5 Flu fighting tips

Many people will become so sick this season with illnesses ranging from minor colds to the flu that they require a doctor’s care. 

People who are healthy get sick less and require a doctor’s care less often. Maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and exercising will help you avoid sickness. Avoiding stress and getting enough sleep also helps. Here are some simple tips on how to stay healthy during flu season:

1. Wash Your Hands

Frequent hand washing is the simplest way to try avoid getting sick and possibly infecting others. The correct way to wash your hands is to get your hands wet with clean, running water, and use soap. Rub hands together to create a lather. Scrub the backs of both hands, between all fingers, and under nails. Continue rubbing hands together for approximately 20 seconds. (Singing the alphabet song twice helps pass the time.) Rinse hands thoroughly under running water. Dry hands with a clean towel, or allow them to air dry. If running water and soap are not available, you can use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

2. Detox

WHY DETOX?

Our bodies naturally detoxify everyday as part of a normal body process. Detoxification is one of the body’s most basic automatic functions of eliminating and neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph and skin. Cleansing diets  is the best way to assist your body’s natural self-cleaning system. It is especially important for immune-compromised illnesses. However, even if your diet is good, a spring cleanse can revitalize your system and rid your body of harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites. 

First thing to do in the morning drink a big glass of water to help with bowel movement, it's the quickest way to detoxify your body. Eating high fiber and toxic absorbent  food will also help. 

Beet and Carrot Soup

Prep Time / Cook Time
20 minutes / 1 hour

Serves
4 people

Ingredients

1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tbsp of wheat flour
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large beets, stems removed, peeled and chopped
5 cups of warm water
salt & pepper

**Optional garnish ideas: Croutons, Parsley, Greek Yogurt, OR Goat Cheese   

Directions

• In a large pot, whisk together the olive oil and wheat flour over medium high heat until combined. 
• Place the onions, carrots, and beets into the same pot and stir to coat with the oil mixture.  Season well with salt and pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables become fragrant. 
• Add the warm water, turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. 
• Once the water is boiling, cover and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer covered for 1 hour. 
• Remove the cover and remove the pot from the heat.  Let cool for about 10 minutes. 
• Transfer to a blender and blend to a liquid (doing in batches if your blender is not big enough).  Serve warm with one of the option garnishes listed above.  You can also serve this chilled.  It will keep in the refrigerator for about 1 week. 

3. Recuperate (sleep)

Sleeping helps to repair your body and drinking ginger tea. Ginger has a lot of healing properties. Ginger tea with just a dab of honey, will help settle the stomach and power up the immune system.Your body produces extra protein molecules while you're sleeping that helps strengthen your ability to fight infection and stay healthy. These molecules help your immune system mend your body at a cellular level. When you are stressed or have been exposed to compromising elements such as pollutants and infectious bacteria, sleep at least 8 hours to help rebuild your immune system. 

4. Refresh Drink fresh fruit juice or smoothie 

Your head is throbbing … if only there was a quick way to boost up your energy that would make you feel better! Try juicing fresh fruits full of vitamins & minerals and many other strong antioxidants that can help to minimize the side-effects of heavy cold or flu.

Boosting your immune system is a great way to stay healthy, especially during cold/flu season. The stronger your body is, the faster you get back on your feet. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables contain immune-boosting antioxidants. On top of that, you can add probiotics, olive leaf extract, and elderberry extract to keep you in fighting shape all winter long.  This smoothie is so easy, there is no room for excuses. Let’s get our families healthy right now!

IMMUNE BOOSTER SMOOTHIE

2 cups spinach

1/4 cup carrots

1 banana

1/2 cups orange juice

1 cup water or almond milk

1 cups frozen strawberries 

1 cup frozen blueberries 

1 Lime or Lemon

#Add more or use any ingredients that you have to suit your taste 

5. Stop eating meat and dairy products 

Finally, meat and dairy consumption is awful for our health. Why?  Animal proteins are generally considered harmful because they contain too much bad protein, which is then stored in the body as a toxin. The body's attempt to rid itself of the excess protein congests the liver and overworks the kidneys which have to expel the excess nitrogen through urine. Animal proteins contain inorganic acids which are toxic to humans. They contain too much fat and cholesterol. They contain a lot of artificial hormones, steroids, and other chemicals injected or fed to the animal to make them grow faster and bigger. Because plant proteins clearly do not do this and cut cholesterol and support kidneys in diabetics, you should increase your intake of plant protein and avoid animal products especially milk, cheese, and any meat while you're recovering or preventing cold/flu.  

