In the gastroenterology department of the hospital, the doctor pushed the eyes on the bridge of his nose and asked seriously: "How long have you had this symptom?"
Li Qiang replied honestly: "It's been a few months, what's wrong?"
The doctor sighed: "Prepare to be hospitalized, this matter is not that simple".
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Li Qiang, 53, who runs a small shop with his wife, is not wealthy, but he is self-sufficient, and as a native of Hunan, he has a special hobby, which is to eat bacon three or four times a month.
In his opinion, the unique fragrance always evokes fond memories of his hometown.
A few months ago morning, Li Qiang, as usual, bought a piece of fresh bacon from the market, ready to cook it himself, in his opinion, only when cooking bacon can he bring some fun to his life, soon, a chili fried bacon is freshly baked, full of color, flavor, and flavor.
However, after eating bacon this time, Li Qiang always felt a little uncomfortable in his stomach, and he didn't care about it at first, thinking it was just indigestion.
A month passed, Li Qiang ate bacon a few more times, and gradually, he found that the symptoms of stomach discomfort became more and more serious, and sometimes even affected his sleep. At the suggestion of a friend, he decided to go to the hospital for a check-up.
In the gastroenterology department of the hospital, the doctor inquired about Li Qiang's condition in detail and arranged for him to do a series of tests, and a few days later, the results of the examination came out, and the doctor found that Li Qiang's abdominal ultrasound showed a lump about 7cm in diameter on the liver, and the tumor markers in the blood were significantly elevated.
The experienced doctor immediately understood what was going on, so he told Li Qiang with a solemn expression that he might have liver cancer. This news was like a bolt from the blue, so Li Qiang couldn't accept it, he couldn't understand why he suddenly got liver cancer because he was usually in good health?
"The occurrence of liver cancer is related to a variety of factors, including poor dietary habits. Long-term consumption of cured and smoked foods, such as bacon, increases the risk of liver cancer. This is because these foods produce large amounts of carcinogens such as nitrite and benzopyrene. ”
Li Qiang's head exploded with a bang.
In fact, two or three years ago, during the physical examination, a doctor said that he suffered from chronic pharyngitis, and most of it was inseparable from liking to eat bacon, but he just failed to correct it.
He remembered that when he was a child, his parents always taught him to pay attention to his diet, but he neglected his health in order to satisfy his appetite, and now, he finally tasted the bitter fruit.
Under the doctor's arrangement, Li Qiang began a long road of treatment, he actively cooperated with the doctor's treatment, and at the same time adjusted his eating habits, he said goodbye to bacon and switched to light and nutritious food.
However, the treatment process of liver cancer was extremely difficult, and Li Qiang not only had to endure physical pain, but also face huge psychological pressure.
But fortunately, during this time, Li Qiang's relatives and friends have reached out to give him love and support. They took turns to accompany Li Qiang, cheering him on, and with the encouragement of his patients, Li Qiang gradually became stronger, and he believed that he would definitely be able to overcome the disease.
What is Bacon?
Bacon is a specially processed meat product that involves curing and smoking, roasting or drying. Pork is usually chosen, but beef, lamb, poultry or fish are used, and the meat is marinated with salt, sugar, wine, spices and other condiments. The purpose of this step is to preserve and add flavor.
Cured meat is air-dried for a period of time and sometimes smoked for further processing. Smoking not only gives meat a unique smoky flavor but also provides further preservatives.
In China, there are many types of bacon, which have their own characteristics according to different regions, such as Hunan bacon, Sichuan bacon, etc. There are also many foreign bacons, such as Parma ham in Italy, Iberian ham in Spain, etc., which are usually only air-dried and not smoked.
Bacon has an extremely special flavor and texture, so it has a very wide audience and many enthusiasts. But you know what? In the process of making bacon, a large number of harmful substances are actually produced.
First, nitrite. Nitrate or nitrite added during the curing process is used to preserve and preserve the color of the meat. Under certain conditions, i.e. in the case of stomach acid, nitrite can be converted into nitrosamines, which are potentially carcinogens. The World Health Organization has identified nitrosamines as strong carcinogens, especially associated with an increased risk of digestive cancers such as esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, and liver cancer.
Moreover, they can destroy DNA structure, interfere with the normal growth and division of cells, and lead to the formation of tumors. In addition, nitrosamines have a potentially teratogenic effect on developing embryos and may cause birth defects. Long-term consumption of nitrosamines may even cause damage to the reproductive system and affect fertility.
