No more bringing home the bacon!

I think we already knew this, but the largest study of its kind of more than half a million men and women provides more evidence that older Americans who eat large amounts of red meat, like hamburger and processed meats, like hot dogs, bacon and cold cuts are at a greater risk of death from heart disease and cancer.

Darn, I really love me some hamburger and bacon.

This study followed 545,000 people and their eating habits from ages 50-71 years old for ten years. There were more than 70,000 deaths during this time.

The National Cancer Institute says these findings support what several health groups have been saying all along: limit red and processed mean intake to decrease your risk of cancer.

For men eating a 1/4 pound hamburger daily over the course of ten years increased their risk of dying of cancer by 22% and 27% higher risk of dying from heart disease.

For women it increased their risk of dying from cancer to 20% and 50% higher risk of dying from heart disease. Stick with white meat chicken and fish to keep your risks at bay.

Reducing meat consumption is not only good for our health, it’s good for our environment as well. Livestock increases greenhouse gas emissions, which contributes to global warming.

You don’t have to give up meat entirely. Just add more vegetables and fruits to your diet and decrease red meat consumption, exercise and avoid smoking.

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