Eating genetically modified corn (GMO corn) has caused cancer.

By Mike Adams, Natural News

Eating genetically modified corn (GMO corn) has caused rats to develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death. That's the conclusion of a shocking new study that looked at the long-term effects of consuming Monsanto's genetically modified corn. The study was published in The Food & Chemical Toxicology Journal and was just presented at a news conference in London.

The study has been deemed "the most thorough research ever published into the health effects of GMO food crops and the herbicide Roundup on rats." News of the horrifying findings is spreading fast, with even the mainstream media in shock over the photos of rats with multiple grotesque tumors; tumors so large the rats even had difficulty breathing in some cases. GMOs may be the new thalidomide.

"Monsanto Roundup weedkiller and GMO maize implicated in 'shocking' new cancer study" wrote The Grocery, a popular UK publication.
It reported, "Scientists found that rats exposed to even the smallest amounts, developed mammary tumors and severe liver and kidney damage as early as four months in males, and seven months for females."

The Daily Mail reported, "Fresh row over GMO foods as French study claims rats fed the controversial crops suffered tumors."

It goes on to say: "The animals on the GMO diet suffered mammary tumors, as well as severe liver and kidney damage. The researchers said 50 percent of males and 70 percent of females died prematurely, compared with only 30 percent and 20 percent in the control group."

The Study

The study, led by Gilles-Eric Seralini of the University of Caen, was the first ever study to examine the long-term (lifetime) effects of eating GMOs.
You may find yourself thinking it is absolutely astonishing that no such studies were ever conducted before GMO corn was approved for widespread use by the USDA and FDA, but such is the power of corporate lobbying and corporate greed.

Findings From The Study

---

Here are some of the shocking findings from the study:

• Up to 50% of males and 70% of females suffered premature death.
• Rats that drank trace amounts of Roundup (at levels legally allowed in the water supply) had a 200% to 300% increase in large tumors.
• Rats fed GMO corn and traces of Roundup suffered severe organ damage including liver damage and kidney damage.
• The study fed these rats NK603, the Monsanto variety of GMO corn that's grown across North America and widely fed to animals and humans. This is the same corn that's in your corn-based breakfast cereal, corn tortillas and corn snack chips.

The UK's Daily Mail is reporting on some of the reaction to the findings

France's Jose Bove, vice-chairman of the European Parliament's commission for agriculture and known as a fierce opponent of GMO, called for an immediate suspension of all EU cultivation and import authorisations of GMO crops. 'This study finally shows we are right and that it is urgent to quickly review all GMO evaluation processes,' he said in a statement. 'National and European food security agencies must carry out new studies financed by public funding to guarantee healthy food for European consumers.'

Our analysis clearly reveals for the 3 GMOs new side effects linked with GMO maize consumption, which were sex- and often dose-dependent. Effects were mostly associated with the kidney and liver, the dietary detoxifying organs, although different between the 3 GMOs. Other effects were also noticed in the heart, adrenal glands, spleen and haematopoietic system.

We conclude that these data highlight signs of hepatorenal toxicity, possibly due to the new pesticides specific to each GMO  corn. In addition, unintended direct or indirect metabolic consequences of the genetic modification cannot be excluded.

Here Are Some Quotes From The Researchers About The Findings

---

"This research shows an extraordinary number of tumors developing earlier and more aggressively - particularly in female animals. I am shocked by the extreme negative health impacts." - Dr Michael Antoniou, molecular biologist, King's College London.

"We can expect that the consumption of GMO maize and the herbicide Roundup, impacts seriously on human health." - Dr Antoniou.

