Animal Protein and Cancer

inksmear

There have been a few compelling studies showing strong links between consuming more than 5% animal protein with an increased rate of quite a few cancers. Consuming large amounts of plant protein has the opposite effect.

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/6/1667.full

I found this rather alarming after upping my protein intake in order to lose fat (most of that protein coming from whey powder and egg whites).

What are your thoughts on the matter?

redraidergirl2009

I am vegetarian but really what doesn't have a correlational link to cancer these days?

x_JT_x

You can find 'research' to back just about any supposition if you look for it.

For example: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/71/13/4484.full (A Low Carbohydrate, High Protein Diet Slows Tumor Growth and Prevents Cancer Initiation - Copyright © 2013 American Association for Cancer Research).

I've no idea the validity of either argument. My point is taking the word of any one article is foolish.

willdob3

100% grassfed beef is the way to go. The "regular" meat sold in stores is full of unhealthy stuff & from animals fed things they would not eat in nature.

bcattoes

I am vegetarian but really what doesn't have a correlational link to cancer these days?

Exercise. I'm guessing you meant food, but really exercise can lower your cancer risk by more than most foods can raise it. Exercise is the key to good health.

Dragonwolf

The biggest problem with such studies is that they don't generally discern a good, grass-fed, pasture-raised steak from a Great Value hotdog. Not all meat is created equal.

Also, like someone else mentioned, what isn't correlated with cancer these days?

SideSteel

What are your thoughts on the matter?

My understanding is that there are significant problems with much of Campbells work.

Dragonwolf

I am vegetarian but really what doesn't have a correlational link to cancer these days?

Exercise. I'm guessing you meant food, but really exercise can lower your cancer risk by more than most foods can raise it. Exercise is the key to good health.

Skin cancer from being out in the sun.

Dragonwolf

My understanding is that there are significant problems with much of Campbells work.

What?! You mean feeding casein to mice after they've been injected with tumor cells *doesn't* translate to all animal proteins causing cancer in humans?!

/sarcasm

bcattoes

I am vegetarian but really what doesn't have a correlational link to cancer these days?

Exercise. I'm guessing you meant food, but really exercise can lower your cancer risk by more than most foods can raise it. Exercise is the key to good health.

Skin cancer from being out in the sun.

Not required for exercise.

Dragonwolf

I am vegetarian but really what doesn't have a correlational link to cancer these days?

Exercise. I'm guessing you meant food, but really exercise can lower your cancer risk by more than most foods can raise it. Exercise is the key to good health.

Skin cancer from being out in the sun.

Not required for exercise.

Fair enough. One could probably come up with random cancers for indoor activities, too. Brain cancer from the electronics in the machines comes to mind, and I'm sure there's a cancer associated with the Vitamin D deficiency that comes from staying indoors all the time.

_noob_

Living longer due to adequate nutrition increases your likelihood of getting cancer.

maab_connor

I am vegetarian but really what doesn't have a correlational link to cancer these days?

Exercise. I'm guessing you meant food, but really exercise can lower your cancer risk by more than most foods can raise it. Exercise is the key to good health.

a just b/c you said that - a grad student just put a white mouse on a wheel to prove that working out causes cancer.

SideSteel

Living longer due to adequate nutrition increases your likelihood of getting cancer.

^ I enjoyed this

diodelcibo

:laugh:

jonnythan

It seems like all the work was done in the 70s with rats that already have cancer.

misskerouac

Living longer due to adequate nutrition increases your likelihood of getting cancer.

uh oh. BRING ON THE DEEP FRIED MARS BARS!!

bcattoes

I am vegetarian but really what doesn't have a correlational link to cancer these days?

Exercise. I'm guessing you meant food, but really exercise can lower your cancer risk by more than most foods can raise it. Exercise is the key to good health.

Skin cancer from being out in the sun.

Not required for exercise.

Fair enough. One could probably come up with random cancers for indoor activities, too. Brain cancer from the electronics in the machines comes to mind, and I'm sure there's a cancer associated with the Vitamin D deficiency that comes from staying indoors all the time.

Those are affects of something other than and not neccessary for exercise.

Putcake

Although I need to lose weight, I think I take pretty good care of myself - I eat veggies and fruit, and while I do eat meat, I enjoy vegetarian meals almost every day for lunch. I'm not diabetic, but I work to try and eat less sugar because it works for me - I feel better. I have high cholesterol via my heredity - I found that eating extra fiber and fish oil supplements have helped me naturally keep my levels in an "acceptable" range - not low, but borderline high. But enough for my doctor to allow me to stay off drugs...for now.

My husband is considered obese because his frame is big - he's 6'2" and is over 300 lbs. Even if he loses weight, it would have to be extreme for him to fit into the healthy BMI category. He loves red meat. He recently had blood work and his cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose were completely normal - actually well within the acceptable range.

The reason I post this is that I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer last September. I was treated and am recovering, so life is good. My hubby and I joke that out of the two of us, I am the healthier one, yet I'm the one with the crazy cancer no one has ever heard of. I think this tumor was in my body for quite some time, but I actually believe some major stress in my family caused the growth to accelerate. It was a wake up call for me to deal with some issues that I was bottling up.

Does diet affect our health? Absolutely. But consider my case - other than my cholesterol, I have no major health issues. I eat well and make healthy choices with food every day because I want to. But I got cancer. There's not always a reason - it can just happen and it sucks.

inksmear

Living longer due to adequate nutrition increases your likelihood of getting cancer.

