Poorly cooked pork/seafood
Unlike beef which could be eaten rare or medium, pork is safe only when fully cooked, especially in barbeque. Improperly cooked pork could lead to a micro worm infestation called trichinosis, where the tiny roundworms enter the muscles, even in the eyelids, the heart, etc. and pose a danger not only to health but to life. Eating raw seafood like oysters, mussels, shrimp, fish, can also cause bacterial infection, like salmonella, not to mention hepatitis. Unhygienic food handlers (including all of us) can contaminate the food and cause Staphylococcus food poisoning, Shebelle and E. coli infection (from fecal contamination of food and or water), leading to severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pains. Even left over rice, if not refrigerated, and if it is kept covered airtight in a warm environment, can cause Bacillus cereus to thrive, multiply, and produce chemical toxins, resulting in food poisoning. Rice is best consumed within 24-48 hours. When leftover rice appears moist or sticky, and/or smells spoiled, it should be discarded.
Microwave popcorn
A recent UCLA study reports that chemicals (one of them perfluorooctanoic acid – PFOA) in the inner surface (lining) of the bag are compounds that may be a culprit in the development of infertility in humans. The findings also stated that these chemicals vaporize with high temperature and seep into the popcorn and can cause cancer of the liver, pancreas, and testicles, as they accumulate in the body over time until they reach the toxic level years later. Manufacturers, like Dupont, have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) voluntary plan. In the meantime, pop your own corn in a skillet.
Canned Tomatoes
Bisphenol-A (BPA), a synthetic estrogen, is in the resin linings of tin cans. The acidic nature of tomatoes causes this chemical to leach into the tomatoes. BPA has been linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and suppression of sperm production and chromosomal damage.
Corn-fed beef
To fatten cattle for better profit, commercial farmers feed them corn and soybeans. A new comprehensive study by the US Department of Agriculture and Clemens University found that “compared with corn-fed beef, grass fed-beef is higher in beta carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid, calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s, and lower in saturated fats. Better option: beef from grass-fed cattle, stipulated on the packaging label.
Non-organic fruits and vegetables
The same chemical contamination is found in non-organic fruits and vegetables. Those with skin or rind are better protected. After washing them, peel the skin, like in apples, bananas, papaya, oranges, lanzones, pineapple, carrots, radish, squash, upo, patola, etc. Those which are eaten as a whole, fruits like the various berries, prunes, grapes, and vegetables like lettuce, beans, etc., obviously contain more contamination and should be thoroughly washed. Again, organic, where possible, is the choice.
Milk with artificial hormones
To increase milk production, producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST), which exposes the cow to have udder infection and even pus in the milk. At the same time, it also leads to higher levels of insulin-like growth hormone factor (IGF-1) in milk, which, in some people, might “increase the risk for the development of cancer of the breast, prostate and colon,” according to Rick North, former CEO of the Oregon Division of the American Cancer Society and now an advocate for food safety. While this quoted statement is still not proven 100%, IGF-1 in milk is “banned in industrialized countries.”
Processed Foods: Unhealthy
Medical statistics on the relationship of nutrition/diet and health/diseases, and longevity show that a meal with processed foods (canned or frozen, especially meats, like hotdogs, bacon, ham, etc.) is most unhealthy. Eating processed foods has been linked to the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, like hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and various forms of cancers, most notably cancer of the pancreas and the gastrointestinal tract.
Foods manufactured are processed to preserve their texture, color, aroma, nutritive value, prevent bacterial growth, and to maximize their “shelf” life. This goes true with either canned or frozen food items. To achieve all these, various strategies are employed. The two common ones are the use of chemical preservatives and additives, and controlled heat sterilization.
What in the processing technique or in the chemical additives and preservatives used is hazardous to health has not been fully determined, but the statistics are too overwhelming to ignore. The association between the illnesses mentioned above and the regular ingestion of processed foods is very significant.
There is no question that FRESH, unadulterated, is best!
“Liquid Candies”
Soft drinks are technically liquid candies because of their terribly high sugar contents. But even the so-called zero calorie or diet soft drinks, cola or uncola, are all unhealthy, especially for children. Their consumption leads to the development of metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Clean filtered water is the healthiest drink there is, besides good milk.
May you and your loved once have a safe and prosperous new year!!
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email:[email protected]
