Lawsuit Filed Against Hot Dog Manufacturers

Here is an article from an organization called The Cancer Project.

http://www.cancerproject.org


http://www.cancerproject.org/media/news/hotdog_warning.php


Warning: Consuming Hot Dogs and Other Processed Meats Increases the Risk of Cancer

Just as tobacco causes lung cancer, processed meats are linked to colon cancer. Like cigarettes, hot dogs should come with a warning label that helps consumers understand the health risk.

In March 2009, the National Cancer Institute published a study of more than half a million people showing that red and processed meat consumption is associated with a higher risk of dying of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

In 2007, the American Institute for Cancer Research published a landmark report showing that just one 50-gram serving of processed meat (about the amount in one hot dog) consumed daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer, on average, by 21 percent. Every year, about 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and approximately 50,000 die of it. Children are at particular risk as lifelong eating habits are established during childhood.

From a scientific standpoint, the situation with processed meat and cancer is very much like tobacco and lung cancer: There are hundreds of chemicals in tobacco smoke, and exactly which ones present the greatest risk has never been entirely clear. Processed meats contain fat, especially saturated fat, as well as lots of cholesterol and salt. The nitrites often used as a preservative can produce compounds that are suspected carcinogens. The bottom line is that science has tied processed meat consumption to increased cancer risk. That’s why hot dogs should be avoided.

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And here is another article discussing a recent lawsuit that has been filed against Hot Dog manufacturers regarding this:

http://www.cancerproject.org/media/news/090722.php

It has been a while

Yea..

well...

All systems are still a go. I have been so busy living life that I stopped posting here for a while. The fact is that everything continues to go excellent. Coming up in the next few weeks, I get my annual tests, which consist of a colonoscopy, and possibly a CT scan, although my Dr said that one would not be needed.

So... I am not too concerned. My CEA continues to be low, and my blood tests continue to be normal.

In place of this, life has given me other health related things to deal with, such as a cat allergy, a sinus infection a while back, and I might want to look into getting braces again some time in the future. Normal people stuff.

I have even managed to get a hangover, and a caffeine headache every once in a while.

So although I still keep a vigilant eye on my health, things are pretty good. Oh and by the way, July 12th marked the 2-year anniversary of me becoming N.E.D.

Hope you are having a great summer..

More great news

Well things continue to look good.

I just had my three-month checkup with the Oncologist, and everything looks good.

My CEA score was lower than 0.4 - same as it has been basically since my surgery.

And my Glucose was 98.

So I'm happy.

On the exercise front I am glad to see that it is, slowly but surely, warming up outside.

I have been doing a minimal exercise regimen lately. walking around a track for half an hour a couple days a week, and going to Yoga class once a week. I would like to be doing more, but various distractions have cluttered my schedule.

Anyhow, one day a week or two ago, when it was unseasonably warm out, I took my bike to the gas station and got the tires properly inflated. Then it got cold out again. I am really ready for some biking once it warms up.

I also have not been lifting weights at all for a couple of months, and am looking for a gym to join. Once I get all this figured out, and I get on a more intense workout schedule, I will feel even better. (But I cant complain right now)

I told my Oncologist that I have been taking 2000 IU of Vitamin D daily, because a study showed that Vitamin D deficiency and Colon Cancer are related. He told me that was OK, but really people do not get the benefits of Vitamin D unless they spend time in the sun. The Vitamin D gets converted slightly when exposed to sunlight and the new molecule, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, is the one which is important.

See here for the lowdown on Vitamin D:
http://www.healingtherapies.info/Sunlight&VitaminD.htm

From the article: "Basically, UVB light triggers a modification of a cholesterol-related molecule located in the membrane of skin cells. The vitamin D that is created is then ejected from the membrane into our circulation system, where it travels to the liver. In this organ, it is transformed into 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the derivative that doctors use to assess overall vitamin-D status. "

Therefore I plan on spending more time outdoors. Yay! Another reason to go to the beach this summer!

