Guide To Common Cancer-Causing Foods

Cancer causes certain cells to grow and multiply faster. It also results in them dying off slowly. Both of these factors mean cells accumulate! Cancerous cells only replicate and don’t perform any other function in the body. They lessen the space available for healthy cells! They also result in tissue damage and organ failure. Causes and risk factors range from family history and obesity to previously existing medical conditions! No one likes dealing with any form of cancer, which is why lots of funds go into researching treatments and cures.

The most common treatments are combinations of chemo, radiation, and surgery. However, many swear by holistic cancer treatment centers. Many also turn to lists of good food for cancer patients. This means beating cancer with nutrition. Of course, there are also very unhealthy foods when it comes to treating and even preventing cancer. Let’s get to know them!

Processed Meats

Processed meats like hot dogs, sausages, and even lunch meat are very delicious. There is no question about that! However, no matter how delicious they are, processed meats are very high on the list of cancer-causing foods. This is because they are made with a lot of salt and chemical preservatives. They will look fresh for far longer because of these preservatives, but the cost is high. Some processed meats even include some of the same chemicals found in cigarette smoke. This is the leading cause of lung cancer! Experts indicate eating 50 grams of processed meat every day increases the risk of cancer by 18 percent. This is equal to 1 hot dog or 4 strips of bacon.

Microwave Popcorn

Microwave popcorn is convenient for stay-at-home movie nights. Just pop a bag in the microwave and hit the popcorn button! In the blink of an eye, the popcorn will be fully popped and ready to eat. There are even varieties with lots of butter so they resemble movie theatre popcorn! Like processed meats, microwave popcorn is delicious.

However, these bags are also full of chemicals. These chemicals are what make microwave popcorn so easy to make! The chemicals found in microwave popcorn have been strongly linked to increased risks of pancreatic, liver, and testicular cancers. Not worth it! Making popcorn from kernels on the stove is far safer. Just sprinkle on a small amount of salt or spice on it for flavor!

Prepackaged Meals

Frozen meals are another convenient option. It’s possible to have a meatloaf dinner in the blink of an eye in many cases! However, prepackaged meals don’t do anyone any favors when it comes to cancer. This is because packaged meals are highly processed. We already know processed meats contain lots of chemical preservatives. The same applies to prepackaged meals! This even includes packaged ‘diet’ food. Although they state they’re low in sugar and fat, they still contain lots of chemicals. Instead, people should cook from fresh foods and freeze portions. They can reheat these portions in a timely manner, though of course, they should never put plastic in the microwave!

Alcohol

Aside from tobacco products, alcohol is one of the most common links to the development of cancer. Alcohol is particularly connected to liver, esophageal, breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers. The risk increases the more someone drinks, especially over long periods! Experts theorize the major reasons why alcohol causes cancer is down to chemicals in it causing DNA damage and the fact alcohol weakens the body’s ability to absorb certain vitamins and nutrients. It is also said that alcohol reduces the breakdown of estrogen, increasing levels of it in the blood. Increased estrogen means women are at a higher risk of breast cancer! Some also say alcohol causes increased weight gain, and we know obesity increases the risk of cancer.

Farmed Salmon

Fish, including salmon, is extremely healthy and people should be eating more of it. Right? Yes, but only certain kinds of fish. It all depends on how the salmon (or other fish) was raised. Farmed salmon are kept in pens made with nets. The farmers control what they eat, how much they eat, and often give them medicine as well. These nets can get quite crowded, so the salmon won’t be able to swim much at all.

Farmed salmon lacks the vitamin D content found in wild salmon and other fish, which is part of what makes fish healthy! Farmed salmon also contains lots of antibiotics, pesticides, and cancer-causing chemicals. So it’s important to find out where salmon was raised and only reach for wild-caught salmon. Farmed isn’t worth it!