Cow virus causes colon cancer? Nobel laureate says maybe

[radnyc]

Very interesting read. A viral connection to cancer has been in the radar for a while. Studies are advancing. Another reason to put down that hamburger this July 4th, plus the fact that beef production is probably the biggest reason for climate changes in modern times.

Al


http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/obs ... on-cancer/

[Laurettas]

I thought this was very interesting also and find it interesting that it is still being discussed. I first read about it 3 years ago and it seemed that the article I read was not new. I won't give up my beef--but I will continue to cook it well done!

[KWT]

What doesn't cause cancer?

[radnyc]

I believe that not eating beef, besides the potential health benefits, is one of the best things we can do for the future of the planet. Beef production is causing massive stress on the planet. The amount of land needed for grazing tens of millions of heads of cattle is astonishing. Cutting down natural forests to grow grass has undoubtedly increased greenhouse gas, not too mention the increase of methane from the billions of tons of manure left behind. Yes, a tasty steak is a wonderful thing, but at what cost? As populations increase this problem is only going to get worse. Let's educate ourselves folks. And I don't think eating beef well done will make it any safer, higher heat also releases toxins in the meat. Sorry for the rant, but we need to start thinking more about the whole of humanity and a little less about our petty wants.

http://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/Liv ... Change.pdf

Al

[raym]

Believe what you will believe, I still love a good burger, steak or roast. And don't insult us by using the word petty

[GrouseMan]

If you and yours REALLY want to save the planet. Get a vasectomy, have tubes tied and promote strict zero to negative population growth. Overpopulation by Human Beings and the selfishness of reproduction is the A number one problem plaguing the planet. Participate in local sustainable agriculture and give up your cars and most of your technology. Volunteer in your community pick up the trash on the side of the road. Volunteer to teach, help in schools... If you have to have kiddies, don't use disposable anything. Someone stay home so they are raised correctly rather than by someone that doesn't share your values or a by stranger. Participate in their lives in more than just sports.

For the most part my wife and I have tried to have a minimal impact where we have a choice. We don't have children. I tend to walk rather than drive or take my motor cycle (56 mpg) if I have somewhere I need to go further than I can walk in a half hours time (and for me that is nearly 4 miles). I use Trains and busses and car pool. I fly only when I have to for business purposes. We recycle heavily. My wife and I plan our trips for running errands so as not to waste gas running back and forth. We belong to a farm share and get fresh produce grown locally. We also garden - though not this year. I get all my meat either from efforts of hunting/fishing or from neighbors that raise limited numbers of cattle, sheep and hogs. We don't buy meat in a supermarket. And frankly the produce really sucks there also. We likely will give back more than we take as my wife works in the waste industry and I worked in drug discovery research and now in pharma knowledge management. I hope to leave money to a university when we are gone as our legacy - not exponentially growing mouths to feed.

I have been criticized that smart people like us should have children because the world is being filled with dumb people. But I have seen my fair share of the offspring of smart people becoming burdens on society, and that is usually because these kids are raised by someone other than their parents. I was raised that way and very nearly became a casualty myself.

Sorry - but this sort of wishful thinking just ticks me off.... People that think the world would just be so much better if everyone just ate vegges! Give me a break!

OK - off my soap box and I apologies for ranting an taking this off topic.

GrouseMan

[steiconi]

I stopped eating beef in 2000; before that, I always got it well-done.
I was diagnosed with colon cancer six years later.
Maybe that virus lives in our systems for a long time?
Or maybe the cancer was already started when I gave up the beef.
Or maybe there are multiple causes, and beef is just the most prominent vector.

[andy21]

My dad was life long vegetarian, so beef is not the only cause for colon cancer.
It's possible that Cow Milk also has that virus(if this virus theory is true!)

The most comprehensive study in mankind did come up with a connection between Milk and Cancer as below:

http://www.amazon.com/The-China-Study-C ... 1932100660

Humans are the only living things that take milk of other animals. No other animal does that.

[Laurettas]

I'm not going to get into the "what's best for the planet" part of this thread because I would make everyone angry. I will just say that I grew up on a farm and lived in the country my entire adult life, growing my own vegetables and meat--and I have 5 grandkids whom I love dearly and would gladly welcome more! Enough said!

I do, however, have another theory of a completely different type. I have read that researchers have discovered a bacteria commonly found in our mouth in many colon tumors. I also learned that if anyone who has had a joint replacement has any dental work done, they need to go on antibiotics beforehand so that the bacteria in the mouth don't damage the replaced joints somehow. Don't know all of the details but let's put the two together. What if our concern over "healthy" mouths with regular cleaning etc. causes excessive bleeding in the mouth which could release this bacteria into our bodies, causing cancer? Does this sound totally crazy?

Oh, and as far as not eating beef because it may have this virus or whatever, we eat pork which has trichinosis, chicken and fish and eggs which have salmonella, etc. etc. Not to mention the vegetables and fruit which has massive amounts of herbicides and pesticides on them. I live where they grow a lot of wheat, lentils, garbanzo beans, etc. You would not believe the amount of chemicals put on these foods--up to three or four days before they are harvested.

[Voxx66]

Yeah - I love beef and will continue eating - preferably never cooked over medium rare. I was going to get on a soapbox but Grouseman already took my spot ha ha.

[justin case]

If you get enough cattle to fart, it will cause global warming. Eating them is the best way out of that mess, not to mention I love eating beef, and I'm really too old to steady myself on a soapbox .
Michael

[peanut_8]

Thank you for that morning lol, Michael.

[ColOrPan]

Man you should have smelt the methane in the air when the dinosaurs roamed the earth!