Hello all,

I have not yet looked up Todd's reference, but I would like to offer a
notion for your
consideration. It may be nonsense. But I find it entertaining nonsense. I
selected what I thought were the most compelling comments from yesterday's
digest, and listed them:

Paul:
1. meat with grain
2. most meat eaten by those with the money to afford all the hi-tech,
highly processed foods
3.   Red meat really may be a risk factor for colon cancer

Muriel:
4. fighting & bleeding protected hunter-gatherers from iron overload
and consequent increased risk of cancer

John:
#3

Then I considered what grains do. Sure, they have been demonstrated to
downregulate natral killer cell activity in celiacs, but what do they do to
the general population?  A fellow who used to post to the celiac list
indicated that recovering celiacs were at higher risk of developing
hemochromatosis. But that doesn't address the question either.

I'm sure you have all noticed that Tums, Rolaids, etc.  advertise a lot,
and seem to do a brisk business. Recent investigations are revealing that
the indigestion that often gets temporary relief from these products is
actually the result of underproduction of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Well, that is one thing that grains do.... they interfere with acid
production, by inciting excessive histamine production. This happens in
celiacs. It  probably happens in many of those people with the HLA factors
associated with cd and other autoimmune diseases.


In all untreated celiacs gall bladder function is impaired. This is not
because of problems with the organ itself, but with CCK production in the
duodenum. If lesser, but significant interference with CCK production in
the duodenum occurs in the general population, then I think there is
something worthy of note.

Hydrocholoric acid is critical to the digestion of meat. In its absence, or
reduced presence, I can well imagine that undigested particles of meat
would pass from the stomach. Perhaps some dynamic of affinity in the colon,
or perhaps even at the cecum, there is a tendency for this undigested meat
to gather. All the hormones and other additives in this meat might remain
trapped within this undigested meat sitting in the colon. That might
provide an initiating factor for malignancy.

In addition, bile from the gall bladder is necessary for emulsification of
fats to form micells, so the fatty acids can be absorbed. Deficiencies of
essential fatty acids, I believe, have been implicated in immune system
abnormalities and malfunction.

The net result may be the lodging of a carcinogen in the colon, and
interference with the immune system. I could be a formula for colon cancer.
And cereal grains could be causing the problem.

As I said at the outset, this could all be nonsense. But I find it
interesting to speculate about it.

best wishes,
Ron Hoggan