Hormones & Antibiotics
You will find these in meats (primarily beef, pork and chicken) and dairy products. Most of your luncheon meats will contain these stimulants in addition to unfavorable preservatives such as sodium nitrite.
rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone also know as rBST or recombinant bovine somatotropin) has been approved since 1993 by the FDA because of data provided by Monsanto, the maker of rBGH.
rBGH is associated with increased risk of cancer, primarily breast and prostate.
Samuel Epstein, MD, Professor at the University of Illinois, to Dr. David Kessler of the FDA in Sept 1994 issue of Preventative Medicine Update writes “I am writing to express grave concerns about the risks of breast cancer from consumption of r BGH/IGF1 produced in milk.” rBGH causes insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1) when given to cows.
IGF1 is a growth factor for human cancer cells, maintaining their malignancy, progression, and invasiveness.
“IGF-I reacts in a synergistic manner with estrogen, and plays a role in the growth and proliferation of ovarian cancer.”
J-Clin-Endocrinol-Metab, Feb. 1994, 78
Antibiotics result in a decreased immune system and resistant bacteria.
Those who had consumed diets higher in processed meats showed a greater risk of developing recurrent colorectal adenomas. Those with diets high in certain white meats, like chicken, were less prone to this risk.
– Science Daily, December 21, 2005
Researchers have also found that eating processed meat 5 or more times per week increased a man’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by nearly 50%.
– Diabetes Care March 2002;25:417-42
Spray-On Virus’
The FDA has approved a mix of six bacteria-killing viruses designed to be sprayed on ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. Lunch meats are particularly vulnerable to Listeria because they are generally not cooked or reheated after purchase.
Consumers will not be informed as to whether their meat and poultry products have been treated with the spray. To be honest, this policy provides meat vendors with more leeway to get away with poor quality control, poor hygiene and meat that’s too old because it takes away some of the bacteria.
If you haven’t been concerned about processed meats yet, here’s one more reason: At one point, the FDA had concerns this spray-on concoction might contain some toxic residue from the bacterial mix of sprays. The agency claims human contact with these residues in small quantities doesn’t cause health problems, but are you willing to bet they won’t?
Protein Sources
The overriding theme behind this newsletter: Where your meat ultimately comes from and how it’s prepared makes all the difference in the world to your health. Before you take your next bite of processed meat, commercial steak or chicken, consider all the problems that come with them.
We suggest you try to seek out a cleaner source for your protein needs.
25% of your diet needs to be from a protein source. Good protein sources are: Beans, seeds, nuts, sprouts, eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef, ostrich, and bison. These need to be from a clean source that is labeled “organically grown”, “free range”, “no antibiotics”, “no hormones”, etc.
