforophane, a compound that’s thought to strongly inhibit cancers. Research suggests that sulforophanes stimulate the body’s own cancer-fighting enzymes, slowing the rate of breast and prostate cancer cell growth. 5. Green tea Switch to green tea for your morning cuppa, and you’ll get a nice dose of support for apoptosis. The key compound, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, seems to work as a signaling agent for inducing programmed cell death. “Drinking green tea helps cells to die at the end of their normal life cycle, which is important because cancer is caused by cells that have continued to grow and mutate beyond their normal lifespan,” says Kristin Stiles Green, N.D., director of naturopathic medicine for Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center in Zion, Ill. Aim for two to four cups of homebrewed organic green tea per day.
6. Mushrooms According to integrative medicine guru Andrew Weil, M.D., mushrooms are on primary cancer treatment protocols in Brazil and Japan. The verdict is still out on whether mushrooms work as a treatment, Abrams says, “but we know mushrooms are anti-inflammatory, and we think they may have an anti-tumor effect.” In fact, a study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that women who ate 10 grams of mushrooms each day were 64 percent less likely to develop cancer than those who didn’t. Incorporate mushrooms into your diet whenever you can and consider taking a daily supplement that includes cordyceps, maitake and reishi. 7. Soy Some studies suggest that consuming soy foods may reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancers, says Doyle. “Soy foods contain several phytochemicals, some of which have weak estrogen activity and may compete with the body’s natural source of estrogen, reducing the overall amount of circulating estrogen,” she says. Skip supplements and stick to whole forms of soy, such as edamame, tempeh and tofu. 8. Turmeric If there is a miracle food for cancer, it is turmeric. Studies are showing positive effects in the realms of prevention and treatment (particularly in hard-totreat pancreatic cancer)—as well as adjunctive therapy for patients going through chemo and/or radiation. “We are finding that turmeric discourages inflammation and down regulates tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a chemical that encourages cancer growth,” says Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D., author of Healing Spices: How to Use 50 Everyday and Exotic Spices to Boost Health and Beat Disease (Sterling). For best results, combine turmeric with black pepper. “Black pepper makes turmeric much more bioavailable,” notes Abrams. “But because it can increase absorption of other compounds, too—including prescription drugs—you should use it with moderation.” 9. Watercress “It supports liver function, which is crucial for cancer prevention and overall wellness,” says Katzin. “As little as three sprigs a day can lead to better outcomes for
those at risk for lung cancer.” Source: http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/healthy-eating/cancer-proof-yo ur-diet/page/4#sthash.oFUzasPC.dpuf
Want some ractopamine with your cheeseburger? See the list of drugs the USDA still allows to be used in cattle Unless you are seeking out meat that is certified organic, certified antibioticand hormone-free or raised by a local farmer you know and trust, chances are very good that you are eating plenty of pharmaceutical drugs with your cheeseburger. The FDA has approved a long list of dozens and dozens of “safe” food additives for animal feed, including several classes of antibiotics for growth promotion and feed efficiency (such as monensin), natural steroid hormones (including progesterone, testosterone and estradiol), synthetic steroid hormones (such as trenbolone, melengestrol acetate and zeranol) and other chemicals – designed to keep densely packed factory farm animals healthy enough to make it to slaughter, while gaining as much weight as possible to
boost profits. Just a few of the FDA-approved feed additives used in beef cattle, including a number of antibiotics: bacitracin zinc, bambermycins, chlortetracycline, erythromycin thiocyanate, lincomycin, monensin, oleandomycin, oxytetracycline, tylosin, virginiamycin, lasalocid sodium, salinomycin sodium, melengestrol acetate, monensin sodium and ractopamine hydrochloride. One of the most controversial drug additives are the betaagonists (also known as beta blockers) which target betaadrenoceptors in the heart, muscles, lungs and other tissues, and generally interfere with stress hormones. They also allow for an amazing amount of lean muscle weight to be added to livestock in the final period before slaughter – about 30 pounds on average for beef cattle.
Ractopamine has caused more sick animals than any other drug on the market Ractopamine – sold by Elanco (an Eli Lilly subsidiary) as Paylean for pigs and as Optaflexx for cattle – and Zilpaterol – sold as Zilmax by Merck – are the two most widely used betaagonists, and both have flamed outrage, triggered bans and led to suspended sales. Banned in 160 countries, ractopamine has been declared unfit for human consumption over concerns of its negative effects on human health. Beta-agonists are known for producing rapid heart beat and have been associated with coronary heart complications, despite some use in treating these issues. It is not known how much the residue found in meat for human consumption could affect people, but numerous safety concerns
have supported restrictions on its use. According to a report carried by NBC and produced by the Food and Environment Reporting Network, the only human study used by Elanco to determine ractopamine’s safety removed one of the six healthy human participants due to an issue with a racing and abnormally pounding heart. This information factored into the decision to ban its presence in meats by the European Food Safety Authority. In livestock, the use of ractopamine has produced more sick pigs than any other approved pharmaceutical. FDA records show that it has caused more than 218,000 reported adverse reactions in pigs since it was introduced on the market. The biggest issue is that it renders animals unable to walk, known in the industry as “downers,” as well as hyperactivity, trembling, broken limbs and cardiovascular issues. According to NBC, the FDA denies that the symptoms are induced by the drug. Bans in Russia and China have included barring U.S. imports of meat raised with ractopamine, causing significant trade tensions. U.S. trade officials have been applying diplomatic pressure to try to open the market and bolster its nearly $5 billion in beef and pork exports.
