Good morning friends! If a Christmas ham is on your menu this coming week, be sure to buy a variety that does not contain chemicals (specifically nitrates). Sodium nitrate reacts with the acid in a person’s stomach to form nitrosamines- one of the most cancer causing agents known (esophageal, liver, stomach, kidney, pancreatic, colorectal, and others). Regular consumption of nitrates may also increase the risk of type II diabetes (think sliced deli sandwich meats, hot dogs etc)
Interestingly, there have been over 1400 medication recalls in the last several years because of nitrosamine formation that has occurred during the production process of medications in some batches of medication (eg: metformin, ranitidine, losartan, valsartan, and other ARB’s are some of the more common ones). The FDA says nitrosamines are safe in small doses, but I am more of the mindset that if you know something is cancer causing, isn’t it best just to avoid it as best as you can? Small doses add up if you are taking them daily! (and it’s just one more reason to work to avoid medications whenever possible and use botanicals or holistic/ alternative methods of healing whenever possible 
)
)If finding a local pasture raised ham isn’t feasible, here are some brands that are Nitrate free:
Naked Bacon
Applegate
Boar’s Head
Jones Dairy Farm
Wellshire Farms
Happy Friday!
xoxo~ liz