| How often do you eat a hamburger or a steak? How | | | | The facts I outlined above are rather sobering. I |
| about a ham sandwich? According to a federal study | | | | suspect that many of you will take a closer look at |
| of over half a million men and women, the answers | | | | your eating habits and modify your intake of red and |
| are crucial. As early as the 1970s, people began to | | | | processed meats. The good news is that it's not as |
| realize that consuming large quantities of red meat | | | | difficult as it may seem at first. I put together some tips |
| may not be beneficial to their health. | | | | for my patients to help them fine tune their diets to |
| After decades of research, this assumption has not | | | | promote a longer, healthier life. Try them for yourself. |
| changed. In addition, nutrition pros recommend that we | | | | 1) Get protein the healthy way - The same study |
| limit processed meat like cold cuts due to excess | | | | showed that white meat may have a protective |
| sodium and chemicals like nitrites. Thanks to the | | | | effect: Those who ate the most fresh turkey, chicken |
| enlightening new study, we have quantified the risks | | | | and fish had slightly lower risk of cancer death and |
| associated with eating red and processed meat. Don't | | | | death overall. |
| miss out on this vital information. | | | | 2) Make red meat a supporting player - I'm not |
| Can Eating Meat Kill You? | | | | encouraging meat lovers to become vegetarians. Lean |
| Think back over your meals for the last week. Did you | | | | red meat is a good source of iron and other nutrients. |
| grab a burger for lunch more than once? Did you | | | | Simply increase your intake of produce, legumes and |
| throw some steaks on the grill or even snack on a | | | | grains and reduce your red meat consumption. Have a |
| pepperoni pizza? We now know that people who | | | | small steak fillet once per week or make dishes like |
| consume the most red and processed meat in their | | | | stir-fry and salads with half beef and half beans or |
| diets run a significantly higher overall risk of dying | | | | tofu, rather than all beef. |
| compared to those who consume the least. | | | | 3) Cut processed meats - The occasional sausage |
| Specifically, death due to cancer and heart disease | | | | sandwich is probably okay, but these foods have few |
| increased for those who ate the most meat. | | | | redeeming qualities, so make them occasional treats. |
| The study followed over half a million men and | | | | Instead of deli ham or turkey, grill chicken breasts or |
| women, ages 51 to 70, for 10 years. During that period, | | | | roast a large turkey breast on the weekend to use for |
| about 70,000 people died. Scientists examined their | | | | sandwiches all week. Try a chicken pizza instead of |
| eating habits and determined the following information: | | | | the usual "meat lovers" varieties. |
| Men who ate the most meat had a 22% higher risk of | | | | 4) Stay out of the drive-thru lane - Many people don't |
| dying from cancer and a 27% higher risk of dying from | | | | realize how much fast food they are consuming. Pack |
| heart disease. Women had a 20% higher risk of | | | | your lunches or visit salad bars and delis that stock |
| cancer death and a stunning 50% higher risk of death | | | | more natural foods. If you're stuck at the pick up |
| due to heart disease. | | | | window, opt for grilled chicken sandwiches and salads. |
| Let's take a look at the amount of red and processed | | | | 5) Don't stress - If you realize that red and processed |
| meat that can harm your health. After analyzing the | | | | meat is a big part of your diet, don't worry about |
| dietary information provided by the study participants, | | | | revamping your menu overnight. Making one small |
| researchers found that those who ate the most red | | | | change at a time means you're more likely to stick |
| meat consumed about 4.5 ounces per day on | | | | with your new healthy habits. For example, replace 2 |
| average-or the equivalent of a quarter-pound | | | | beef meals with fish or chicken for a week, then |
| hamburger. Those who ate the least totaled just over | | | | increase it to 3 and 4 meals each subsequent week. |
| half an ounce per day on average. The most | | | | Next month, replace your cold cut sandwiches with |
| processed meat consumed was about 1.5 ounces per | | | | canned tuna or bean burritos. |
| day (about 2 deli turkey slices) and the least was just | | | | When healthy changes become second nature, you |
| 0.11 ounces. | | | | can feel good about a diet that's helping you live longer |
| What This Means for Your Diet | | | | and stay disease free. |