What is carcinogen? Carcinogen is a substance or agent that can cause cells to become cancerous by altering their genetic structure so that they multiple continuously and become malignant.
Acrylamide- Crispy, crunchy stuff such as potato chips, crackers, and fries contain the most. This suspected carcinogen was recently let off the hook as a breast cancer promoter, but it may raise the risk of other types.
Alcohol- Moderation, meaning no more than a drink (for women) or two (men) a day, is your best bet.
Bromodichloromethane: It's in the water and vapors released from chlorinated swimming pools and saunas. It has given rats kidney and intestinal cancers. More and More pools are using alternative water -purification systems: you can check with local pools to see if there is one near you.
Heterocyclic Amines and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: The first are in very well-done meats, the second in charred grilled meats and veggies. Minimize exposure by cooking food until done, not well-done.
Reserpine: This blood pressure drug has induced adrenal and breast tumors in rats and mice. Roserpine can be an effective treatment for patients who don't respond to diuretics, but it should always be a second-line treatment. You can discuss your options with your doctor.
Safrole- Found in the pungent oil of sassafras root bark, it has caused lung and liver cancer in mice. Although safrole is banned by the FDA, sassafras rook bark is still sold.
Wood Dust and Soot: Known human carcinogens, both can up your odds for nasal and lung cancer. This is a concern for carpenters and cabinetmakers; even hobbyist will want to take precautions like wearing a mask or respirator while working.
Oprah January 2008
read full report ntp.niehs.nih.gov and click on Report on Carcinogens
Friday
Carcinogens: An Avoider's Guide
Thursday
How to Avoid the Top 10 Most Common Toxins
By Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege
There are many upsides to living in a modern, high-tech society (like having access to the Internet and digital cameras and MP3 audio players to name a few of my favorites.) But as with most things in life and in nature, whether you call it yin and yang, balance or the principle that opposites attract, with the upside comes a significant downside.
For all of the conveniences and advances that we have grown so accustomed to comes a slew of environmental toxins -- chemicals and other materials largely from industry and carelessness -- that have very much saturated our water, our food and the very air we breathe.
Many of these toxins are things that you can't see, smell or feel, at least not right away. One of the major problems with them is just that. We don't realize that we're being affected until we come down with a chronic disease after years of subtle and often consistent exposure to a combination of these toxins.
This makes it almost impossible to pinpoint a specific environmental toxin as the source of illness, yet when you look at the facts -- the increasing numbers of cancers, immune system disorders, neurological problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivities, allergies and hormonal disturbances that are facing the nation -- it is hard NOT to take notice. Consider these statistics:
Some 77,000 chemicals are produced in North America
Over 3,000 chemicals are added to our food supply
More than 10,000 chemical solvents, emulsifiers and preservatives are used in food processing
1,000 new chemicals are introduced each year
Where do all of these chemicals end up? They are absorbed into our groundwater, rivers, lakes and oceans, spewed into our air, and added, quite intentionally, to our food supply.
The Effects of Toxins on Your Body
A study in last year's British Medical Journal estimated that perhaps 75 percent of most cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, including exposure to chemicals. Another report, this one by the Columbia University School of Public Health, estimated that 95 percent of cancer is caused by diet and environmental toxicity.
This is really not surprising when you consider that estimates show most Americans have somewhere between 400 and 800 chemicals stored in their bodies, typically in fat cells. Some of the short- and long-term effects of these toxins include:
Neurological disorders (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, depression, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, etc.)
Cancer
Nutritional deficiencies
Hormonal imbalances
Enzyme dysfunction
Altered metabolism
Reproductive disorders
Fatigue
Headaches
Obesity
Muscle and vision problems
Immune system depression
Allergies/Asthma
Endocrine disorders
Chronic viral infections
Less ability to tolerate/handle stress
The 10 Most Common Toxins
The following toxins are among the most prevalent in our air, water and/or food supply. This list is by no means all-inclusive, as thousands of other toxins are also circulating in our environment. Keep reading to find out tips to avoid these toxins and others as much as possible.
