A doctor has revealed the everyday things he would never buy due to the risk of cancer.
Dr Will Kang, an orthopedic surgeon in Baltimore, said there are five things his wife, an oncologist, never allows him to buy at the store due to links to several forms of cancer.
In a recent Instagram Reel, Dr Kang revealed there are certain utensils that the couple avoid: non-stick plans and plastic utensils, especially those that are black.
These products are made with PFAS, also called ‘forever chemicals,’ microscopic compounds believed to disrupt hormones like estrogen and lead to breast cancer.
Black plastic often contains even higher levels of toxic chemicals, including flame retardants, which can leach into food during cooking.
Dr Kang told his 60,000 followers: ‘I am sharing how we live our humble lives as parents, humans, doctors. We try to make healthy choices as much as possible.’
The doctor also revealed he no longer buys processed meats like hot dogs and cold cuts, which a mountain of emerging research has linked to increased colon cancer risk in young people.
He also walks right past the Skittles in the candy section. The candy has come under fire in recent years for being riddled with dyes like Red 40, which have been banned in some states over fears of hormone imbalances and some cancers in animals.
CUTTING OUT CANCER: Dr Will Kang revealed the things he and his oncologist wife never allows in their home
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Skittles contain red 40, yellow 5, and blue 1, among other dyes, which give the candy its bright colors.
Red 40 as well as Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 also contain benzene, a human and animal carcinogen permitted in low levels.
Processed meats like hot dogs and cold cuts contain nitrates, chemicals meant to keep them fresh.
When heated, nitrates can undergo a reaction that turns them into N-nitroso chemicals (NOCs).
These chemicals damage cells lining the colon, making them more prone to cancer-causing mutations and making them more likely to develop into cancer cells.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies processed meat as a group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is clear evidence that it can cause cancer in humans.
Dr Kang said: ‘As someone who grew up on spam, cold cuts, and sausages, cutting this out was tough but I’m glad I did.’
Processed meat has been linked to the rise in colon cancer diagnoses in young people.
The US has the sixth highest rate of all early-onset cancers in the world, with 87 cases per 100,000 people under 50, and colon cancer is among the fastest rising.
CANCER-CAUSING COOKWARE: Hot dogs and other highly processed meats are a no-go, as are non-stick pans and black plastic utensils
Diagnoses among people under 50 years old, which are classified as early-onset, are expected to rise by 90 percent in people 20 to 34 years old from 2010 to 2030.
Non-stick pans and plastic utensils were also on Dr Kang’s list of no’s.
These contain PFAS to form their smooth coating.
PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of thousands of substances known as forever chemicals.
They are microscopic compounds that take thousands of years to break down in the environment or human body, hence their nickname.
As they buildup in the body, they can disrupt hormone production and lead to issues like fertility and early menopause.
The US has the sixth highest rate of all early-onset cancers in the world, with 87 cases per 100,000 people under 50, and colon cancer is among the fastest rising
This hormone imbalance could increase the risk of cancers like breast cancer and prostate cancer, which can form due to influxes of estrogen and testosterone.
Dr Kang said: ‘We use only stainless steel and cast iron pots and pans.
‘Wooden spatulas and spoons. Metal utensils otherwise.’