Industry pulls Zilmax after lame cattle exposed Meanwhile, Reuters just went public with a special report on Zilpaterol hydrochloride – sold by Merck pharmaceuticals under the brand name Zilmax – which has come under recent scrutiny after it was associated with unexplained cases of lameness in cattle, including at least 15 documented cows who were unable to walk, had disintegrating hooves and were unwilling to even move after spending months in a feedlot with the drug
as a regular additive to promote weight gain. Back in August, video was shown of some of these lame cows by a veterinarian specialist at a JBS, Inc., conference, one of the biggest meat packers and feedlot operators in the world. Tyson Foods, the nation’s largest and most influential meat packer, decided to refuse all cattle treated with Zilmax. Merck has since voluntarily suspended Zilmax sales, while nations including South Korea have banned imports of Zilmaxtreated meat. The possible connection of lame cattle to the beta-agonist Zilmax has never been officially proven, but market triggers have led to its discontinuation in most uses. Though market pressure has reined in the use of both of these seemingly dangerous drugs, both are still officially allowed by the FDA. In November 2013, the USDA posted information to qualify for its new marketing label “Never Fed Beta Agonists,” which producers can use to distinguish their meats from those still using the questionable drug additive.
Why so many drugs in livestock production? It’s all about the heavyweight champions… The meat industry produced about 26 billion pounds of beef from some 91 million cattle in recent years, as compared with about 24 billion pounds of beef from around 130 million cattle back in 1975… bulking up the average head of cattle by almost 150%. That’s more meat with less effort, thanks in large part to an intensive pharmaceutical and feed additive regimen. Steroids, antibiotics, hormones and other pharmaceuticals in general have been overused and controversial in raising
livestock for meat, and their derivatives knowingly enter the environment. The huge amounts of waste – dumped into groundwater and used as cheap fertilizer – have been shown in studies to affect fish and wildlife, while the presence of many pharmaceutical drugs in public water supplies has raised human health concerns. The FDA just finalized a rule in December 2013 encouraging livestock producers to voluntarily phase out the use of antibiotics used primarily to stimulate weight gain, and reserve use for the actual prevention of disease – as the systematic overuse of antibiotics in raising livestock has contributed significantly to the ineffectiveness of antibiotics as a whole and the rise of many types of superbugs. Of course, this rule is voluntary, so the actual results of this on the market remain to be seen. Sources for this article include: http://blogs.vancouversun.com http://www.nbcnews.com http://www.reuters.com http://www.washingtonpost.com http://www.fda.gov http://www.uaex.edu http://science.naturalnews.com Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/043664_ractopamine_beef_cat tle_antibiotic_abuse.html#ixzz2rbSid6g5
Well-Done Red Meat Increases Cancer Risk Well-done red meat may ‘significantly increase’ cancer risk, says report Cooking meat at high temperatures or until it is well done could increase the risk of bladder cancer, say experts.
The warning to barbecue lovers adds weight to other research that suggested charred meat could cause other cancers, including pancreatic cancer. In the latest study, scientists found that people who eat meat regularly, especially meat that is well done or cooked at high temperatures, may have a higher chance of developing bladder cancer. Those with certain genetic traits also appear to be more at risk, according to the 12-year study of 884 people with bladder cancer and 878 without. Experts have shown that cooking meat at high temperatures creates chemicals that are not originally present in uncooked meat. These heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are carcinogenic. HCAs develop when amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and creatine (a chemical found in muscles) react at high cooking temperatures. The latest study was led by Jie Lin, an assistant professor at the University of Texas, and was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting in
Washington. The team looked at the association between meat intake, HCAs and bladder cancer. The National Cancer Institute’s food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake of different meat and the results were split into four groups, from the lowest to the highest meat intake. Compared with those in the lowest group of red meat intake, people in the top group those people who consumed the most red meat were 48% more likely to suffer bladder cancer than those with the lowest intake. “Higher intakes of beef steaks, pork chops and bacon were associated with increased bladder cancer risk in a doseresponse pattern,” the researchers said. The researchers added that people who ate a lot of fried chicken and fried fish were also at “significantly increased risk”. Red meat that was either medium or well done was linked with a 46% and 94% increased risk of cancer respectively compared with that which was cooked long enough to still be rare. The researchers analysed each person’s DNA to look for genetic variants in how the body responds to HCAs. They found that people with seven or more unfavourable genotypes who had the highest red meat intake were almost five times more likely to suffer bladder cancer as those without. Professor Xifeng Wu, who worked on the study, said: “The results support what we suspected: people who eat a lot of red meat, particularly well done, seem to have a higher likelihood of bladder cancer.”
