OT: Cancer and the incredible sweet potato

Excessive amounts of vitamin A, found in large quantities in sweet potatoes, can cause miscarriage, birth defects and other serious problems during pregnancy.
http://juniperrusso.suite101.com/sweet- ... z1XvTHWuWo

Sweet potatoes can cause carotenemia.

Sweet potatoes can cause an increased risk of kidney stones.

http://www.healthassist.net/food/side-e ... ects.shtml

Mother Teresa has been criticized also.

http://www.google.com/search?q=criticis ... 1I7SUNA_en

VVV wrote:

Excessive amounts of vitamin A, found in large quantities in sweet potatoes, can cause miscarriage, birth defects and other serious problems during pregnancy.
http://juniperrusso.suite101.com/sweet- ... z1XvTHWuWo

Well I am sure Amerika is not pregnant, and i no longer have the equipment either.

On the topic of cancer I just came across this An Immune System Trained to Kill Cancer

Doctors removed a billion of his T-cells — a type of white blood cell that fights viruses and tumors — and gave them new genes that would program the cells to attack his cancer. Then the altered cells were dripped back into Mr. Ludwig’s veins.

BlackSpinner wrote:On the topic of cancer I just came across this An Immune System Trained to Kill Cancer

Doctors removed a billion of his T-cells — a type of white blood cell that fights viruses and tumors — and gave them new genes that would program the cells to attack his cancer. Then the altered cells were dripped back into Mr. Ludwig’s veins.

Wow, that is frigging awesome! But here is the part that bothers me:

The research, they say, has far to go; the treatment is still experimental, not available outside of studies.

With our system of testing and approving and FDA regs, it often takes years and years and years of studies before a treatment or med becomes available to the public. I don't get why it has to be so long. Especially with someone who is terminal, why can't make things like this more readily available? Because it may kill them? "I'm sorry, but you have a month to live" "But what about that experiemental treatment?" "We can't do it because even though it may save your life, it might kill you". "Oh, so it's better I die of cancer than to die of a treatment that may save me?" "Yes".

I guess I don't get it. I must be missing something.

ameriken wrote: With our system of testing and approving and FDA regs, it often takes years and years and years of studies before a treatment or med becomes available to the public. I don't get why it has to be so long. Especially with someone who is terminal, why can't make things like this more readily available? Because it may kill them? "I'm sorry, but you have a month to live" "But what about that experiemental treatment?" "We can't do it because even though it may save your life, it might kill you". "Oh, so it's better I die of cancer than to die of a treatment that may save me?" "Yes".

I guess I don't get it. I must be missing something.

True and all 3 THREE people in the study were beyond regular help and had a life expectancy of a month or two. Very small study. They need to develop parameters too because they gave the 3rd person a much lower dose (the left overs) and it worked too. There are also issues with handling the reactions that have to be worked out. Plus it is not a drug company study, but a university developed method so they are probably working with a much lower budget and very much tighter experiment controls (ethics) .

How ever remember thalidomide. And the stuff that gave daughters cervical cancer if taken by the mothers.

Ignoring the cancer part of the thread a minute, let's wander back to the tasty sweet potato, notably for the "meat & potato" person. In west Texas, we smoke our meats (jbeef, chicken, ham...) with mesquite wood, generally, and serve with veggies, potatoes.. Along came a baked white potato and we had the stuffed potato; Then came the sweet potato, and a stuffed sweet potato with meat and maybe cheese is scrumptious! Makes me hungry thinking of it.

You don't have to stress how healthy it is.. it's good enough for a lunch or dinner. stewed cabbage on the side ain't bad, either. sweet dreams.

We LOVE sweet potatoes, but I just can't eat that sickly sweet concoction that seems to adorn every American table at holiday time - sweet potato casserole, with the mashed taters smothered in brown sugar, marshmallows and cinnamon - YUCK!

We either bake them or make them into baked fries or chips. Occasionally I mash them with a little butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon, but mostly like them naked.

Cheers,
xena

xenablue wrote:Occasionally I mash them with a little butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon, but mostly like them naked.

I'll have to try that...eating them while I'm naked and see if they're any better.

(Sorry, I couldn't resist)