Cancer-causing foods which you should stay away from:

One would readily believe that for a person to contract a disease as strong, harmful and debilitating as cancer, the person must have broken some 'almighty' rules or engaged in some 'careless' activities. While this may want to seem true, there are other 'little' things we do (as in, our everyday life), which ultimately result in the growth of tumor(s), somehow, somewhere, around a small corner in our body; CANCER. Who would have ordinarily thought that things as small as someof the foods we eat on a daily/regular basis, could turn up against our own very selves and haunt us down. In a bid to avoid these occurrence and re-occurrence, we bring to you some of these foods, which you need to avoid:

1.  PROCESSED MEATS

A study conducted at the University of Hawaii found that people who consumed the most processed meats (hot dogs and sausage) showed a 67 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those who consumed few or no meat products. Breakfast sausage, hot dogs, jerkies, bacon, lunch meat; nearly all of these meat products are made using sodium nitrite, which is used to give cured meat its pinkish colour and increase its shelf life. However, this ingredient is a precursor to highly carcinogenic nitrosamines — potent cancer-causing chemicals that accelerate the formation and growth of cancer cells throughout the body. So if you are going to eat meat products, be sure to choose only uncured meat products made without nitrates, and preferably from grass-fed sources.

2. 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 testicularcancers.

3. CANNED TOMATOES

I believe right now some questions would be flowing in your mind concerning this. In the previous article, NUTRIRION AND CANCER, we stated that the nutrient Lycopene in tomatoes lowers cancer risks. Yes, that's true, but that benefit is completely cancelled out when the lining of canned tomatoes contain chemicals that disrupt hormonal activity in the body. Since tomatoes are so acidic, the chemical BPA (Bisphenol A) actually leeches from the lining into the tomatoes. This toxic chemical has been linked to different cancers, heart disease and reproductive problems. Next time you feel like making a nice red sauce, go with a glass jar or stew the tomatoes yourself.

4. HYDROGENATED OILS

These are commonly used to preserve processed foods and keep them shelf-stable. But hydrogenated oils alter the structure and flexibility of cell membranes throughout the body, which can lead to a host of debilitating diseases. It turns out that the World Health Organization tried to outlaw this ingredient decades ago, and for good reason: hydrogenated oils cause cancer, birth defects, heart disease, diabetes and many other fatal diseases. If you must buy processed foods, be sure to check the ingredients label and look for healthy oils such as olive oil, soy or canola oil instead of hydrogenated oils.

5. ALCOHOL

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. Excessive alcohol use is the biggest cause of mouth, esophagus, liver, colon, mouth, rectum and breast cancers. Don't worry! You don't need to give up your glass of wine with dinner, but, for your health’s sake, stick to one, and greatly reduce your intake.

6. DARK BEERS AND COLAS

Before popping another refreshing dark beer/cola bottle, you may want to stop to consider what’s in it. In order to give it the distinctive brown colour that shoppers and consumers have come to expect, beer and cola manufacturers have been adding in a dye that contains a chemical that’s been found to cause cancer. The chemical 4-MEI (4-methylimidazole) by name, is what gives dark beers/colas that classic caramel colour. 4-MEI has been directly linked to cancer in thousands of individual cases. In these drinks are also present, high fructose corn syrup which will help feed any cancer cells that is already growing in the body.

7. POTATO CHIPS

They may be cheap, easy and delicious, but these crispy, addicting snacks can also be deadly. These fatty foods don't only cause weight gain because of their high trans-fat content, they also have excessive sodium levels, which cause high blood pressure and artificial flavors, preservatives and colors. Another risk is the presence of acrymalide, a known carcinogen found in cigarettes. Try not to feed these quick snacks to yourself or your kids and choose pretzels, air-popped popcorn or baked apple chips instead.

8. GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMO):

I'm sure quite a number of us must have heard of the term GMO, but you're not alone in not fully understanding the dangers of genetically modified organisms. Why would anyone want to eat something that sounds like that, right?! WRONG! After GMO's were introduced in 1996, Americans with 3 or more chronic illnesses jumped from 7 to 13% in just 9 years. Allergies skyrocketed and so did Autism in children, reproductive and digestion problems. GM vegetables fed to rats caused development of horrifying tumors. One of the biggest culprits was GM bovine growth hormone found in milk. Stay away from these silent killers and choose certified organic, non-GMO verified and locally-grown foods that are produced without biotechnology. You'll be thankful you did later on in life.

9. 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 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. 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. 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.

10. SALTY AND SMOKED FOODS

  I know these kind of foods are delicious, but many salty foods, especially smoked foods are processed with the preservative nitrate, which changes in our bodies to N-nitroso composites, which are associated with high cancer-developing risks. Smoked foods like meat or nuts absorb the smoke, which contains the same tar found in cigarettes. Colorectal and stomach cancer are linked to salty and smoked foods. If you are someone who has love for these kind of foods, I think it's time for a re-think.

Other cancer-causing foods include fried snacks, red meat, soft drinks, a few amongst many. I can hear someone saying right now, "then what's left for me to eat", or "then I guess I'm going to starve to death". No, eating healthy is key, eating in the right proportion is also key. Whenever you want to eat, make sure you're eating the right things. Remember, "WE'RE BUILDING A CANCER-FREE GENERATION".

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