If it's too hot, get out of the -- no, wait -- just turn down the temperature. Doing so may also reduce your chances of 
developing certain types of cancer. Studies show that boiling or grilling meats over too much heat create chemicals, known as HCAs, that have shown signs of causing cancer in laboratory animals.
Some cooking tips to avoid possible risk:
~ Grill meats at a moderate temperature over embers, not fired-up coals. And flip your meats often, as this prevents charring and also kills bacteria.
~ Avoid meats that are high in fat, such as ribs or sausage, and remove skin from chicken. The added fat will drip into the flames below and cause smoke and flame flares.
~ Marinate your meats before grilling them. Studies have shown that marinating before grilling works very well to reduce the amount of potentially dangerous chemicals in meats.
~ Don't eat the charred parts. Simple enough, right? If the research is sound and charred meat may be carcinogenic, then an easy solution is to completely avoid any blackened portions while you feast on your beast.
These are just a few easy fixes against this potentially dangerous issue. More can be found at the website for the American Institute for Cancer Research.
1. Eat more rare meat, says I. If you really like meat, you'll probably prefer it that way (and, if fresh and clean, it really won't make you ill but will give your immune system the kind of workout that decreases your chances of devlping asthma, or other auto-immune maladies from living in an artificially clean envoironmnent - but avoid anything that is "organically fertilized"). That's the way I see it anyways!
Posted at 11:08AM on Sep 28th 2006 by Honza Prchal