Cancer, Red Meat, and Heart Disease – New Study

A recently published, new study supported by the National Cancer Institute show men and women who eat higher amounts of red meat and processed meat have a higher risk of dying from cancer, heart disease and other causes compared to those who eat less.

More than 500,000 people participated in the study which began in 1995.

The people who ate the most red meat along with the most processed meat showed a higher risk of dying during the study period as well as a higher risk of dying from cancer and heart disease compared to those who ate the least.

Pork was included in the red meat category along with beef, bacon, ham, hamburg, hot dogs, liver, pork sausage, steak and meats in foods such as pizza and lasagna.

White meat included turkey, fish, chicken, chicken mixtures and other meats.

The processed meats were both red or white meat that had been cured, dried or smoked. This includes bacon, cold cuts, etc.

There is no known reason why red meat and processed meat tend to increase risks of heart disease, cancer and other deaths. One theory is the meats are a source of carcinogens formed during cooking. Another explains the iron in the red meat may increase oxidative cell damage, leading to health problems. Lastly, the saturated fat found in meat has been linked with breast and colorectal cancer.

The American Institute for Cancer recommends eating no more than 18 ounces of cooked red meat a week. Research suggests an increase in cancer risk with any amount of processed meat so the Institute recommends avoiding it.

Goodbye pepperoni, hot dogs and bologna.

From now on I’m ordering my meat on the side.

David Letterman Marries Long-Time Girlfriend

David Letterman is finally married to the mother of his son. He and his girlfriend, Regina Lasko, tied the knot last Thursday in Choteu, Montana.

I have always been a loyal fan of Dave’s. He’s my all time favorite late night talk show host. The David Letterman top 10 list is a classic.

Call me old fashioned, but it never sat well with me when he referred to his girlfriend as “the mother of my son”. I always wondered what his mother, Dorothy, thought of the whole situation. I’m sure Dorothy and I will enjoy the show so much more now. At last he can say my wife and mother of my son!

Colonoscopies at Veterans Medical Center Put Thousands at Risk

With the New Year only hours old, we began hearing reports of a “colonoscopy scare” at the VA hospital in Murfreesboro,Tn. What seemed to be an isolated incident turned into a nationwide alert.

The Veterans Hospital stated someone put the wrong valve on a colonoscopy machine exposing  at least two people to contaminated fluids. As time went by, it came out that the faulty valve could have been used for more than five years along with faulty cleaning procedures. The number of people exposed then grew from 2 to 6,400. Registered letters were sent to the exposed patients offering free blood tests and announcements were made by VA officials stating all VA medical centers and outpatient clinics were reviewing procedures in a special training program referred to as a “step-up”.

Yesterday it was reported that 3,000 veterans who had routine procedures done at Miami’s VA Medical Center are at risk of infection from hepatitis or HIV because a section of tube used in water pumps for colonoscopies and other gastrointestinal procedures was only being rinsed and not disinfected. I’m sure more registered letters and apologies are being prepared to go out.

I have to wonder if the Miami Va Medical Center was ever notified of the special “step-up”training program. Had they even heard rumors of what had happened in Tennessee?

In both incidents the officials are using words such as “slight risk” or “extremely small risk” of infection. These are our veterans. We owe them. They deserve to walk into any of the Veteran Hospitals anywhere in this country and be assured that that hospital’s safety standards are as high or higher than any civilian hospital. A “slight risk” or “extremely small risk” is just not acceptable.

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