A top doctor has revealed the common things she’d never be caught doing – and it’s bad news for anyone who loves bacon.
Nicole Van GroningenA Los Angeles-based medical professional listed six things she avoids after years in the field, many of which can help reduce her risk of serious illness or cancer.
These included never eating processed meats, getting up early to exercise, forgoing sunscreen and taking unproven supplements.
1. Eating processed meats, including bacon.
Dr Van Groningen said the first suggestion may sound “brutal” but the World Health Organisation has classified processed meats, including bacon, as carcinogens, meaning they are known to cause cancer in humans.
The doctor, who has been a vegetarian since she was 13, avoids all meat but insisted that if she were to eat meat, she would never choose processed meat.
2. Sacrifice sleep for exercise
While getting up before dawn may seem like a healthy habit, the American medical professional insists that this is not always the case.
The doctor insisted that bacon and all processed meats are carcinogens that should be avoided, and although she has been a vegetarian since she was 13, if she were to eat meat she would avoid processed meat.
“Yes, we love to exercise, it has many health benefits, but if we get up early and cut short our sleep to exercise, it’s not going to have a net health benefit,” the expert explained.
“Sleep is the fundamental habit for well-being. Period,” the doctor added.
This is in line with the advice of world-leading sleep specialist Dr Matthew Walker, who has shown thatThat getting enough sleep is the cornerstone of health and longevity.
The medical professional is not in favor of prescribing antibiotics for any type of less serious infection, explaining that while they may be “miracle drugs,” they can also damage the intestinal microbiome.
3. Being in the sun without sun protection
The American doctor applies sunscreen to her face, chest and hands every day, and is careful never to go out in the sun without it.
“I won’t do it,” Dr. Van Groningen said of not using sunscreen. “We know it helps prevent various types of skin cancer and it also helps prevent premature aging.”
For those concerned about getting enough vitamin D, the medical professional said studies suggest that people who use sunscreen every day do not have more problems with vitamin D deficiency than people who do not.
4. Judging other people by their health status.
The American doctor said it is important to never judge others for their “health status” or health-related behaviors, as our health is not always under our control.
“I know that many of us want to believe that we have complete freedom to make decisions and therefore complete control over our health. That would be nice, but it is a myth,” said Dr. Van Groningen.
Stressing that health can sometimes be out of our hands, he noted that he sees patients with “catastrophic illnesses” who have often done the right thing when it comes to their health.
5. Taking antibiotics casually
“I avoid antibiotics unless there is a clear and compelling concern that there may be bacterial infections,” the doctor said.
While he insisted they are “miracle drugs” when needed, he believes doctors are generally “too generous” in prescribing them for infections.
“Antibiotics are not harmless; they affect the intestinal microbiome,” he added.
6. Taking supplements that have not been tested by third parties
Dr. Van Groningen cited a recent study that showed nearly 40 percent of 57 supplements tested contained “no detectable levels” of the advertised ingredient and some even contained banned substances.
While not common, when treating patients with acute liver damage due to indiscriminate and excessive use of supplements, the damage can be “dramatic.”
Most people loved the doctors’ advice, with many saying it was “amazing,” but not everyone was convinced that processed meats were bad for you.
“My grandfather lived to be 97 and ate processed meat every day, mostly bologna or salami,” one man said.
One man held on to his bacon fix for very different reasons: “With all the stressful things going on in the world, I’m not going to give up my bacon for emotional support.”
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