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): This industrial chemical has been banned in the United States for decades, yet is a persistent organic pollutant that's still present in our environment.
Risks: Cancer, impaired fetal brain developmentMajor Source: Farm-raised salmon. Most farm-raised salmon, which accounts for most of the supply in the United States are fed meals of ground-up fish that have absorbed PCBs in the environment and for this reason should be avoided.
Pesticides: According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides are known to be carcinogenic. Alarmingly, pesticide residues have been detected in 50 percent to 95 percent of U.S. foods.
Risks: Cancer, Parkinson's disease, miscarriage, nerve damage, birth defects, blocking the absorption of food nutrientsMajor Sources: Food (fruits, vegetables and commercially raised meats), bug sprays
Mold and other Fungal Toxins: One in three people have had an allergic reaction to mold. Mycotoxins (fungal toxins) can cause a range of health problems with exposure to only a small amount.
Risks: Cancer, heart disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis, diabetesMajor Sources: Contaminated buildings, food like peanuts, wheat, corn and alcoholic beverages
Phthalates: These chemicals are used to lengthen the life of fragrances and soften plastics.
Risks: Endocrine system damage (phthalates chemically mimic hormones and are particularly dangerous to children)Major Sources: Plastic wrap, plastic bottles, plastic food storage containers. All of these can leach phthalates into our food.
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): VOCs are a major contributing factor to ozone, an air pollutant. According to the EPA, VOCs tend to be even higher (two to five times) in indoor air than outdoor air, likely because they are present in so many household products.
Risks: Cancer, eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairmentMajor Sources: Drinking water, carpet, paints, deodorants, cleaning fluids, varnishes, cosmetics, dry cleaned clothing, moth repellants, air fresheners.
Dioxins: Chemical compounds formed as a result of combustion processes such as commercial or municipal waste incineration and from burning fuels (like wood, coal or oil).
Risks: Cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, chloracne (a severe skin disease with acne-like lesions), skin rashes, skin discoloration, excessive body hair, mild liver damageMajor Sources: Animal fats: Over 95 percent of exposure comes from eating commercial animal fats.
Asbestos: This insulating material was widely used from the 1950s to 1970s. Problems arise when the material becomes old and crumbly, releasing fibers into the air.
Risks: Cancer, scarring of the lung tissue, mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer)Major Sources: Insulation on floors, ceilings, water pipes and healing ducts from the 1950s to 1970s.
Heavy Metals: Metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, aluminum and cadmium, which are prevalent in many areas of our environment, can accumulate in soft tissues of the body.
Risks: Cancer, neurological disorders, Alzheimer's disease, foggy head, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vesselsMajor Sources: Drinking water, fish, vaccines, pesticides, preserved wood, antiperspirant, building materials, dental amalgams, chlorine plants
Chloroform: This colorless liquid has a pleasant, nonirritating odor and a slightly sweet taste, and is used to make other chemicals. It's also formed when chlorine is added to water.
Risks: Cancer, potential reproductive damage, birth defects, dizziness, fatigue, headache, liver and kidney damage.Major Sources: Air, drinking water and food can contain chloroform.
Chlorine: This highly toxic, yellow-green gas is one of the most heavily used chemical agents.
Risks: Sore throat, coughing, eye and skin irritation, rapid breathing, narrowing of the bronchi, wheezing, blue coloring of the skin, accumulation of fluid in the lungs, pain in the lung region, severe eye and skin burns, lung collapse, reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) (a type of asthma)Major Sources: Household cleaners, drinking water (in small amounts), air when living near an industry (such as a paper plant) that uses chlorine in industrial processes.
continued: http://www.mercola.com/2005/feb/19/common_toxins.htm
Six Good Eating Habits That Will Help Prevent Cancer
Six Good Eating Habits That Will Help Prevent Cancer
The American Institute for Cancer Research has released a 517-page report detailing the CONVENTIONAL medical view of what your main risk factors for developing cancer, and what you can do to reduce your risk.