Great News.. Port is out, and Sugar is down.

Well it has been two weeks since the Port that was placed in my chest a year and a half ago has been removed.

I am happy to say that the surgery was very minor. They used local anesthetic and I was talking to the doctor the entire time.

I rested on the first night, and following that I was up and about just fine. didn't even taken a Tylenol for the pain - really it just felt a little sore.

I had a big piece of gauze taped on to my chest which eventually sloughed off, and under that was several steri-strips, some of the medical superglue, and then several biodegradable stitches which will eventually fade away. Details Details..

For anyone who was wondering, I just thought I'd let you know. It isn't nearly as big of a deal as when they put the port in.

My only slight regret is that they would not let me keep the port as a souvenir. They said it was medical waste, and a biohazzard because of the chemo that has gone through it. o well....

Other than that - things have been good. Last week I attended Yoga class and realized that this is the first time I could do the Cobra pose without feeling like I was laying on top of a bottle cap. And today I returned to weight lifting at Citywide Super Slow.

In addition to getting the port out, I have been able to control my blood sugar through diet and have managed to get my morning glucose level back into the 90's.

So overall life is good. The weather is warming up and Spring will be here soon.

I'm looking forward to biking again once it warms up. And within a few weeks I am going to return to taking ginsing, and the mushroom supplement AHCC.

I am cured of colon cancer until further notice.

Test results back - OK to move forward, but...

I'm happy. I went to see my Family Doctor so that I could combine my required blood tests with an annual physical. A 1-2 punch. Got the test results back. Everything is good to go. Again they tested my CEA and again it was below 0.5. Cholesterol, liver enzymes, platelets.. everything great - for the port removal operation, that is.

One disturbing find was that my glucose level has crept up to 120. That is not good. I am now wading into pre-diabetes territory. So therefore, I again must adjust my diet. No more sweets and carbs. For me this means no more fries and soda pop, as well as a bunch of other things. I had just gotten back into eating pizza again. Well, the Dr. wants me to stick to this diet and also make sure that I stick to my exercise plan. We will revisit this in 3 months.

The other interesting find was the results of a Vitamin-D test. My results were in the normal range, but on the low end. This is interesting because I have been taking a 1000 IU pill every day for about 6 months. It must indicate that I was Vitamin-D deficient before. Vitamin D has been shown to be a very potent preventative weapon against colon cancer. I would recommend to everyone to request a Vitamin D test the next time you have regular blood work done.

For more information on the role that Vitamin D plays, see these links:

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Vitamin_D_Protects_Against_Colon_Cancer.asp

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/cancerColon.shtml

Anyhow, now that I am cleared for the port removal surgery, I want to revisit one more time whether I would like a plastic surgeon to do the procedure or not. And then the surgery needs to be done within 30 days.

Meanwhile I will be dieting and exercising and avoiding the next disease that apparently is lingering in the shadows. More and more it appears that this has all been the result of years of poor diet habits. However, I have to tell you though that I was always a conscienscous eater. And although I followed what you could call a 'Western diet' I always considered myself a Moderate when I compared my eating habits to other's.

Yay.. continued

Well the good news is that my CEA level in my blood is 0.4, which is excellent. If it was above 2.5, it would indicate that there is possibly some kind of tumor activity going on. So I am going in for a complete physical in a week or two and then will be scheduling a minor surgery to remove the port in my chest. Then, keeping my fingers crossed, I will remain healthy and not ever have to have another one put back in.

What's a port? Here is a quick looksie:

http://www.bardnordic.com/main/product.asp?sectionTypeId=2&sectionId=28&productId=152

From here on out, I just have to keep an eye open and see my Doctors regularly. It has been about a year and a half since surgery. Most recurrences, 80%, (if they occur at all) happen in the first two years. After that the risk of a recurrence drops dramatically, however it does not drop to zero. I will be living the straight and narrow for a few more years.