How many of us remember using talcum powder many years ago? It was the must-have product for babies, especially with nappy rash. What we didn’t know was that talc, in its mineral form, contains asbestos, a known carcinogen. However, manufacturers claimed to have removed it in the 1970s. While studies of the cancer causing effects of talc since then have been inconclusive, US courts seem convinced of the link.
Hence the drugs giant who makes this product being ordered to pay $55 million to a woman who developed ovarian cancer after using their Baby Powder talc for years. It is the second award this year – another 1,200 claims are waiting in the wings.
A Missouri state court has agreed that talcum powder caused Gloria Ristesund’s ovarian cancer, which resulted in a hysterectomy and further surgery. Her cancer is now in remission. She was awarded $5 million compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages. A previous ruling, last February, ordered the payment of £72 million in damages to the family of another long-term talc user who died of ovarian cancer.
Moving onto food, scientists have discovered that an antibiotic used to prevent swine flu in pigs can cause cancer. The biggest risk is from pork liver, which is used in hot dogs, luncheon meats and sausages. Another reason to avoid processed meats, if you need one.
The antibiotic has been used in US pig farming since the 1970s; it is also designed to prevent dysentery and improve weight gain. Despite its widespread use for more than 40 years, scientists from America’s drugs and health regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have only just issued the alert this April.
In addition, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, all processed meats are carcinogens, with red meat being a probable one. Processing and preparing the meats includes salting, curing, fermenting and smoking, which can release cancer-causing chemicals, according to a 10-country review of the evidence.
Those who regularly ate fish maintained their ability to remember words and did better in tests involving numbers and letters, pictured objects and patterns
Our diet has a huge effect on our lifestyle and life expectancy. We all know this. Men who eat fatty meats and cheese regularly are more likely to develop an aggressive form of prostate cancer that grows quickly and can kill. This is because the foods contain saturated fats.
Conversely, men who eat plenty of polyunsaturated fats from foods like fish and nuts have a more benign form of the cancer and are more likely to die ‘with’ the disease than ‘because’ of it.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina say eating less saturated fat could also reduce the risk of heart disease. They made the connection between diet and the aggressive form of prostate cancer after surveying 1,854 men who had recently been diagnosed. Those who ate the most saturated fats also had the most aggressive form of the disease.
Another interesting piece of research also shows the dangers of processed meats. Vegetarians of at least 17 years’ standing have a better chance of a longer life. People who eat red and processed meats every day have the shortest lifespans.
There is even a difference among vegetarians. Those who have followed such a diet for 17 years or more are likely to live 3.6 years longer than those who haven’t followed the diet for this length of time. The biggest impact on longevity is the regular consumption of red and processed meats, say researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. There are similar variances among meat eaters. Those who ate meat only occasionally (as opposed to daily) saw their mortality risk drop by as much as half.
One of the reviewed studies concluded that the real risk was linked to processed meats such as bacon, sausages, salami, hot dogs and ham (J. Am. Osteopath. Assoc., 2016).
Fish, however, does us good. My grandmother used to say it was “brain food”. How did she know? Eating at least one plate of seafood a week can ward off dementia and a decline in cognitive abilities, such as memory and problem solving.
Fish has Omega-3 fatty acids, which have a protective effect on our mental abilities. Any decline is far less sharp after reaching 80 years of age if fish is eaten at least once a week, say researchers from the Rush University Medical Centre.
They tracked the mental health of 915 people with an average age of 81, and no signs of dementia, for five years. By the end of the study, there was a marked difference between the mental capabilities of those who ate at least one serving of fish a week and those who ate fish less often. Meals included snacks like tuna sandwiches, fish sticks and fish cakes, with main meals of fresh fish, shrimp, lobster and crab.
Those who regularly ate fish maintained their ability to remember words and did better in tests involving numbers and letters, pictured objects and patterns (Neurology, 2016).
kathryn@maltanet.net