animal products and Cancer
Posted by lisaanddini on Jul 12, 2007 · Member since May 2007 · 2179 posts
Has anyone read any books or articles linking cancer to the consumption of animal products? I'm reading the China Study right now & he kindof links the two together, but not very convincingly. I thought the possibility was really intresting & I was wondering if anyone came across any studies done linking the two. Or even if anyone had an opinion based on personal experience.
Has anyone read any books or articles linking cancer to the consumption of animal products? I'm reading the China Study right now & he kindof links the two together, but not very convincingly. I thought the possibility was really intresting & I was wondering if anyone came across any studies done linking the two. Or even if anyone had an opinion based on personal experience.
I'm reading the China Study right now as well. My impression is quite different. I think the case he presents for massive connections between the consumption of animal products and heart disease, cancer, diabetes (and other auto immune diseases) is extremely convincing.
Did you read the part in the Turning Off Cancer chapter about how Aflatoxin is effected by the level of enzyme activity related to the consumption of animal protein?
There are lots of studies that the PCRM does on a vegan vs. omni diet. I usually get them in the magazine they send me, but I'm not sure if you'll find them on their website. I know that they have done some studies regarding colon cancer. Vegans don't have meat lingering in their intestines for long periods of time and have a very very small to nil chance of getting colon cancer (of course how long one is vegan and other things factor in as well).
Here's a few I found by googling the pcrm/cancer:
http://www.pcrm.org/cgi-bin/lists/mail.cgi?flavor=archive&id=20050111103016&list=news
http://www.pcrm.org/news/archive050808.html
http://www.scienzavegetariana.it/nutrizione/pcrm/pcrm_prostate_cancer.html
http://www.cancerproject.org/
http://www.consumerhealthjournal.com/articles/milk-and-cancer.html
Hope this helps....just tinker around on PCRM's website and you'll probably find what you are looking for.
-dave
I'm reading the China Study right now as well. My impression is quite different. I think the case he presents for massive connections between the consumption of animal products and heart disease, cancer, diabetes (and other auto immune diseases) is extremely convincing.
Did you read the part in the Turning Off Cancer chapter about how Aflatoxin is effected by the level of enzyme activity related to the consumption of animal protein?
Yes, he proves that the consumption of milk protein (casein) by rats encourages the spread of cancer. I thought the study was fasinating, but was disappointed that he just assummed that the consumption of meat & fish would have the same effect. A lot of the rest of his book seemed to interpolate data from his one studay of milk protein.
I'm not trying to be difficult of argumentative, I just wanted to look further into the topic. I know in my heart that a vegan diet is the healthiest, I was just hoping to have more proof to back up my feelings.
Obesity & Heart Disease being linked to meat consumption seem common sense, cancer & autoimmune disease is shocking. Why hasn't the American Cancer Society studied this? I would also be interested in the link between meat consumption & Chron's.
Yes, he proves that the consumption of milk protein (casein) by rats encourages the spread of cancer. I thought the study was fasinating, but was disappointed that he just assummed that the consumption of meat & fish would have the same effect. A lot of the rest of his book seemed to interpolate data from his one studay of milk protein.
I'm not trying to be difficult of argumentative, I just wanted to look further into the topic. I know in my heart that a vegan diet is the healthiest, I was just hoping to have more proof to back up my feelings.
Obesity & Heart Disease being linked to meat consumption seem common sense, cancer & autoimmune disease is shocking. Why hasn't the American Cancer Society studied this? I would also be interested in the link between meat consumption & Chron's.
I didn't think you were being argumentative. I was just surprised a little by your impressions. :)
I'm sure there is other info available on the connections. I'm rather new to this area of study so I'm not really familiar with a lot of what's out there. There are probably people on this forum that will be able to offer more suggestions.
He mentions later in the book about some diseases (can't remember which) that are far more prevalent in one area of a country (Norway maybe?) where they consume a lot of dairy vs. another part of the country near the coast where they consume a lot more fish protein. The dairy area had a much higher rate of the disease.
