Protect Yourself Against Processed Meat Cancer

Hot dog, bacon, ham, corned beef, sausage, luncheon meat. We all grew up with these great-tasting processed meat stuffs. Alongside this, colon and pancreatic cancers also grew at skyrocketing rates.

Just look at this undeniable connection. "Just one link of sausage a day raises your risk of getting pancreatic cancer by 19%. Two pieces of bacon and that number shoots up to 38%. Overall, people who ate the most processed meats, hot dogs and sausages, showed a whopping 67% increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those who consumed little or none." [British Journal of Cancer (2012)]


The trouble with processed meats starts when the meat source is raised with hormones, antibiotics, and pesticide-laden feeds. Compounding the problem is the unabated use of a  particular food additive that preserves processed meats and gives it its inviting color. This additive, sodium nitrate, is found in varying amounts in almost every processed food. It takes high levels of sodium to cure meat. It's the nitrate/nitrite that turns these processed meats into loaded health-wreckers.

"When exposed to heat or acidic conditions in the stomach, nitrite becomes nitrosamines. It wasn't until about 50 years ago that we learned how they are formed, and what they do.

Most nitrosamines are organ specific. So, when tobacco forms a nitrosamine in the body, it targets the lungs. When sodium nitrate forms a nitrosamine, it targets the pancreas, and possibly the colon." [British Journal of Cancer (2012)]

As early as the 70's, the FDA was already well aware of sodium nitrate's cancer-causing properties and was close to banning it. However, around that time, scientists found that vitamins C and E inhibit the formation of nitrosamines.

That saved the day for food processors who were allowed by the FDA to continue using it as long as they added some forms of the vitamins to their products. Did you notice it in the labels of processed foods?

If you've been around for a while, odds are you've already eaten your fair share of sodium nitrate. And while you can't take back years of consumption, here are some steps you can start today to protect yourself.

Detox: Only you know how much sodium nitrate you've eaten in your lifetime. Take steps to detoxify your pancreas and colon, perhaps a juice fast or chelation. Find a physician, who knows how to help you responsibly detox your body.

Vitamin C and E Armor: If you feel like you can't get off bacon or sausage, then at least protect yourself with these vitamins. It's your best chance to stop the nitrate from becoming nitrosamine once it enters your system.

Extra Pancreas and Liver Support: Give your liver and pancreas extra support with lots of green, leafy vegetables like kale, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. Boost your levels of Vitamin D, especially if you're low or deficient. Junk high fructose corn syrup altogether and eliminate as much sugar as possible as well.

Include vitamins A, C, and E, the B vitamins, as well as zinc, calcium, and selenium in your liver support program. Your multivitamin/multimineral supplement must contain plenty of these essentials. Strengthening herbs, such as artichoke leaf, which stimulates the production of bile; milk thistle, which strengthens liver cell membranes and promotes the production of glutathione; and turmeric, which in turn, boosts detoxing enzymes in the liver, should be part of your support arsenal.

And lastly, scour the labels of the food packaging for the words "NO NITRATES" before you include it in your shopping cart.

The dangers of pancreatic and colon cancers from processed meats are real, so seriously consider taking the necessary steps to protect yourself and your loved ones.