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Wednesday, June 16, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 7A
To Your Health
Common carcinogens everyone should know about
A carcinogen is any
substance that can be
cancer-causing. Carcino
gens can be found in the
air, the products a person
uses or even in popular
foods and beverages.
Scientists continu
ally study exposures that
can contribute to the
formation of cancer. The
National Cancer Institute
reminds the public that,
while carcinogens have
the potential to be harm
ful, not all exposure will
automatically result in
cancer. Many factors are
involved in whether carci
nogenic exposure will lead
to cancer, including ge
netic predispositions and
the duration of exposure.
The National Institute
for Occupational Safety
and Health maintains a
list of occupational car
cinogens. Recommended
exposure limits and what
constitutes a carcinogen
is updated as needed.
The following are com
mon carcinogens.
• Arsenic: Inorganic
arsenic may be naturally
present at high levels in
groundwater in various
areas. Arsenic also may
be found in the air and in
tobacco smoke, advises
the World Health Organi
zation.
• Asbestos: When
products containing
asbestos are disturbed,
fibers can be released
and trapped in the lungs,
says the Environmental
Protection Agency. Asbes
tos used to be a common
material found in roof
shingles, ceiling tiles and
car parts, although many
industries have long since
ceased using asbestos.
• Crispy cooked foods:
Charring food on the bar
becue or elsewhere may
taste delicious, but when
certain foods are heated
to high temperatures a
chemical called acryl
amide can be produced.
SPECIAL PHOTO
Carcinogens are all around,
including in the air.
WebMD says that rats that
consumed acrylamide in
drinking water developed
cancer, so researchers
suspect humans may be
vulnerable as well.
• Formaldehyde: The
EPA says this product is
found in certain wood
products, fabrics and
other household items.
That’s because it is a pre
servative, germicide and
fungicide. Formaldehyde
also occurs naturally in
the environment, and is
in cigarette smoke.
• Pollution: Outdoor
air contains a mix of
engine exhaust, metals
and solvents that can lead
to cancer. While this type
of carcinogen is not easily
avoided, people can stay
indoors on days when air
quality is poor or avoid
industrial areas where pol
lution levels are higher.
• Preserved meats:
Salami, bacon, sausage,
pepperoni and preserved
foods can increase risk
for colon cancer, accord
ing to the MD Anderson
Cancer Center. Limiting
salted, fermented, cured
and smoked foods can
lower cancer risk.
• Radon: The NCI says
radon occurs naturally
from the decay of urani
um, thorium and radium
in rocks and soil. It can
be released into air and
drinking water, infiltrating
homes and businesses.
Identifying common
carcinogens can help
people limit exposure
and reduce cancer risk.
Recognizing the signs of dementia
One in four Americans suffers from poor nutrition
Dementia is a global is
sue that affects patients’
ability to perform every
day activities. The World
Health Organization,
reports around 50 million
people across the globe
have dementia and there
are nearly 10 million new
cases each year. Though
the hallmarks of demen
tia, such as memory loss,
might be the same, the
WHO notes that dementia
affects each person differ
ently. Symptoms are typi
cally categorized into three
stages: early stage, middle
stage and late stage.
Early stage: Signs
and symptoms are often
chalked up as side effects
of aging. Even if they
are not severe or signifi
cant, symptoms should
not be written off as a
byproduct of growing
old, including forgetful
ness, losing track of the
time and becoming lost
in familiar places.
Middle stage: Symp
toms include forgetting re
cent events and people’s
names, getting lost and
a growing difficulty with
communication. People in
this stage may need help
caring for themselves.
Late stage: Memory
disturbances are signifi
cant and patients are al
most entirely dependent
on others.
Dementia affects mil
lions across the globe
and though there is no
cure for, the WHO em
phasizes the importance
of early diagnosis.
Nutrition is a popular
topic of conversation,
particularly among
those embarking on a
weight loss or mainte
nance plan. Individuals
carefully study food
macros and pore over
various diets to get the
most out of the foods
they eat. When the end
goal is simply looking
good, it may be easy to
forget about the other
benefits of nutritious
diets, including their link
to overall health.
A close relationship
exists between nutri
tional status and health.
Experts at Tufts Health
Plan recognize that
good nutrition can help
reduce the risk of devel
oping many diseases,
including heart disease,
stroke, diabetes, and
some cancers. The no
tion of “you are what
you eat” still rings true.
The World Health
Organization indicates
better nutrition means
stronger immune sys
tems, fewer illnesses and
better overall health.
However, according to
the National Resource
Center on Nutrition,
Physical Activity, and
Aging, one in four older
Americans
suffers
from
poor nu
trition.
And this
situa
tion is not
exclusive to
the elderly. A
report examin
ing the global
burden of chronic
disease published
in The Lancet found
poor diet contributed
to 11 million deaths
worldwide - roughly 22
percent of deaths among
adults - and poor qual
ity of life. Low intake of
fruits and whole grains
and high intake of
sodium are the leading
risk factors for illness in
many countries. Com
mon nutrition problems
can arise when one
favors convenience and
routine over balanced
meals that truly fuel the
body.
Improving nutrition
guidelines regarding
how many serv
ings of each
food group
a person
should
have
each day
may vary
slightly by
country, but
they share
many simi
larities. The U.S.
Department of Agri
culture once followed a
“food pyramid” guide,
but has since switched
to the MyPlate resource,
which emphasizes how
much of each food group
should cover a standard
9-inch dinner plate.
Food groups include
fruits, vegetables, grains,
proteins, and dairy. The
USDA dietary guidelines
were updated for its
2020-2025 guide.
Recommendations
vary based on age and
activity levels, but a
person eating 2,000
calories a day should eat
2 cups of whole fruits;
2 1/2 cups of colorful
vegetables; 6 ounces of
grains, with half of them
being whole grains; 5 1/2
ounces of protein, with
a focus on lean proteins;
and 3 cups of low-fat
dairy. People should
limit their intake of so
dium, added sugars and
saturated fats. As a per
son ages he or she gener
ally needs fewer calories
because of less activity.
Children may need more
calories because they
are still growing and tend
to be very active.
Those who are in
terested in preventing
illness and significantly
reducing premature
mortality from leading
diseases should care
fully evaluate the foods
they eat, choosing well-
balanced, low-fat, nutri
tionally dense options
that keep saturated fat
and sodium intake to a
minimum.
SHEPHERDCARE
—. — H O i P I C E
Contact:
Meredith Smith
Director of
Marketing
678-603-1321
CARE" it s not just our name, it's our lifestyle!
GRIFFIN OFFICE:
1501B Kalamazoo Dr., Griffin, GA 30224
THOM ASTON OFFICE:
201 N. Church St., Thomaston, GA 30286
We service all surrounding counties to each office.
www.ShepherdCareGA.com
SEE YOUR AD HERE:
CALL 770-5B7-344B
City Pharmacy
Of Zebulon
460 Thomaston St, Zebulon, GA 30295
G 770-567-8844
Monday - Friday 8:30am-6pm
Saturday 8:30am-1 2:30pm
Sunday CLOSED
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To Your Health!