Hahaha. I am thoroughly amused. Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

bcattoes

Although I need to lose weight, I think I take pretty good care of myself - I eat veggies and fruit, and while I do eat meat, I enjoy vegetarian meals almost every day for lunch. I'm not diabetic, but I work to try and eat less sugar because it works for me - I feel better. I have high cholesterol via my heredity - I found that eating extra fiber and fish oil supplements have helped me naturally keep my levels in an "acceptable" range - not low, but borderline high. But enough for my doctor to allow me to stay off drugs...for now.

My husband is considered obese because his frame is big - he's 6'2" and is over 300 lbs. Even if he loses weight, it would have to be extreme for him to fit into the healthy BMI category. He loves red meat. He recently had blood work and his cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose were completely normal - actually well within the acceptable range.

The reason I post this is that I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer last September. I was treated and am recovering, so life is good. My hubby and I joke that out of the two of us, I am the healthier one, yet I'm the one with the crazy cancer no one has ever heard of. I think this tumor was in my body for quite some time, but I actually believe some major stress in my family caused the growth to accelerate. It was a wake up call for me to deal with some issues that I was bottling up.

Does diet affect our health? Absolutely. But consider my case - other than my cholesterol, I have no major health issues. I eat well and make healthy choices with food every day because I want to. But I got cancer. There's not always a reason - it can just happen and it sucks.

Of course there are no guarantees. But when it comes to risk, there are things that raise or lower it.

Laurelthequeen

100% grassfed beef is the way to go. The "regular" meat sold in stores is full of unhealthy stuff & from animals fed things they would not eat in nature.

This. I think most of the problems are related to the industrial food system.

Chicken I buy local and "all natural" (whatever that means), but it's not pastured. Chickens suffer minimal problems compared to other animals on a corn-based diet.
Pork I rarely buy, so tend to buy standard, but I'd like to find a good source for heritage breeds that are humanely raised.
Beef I do not buy unless it's been grass fed. It's bad for the cows, bad for the environment, and bad for you.
Milk we buy locally produced grass-fed milk
Eggs we buy pastured during farmer's market season, and cage free at the grocery store during the winter.

We recently started to reduce the amount of animal proteins that we're eating by increasing our quinoa, tofu, and general legume intake to make up for the animal proteins we've cut.

Shock_Wave

they don't generally discern a good, grass-fed, pasture-raised steak from a Great Value hotdog. Not all meat is created equal.

LOL U got that right baby! Why go for a little hot dog when you can have Shockwave's

:laugh: :drinker:

_noob_

Living longer due to adequate nutrition increases your likelihood of getting cancer.

Hahaha. I am thoroughly amused. Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

I could have posted one of the upteen well cited criticisms of the book/statement, then someone else would have thrown out more recent studies, then I'd have to throw out another study, then I'd get another seemingly contradictory study, then someone would post a picture of bacon...

would you have preferred this?

inksmear

Living longer due to adequate nutrition increases your likelihood of getting cancer.

Hahaha. I am thoroughly amused. Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

I could have posted one of the upteen well cited criticisms of the book/statement, then someone else would have thrown out more recent studies, then I'd have to throw out another study, then I'd get another seemingly contradictory study, then someone would post a picture of bacon...

would you have preferred this?

Nope. I genuinely enjoyed what you said.

eroc71

A new study shows that most people are born and eventually die. The question is not IF you will die, but how. Cancer, Buses and rock climbing all end lives. Now before you get cancer, hit by a bus or die rock climbing. Go enjoy TODAY. The sun is shining, somewhere. Go find it.

_noob_

Nope. I genuinely enjoyed what you said.

In that case I'm a dumbass and need a new sarcasm filter installed...I apologize. Rock on.

j75j75

A new study shows that most people are born and eventually die. The question is not IF you will die, but how. Cancer, Buses and rock climbing all end lives. Now before you get cancer, hit by a bus or die rock climbing. Go enjoy TODAY. The sun is shining, somewhere. Go find it.

^^damn straight

neanderthin

My understanding is that there are significant problems with much of Campbells work.

What?! You mean feeding casein to mice after they've been injected with tumor cells *doesn't* translate to all animal proteins causing cancer in humans?!

/sarcasm

If I remember correctly the tumor ridden mice given the casein got cancer because they lived longer, the control group dropped dead almost immediately........casein improved longevity......funny how that correlates, isn't it.

watfordjc

I am vegetarian but really what doesn't have a correlational link to cancer these days?

Exercise. I'm guessing you meant food, but really exercise can lower your cancer risk by more than most foods can raise it. Exercise is the key to good health.

I thought exercise increases oxidation and oxidation is the cause of cancer and you should eat food with antioxidants if you exercise so that your risk of cancer is the same as it would have been if you didn't exercise and didn't eat cancer-causing foods? At least, that's what I got from merging a few Daily Mail headlines together.

ETA: Sitting also causes cancer "even if you exercise". The only thing they haven't (from what Google is showing me) linked to causing cancer is lying down, although not getting enough sleep or sleeping with a light on both cause cancer, so as I have insomnia I might as well eat plutonium because I'll probably get cancer anyway.

ETA2: I can't add plutonium to my diet. MFP doesn't have a calorie count for it and I think the security services would have a problem with someone burning some of it to see how many calories are in it.

bcattoes

A new study shows that most people are born and eventually die. The question is not IF you will die, but how. Cancer, Buses and rock climbing all end lives. Now before you get cancer, hit by a bus or die rock climbing. Go enjoy TODAY. The sun is shining, somewhere. Go find it.

The sun will give me cancer. :sick:

" new study shows that most people are born and eventually die" -- what happened to the other people? Grown in Petri dishes or test tubes and/or eventually became one of the undead?