Second, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. During bacon smoking, incomplete combustion of wood or other fuels produces PAHs, which can adhere to the surface of the bacon. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are carcinogenic, and long-term intake may increase the risk of cancer.
Third, acrylamide. Acrylamide may be produced when bacon is cooked at high temperatures, such as frying, frying, roasting, etc., when foods containing asparagine (such as meat) react with reducing sugars. Acrylamide has a potential neurotoxic effect and is also a carcinogen.
Therefore, even if bacon is a very tasty and extremely flavorful food, because its processing and processing methods are too complicated, it will carry a large number of harmful substances, which is a disaster for people's health.
Then someone asked if Western-style bacon would be better?
Common Western-style bacon includes ham, dried fish, etc., but in fact, the harm is almost the same.
There may be some differences between Western and Chinese bacon in terms of production processes and ingredients, but they both involve processes of curing and/or smoking, which can produce harmful substances such as nitrosamines.
Many Western-style bacon may also use nitrite or nitrate as preservatives and coloring agents in the production process, and these chemicals can be converted into nitrosamines under certain conditions. Therefore, if nitrite is used in Western-style bacon, then its safety is not better than that of Chinese-style bacon.
In addition, their processing methods may also have steps such as smoking, pickling, and aging. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) produced during smoking and nitrosamines that may be produced during curing are potential health risk factors.
Therefore, whether it is Chinese or foreign bacon, it is recommended to eat less or no bacon, which can effectively avoid the possibility of cancer.
When you must eat bacon, how to reduce the harm?
During the New Year's holidays, there will definitely be a time when you have to eat bacon, is there a way to reduce the harm of eating bacon at this time?
First of all, eating in moderation is always the most important thing. No matter what the occasion, don't eat bacon frequently, use it as an occasional condiment in the diet rather than the main food, especially at the time of a meal, eat two or three pieces of bacon to get over the addiction, don't eat it all the time, it's very unhealthy.
Secondly, it is recommended to eat it with vegetables. The harm of bacon is that there are too many harmful substances and pro-oxidant substances, so the fiber and antioxidants in fresh vegetables and fruits can help reduce the negative impact of harmful substances in pickled foods on the body, such as eating Liberian ham with cantaloupe and apples are good choices.
Also, wash it thoroughly when eating. Wash the bacon thoroughly before cooking to remove salt and possible contaminants from the surface, and the doctor recommends blanching first, which can effectively remove the grease and salt, but if you do so, the flavor of the bacon will be reduced a lot, but compared to health, the flavor almost doesn't matter.
Therefore, when you must eat bacon, remember these points, which can help you minimize the harm.
What are the symptoms of liver cancer?
Mr. Li had liver cancer earlier, but treatment was delayed due to unknown symptoms. Eating bacon was his talisman, but the lack of awareness of disease was the last straw that overwhelmed the camel.
The following are the most common manifestations of liver cancer.
(1) Epigastric pain. This is one of the most common symptoms and is usually due to a stretch of the liver capsule due to tumor growth.
(2) Abdominal mass. A hard, irregular lump may be felt on the liver.
(3) Weight loss. Weight loss for no apparent reason is a common symptom of many cancers.
(4) Loss of appetite. May be associated with pain or discomfort caused by the tumor.
(5) Fatigue. Due to impaired liver function, many electrolyte synthesis and endocrine functions may deteriorate or even disappear, which can lead to symptoms of general weakness.
(6), jaundice. Because the liver can't process bilirubin properly, the level of bilirubin in the blood increases, which can lead to yellowing of the skin and eyes over time.
The main causes of liver cancer symptoms include:
1. Impaired liver function. The growth of the tumor destroys normal liver cells and affects the metabolism, detoxification, secretion and synthesis functions of the liver.
2. Tumor compression. The tumor can compress surrounding organs and tissues, causing pain and other symptoms.
3. Changes in blood supply. Tumors may cause changes in the structure of blood vessels within the liver, affecting the blood supply and leading to further impairment of liver function.
To sum up, whether it is doctors or other professionals, they are repeatedly emphasizing the harmfulness of bacon, and it is certainly not a big deal to eat some occasionally, but if you ingest it for a long time, then liver cancer and stomach cancer will definitely come to your door inadvertently, can you really bear the consequences? That's why it's important to keep your mouth shut!
Text/Mingzhe