We’ve all heard the saying that “the best things in life are either illegal, immoral, or fattening.” This saying has likely been resonating with many in wake of recent news: on November 2nd, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that consuming processed meats – such as bacon, hot dogs and sausage – could put individuals at a higher risk of developing cancer.
Reviewing years of animal experiments, as well as several diet and health studies, 22 prominent international scientists recently concluded that there is a serious link between red meat and cancer. As a National Public Radio report stated: “The conclusion puts processed meats in the same category as tobacco smoking and asbestos. [However,] this does not mean that they are all equally dangerous, says the International Agency for Research on Cancer – the agency with the WHO that sets the classifications.” This fact is important to remember. Smoking causes about one million deaths per year worldwide, while cancerous deaths due to diets rich in red meat are not nearly as high, about 34,000 internationally.
Is this news, news? Lately, it seems as if everything we consume, and all of the products we use, in some ways, cause cancer. It’s no big secret that regularly eating red meat can be harmful to an individual’s health. For years health experts and nutritionists alike have urged that moderation is the key to dietary success. In an article for the Wall Street Journal, Nancy Rodriguez, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Connecticut, writes: “…scientific research has supported the idea that healthy nutrition begins with a balanced diet consisting of the basic food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains and protein and dairy. Each group offers nutrients that are essential to our health.” While red and processed meats shouldn’t be regularly consumed, you shouldn’t be ashamed to go ahead and indulge in that foot-long hot dog at a baseball game.
From cell-phones, to hair dye, from diet soda, to fake tanning, at what point do we use precaution against foods and products that “cause cancer,” and at what point do we just enjoy life?! If you regularly exercise and consume a nutrient-rich diet, there is nothing wrong with in enjoying that beloved bacon egg and cheese from your favorite breakfast place. As a society, these not-so-healthy foods have been American delicacies we have learned to love since childhood. Giving them up all together seems almost criminal.
So, what are we to do? Her Campus Bucknell recommends that you continue to live a healthy, active lifestyle, and enjoy your bacon in moderation.
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