11 replies to this topic

[eon]

there was a time when I would microwave food in a plastic container medium (rubbermaid, etc.) to warm my food. I was informed then that the plastic's chemicals could melt onto the food I was heating. So I stopped that. What are the risks of microwaving water in a Styrofoam cup instead of pouring boiled water onto it? What about those carton cups you see at Starbucks? What about those take out foods from Chinese restaurants, the container they use? The food being poured in it is usually hot. Would the chemicals in it somehow melt and end up being ingested? These are all over the place from 7 Eleven's coffee cups to Dunkin Donuts'. When I used to drink coffee, I remember one time at 7 Eleven I poured hot coffee into the Styrofoam cup, added sugar and cream, mixed it with those plastic mixing straws 7 Eleven provides. The coffee was too hot that it melted some of the straw into the coffee. Of course at that time I never really cared much. Can you imagine how many people actually have not noticed their plastic mixing straws actually end up melting into their coffee? I've seen people mix with those plastic spoons as well. It can melt depending how hot your water is, but those plastic mixing straws I mentioned is far worse yet no one noticed it as it is still in the shelves. When I cook I try to use wooden or metal utensils. I'm assuming they are safer and does not melt like plastic.

Is Styrofoam generally safer?

Edited by eon, 06 April 2014 - 05:47 AM.

[Ritchie]

I'd imagine Styrofoam would be safer but glass and ceramic are always the safest. To answer the question that you posed in the title of this article, pollution, sunlight, radiation, and millions of other things we come in to contact daily promotes cancer.

Edited by Ritchie, 22 April 2014 - 03:42 AM.

[eon]

How come people in very sunny and hot weather places (Middle East and Africa) aren't known as a cancer hub?

Edited by eon, 22 April 2014 - 06:33 AM.

[Ritchie]

How come people in very sunny and hot weather (Middle East and Africa) aren't known as a cancer hub? 

In the Middle East they cover their whole body with white cloth which deflects sunlight. In Africa I'm not sure, but they probably die from malnutrition and other issues before they even develop cancer.

[niner]

Styrofoam is NOT a safe alternative to plastic. In some cases, it's worse. Use glass or ceramic if you can help it. Paper cups might be ok, but it would depend on what they're treated with. Never microwave anything in plastic or styrofoam.

[Darryl]

Whether a compound is carcinogenic at high doses in rats may not be so relevant to its carcinogenicity at low doses in humans.

 

Ames, Bruce N., and Lois Swirsky Gold. "Paracelsus to parascience: the environmental cancer distraction." Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis 447.1 (2000): 3-13.

 

Half of all chemicals, whether natural or synthetic, are positive in high-dose rodent cancer tests. These results are unlikely to be relevant at the low doses of human exposure. Human exposure to naturally occurring rodent carcinogens is ubiquitous, and

dwarfs the general public’s exposure to synthetic rodent carcinogens.

 

The major causes of cancer other than smoking. do not involve exogenous carcinogenic chemicals: dietary imbalances, hormonal factors, infection and inflammation, and genetic factors. Insufficiency of many micronutrients, which appears to mimic radiation, is a preventable source of DNA damage.

 

In a single cup of coffee, the natural chemicals that are known rodent carcinogens are about equal in weight to a year’s worth of synthetic pesticide residues that are rodent carcinogens, even though only 3% of the natural chemicals in roasted coffee have been adequately tested for carcinogenicity.

 

rodent carcinogens occur in: absinthe, allspice, anise, apple, apricot, banana, basil, beet, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, caraway, cardamom, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cherries, chili pepper, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, collard greens, comfrey herb tea, corn, coriander, currants, dill, eggplant, endive, fennel, garlic, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honey, honeydew melon, horseradish, kale, lemon, lentils, lettuce, licorice, lime, mace, mango, marjoram, mint, mushrooms, mustard, nutmeg, onion, orange, paprika, parsley, parsnip, peach, pear, peas, black pepper, pineapple, plum, potato, radish, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, rutabaga, sage, savory, sesame seeds, soybean, star anise, tarragon, tea, thyme, tomato, turmeric, and turnip.

 

More than 200 studies in the epidemiological literature show, with great consistency, an association between low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high cancer incidence.

 

 

 

Before you get alarmed:

 

Jacobsen, Bjarne K., et al. "Coffee drinking, mortality, and cancer incidence: results from a Norwegian prospective study." Journal of the National Cancer Institute 76.5 (1986): 823-831.