Among their findings -- after reviewing more than 7,000 large-scale studies over the course of five years -- the Institute is now convinced that excess body weight increases your risk for the following types of cancer:
Colon
Kidney
Pancreas
Esophagus
Uterus, and breast cancer in post-menopausal women
The report also found that there are certain lifestyle changes that will reduce your risk of getting cancer:
Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight
Be physically active as part of everyday life
Limit consumption of "energy-dense foods," foods that are high in calories, fat and sugar. Avoid sugary drinks
Eat mostly foods of plant origin, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans
Limit intake of red meat and avoid ALL processed meat
Limit alcoholic drinks to one per day for women, two per day for men
Limit consumption of salt. Avoid moldy grains or legumes
Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, without dietary supplement
Sources:
MarketWatch.com November 1, 2007
American Institute for Cancer Research ( Free Full Text Report)
Food Industry Defends Carbon Monoxide Use in Meat
Food Industry Defends Carbon Monoxide Use in Meat
U.S. lawmakers have begun to criticize the practice of adding carbon monoxide to meat in order to stabilize its color and keep it looking fresh longer.The process, they said, misleads consumers by making the products appear safer than they are, and puts people at risk of eating spoiled meat.Two of the United States’ largest meat processors, however, defended the packaging technique, maintaining that it is safe. Several food giants have said they support a warning label being added to meat that has been treated with carbon monoxide, or a label encouraging consumers to depend on the “use by” or “freeze by” date rather than the meat’s color to determine its safety.Officials at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Agriculture Department, who said they believe the carbon monoxide practice is safe, say the issue is not a public health priority.Consumer groups, meanwhile, have petitioned the FDA to withdraw its approval of sealed packaging that uses more carbon monoxide -- 0.4 percent -- than exists in air, saying the practice makes it difficult for consumers to gauge product safety.
Tuesday
Toxin
A toxin is a poison. It is a substance that if taken in large doses can cause severe illness or death.
What is causing toxin to be put in our body? The answer is that we have not been educated to know what these toxins are. And secondly, these toxins are being put in virtually everything we eat without our knowledge. Now, here is the big one: The most toxic thing you can put in your body, and the number one cause of virtually all illness and disease, is prescription and non prescription drugs!
Statistics show very conclusively that the more prescription and non prescription drugs a person takes, the sicker they are. Why? Because all drugs have effects! If you are taking a drug to suppress one symptom, that drug is causing some other major problem to start developing in your body. Even if you stop taking the drug, the wheels have been set in motion, and in a few weeks or a few months-boom-you have some more symptoms caused by the first drug you took a few months ago.
natural cures book p.72-73
Why do you get sick
1. You have too many toxins in your body.
2. You have nutritional deficiencies.
3. You are exposed and negatively affected by electromagnetic chaos.
4. You have trapped mental and emotional stress.
There are only two reasons why a person becomes ill:
1. They "catch something. This means your body picked up a "germ", generally a virus or bacteria.
2. You "develop" an illness or disease. This means there is some imbalance in the body, something is not working right, and an illness or disease develops. Common diseases in this category include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, acid reflux, arthritis, etc.
Remember you will never get sick because of a virus or bacteria. Then the question becomes, "What is causing my body to be out of balance, and what is causing my immune system to be weak?
Remember you get sick because you either "catch something" because your body is out of balance and your immune system is weak. You develop something in the body either because your body is out of balance, or a "toxin" is getting into your body and causing problem to develp.
The reasons you get sick:
1. You catch something and your body cannot fight it off, therefore you succomb to the "germs'.
2. Your body develops something in the genetically weak areas.
In both of the above cases the causes are the same.
A. Your immune system is weak.
B. Toxins are attacking your body.
from Natural Cures "They don't Want you to know about" by Kevin Trudeau
