I've blogged and commented about how some foods, that are greatly enjoyed by characters in many stories, are unhealthy. I've singled out bacon, because of it's additives, it's fat content and it's high heat preparation. I'm not really trying to save American Hogs; I'd rather help out and reduce the suffering of BCTS readers.
I think I might be getting (or fighting off) Alzheimer's so my interest increases when I see this disease's name. I really had no idea that such research results existed, but after reading, I figured that these results are probably true. Eating unnatural chemicals, especially preservatives that stop life forms like bacteria and fungi, could easily be dangerous. Eating too much of the wrong kind of foods is already know to cause diabetes and obesity related problems. That this also has an effect on one's brain sounds likely even if surprising.
Please read these articles, if you are not impressed, you can search for the original scientific papers!
http://www.care2.com/causes/do-hot-dogs-cause-alzheimers.html
http://www.care2.com/causes/big-food-fights-to-keep-you-deme...
>> A study published in this month’s issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease suggests that the nitrites and nitrates in hot dogs, other cured and processed meats, and even root vegetables due to commercial fertilizer use, could be linked to increased mortality from age related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes. <<
Just a reminder that nitrites and nitrates are also used in bacon, some ham (I think), sausages and luncheon meats.
Comments
Thpaat!
With all the other major health issues I have, it is unlikely I will live long enough to worry about Alzheimers. If I've gotta go I might as well enjoy myself beforehand.
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
Zero real information
Except that someone did a study but reached no definite conclusions. Did you know that raw carrots and roasted peanuts have carcinogens? They do, but is this important?
When someone writes a report about some research and says something like "could be linked" they are essentially just guessing. The data may be suggestive but if it proved something, it would be much bigger news.
Chocolate, red wine and coffee turn out to be good for you? Who expected that? And by the way, that isn't really proven either. :)
Don't get me wrong, I frequently avoid foods high in preservatives and I usually buy uncured meats. Why intake chemicals you don't actually need? But I'm not going to forego the pleasure of an occasional hot dog because some rat that was programmed by genetics to die young, fat and stupid actually died a few weeks early, statistically. Most medical research these days is based on the use of lab animals that have been proven to not be that good as models for human reactions to medicines and chemicals. It's actually a big controversy the public seldom hears about.
Big Food and Big Pharma are often made the enemy in these articles. How about Big Scare? There are huge numbers of people who make a living off of writing articles and books and creating foundations claiming that this or that is bad for you and will lead to the decline of -- whatever.
I ty to take all these things with a grain of potassium chloride because most people probably do get too much sodium in their diets. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Absolutely!
I am on a diat that is supposed to be low in processed meats, pasta, sugar, salt carbs in general, heavy on vegetables and fruit, da da da...
I undrstand the need to be healthy. I have two sisters. one who regularly exercises, eats the "healthiest" diet she can, doesn't smoke, drink, use street drugs or have kinky sex. She's cute, but reallly boring. She works her butt off as a part owner of an Orchard.
The other sister smkes, drinks, her idea of health food is MacDonalds or Burger king, maybe a veggie pizza. She works at a sedentary job and her idea of exercise is to climb both of the stairs to her house.
Guess which one has had (and beat) Cancer and several other serious illnesses. Yeah, the first (and youngest) sister. It's our family joke.
Eating in moderation, watching your portion size, limiting sweets and having regular exercise will help more than all the fad diets you can come up with. I have had so many dietary classes, the last one I took, sahe told me I could teach for her.
Avoid extreme diets that focus on changing one habit. It takes balance and moderation. There are no miracle cures, and some of us actually ARE genetically inclined to be a bit bigger. Be sensible, and realistic, and remember, a lot of us care!
Wren
What did they die of?
All the people who eat healthy all the time and exercise regularly and see their doctor and carefully follow the doctor's advice are some day going be lying on their death bed wondering just what went wrong.
