Tips for avoiding carcinogens and reducing my risk of cancer

Memandangkan aku ni suka mkn benda2 yg boleh mendatangkan cancer... jadilah adalah wajar aku pastekan apa yg aku baca... lagipun baru2 ni mak kwn aku meninggal pasal cancer... mmg susah kalau dah kena cancer... sbb arwah adik aku pon meninggal sbb cancer... so aku rasa apa yg aku paste ni berguna untuk diri aku dan juga org lain yg sama waktu dengannya....

Carcinogens are cancer causing substances found in food. Take the following precautions when making your food choices:

• Avoid foods that look or smell moldy, as they likely contain aflatoxin, a potent liver carcinogen. Aflatoxin is most commonly found on peanuts.
• Do not cook oils on high heat. Low-heat cooking or baking (less than 240 degrees) prevents oils or fats from turning carcinogenic. When possible, replace heating and frying with boiling or steaming.
• Beware of cured, dried, and preserved meats. Nitrates and nitrites are compounds used to cure meat, and are metabolized into a substances called nitrosamine during the curing process. Nitrosamines are found in cooked bacon and sausage, cured pork, and dried beef. They are known to be a potent carcinogen. Nitrosamines are also formed during the drying process when beer is manufactured. The highest levels are found in dark beers.
• Go easy on the barbecue. Burning or charring meats creates substances called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which are released when high heat is applied to a compound called creatine, found in animal blood and tissue. HCAs are most often associated with cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, though some laboratory studies have suggested a connection to lung and breast tumors. One study of more than 40,000 women found that those who consistently ate well-done meat were nearly five times more likely to develop breast cancer than those who ate their meat rare or medium-cooked. One way to reduce HCAs before barbecuing is to pre-heat the meat in the microwave, which dries up some of the juices and the creatine. This does not, however, eliminate the HCAs altogether.
• Steer clear of smoked foods. Carcinogenic substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) form on the surface of food during the smoking process.
• Buy organic if possible. Additives and pesticides found in commercially grown produce and processed foods are also suspected carcinogens. It is best to buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible. The Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR) website offers a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself from food contaminants:
  • Use waxed paper rather than plastic wrap when microwaving.
  • Wash or peel all fruits and vegetables. Use a vegetable brush for washing. Washing does not eliminate all pesticide residue, but it will reduce it.
  • Buy local produce whenever possible. It is less likely to have been treated with chemicals to prevent spoilage than fruits and vegetables that travel a long distance to the market.