Guest post by Lawrence Reaves
Breaking the Link between Food Source & Cancer
What causes cancer? If you can answer that question, you can prevent many forms of cancer from developing. Humans have multiple exposures to cancer causing agents throughout the day. They are all around. One of the biggest areas of exposure is through the food stream. Many produce farms use extensive amounts of pesticides to keep bugs away. Those pesticides become part of the produce. Some farmers are turning to genetically altered forms to get a better yield. Others use irradiation of the picked produce to help maximize shelf life. These three areas of exposure are not good for human health. Eating organically may be a good alternative.
Pesticides
One of the biggest factors related to cancer development is pesticides. Farmers use pesticides to control insects, prevent rodent infestation, control weeds, prevent mold, and to kill off bacteria. While many are pushing for development of safer pesticides, the fact remains that many common pesticides are not safe. Some older farm lands still contain residues from pesticide treatments of past years. That means you can ingest residue from toxic pesticides outlawed decades ago. Despite efforts to clean the produce before it goes on the market, these residues hang around the produce.
You can avoid this problem all together by purchasing foods grown completely organically. Choose your organic produce sources carefully. The use of the word organic does not have any significant enforcement regulation. Purchasing your produce from local organic farms is a good way to get a solid source. These local farms have a reputation to defend in their own community. Buying organic produce from large companies that claim its organic is a gamble on a good day.
Genetically Altered Foods
Another factor potentially related to cancer development is genetic alteration. The agricultural industry is pushing research to create fruits and vegetables that resist disease and insects. The problem with this is there is no study showing whether these foods are safe for human consumption. A common method for altering the genetic material is using viruses to implant new genetic codes into the produce. Many of those viruses have links to different types of cancer. Moreover, the changed genetic structure is not a natural one. No one is studying the effects of that change on human health.
Irradiation
A third factor is irradiation. Irradiation is another modern development in the agricultural industry. Irradiation involves exposing meat, fruits, and vegetables to high doses of radiation to kill off any microbial action that causes spoilage. The idea is to extend shelf life. The problem is that the irradiation process causes chemical changes in the food itself. Those changes can be toxic to humans. One European study showed the presence of chemical byproducts in irradiated beef that have cancer causing properties. Another factor with irradiation is the fact that it practically destroys the nutritional value of food.
Summary
All three of these factors show why choosing organic food is the best option. Organic food grows without pesticides. Many organic sources for seed go back to the early strains of fruits and vegetables that are pure instead of genetically altered or mass produced. These products do not go through irradiation. Going organic will give you and your family a level of protection against many cancer causing agents.
About The Author
Lawrence Reaves is a former journalist who takes the edge off his semi-retirement by freelance writing, exercising, and spending as much time with his family as possible. His concern about health issues and cancer came from his work with a website about asbestos cancer. He also writes about family life, exercise, alternative medicine, healthcare, and more. He holds a BA in Psychology that he earned right before his 55th birthday, showing that you’re never too old to learn new things and improve your life.