The Past few days have been some of the toughest of my life--no doubt.  Watching my bestfriend--my Dad---fight for his life has been a battle.  My dad has overcome some serious adversities, but none more challenging than his health-related tribulations in recent years.  You see, although my father always took great care of his body by exercising almost every single day since the time he was a small boy, he wasn't always doing the right things nutritionally or regarding his lifestyle.  My dad was a big smoker.  His reward for years of smoking--throat cancer and lung disease.  It's the lung disease that he fights right now while on the ventilator in the ICU. 

I want to take a moment to thank so many of my clients and friends around the world who have been texting me and emailing me all week as they heard via the internet or my Twitter account.  Your thoughts and prayers mean the world to me and I thank you.  I know I have been a little taken away this past week as I have been in the hospital day and night at the bedside of my father, but your words encouraged me--thank you!

I put this post up because I believe life is precious and too many of us take it for granted.  I believe when someone does something they KNOW is unhealthy and they just blow it off as, "Hey, I'm going to die anyway, so why not go out doing what I love", they really are not thinking about how reality may play out in time and space when they pass away.  Yes, we are ALL going to die.  But, you can leave this world loving your last few moments or painfully fighting for them with every last breath.  We all need to do our best to take care of the bodies and minds we have. And, it's not just the obvious unhealthy pleasures that we need to be aware of such as drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes.  Every single day we put foods into our bodies which contain very harmful additives. 

Please, beware of these and stay aware from them.

1. Sodium Nitrate

This is not one we should be fooling around with or ingesting at all.  It is used commonly in hot dogs, lunch meats, ham, bacon and even smoked fish.  It's used to stabilize the color of the food and also add flavor.  However, although as a preservative it can prevent the growth of bacteria, it has been linked to cancer!  "This would be at the top of my list of additives to cut from my diet," says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., M.P.H., R.D., L.D.N., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Under certain high-temperature cooking conditions such as grilling, it transforms into a reactive compound that has been shown to promote cancer."

I have read numerous studies which come to the same conclusion and with even greater certainty.  Stay away from this stuff!

2. BHA and BHT

Butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) and Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) are bad news. They are used to preserve common household foods by preventing them from oxidizing. They keep fats and oils from going stale and are found in chewing gum, cereals, chips, and vegetable oils, but there is concern that they may cause cancer. "The structure of BHA and BHT will change during this process [of preserving food], and may form a compound that reacts in the body," BHA and BHT are not stable or inert. They're not just hanging out and being excreted by the body."  " says Gerbstadt, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

3.  Propyl Gallate

Avoid this one!  It is used to prevent oils and fats from going rancid.  Studies on animals link it to cancer.  It's used in vegetable oil, meat products, potato sticks, chicken soup base and chewing gum, and is often used with BHA and BHT (see below).  It can be found to be touted as "healthy" or "natural" by some.  I think we will be finding out much more in this one in the coming years and it will NOT be good. Stay away from it.

I have watched many close to me die from the horrible disease of cancer.  I personally believe in my heart that it is, in many cases--not all--but many, directly related to our lifestyles and eating habits.