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"Look, isn't this wonton wrapper too thin?" Zhang Hua held up an almost transparent wonton wrapper in the kitchen and smiled at his wife, Li Jing, and his twelve-year-old son, Xiao Ming.
Zhang Hua is an auto mechanic, and although the family lives a simple life, they always like to make their own wontons at home every weekend to enjoy the warmth of home. A month later, Zhang Hua's family's routine was suddenly broken. After several visits to the hospital for stomach pain, the doctor's diagnosis shocked the entire family - all three were diagnosed with stomach cancer at the same time.
In the white ward of the hospital, Li Jing burst into tears: "It's all my fault, I have always insisted on eating home-made wontons, I really didn't know it would be like this." ”
After a detailed examination and questioning, the doctor found that the occurrence of this stomach cancer was related to a special ingredient in the ravioli they often eat. It turned out that the flour that Zhang Hua's family used to make wontons was purchased from a niche supplier, and this flour contained cadmium, a heavy metal with a high concentration rarely found in ordinary flour.
Cadmium is a toxic metal commonly found in the environment that accumulates in the human body through the food chain. Although cadmium intake is usually low, long-term intake of even trace amounts of cadmium can cause health problems. In Zhang's case, because they ate homemade wontons almost every week and used the same source of flour each time, this led to the accumulation of cadmium in their bodies
"While we usually focus on the nutrient content of food, we can't ignore the risks that may arise from seemingly harmless materials," the doctor explains. In your case, the abnormal cadmium content in flour is a very rare, but extremely important risk factor. ”
Long-term exposure to low doses of cadmium can increase the risk of several diseases, including kidney impairment and bone disease, while direct damage to the gastric mucosa can lead to gastric cancer. While cadmium pollution in the environment comes mainly from industrial activities, such as mining and battery manufacturing, pollution from agricultural land can also enter the food chain through crops.
Potential food safety hazards in home cooking. When many people cook at home, they may rarely consider the risks that the ingredients themselves may bring, and always feel that "homemade food is the safest". However, if there is a problem with the raw materials themselves, then even the most traditional and home-cooked cooking methods can hide health risks.
Flour is the basic ingredient for ravioli, and who would have thought that it would be the source of this family's health crisis? This flour contains a high concentration of cadmium because the soil in their area has high levels of cadmium due to historical industrial pollution. This heavy metal is absorbed through crops.
The crux of the matter is that this contamination is hidden. It is difficult for ordinary families to have the ability to detect the heavy metal content in food ingredients, which requires more support from the government and relevant departments.
Establish stricter food safety standards, conduct regular safety inspections of food raw materials, and publish relevant data so that consumers can clearly understand whether the ingredients they eat are safe.
The importance of education was also emphasized. Many families may not be aware that the ingredients they commonly use may be unsafe due to environmental factors. It is particularly important to popularize food safety knowledge. Governments and communities should join forces to educate the public on how to choose safe ingredients and what to look out for in their daily cooking.
Of course, for Zhang Hua's family, the most important thing now is treatment. Although stomach cancer is serious, if it is detected and treated early, the survival rate is still guaranteed. They need to follow their doctor's advice, carry out appropriate medical intervention, and adjust their diet to avoid re-ingesting contaminated ingredients.
In this case, Zhang Hua suddenly thought of a question: "Then should we do some tests regularly, such as the heavy metal content in the blood?" Isn't it possible to catch problems earlier? ”
The doctor nodded and replied earnestly: "Indeed, it is very necessary for residents who live near industrial areas or in areas with a history of environmental pollution to have regular physical examinations, including tests for heavy metal levels in the blood. In addition, such testing is especially important for families with a history of special diseases, such as yours.
Through this dialogue, Zhang Hua has a deeper understanding and awareness of the maintenance of family health, and also understands that prevention is always more important than cure. They decided to be more cautious when shopping for food and daily necessities in the future, and try to choose safe and reliable sources to protect the health of themselves and their families.
What do you think about stomach cancer? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!