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[edit] Sugar
The connection between sugar and cancer is real. For more info on how lowering glucose ingestion will lower your cancer risks: http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/8/sugar_cancer.htm
Here are some of the dangers of consuming sugar:
1. Feeds candida 2. Promotes wrinkling and aging skin 3. Makes your blood acidic 4. Can lead to osteoporosis 5. Rots your teeth 6. Raises your blood sugar level 7. Contributes to obesity 8. Is addictive (almost as much as drugs) 9. Can create the urge to binge 10. Provides 'empty calories' with no nutritional value 11. Contributes to diabetes 12. Robs your body of minerals 13. Robs you of energy 14. Contributes to heart problems 15. Can cause cancer 16. Contributes to ulcers 17. Can cause gallstones 18. Contributes to adrenal fatigue 19. Can suppress your immune system 20. Raises the level of neurotransmitters called serotonin 21. Weakens eyesight 22. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia (low blood suga levels). 23. Can cause aging 24. Can contribute to eczema 25. Can cause arthritis
To learn more about the dangers of sugar and find out if you're a sugarholic, read Lick The Sugar Habit, by Nancy Appelton, PhD. (ISBN 089529768X)
When you do want to sweeten your foods and drinks, Stevia is a great alternative. Stevia, an extraordinarily sweet herb, is 200 - 300 times sweeter than sugar, has no calories and does not cause a spike in your blood sugar (the blood sugar spike is what's behind so many of the dangers of sugar) and can help you overcome sugar cravings.
[edit] Chemicals
Every product decision we make determines how many chemicals we allow into our homes. With careful evaluation and a little education of product ingredients, we can minimize the risk of chemicals and maximize our health! There are wonderful products without "questionable" ingredients available at markets, health food stores, and online.
Here's a recipe we use to wash all traces of chemicals/mold from fruit and vegetables -- 1 cup water, 1 cup white vinegar, 3 TB baking soda, 20 drops grapefruit seed extract (made by Nutribiotics from health food store) - add all together in large bowl because baking soda will initially expand rapidly. Then pour into spray bottle. Spray fruits and veggies, especially those where the skin is eaten, and leave sit for ten minutes. Rinse and enjoy.
[edit] Cosmetics
Grab your lotion, sunscreen, lipstick and perfume and go to the Environmental Working Group website- http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep/?key=nosign - a database of 15,000 products providing safety data and brand comparisons indicating safe options.
[edit] Nitrates/nitrosamines
Nitrosamines are compounds found in cured meats and tobacco that are a known carcinogenic. There are many delicious bacons, sausages, etc. that are now made nitrate-free in the supermarket, even the deli. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, they have a great selection.
[edit] Plastics
According to Rachel Gibson, environmental health advocate and staff attorney in San Francisco, stay away from PVC (polyvinyl chloride plastic) found in food packaging and vinyl plastic shower curtains, among other things. It contains phthalates, a class of chemicals used to make plastic soft and flexible. Phthalates are also hormone disrupters and have been linked to increased risk of testicular cancer, decreased sperm levels and premature breast development.
She also advises avoiding food and drink containers made of clear, hard polycarbonate plastic (usually has #7 recycling code on the bottom). Bisphenol A, the chemical that makes this plastic tough, is a hormone disrupter linked to altered immune function and prostate cancer. Use a stainless steel water bottle and buy and store food only in glass or plastic containers with 2, 4 or 5 recycling codes. Never microwave or heat using plastic.
[edit] Microwave ovens
Have we sacrificed health for convenience? Read this article on microwave ovens and related cancer-causing effects, nutritive destruction of foods, and biological effects of exposure. Dr. Mercola, D.O.(Doctor of Osteopathy), operates the Optimal Wellness Clinic near Chicago, IL, and started in 1997 what is now the most visited natural health website in the world with over 800,000 subscribers.
http://www.mercola.com/article/microwave/hazards.htm
[edit] Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heterocyclic amines (HCA)
Meat is a mix of nutritional benefits and hazards. It provides high-quality protein and healthy vitamins and minerals. But in exchange, many cuts also contain a lot of saturated fat and cholesterol. Fish, in contrast, is a good source of protein and of omega 3 fatty acids.
The way meat is cooked can pose a cancer risk. When protein is cooked at a high temperature (broiled, grilled and fried) carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines are formed, and the longer it is cooked at high temps, the more of these substances are formed. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, grilled chicken is an especially potent source of heterocyclic amines, it contains 15 times more than does roast beef or a hamburger. Cooking low heat with longer cooking times is best.
Cooking meat at high temperatures, as with grilling and barbecuing, is a source of carcinogens known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These are formed when bits of meat, fish or chicken fall onto the coals and the smoke then coats the surface of the grilling food.
Excerpts from The Answer to Cancer, by Carolyn Runowicz, M.D. and Sheldon Cherry, M.D. ISBN 1-57954-730-3