Feb 08

Hormones in Cattle

I know what you are thinking. I’m that mean lady who tells you about one more food that shouldn’t be eating. I hope you can understand that I am just trying to educate you so you make the best choices for you and your family. Also, I picked this topic for personal reasons. My business, Nutrition Express, is growing and we are always researching the nutritive value and safety of food while trying to control food costs. So my big question was “Is Hormone Free Meat worth the high price tag?” and my answer is “Yes”.

Overview
In the US, farmers administer a large number of growth hormones to cattle and other livestock because they are paid based on the weight of their animals. Many farmers illegally inject hormones directly into their muscles, which correlates into even more hormones that we are consuming. The FDA is supposed to protect us, however they are not even able to monitor hormone levels. Most countries refuse to import meat from the US due to hormone use and the scary side-effects. There are many health risks, but the most apparent is our young adolescent women who are blossoming earlier and earlier every year.

The FDA’s View
From 1938 to 1979, there were hormones used in our cattle that were known to cause cancer. It took over 40 years for the FDA to finally ban those hormones. The hormones approved today are almost impossible to monitor, therefore hormone levels are rarely monitored in the meat that we eat.

Health Risks
There is minimal funding to research possible health risks. This gets me fired up because Pharmaceutical companies are spending billions on research for treatment of diseases that could possibly be caused by hormones in our meat. Overall, studies indicate:

Significant increase in Breast Cancer
Significant increase in Prostate Cancer
Significant increase in Testicular Cancer
Epidemic of Premature Sexual Development
Imbalance of our natural Endocrine System

What Can You Do?
Unfortunately, hormones in our meat are only a small part of the problem. Most farmers have changed their cattle’s diet from grass to grains which are contributing to an obesity and diabetes epidemic. Most cattle and livestock are also injected with antibiotics which drastically reduces our immune function. To sum it up, choose meat, poultry, eggs and milk that are: