Do you know what you eat? Well, be it for watching your weight or health issues, it's best you know what you're eating - or what they contain.

Mike Adams, a health researcher and author has written an interesting article about the five most offending food - offensive in the sense that they (or their ingredients) cause cancer. First off, he wrote that cancer cells live off sugar in the bloodstream therefore eating too much of the sugary munchies will cause cancer cells to go hyper in one's system. He suggests that people take a anti-cancer diet which involves low-glycemic food: no refined sugars, refined grains, sweeteners, and soda pop.

That might be a nightmare enough for some people but there's more to come. The dangers of fried food with hydrogenated oils and acrylamide (after product of frying) were also discussed. Sodium nitrite and nitrites in general is a carcinogen which is added to food so they look fresh and also as a preservative. Adams listed the deadly five:

• Hot dogs
• Processed meats and bacon
• doughnuts
• French fries
• Chips, crackers and cookies

Hmm... Well, there you have it. These five contain trans fats (hydrogenated oils), sodium nitrite, and sugar. Adams urges people to "Eat unprocessed foods and base your diet largely on plants." Eat food with omega-3 fats, get enough sunlight, don't smoke, avoid cosmetics, personal care products and fragrances. Seems like a tall order for some, but are you really going to risk an unhealthy lifestyle for your health?

This would probably cause a lot of debate from both sides of the fence, plus the medical community. But what do you think? To check out Adams' complete article, click the Read link below.

Authorities say the the insecticide Pyrenone 25-5 used in exterminating mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus in Cosa County, NC, is "far less toxic to pets than commonly used household cleaners."

The statement was issued after pet owners complained they have not received sufficient notice of spraying in their areas.

Steve Schultz, an entomologist with the Contra Costa County Mosquito and Vector Control District, said Pyrenone 25-5 has been widely used throughout the United States for the past 20 to 30 years without any reported incidents of harmful effects to humans or pets.

Pyrenone 25-5 is extracted from chrysanthemum flowers and is also the same chemical used in flea collars. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the use of Pyrenone 25-5 protecting public health, the agency also reported pyrethrins is the second leading cause of insecticide poisonings.

PBO, one of the ingredients in Pyrenone 25-5 is classified as a possible human carcinogen because it caused tumors in laboratory tests. Pyrethrins also disrupt the normal functioning of sex hormones while PBO affect the functioning of hormone related organs.

Products containing Pyrethrins carry the following warning label: "Harmful if inhaled. Avoid breathing vapor or spray mist." It is also advertised that the chemical leaves a clear residue on surfaces that kills pests for up to 3 months.

But Schultz said that the amount of Pyrenone being sprayed into the air to kill mosquitoes are in very low conditions.

The district intensified its mosquito control program after an 85-year-old woman died in early August from West Nile virus. The virus is mainly transmitted by mosquitoes. So far this year, the county confirmed five human cases of West Nile virus.

The disease was also reported in 6 squirrels, 24 chickens and 17 mosquito samples. There were 61 dead birds positive with West Nile virus recorded in the county.

Across the across the US there were 159 confirmed human cases of West Nile virus with two fatalities. There were also 38 horses, 932 dead birds, 683 mosquito samples, 393 chickens and 12 squirrels found with the virus this year.

Hard to believe but plastic started as an environment-friendly product before the phrase 'environment-friendly' was even coined. Invented by Alexander Parkes in 1856, plastic was meant to be a substitute for ivory in billiard balls, combs, and piano keys. Since then plastics have evolved chemically and has become a major environmental threat itself.

Because plastic is ubiquitous and looks harmless we take its impact on the environment for granted. but consider these facts:

• The world uses 1 billion pieces of plastic bags everyday, which eventually ends up as garbage.
• Manufacturers produce about five trillion plastic garbage, storage and shopping bags every year, which eventually end up as garbage.
• US landfills accumulate 8 billion pounds of plastic bags every year and 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour
• Every year, boats and oil rigs dump nearly 100 million pounds of plastic into the oceans
• There are 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in every square mile of ocean
• All of the world's beaches, including Antarctica is littered with plastic
• Plastic kills sea turtles, seals, whales, birds

The environmental nightmare known as plastic continues. That plastic isn't biodegradable is a myth. The process just takes anywhere from hundreds to thousands of years to happen. Unlike organic materials, though, plastic degrades into plastic particles.

But wait! There's more! The ingredients for making plastic is a who's who list of toxic chemicals. Burying plastic releases these toxins into the soil and ground water. Burning them releases the poison to the air. Among the nasty things contained in plastics include di(ethylhexyl)adepate (DEHA), a carcinogen suspect.

What to do? Use less, recycle and dispose plastic products properly. However, these just delays the inevitable. You can only hold on to your share of the 1 billion plastic bags for so long. Use paper bags whenever possible. Or you can use biodegradable plastics made of starch from corn or potatoes. They do cost twice a much as chemical plastics. But until we find another earth-like planet (and figure a way to move there), that's the price we have to pay for keeping this planet from choking on plastic.