Cancer is one of the scariest diseases out there because as far as we have come in treating it, the cancer still wins a lot of the time. And the treatment itself is absolutely brutal, leaving behind painful side effects even if the disease is wiped out.
Prevention, therefore, is a big deal. We need to do everything we can to reduce our risk of developing cancer, even as we understand that sometimes it just happens.
You probably know about the importance of healthy food when it comes to cancer prevention. But what is less talked about is the role that beverages can play.
Certain drinks can up your risk as well and are better off avoided. You will be surprised by some of these!
1. Tap Water
The water infrastructure in the United States is aging and not being repaired in a timely fashion. Instead, the government encourages the use of toxic chemicals to “clean up” harmful biological contaminants. One commonly used chemical is chlorine, but it is less scary by far than some of the other things that have been found in our tap water.
For example, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is a disinfection byproduct found to be 1,000 times more toxic than chlorine. The Environmental Working Group is a watchdog agency that tests the foods and drinks we commonly consume.
It found probable human carcinogens in every sample of tap water tested across 43 states. That puts the cost of a water filtration pitcher into perspective, huh?
2. Bottled Water
First of all, the water in bottled water may actually be from a municipal source no matter how pretty the picture of a mountain stream on the label.
But the most harmful element of bottled water is the bottle itself. Not only is discarded plastic an environmental disaster, it also leaches dangerous chemicals into whatever it touches.
One notable example is bisphenol-A or BPA. This chemical is used in many plastic water bottles despite the fact this it is a known hormone disruptor that increases the risk for prostate and breast cancer as well as metabolic disorders.
3. Alcohol
Drinking to excess has a number of health consequences, not the least of which is cancer. Numerous studies point to the link between alcohol and cancers of the esophagus, stomach, liver, colon, and breast.
And though many consider red wine to be healthy due to its antioxidant content, it still contains ethanol. Ethanol is the primary trigger for cancer found in alcoholic beverages. The CDC recommends no more than one drink per day if you’re a woman and two drinks per day if you’re a man.
4. Energy Drinks
Energy drinks may make you feel invincible for a few hours, but they are doing steady damage inside your body. For one thing, they are made primarily of sugar, caffeine, and artificial dyes, which can spike your blood pressure and blood sugar at the same time.
People have died from drinking too many energy drinks, especially of heart problems and seizures. Anything that weakens the systems inside your body can leave the door open for cancer. Plus, sugar is cancer’s favorite food and too many energy drinks leave a lot of it available to feed those killer cells.
5. Regular Soda
There is a lot wrong with soda – it has no redeeming health value at all. Like energy drinks, it contains a ton of sugar, caffeine, and artificial ingredients. One of those chemical additives is a colorant called 4-MeI. It gives cola its brown color, but is also a known carcinogen.
Regulations on the use of 4-Mel differ from place to place, but California at least requires that it be labeled as potentially cancer-causing on all food products that contain it.
In the end, plain filtered water is best for your body. Other beverages are fine in moderation, but aim to get about 2 liters of water per day before drinking anything else (your morning coffee aside, of course).
What you drink is just as important as what you eat in terms of cancer prevention, so don’t forget to note those liquid calories.
Drink Healthy Be Healthy
Nice Bro
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