Red and Processed Meat May Increase Cancer Risk

In a 2007 journal article from PLos Medicine, researchers correlated red and processed meat to cancer. The authors suggested that possibly one in ten colorectal and one in ten lung cancers could be avoided with the decreased consumption of red meat.

Read article here:

http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040325

As a former smoker and person who has avoided red meat for a long time, I hope this means I will avoid getting lung cancer. Perhaps this is good news for vegetarian smokers or vegetarian former smokers.

Thinness does matter...

When I began this journey over two weeks ago, it was supposed to be all about health and nothing about going on a diet and getting thin. However, I'd be lying to myself if I said thinness didn't have a significant impact on my motivation to live a healthier lifestyle. I get a little giddy imagining a thin me.

What it takes?

What does it take to lead a healthy life style in regards to food? I have pondered this a lot lately. Weight watchers tells us we don't need to deprive ourselves of the food we love. However, as I read People magazine's stories about super successful weight loss, I realized these people have one thing in common which is the ability to say no to bad food like fast food and desert. I guess sometimes if you have the points, it's OK, but the most of the time it's best to say no. One of the women said that if you are going to eat the cake then you need to give something else up during the day, like bread. So I think that healthy eating is not total deprivation, but certainly I've got to put a halt to junk food on a regular basis.

SHAME

So, I wrote the last post and had two very delicious burritos while thinking about the fact that I have gained almost 60 pounds in a short time of around two years. I admit I feel shame about that. What has gotten me to the point that I just eat all the time. Yet, after reflecting for a minute I realized I feel shame about the food it must have taken for me to gain 60 pounds. However, I don't feel shame about myself. Overall, I feel pretty damn good about myself.