(NaturalNews) By now, most people are aware of the fact that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization (WHO), announced that processed meats are classified as "carcinogenic to humans." The news puts the likes of deli meats, hot dogs, salami, bacon and basically anything that's preserved for longevity and flavor-enhancing purposes in the spotlight, especially since its classification is the same as that of asbestos and cigarettes.

If you want to stay healthy, you should avoid or reduce your consumption of meats that are prepared via methods such as curing, salting and fermentation.

In fact, the use of sodium nitrates and nitrites, which are found in meats including beef jerky, lunch/deli meats, and bacon, has been linked to a range of health problems, including cancer. That's exactly what the IARC announcement suggests, saying in its report that each 50 gram (1.7-ounce) portion of processed meat eaten daily can raise the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.

Processed meat consumption a matter of "public health importance"

"For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed," Dr. Kurt Straif, Head of the IARC Monographs Programme, explains. "In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance."

While it's terrific that this news has gained eye-opening attention throughout the world, it's hardly new information.

For at least a decade, Mike Adams and his staff have warned against the dangers of consuming processed meats

Natural News editor Mike Adams and his staff have written about the health dangers of eating processed meats for at least ten years.

In 2005, for example, Mike Adams reported on a study about sodium nitrite's ill effects, stating, "We've known for years that sodium nitrite consumption leads to leukemia in children and brain tumors in infants. Now we have a large-scale study of nearly 200,000 people that provides solid evidence of the link between processed meats and pancreatic cancer."

Then there's a 2007 Natural News article in which Mike Adams elaborated on findings that processed meat wasn't fit for human consumption. In that article, he wrote, "Processed meats, the report explains, are simply too dangerous for human consumption. And why? Because they contain chemical additives that are known to greatly increase the risk of various cancers, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia, brain tumors, pancreatic cancer and many more..."

People have known about the hazards associated with eating processed meats for some time now thanks to sites like Natural News that have been covering the topic for ages, daring to tell the truth for what it is. They've been warning society about the dangers of sodium nitrite for a long time, urging people to opt for healthier choices. Now, the WHO announcement reinforces what Natural News readers have been aware of all along. It's a good idea to limit or avoid processed meat consumption? You don't say!

Instead of processed and even red meats, consider healthier alternatives

Additionally, the IARC report notes that red meat is also of some concern, giving it a classification of "probably carcinogenic to humans," which also happens to be the same classification the agency gave to glyphosate. Glyphosate, of course, is the main ingredient in Monsanto's herbicide, Roundup.

To stay as healthy as possible, why not consider ordering Mike Adams' Food Rising Mini-Farm Grow Boxes? They're a great alternative to sometimes iffy grocery-bought items, a great way to avoid pesticides, and have nothing to do with processed meats; they just let the goodness of fresh foods shine. The boxes are all about sustainability and self-reliance, bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to your table that you grow yourself without the use of electricity.

You owe it to your good health to stop eating processed meats like bacon, regardless of society's craze over bacon-everything. Sorry, but a plateful of bacon-topped pancakes followed by a daily deli sandwich every day just aren't worth the health problems that can very likely develop as a result.

Sources for this article include:
APNews.MyWay.com
IARC.fr^[PDF]
NaturalNews.com
NaturalNews.com