The responses seen in this week were pretty much as expected, ranging from this is absolute bull to finally we have a trusted report that will bring about a reduction in the number of animals killed just to be consumed.

And after blogging on food safety issues for the last six years, I could pretty much predict who will say what and no one disappointed me.

But I do think a few things that were not said, or that I did not run across, are important things to keep in mind in the discussion that will continue to unfold for a very long time.

First of all, the report does state quite clearly that the cancer risk from eating meat is primarily an increase in cancer of the colon.

Colon cancer is nearly 100% preventable.

Colon cancer usually starts out as a small polyp. In some people, that polyp might, over a long period of time, turn to cancer.

All one needs to do is get a colonoscopy every ten years to screen for and remove polyps starting at age 50 unless there are significant risk factors. If other factors enter in, or symptoms suggest a possible cancer, your physician may make a recommendation for earlier or more frequent screenings.

Colorectal cancer is the number two cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., and it shouldn’t be. Too many people do not get the recommended screening for multiple reasons.

I did not get mine until age 60 when I had worrisome symptoms that turned out not to be related to a cancer. I knew better, but still ignored the recommendations.

Secondly, top scientists really do not know much about why some people will develop a cancer while others do not.

Not everyone that dips snuff will lose his tongue or lip.

Not everyone that worships or works in the sun gets skin cancer.

Not everyone that smokes develops lung cancer.

Not everyone that imbibes gets oropharyngeal or stomach cancer.

Not everyone with a colon polyp develops colon cancer.

Not everyone that eats processed meat will get cancer.

The truth is, our top scientists, with a few exceptions, cannot say with 100 percent certainty that something is good for everyone or that something is bad for everyone.

Usually it is more like this something could be good for some, but it could also be bad for some.

Red meat is no different.

Maybe someday we will have better genetic markers to predict susceptibility to certain cancers like we have for breast cancer.

I can’t change my genes, but I can choose certain things to avoid and I can choose certain things like sun screen, exercise and balanced diets to help decrease my chances of getting cancer (transparency moment here—I have had two skin cancers removed and I still golf and hike whenever I can.)

And I do choose to eat bacon, just not every day, and a good steak on the weekend.

I just don’t put bacon on burgers, but that has always been a caloric thing to me, not a carcinogenic thing.

Another look at the WHO report on meat being a carcinogen

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