No statistically significant positive associations were found between coffee consumption and disease. A weak negative association was found with total cancer incidence even when the first 4 of the 11½ years of follow-up were excluded, and strong negative associations with coffee drinking were noted for cancer of the kidney and non melanoma skin cancer. For cancer of the pancreas and bladder, no increase in incidence was found among those with a high coffee consumption. In subjects less than 65 years of age at start of follow-up, coffee drinking showed a significant inverse association with colon cancer.

 

 

 

One means to account for this is hormesis. Even arsenic and dioxin may be chemopreventative at minute doses, though I wouldn't recommend these.

 

But for the most part, it appears most carcinogenic mutations occur without much input from exogenous carcinogens, in the course of normal cell division. Deficiencies of micronutrients, especially folate, play a large role in these transformations.

 

Moreover, cancerous cells are common in the autopsy and biopsies of elderly patients, some estimate that subclinical prostate cancer approaches 100% at age 100. The huge disparity between nations in clinical prostate cancer incidence and mortality is hence likely due to lifestyle differences. A culture that eats few veggies (and hence has widespread micronutrient deficiencies) but excessive amounts of insulinogenic simple carbohydrates, IGF-1/mTOR activating "complete" protein, and proinflammatory fats; and consequently has widespread metabolic syndrome and elevated blood glucose, might be expected to convert more of its occult cancer load to overt cancer. 33 years ago it was estimated that 35% of cancer mortality in the U.S. could be attributed to diet, a figure that hasn't changed much with subsequent studies.

 

 

[DrW]

People exposed to sunny areas get more vitamin D which may help counteract cancer. We all have some cancer cells in our bodies but contained by immune functions and apotosis, until they overwhelm and cancer breaks out. 

[eon]

I'm reading mixed info. Some say get sun at noon time when the sun is at its hottest so it penetrates through the skin giving you more vitamin d. Some say avoid noon time sun. Some say 10 to 15 minutes exposure is sufficient.

Edited by eon, 19 May 2014 - 07:24 PM.

[DrW]

Sunlight cause more cancer than the Vitamin D can cope with. Also cause cataracts unless you take anti-oxidants (particulalry those like astaxanthin that are active in the eye)

 

Best to avoid the sun and take 5000 units of Vitamin D3 and about 500 MCG (1/2 MG) of K2 a day

Edited by DrW, 19 May 2014 - 08:06 PM.

[eon]

does anything that gets on you "topically" get absorbed into the bloodstream?

 

If that's true, from what I've read, then all those cleaning chemicals throughout the years without the use of gloves may have gotten into my bloodstream? True?

 

All the soaps and shampoos, etc. that we all use may affect us differently individually?

[Danail Bulgaria]

The plasticof the mineral wather bottles also deliver small amounts of cancirogen. Some cancerogens can be found in the food. They are different flavours, colors, sweeteners, conservants.

[niner]

does anything that gets on you "topically" get absorbed into the bloodstream?

If that's true, from what I've read, then all those cleaning chemicals throughout the years without the use of gloves may have gotten into my bloodstream? True?

All the soaps and shampoos, etc. that we all use may affect us differently individually?

 

It depends on the substance.  Some get in more easily than others.  No doubt you got a small amount of absorption of cleaning chemicals through the skin.  Also through the fumes that you breathe.  So don't be a dope; wear the appropriate protection, like gloves, and respirators for bad stuff like paint remover.   The soap and shampoos themselves are pretty benign, but some of the chemicals that are added to them to do things like make them smell good and keep microbes from growing in them may be less good.   However, most people worry way too much about getting cancer from small amounts of common products.  The compounds in them, if they are carcinogenic at all (and most are not), are very weak.  Further, the body has a whole host of systems for detoxifying and excreting these things.  A bigger concern in my mind is the compounds that are endocrine disruptors, particularly in soaps, shampoos, and other personal care products.  I think that's what people should be focusing on.

 

The plasticof the mineral wather bottles also deliver small amounts of cancirogen. Some cancerogens can be found in the food. They are different flavours, colors, sweeteners, conservants.

 

Most of this stuff is not carcinogenic, but some may be endocrine disruptors.  There are some colorings that are banned in the EU but not in the US.  Sweeteners are probably not a problem; preservatives are generally fine, there might be a few that are questionable.  It depends how you define the term "preservative".  The most common ones are just antioxidants.