Everyone is getting in on the act, putting their name to the milk campaign; celebrities, sports stars, politicians, after all it's nature's perfect food. Uh, no! Not unless you are a calf!
Here are some of the reasons you should avoid dairy:
1. Milk will not reduce fractures.
Contrary to popular belief, eating dairy products has never been shown to reduce fracture risk. In fact, according to the Nurses' Health Study dairy may increase risk of fractures by 50 percent!
2. Less dairy = better bones. Countries with the lowest rates of dairy and calcium consumption (ie Africa and Asia) have the lowest levels of osteoporosis.
3. Calcium isn't as good for your bones as you think. Studies have shown that increased calcium supplementation shows no benefit in reducing risk of fracture. In fact, Vitamin D appears to be much more effective.
4. Calcium may increase cancer risk. Research shows that higher intakes of both calcium and dairy products may increase a man's risk of prostate cancer by 30 to 50 percent. Plus, dairy consumption increases the body's level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) -- a known cancer promoter.
5. Calcium has benefits that dairy doesn't. Calcium supplements may reduce the risk of colon cancer NOT dairy products.
6. Not everyone can stomach dairy. Approx 75% of the worlds population is unable to properly digest milk and dairy products ie they are lactose intolerant.
Plus, dairy may contribute to even more health problems, like:
Allergies
Sinus problems
Ear infections
Type 1 diabetes
Chronic constipation
• Anemia (in children)
Because of these worries, you my be considering trying organic milk, however even though this will eliminate concerns like pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and the effects of homogenization and pasteurization, these benefits don't outweigh dairy's potential risks.
Milk is NOT a natural food for humans. Up until 10000 years ago we had no domesticated animals and weren't able to drink milk. Also, the majority of humans naturally stop producing significant amounts of lactase -- the enzyme needed to properly metabolize lactose, the sugar in milk -- sometime between the ages of two and five. In fact, for most mammals, the normal condition is to stop producing the enzymes needed to properly digest and metabolize milk after they have been weaned. Our bodies just weren't made to digest milk on a regular basis. Instead, most scientists agree that it's better for us to get calcium, potassium, protein, and fats from other food sources, like whole plant foods -- vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and seaweed.
Tips for Dealing with Dairy
• Don't rely on dairy for healthy bones. If you want healthy bones, get plenty of exercise and supplement with vitamin D daily.
• Get your calcium from food. These include dark green leafy vegetables, sesame tahini, sea vegetables, and sardines or salmon with the bones.
• Try giving up all dairy. That means eliminate milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream for two weeks and see if you feel better. You should notice improvements with your sinuses, post-nasal drip, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, energy, and weight. Then start eating dairy again and see how you feel. If you feel worse, you should try to give it up for life.
• If you can tolerate dairy, use only raw, organic dairy products. I suggest focusing on fermented products like unsweetened yogurt and kefir, occasionally.
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