A few reasons I try to eat clean...

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE bacon, and all foods life has to offer.  But, I ask myself, to what risk?  I have always limited my sugars, but now I try and avoid nitrates by buying LOCAL meats, or any meat product that states 'no nitrates'.  Also I now try to buy local, and organic produce.

Recently I learned the disgusting fact that they inject animal hormones into our vegetables to increase growth and production!  That scared me, I am not vegan, but I realized that some vegans may be misled, they could be eating animal hormones.  Is that fair, or right?

As for sugars, well the new name they are trying to use in their new campaigns, give me a break!  It is rich people trying to boost their sales to get richer.  It is a mind-fu#* they are trying to use to get us poor consumers to kill ourselves!

Anyhow, what I am trying to say is we may not ever be able to achieve perfection in eating, BUT we can make decisions that help us be healthy, live longer, teach our children the benefits, and help our local communities by buying local!

Sodium Nitrate

 Sodium nitrate, also called sodium nitrite, is a chemical compound used in the processing of meat products such as cold cuts, hot dogs, ham and bacon. According to the SixWise website, sodium nitrate is a common coloring and flavoring agent, as well as a preservative, for meat products. This makes meat more appealing to consumers. Unfortunately, there are several dangers of using this chemical.

Cancer

Ingestion of sodium nitrate forms nitrosamines, which are chemicals that promote the growth of cancerous cells, according to the Organic Consumers website. Nitrosamines may contribute to colon, pancreatic and other cancers. The USDA attempted to ban the use of sodium nitrate in the 1970s, but met opposition from the U.S. meat industry.

Respiratory Distress

Inhalation of sodium nitrate can contribute to respiratory distress. This chemical is thought to irritate the lining of the respiratory tract and cause poisoning in the lungs.

Skin Irritation

Skin contact with sodium nitrate may cause skin irritation, including pain and redness. The skin can also readily absorb sodium nitrate, poisoning the body's organs and tissue.

Other Dangers

Sodium nitrate is a toxic substance that may irritate the lining of the stomach, esophagus and mouth. Ingestion may also produce symptoms such as abdominal pain, irregular breathing, nausea, vomiting, convulsions and coma. A dose of 1 g to 2 g is considered lethal.

Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)

This artificial sweetener is found in Equal and NutraSweet, along with products that contain them (diet sodas and other low-cal and diet foods). This sweetener has been found to cause brain tumors in rats as far back as the 1970s, however a more recent study in 2005 found that even small doses increase the incidence of lymphomas and leukemia in rats, along with brain tumors.

People who are sensitive to aspartame may also suffer from headaches, dizziness and hallucinations after consuming it.

Some food additives are neurotoxic, which means they're capable of altering the normal activity of the nervous system -- and even killing neurons. Symptoms include:

• Limb weakness or numbness
• Loss of memory, vision, and intellect
• Headache
• Cognitive and behavioral problems
• Sexual dysfunction

Sugar

1. Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.
2. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium. 
3. Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.
4. Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.
5. Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.
6. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.
7. Sugar can weaken eyesight.
8. Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.
9. Sugar can cause premature aging.
10. Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.
11. Sugar can cause gallstones.
12. Sugar can cause appendicitis.
13. Sugar can cause varicose veins.
14. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
15. Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.
16. Sugar can lower your Vitamin E levels.
17. Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.
18. Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.
19. Sugar causes food allergies.
20. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
21. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
22. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
23. Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.
24. Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
25. Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.
26. Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.
27. Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson’s disease.
28. Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.
29. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.
30. Sugar can damage your pancreas.
31. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
32. Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.
33. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves which can alter your mind’s ability to think clearly.
34. Sugar can cause depression.
35. Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's Disease
36. Sugar is an addictive substance.
37. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.
38. Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.
39. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.
40. Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.
41. Sugar can slow down the ability of your adrenal glands to function.
42. Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.
43. I.V.s (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to your brain.
44. High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.
45. Sugar causes high blood pressure.
46. In intensive care units: Limiting sugar saves lives.
47. Sugar may induce cell death.
48. Sugar dehydrates newborns.