We have been extolling the virtues of a plant-based wholefood diet for people with MS here at Overcoming MS for 16 years. And now the World Health Organisation is saying the same thing for everybody, whether they have an illness or not.

On Monday, the World Health Organisation said that eating processed meats, which include bacon and ham, causes cancer, and that red meats also potentially cause cancer. These cancers are usually bowel cancers, but also cancers of the pancreas and prostate.

Speaking about the report, the American Cancer Society's Susan Gapstur said that people who eat meat should cut back on the amount of red meat they consume and really limit their intake of processed meat; overall she said people should be moving toward a more plant-based diet with fruits, vegetables, and beans as alternatives to meat.

Naturally the World Health Organisation report has whipped up a storm of protest from the meat industry, keen as ever to make a profit on their products.

Their standard line is that meat forms part of a healthy diet and should be eaten in moderation for its beneficial zinc, iron and protein. But Gapstur disagrees, quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald as saying that we don't actually know if there is any safe level of consumption of meat.

After all, it is now classified as a carcinogen like cigarette smoke and asbestos. For people with MS following the OMS Recovery Program, meat has long been a thing of the past. But it is good to know that responsible authorities are starting to see the dangers to health for everyone in our community from continuing consumption of these products.

IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat