Eating processed meats significantly increases the risk of cancer. This is fact.
I was very excited to hear about The Cancer Project's new commercial, which dramatically makes the public aware of this link.
And I'm fascinated by the public outcry over it. It seems as if people don't want to hear the truth, as if it is heresy to let people know that a traditional American food causes harm.
Not only does processed meat, in the quantities that the average American consumes it, increase risk of cancers, it also increases the risk of obesity, raises cholesterol levels, raises blood pressure, and as a result increases the risk of coronary disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Yes it's alarming, but people need to hear this message loud and clear.
Watch the commercial here.
Image from hankblog.wordpress.com
5 comments:
I think this holds true for processed foods in general.
Andy once asked me to buy him "Lunchables" for his school lunch. They were on sale so I picked it up, read the label.... and put it right back. The amount of sodium, preservatives and fat was nauseating! And we wonder why so many of our kids are obease and diabetic!
I get so tired of hearing the saying, "Everything in moderation". According to the article, 2 slices/day of bologna can increase your risk of colorectal cancer. That seems like a moderate amount. I'm sure many parents packing their kids' lunches are thinking, "It's just a bit." That bit sure does add up -- over time it causes cancer!
The problem is that something in a small amount is probably ok but it's a little bit of this and a little of that that adds up quickly. Unfortunately, children and many parents don't realize that.
I think the ad was informative but not very well done. It seemed a bit amateur.
On another note, I've been following your blog for years and love hearing about about your marathon training and your career.
Does that mean that steaks or ground beef or chickens from an all grass-fed organic farm are NOT linked to cancer? I know the dangers of animal fats and cholesterols, but can you at least remove the extra risk of cancer by eating the right meat?
We had grilled Smart Dogs for dinner last night...no worries.
If people are in denial, then, based on Kubler-Ross's definition of grief, they have only a few more stages before acceptance. (Boy, I'm an optimist.)
As an oncologist I could not agree more with your comments about processed foods and cancer. I think part of the problem is people do not worry about things that are not immediate. If a percentage of people who ate a hot dog dropped dead immediately then the story would be different. But it can take decades for heart disease and cancer to show up. So we eat the hot dog and diet coke.
Love your blog. I'm a very part time triathlete - did Malibu and NY. None this year though.
You have sincere dedication!
I'll put you in my link section.
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