I thought the correlation between consumption of cow's milk and the incidence of Type I diabetes was mind boggling. Have you gotten to that point in the book yet? I'm about 200 pages into it.
http://www.cancerproject.org/Hope this helps....just tinker around on PCRM's website and you'll probably find what you are looking for.
-dave
Thanks Dave!!! Thats what I was looking for. It's making me really angry that there may be such an easy way to prevent cancer & noone knows about it. This should be in the headlines every day.
He mentions later in the book about some diseases (can't remember which) that are far more prevalent in one area of a country (Norway maybe?) where they consume a lot of dairy vs. another part of the country near the coast where they consume a lot more fish protein. The dairy area had a much higher rate of the disease.
I thought the correlation between consumption of cow's milk and the incidence of Type I diabetes was mind boggling. Have you gotten to that point in the book yet? I'm about 200 pages into it.
Yes, I was also surprised at the link with MS. This is important news!!!!!!!!!! Why doesn't everyone know about this?!?!?!
Yes, I was also surprised at the link with MS. This is important news!!!!!!!!!! Why doesn't everyone know about this?!?!?!
He kind of hints at why in the book. If these connections drawn from these studies were more vigorously publicized the dairy and agricultural industries would set out to cast all sorts of doubt on them by claiming that the results were "controversial". They would find researchers willing to do studies with conclusions drawn beforehand to refute them (kind of like the oil company shills that dispute causation of global warming or the tobacco company shills that disputed the connections between smoking and lung cancer and heart disease).
Money drives everything in this world. If someone stands to lose money by an industry being exposed as harmful they will fight with everything they have. There are people in this world who couldn't care less about who they hurt or how badly as long as their profits keep rolling in. You can see evidence of this everywhere in our society.
Money drives everything in this world. If someone stands to lose money by an industry being exposed as harmful they will fight with everything they have. There are people in this world who couldn't care less about who they hurt or how badly as long as their profits keep rolling in. You can see evidence of this everywhere in our society.
:'( This is all so sad.
:'( This is all so sad.
It's tragic. I think most of us try to fight it the best we can but it's a tough battle. Most people don't even want to know about it. They just want to watch American Idol and eat Stouffer's Meatloaf or some other swill and not be bothered.
I am reading the China Study now, as well. I'm finding it very interesting, but it's also been very tough for me to get through it! I am very interested in the cancer studies. My family is affected by only cancer. On both sides of my family, everyone who has died (back to my great-grandparents) has died of cancer. Everyone in the family seems to be resigned to the fact that eventually they will get cancer because "it's just in our genes." I kind of believe that too, but to me, there is a difference in developing it at 85 than breast cancer at 36 (my aunt who practically LIVES off milk and steak). ANYWAY. Now you all know my family history!!!
lisaanddini, I am with you on this one. Although, I did find the China Study convincing, my family will not. I need more studies to convince them that they shouldn't just be resigned to the "cancer gene." But, I'm afraid that unless the American Cancer Society puts it out there, they don't believe it. Even then, they don't believe it if it requires a major lifestyle change. :(
lisaanddini, I am with you on this one. Although, I did find the China Study convincing, my family will not. I need more studies to convince them that they shouldn't just be resigned to the "cancer gene." But, I'm afraid that unless the American Cancer Society puts it out there, they don't believe it. Even then, they don't believe it if it requires a major lifestyle change. :(
Lotus....
You SO need to go to www.pcrm.org
Better yet...join....all the studies and proof you need to show a vegan diet VS. an Omni diet are there with regards to cancer. There are lots and lots of studies published in their magazine. Also feel free to email or write them. They will ALWAYS respond.
-dave
lisaanddini, I am with you on this one. Although, I did find the China Study convincing, my family will not. I need more studies to convince them that they shouldn't just be resigned to the "cancer gene." But, I'm afraid that unless the American Cancer Society puts it out there, they don't believe it. Even then, they don't believe it if it requires a major lifestyle change. :(
Guys- keep this in mind: The book The China Study references literally hundreds of different studies, not just one! Don't overlook all those footnote markers throughout the chapters. They are all referenced in the back of the book. You can look up the individual studies (if you're inclined to be able to sort through their sometimes highly specialized language and style) or just point them out to the skeptics who want to respond with "He's just one crackpot guy, why haven't I heard about this anywhere else?" To which I am apt to respond to many people "Because you watch American Idol instead of reading books".
