I love a cheeseburger as much as anybody–more than many folks, actually, if you take into account the vegetarian and vegan sectors. Grilled Angus beef on a sesame seed bun, with extra cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and Heinz 57. Yum. My mouth is watering and it’s not nearly lunch time.
And don’t get me started on grilled stuffed filet mignon. The moaning might disturb other hotel guests.
I’m a fan of the cow, is what I’m saying–always have been.
But, I’m also something of a…ahem…hypochondriac. Yeah, I know, you’re shocked and all.
So, when I read this article on page 2 of today’s USA Today, I immediately started inventorying my symptoms. The article states that “A program set up to test beef for chemical residues is not accomplishing its mission of monitoring the food supply for dangerous substances… The health affects on people who eat such meat are a ‘growing concern.'” The article goes on to say that in 2008, “Mexican authorities rejected a U.S. beef shipment because its copper levels exceeded Mexican standards.” The rejected meat was sold in the U.S.
Our beef wasn’t up to Mexican standards, so it had to be sold in the U.S.???
It’s not just copper. (I’m still not clear on how the copper gets into cows, but some of the bad stuff comes from pesticide residue in the cow’s drinking water.) Also, antibiotics are a problem, among them PENICILLIN, which I am allergic to. The article gave a chart with contaminants, some of which I can’t pronounce, and SYMPTOMS TO WATCH FOR. These include oxidative stress (wtf?), renal dysfunction, and death. And those are just the copper-related symptoms. Call me a quack, but death is a pretty serious SYMPTOM.
I had reconciled myself to living with the threat of Mad Cow, now this.
It’s enough to make a girl turn to tofu.
Peace, out…
Susan
I worry about all the junk put intentionally–and unintentionally–in our food. Not enough to stop eating, obviously, but I often think that folks who grow/produce their own food organically will live long, healthy lives while the rest of us suffer with symptoms like, well, death!
In my twenties I toyed with the idea of going “back to the land,” but now know I would have been a poor candidate, with Reynaud’s Syndrome (fingers go numb in the slightest cold), arthritis, etc. But then again, if I’d lived a healthier life, would I even have those maladies? Who’s to say?
Maybe you’ll have to wait and have your Cheeseburger in Paradise.
Parrot Head
So does this mean your are switching to salads with grilled chicken!
Hmm…I eat a lot of salads with grilled chicken–not every day of my life like The Queen of Pain, but I eat more than a couple in any given week. I’m thinking the stuff they give the chickens is likely just as bad unless you buy the organic, no-antibiotic, no-hormone kind. But it’s hard to find that in restaurants. Panera uses it… Maybe I’ll become a raw vegan…
That’s why sometimes it’s better to go float in the pool or work on your novel than to read the news. Argh, I love beef too.
I guess I’ll have to find the Greenville Magazine issue that featured local, organic food producers in town. Healthy also means more expensive. Can I afford to live longer???
When you find it, let me know. I need a copy…
This is very sad news, indeed. Now I’m feeling oxidatively stressed out.
As with any officer in the Army, I did a brief stint as Mess Officer. If you’re only worried about the additives/contaminants in the food product, you probably should never eat in a restaurant the rest of your life. Say what you will about Army Chow, one thing I can say, is the cooks also have to eat it. Can’t say that about most restaurants.
Arg, it never ends. Our fruits and vegies are subject to chemical contamination too and I love a messy burger. Perhaps we need to drink more red wine.
This, Sharon, I find is the solution to so many of life’s problems. 🙂
Mornin’,
I now know why I feel so much better when I don’t eat beef for a few days. I’m allergic to Penicillin as well and I bet all the animals are subject to this kind of stuff. Wondering about the organic stuff. In a few weeks I want to have the family over for some grilled mystery kill and pontoon rides. I can’t trust the meat from grocers so from now on I will be hunting, slaying, cleaning, and cooking any wild animal I can get my sights on. Skunk might be out until hard times hit.
Do you not have a single story to tell while you have been traveling for 3 WEEKS???
Oh yes, Queen of Pain, I have many stories…regrettably, not many of them involve exercise. Also, I succumbed to the temptation of a waffle iron this week, several times. Am missing you terribly, and will post a travel update soon. 🙂 Are you missing me? Got any Nelly in your set?
Missing you terribly…as usual. 🙂 No Nelly (why would I do that in your absence?) but I do have some Usher. It will be gone next week when YOU RETURN TO CLASS though.
Err…well, I guess that works out, on account of I’ll be visiting my parents next week, and won’t ACTUALLY be back… Where are you off to? Is this interplanetary travel?