Personally, having reached the ripe old age of 67 without any major illnesses, my cholesterol is constantly below 166 total with HDL in high ratio, while eating red meat 4 to 5 nights a week, 2 to 4 eggs a week, I think I'm living proof that good genes beat good diet any day.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
There is a connection
between bacon/cured meats and some forms of cancer, but you have to eat it in large quantities, like every day. An expert from one of the UK cancer research organisations suggested something less than half a pound per week was fine and he wasn't going to stop eating the odd piece of ham or bacon.
Essentially, if you eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and everything else in moderation, you're probably eating healthily. Add regular exercise, and you're doing most of what you need to do and both help to reduce the risk of all sorts of diseases including Alzheimer's. Apparently, doing a crossword puzzle several times a week also helps stave off dementia.
Angharad
I'm sure writing stories is good for you
I'm on the wrong side of seventy but keep my mind active writng for this site. As far as bacon is concerned I buy the uncured type, Adeles is probably the best bacon I ever ate, smokey goodness and low sodium, but I only eat it once or twice a week, same with everything else I eat. Moderation. Everyone i talk to about diet has their own ideas from my neighbor with MS, he's high on juicing to the vegan who thinks everyone is going to die if they don't change to their choice of food. I have to explain everyone is going to meet their maker no matter what we eat. Sorry I have to run, I have to throw the steak on the BBQ that uses real charcoal, Arecee
Erin, thanks, but don't be too hasty...
From the 2nd article:
>> A different study published in the September 20 (what yr? 2011?) Neurology tracked over 1,000 people in Japan and determined diabetes was a “significant risk factor for the development of dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease, in (the) general public." <<
To me, "significant risk factor" sounds like statistical analysis. Epidemiological studies like this do not find a mechanism for the risk factor to help cause dementia, however I would stay away from a factor with a high correlation to a very negative outcome. This is not a test on lab animals, this does not say "could be linked" this says diabetes, already a disease, increases the risk of dementia, and the study will say the amount of risk and the probability that their finding is not caused by chance.
I realized, already, that the presentation media doesn't present the info in a scientific or even intellectual style. It's from Facebook; it is valuable, however, to condense info and present it as a warning. If curious, rather than randomly pick on weak points in the info or it's presentation, one could review the scientific literature; an easy way is to look at semi-popularized literature like Science News, etc.
There are also a hugh (maybe) number of doctors, scientists and technicians, around the world, studying diseases/conditions like dementia with rising incidence and a (literally) huge cost to care for it's victims.
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
Not the same point I was making
But yes, there are known diet risks in developing diabetes. Still, to show that having one serious metabolic disorder influences one's chances of developing other serious metabolic disorders is not the same thing at all as the "terrible diet choice of the week" syndrome that I was talking about.
And seriously, reading scientific literature is something I sometimes do for fun, no joke. I do know how to read an abstract and assess just what the researchers discovered and are choosing to report. Some of the highly technical metabolic details are beyond me but I can get the gist of such implications.
And this is exactly why I said what I did. Hastiness was precisely what I was warning about.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
What Foods You Eat IS Important!
Reminds me of the old adage "You Are What You Eat".
May Your Light Forever Shine
Angie, I completely agree.
The problem is that vast numbers of people are not eating properly and/or not getting enough exercise. In the US, at least, there is an obesity epidemic that is even effecting our children. Incidence of diabetes and other obesity related diseases is increasing rapidly. As I said, I was unaware of links between obesity, diabetes and dementia. If the US (and probably world) food industry gets more profit from processed, sugary, salty and fatty foods, advertises heavily and researches how to make these foods even less resistible (more addictive), then they are helping this epidemic. US crop subsidies, (which not everyone cares about) are also not helping. The money goes to the big factory farms for producing the most abundant crops, corn and soybeans and maybe some to wheat. From these we mostly get reduced price oil, corn syrup and food-animal feed. There is no subsidy for fruits and vegetables.
The fact that fueling obesity also might reduce thinking ability and increase dementia, sounds bad (to me) for all people eating the "western diet". How can that be good for the world?
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee