My Grandmother Became a Bit Testy
DR. WALLACE: I am very health-conscious. I work out daily
and do my best to eat properly. I never go on "diets"
because I am not overweight, and I think most diets are
unhealthy. I could never feel comfortable going on the one
featuring low carbs.
Our family had a reunion dinner at my grandparents' house
(Mom's parents). The featured course was Virginia smoked
ham. Everybody raved about how delicious it was, but my
grandmother was disappointed that I wouldn't eat any of it.
When she asked me why, I told her that smoked meats have
cancer-promoting elements similar to those found in tobacco
smoke.
This made her a bit testy. She replied that she was born
in Virginia, and her family, including my mother, had
consumed a lot of smoked ham and nobody has yet died of
cancer. I really felt grandma made a big issue of something
she didn't understand. She reads your column. Please give
her "the word" because she didn't believe me.
As long as I have your attention, Dr. Wallace, I'd like
to give you another health tip to share with all your
readers, both teens and parents.
My dentist told me to drink liquids through a straw
rather than from a container. The reason is that when using
a straw, the liquid has less of a chance of coming in
contact with the teeth, which helps prevent cavities. —
Nameless, Lake Charles, La.
NAMELESS: I learned something new researching your
request to give Grandmother "the word." My first stop was at
the American Cancer Society office in Orange County,
California. They introduced me to their booklet, "Eating
Smart," which says that cured and smoked foods should be
avoided because, as you say, they are considered to be
cancer-promoting. They go on to report that "conventionally
smoked meats and fish contain tars similar to the
cancer-promoting tars found in tobacco smoke."
Many in the food industry now use "liquid smoke" to give
a smoky flavor. This is thought to be less hazardous, but
I'm not sure Grandmother will agree with this information.
Thanks for all the healthy living tips. You have
convinced me that you are, indeed, very health conscious.
You are also a wise teenager.
I SMOKE FIVE OR SIX JOINTS PER WEEK
DR. WALLACE: I'm a pothead. I smoke five or six joints a
week. I do not use alcohol at all. Everybody comes down hard
on those who use marijuana, but very little is said about
those who consume booze. I consider the two substances to be
equal in the sense that both can get you high, which feels
good. — Edward, Phoenix.
EDWARD: First of all, alcohol consumption is legal for
those 21 and older, while the use of marijuana is illegal
for all ages unless prescribed by a medical doctor to
relieve pain. Without going into great scientific detail,
alcohol and marijuana have little in common. Alcohol is
water-soluble and leaves the body in about six hours after
consumption, while marijuana is fat-soluble and can hide in
fat cells (in all parts of the body) from two weeks to a
month.
Most pot smokers do not believe scientific studies that
pot smoking will eventually lead to impairment of memory or
learning disability and loss of motivation, coordination or
motor skills. Only time will tell.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers.
Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually,
he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail
him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr.
Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate
writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate
website at www.creators.com.
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