This book contains a real wealth of information. To whatever degree we can get others to accept it, great. If they don't, there's nothing stopping us from learning what this book has to offer and applying it to our own lives. Rejoice my friends! We grow wiser!
I'm guilty! I haven't done my footnote homework. :-[ I will start!
Thanks Dave for the PCRM info. I will definitely check it out.
I emailed the American Cancer Society asking if they have done any studies linking cancer & diet, specifically vegan diets & if not, why not? Do you think I'll get an answer? I do a big fundraiser for them each spring so I think I have a right to know where my money is actually going! I'll let you know if they respond.
Boxer? (dog) Me too ;)
I emailed the American Cancer Society asking if they have done any studies linking cancer & diet, specifically vegan diets & if not, why not? Do you think I'll get an answer? I do a big fundraiser for them each spring so I think I have a right to know where my money is actually going! I'll let you know if they respond.
My guess is you'l get a response that says something along the lines of "while there is some research that indicates a diet high in plant foods and fiber may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer there is no conclusive proof that the consumption of most foods derived from animal sources substantially contribute to the development of cancer."
I hate to say it but a lot of the organizations that "fight" diseases like cancer depend on the perpetuation of these diseases for their very existence. They also depend on monetary contributions from big corporations for a substantial part of their income (some directly, some through corporations allowing groups like the United Way to raise contributions from their employees). Many of these corporations have a strong financial interest in maintaining the status quo. If the diseases go away so do a lot of high paying jobs.
Upton Sinclair once said "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it."
lisaanddini, I also noted that the rat research was 'casein' only and at first I thought, "Hmmm"... BUT the actual China Study research is not casein only, it's all forms of animal protein and their effect on Chinese health.
I noticed that you guys are currently reading the China Study.
When you've finished and read the chapter on politics of the science industry and Campbell's personal story about what happened as a result of this study and his diet-focused research get back to us. ;) That will entirely answer your ACS question lisaanddini
And yes, you need to read the appendix chapters!
The footnotes refer to OTHER studies. The China Study (the study not the book) itself isn't a compilation of those studies it stands on it's own. The BOOK however IS the compilation of all the studies referred to in the endnotes, as well as, the China study.
Also, for anyone who feels The China Study is too 'thick' with numbers and data, I recommend reading Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman first. It gives an over view of the idea linking cancer and animal proteins (and mentions the China Study many times) without so much in-your-face data. Not that that is a good thing, but when you go back to read The China Study you have a basis and introduction to the idea and can follow along with Campbell a little better.
I put the book down because it was making me too angry. I don't know if it would do me any good to find out more about a topic that i feel so helpless with. As it is I feel I have to constantly bite my tongue around people whenver they talk about food or else I would constantly be debating with everyone I know.
Also, for anyone who feels The China Study is too 'thick' with numbers and data, I recommend reading Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman first. It gives an over view of the idea linking cancer and animal proteins (and mentions the China Study many times) without so much in-your-face data. Not that that is a good thing, but when you go back to read The China Study you have a basis and introduction to the idea and can follow along with Campbell a little better.
I once read a good piece of advice from Dr. Stephen Hawking while reading his excellent book "A Brief History of Time". He recommended that if a reader was having trouble understanding some of the theories and principles he was outlining in the book that they not bog down trying to fully grasp them the first time through. He suggested rather that you read the book cover to cover and then go back and read it again. He pointed out that using this method readers would often find that something they were unable to grasp the first time through would seem far more familiar when encountered the second time around. I did this and found that a lot more information "gelled" for me this way. Might be a worthwhile thing to do with the China Study for anyone who finds the amount of data and the detail with which it is presented daunting. Personally, I think the information in this book is important enough to merit that kind of more thorough study if you need to apply it.
Boxer? (dog) Me too ;)
He's half Boxer/half Saint Bernard (so they say). That's why he has a long tail & floppy ears. He's also a lot bigger than a pure boxer. I think he's part Ridgeback too though.
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