Barbeques, Black America + Colorectal Cancer, and ... other stuff

Originally posted July 2023.

"Just walking through this life as a Black person, and actually surviving that, was and still is an ovation-worthy performance."— Cicely Tyson, Just as I Am

Well, we made it through another Fourth of July celebration, right? Our weekend/week was crazy. We had a fight break out on our street, neighborhood fireworks that went sideways and hit kids and set a garage on fire, so many terrified dogs and a dog bite, I attended a twin birth, and we sent our oldest off to a week-long sleep-away camp for the first time ever.

But what am I spending my time thinking about? Fast food genocide and how ADHD and impulsivity contribute to binge-eating disorders and obesity. Today, though, I want to talk a little bit about barbeques. Not the sauce. The event.​​

Did you know that the World Health Organization has labeled processed meats like hot dogs, brats, bacon, and lunch meat as CLASS 1 carcinogens - the same class as cigarettes?

And did you know that these carcinogens are linked directly to colorectal cancer, a cancer that plagues the African American community disproportionately to other communities?

To be clear, a Black American is more likely to get this type of cancer earlier in life than caucasian Americans, he is 20% more likely to get it in the first place, and 40% more likely to die as a consequence of this cancer. Still, for all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer.​

And, we now know that those hot dogs we love to ingest on the Fourth and the bacon and sausage we have for breakfast contribute to this disease. Not only that, but we know that grilling these meats increases the carcinogenic compounds found within them.​

So what does this all mean? You should never eat another hot dog?​

Well, maybe. I mean... I won't tell you that's not a great idea. BUT, sometimes, it can be a little unrealistic. How can we downplay the carcinogenic affects of certain foods while increasing the cancer-fighting elements within our bodies?​

Aim to include as many whole vegetables, fruits, and berries as possible in your diet as you can. Prioritize leafy greens like kale and collard greens and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower. For me, I do a green smoothie in the mornings with kale and/or spinach and a huge cancer-fighting salad with various types of greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, and nuts/seeds for lunch. I won't lie. I don't LOVE salads. But getting creative with what's in them has made it more fun for me, and less like a chore or some form of dietary restriction. I love the abundance of options God has given us in the form of WHOLE FOODS.

The general rule I like to follow is to purchase and eat "Food by God, not by man." The closer to its original form, the better! If it is in a package or has a barcode, put it back.