"This is the first time that a long-term animal feeding trial has examined the impact of feeding GMO corn or the herbicide Roundup, or a combination of both and the results are extremely serious. In the male rats, there was liver and kidney disorders, including tumors and even more worryingly, in the female rats, there were mammary tumors at a level which is extremely concerning; up to 80 percent of the female rats had mammary tumors by the end of the trial." - Patrick Holden, Director, Sustainable Food Trust.

The Study Abstract Can Be Read Here

The study is entitled, "A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health." and the abstract can be read here:
http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm

Source Link: http://www.naturalnews.com/037249_GMO_study_cancer_tumors

Kiwi fruit Cancer Fighter

 Kiwifruit Each 100 grams of the kiwifruit contains 150 mg. of vitamin C, topping all kinds of fruits. Through the protection barriers of the interstitial cells, kiwi can eliminate carcinogenic substances. It is believe this effect can help to lengthen the survival period of cancer patients. The mildly sour kiwifruit is especially suitable for certain cancer patients after radiotherapy (i.e., breast cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, etc.)
there're pack a lot of nutrition into a small, fuzzy package. Each one is loaded with nutrients that can help fight off disease, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, boost energy and help keep you healthy ... all in a fruit that's fun and flavorful! Kiwifruit is one of nature's perfect foods: low in calories, high in energy and an excellent source of antioxidants.

Vitamin C: Each serving of kiwifruit has nearly two-and-a-half times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, proven to boost the immune system and fight the effects of stress and aging.

No fat: Kiwifruit is fat-free, an important consideration in today's healthy diets and a rarity among foods containing so many other nutritional benefits.

Fiber: Two kiwifruit contain more fiber than a bowl of bran cereal, the tasty way to maintain heart health, regular digestion and lower cholesterol.

Potassium: A serving of California Kiwifruit has more potassium than a banana, ideal for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance and for releasing energy during exercise.

Antioxidants: Kiwifruit is an excellent source of antioxidants which are important in reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Low glycemic index: With a glycemic index of 52, kiwifruit is a fat-free, low-carb fruit that's safe for diabetics and a smart part of any weight-loss diet.

Magnesium: Two kiwifruit deliver 30 mg of magnesium, which improves nerve and muscle function while boosting your energy level.

Lutein: Kiwifruit contains the phytochemical lutein, which works to prevent age-related blindness and protect eyes from various kinds of damage.

Folate: With nearly 10% of the recommended daily value of folate, kiwifruit is a good way to protect the health of mother and baby during pregnancy while helping prevent birth defects.

Zinc: Men will appreciate kiwifruit's zinc content, which helps produce testosterone, while everyone can enjoy its other benefits like healthy hair, skin, teeth and nails.

Vitamin E: Kiwifruit is one just a handful of fat-free sources of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that helps lower cholesterol and boost immunity.

Eating kiwifruit daily can provide substantial protection against DNA damage.  The DNA repair rate almost doubles by eating Kiwifruit, protecting against the kind of genetic damage that can result in cancer, reports ROWETT RESEARCH INSTITUTE in the United Kingdom. 

Mung beans can clear body heat, toxins and help acne

In China, mung beans are very popular to eat especially in the hot summer months.  Most families in China eat mung beans and use them widely in different recipes, such as mung bean noodles, mung bean cake, mung bean rice, mung bean soup, mung bean desserts and even mung bean wine. They are also commonly sprouted to make bean sprouts.  Mung bean soup is an extremely popular family dish in China during summer.

1. Health Benefits of Mung Beans

A very famous Chinese herbal pharmacist, Li Shi Zhen, stated in his book, Ben Cao Gang Mu, that “mung beans are highly recommended not only as a rich source of nutrients but also as medication” and described that mung beans can help to clear heat and toxins from the body, balance the organs and skin, and tonify Qi.  Mung beans also improve circulation in the twelve meridian channels throughout the body.

i) Clear Heat & Prevent Heat-stroke

Chinese Medicine believes that the external environment has a strong influence on the body.  For example, in a hot summer the body will absorb more heat from its external environment.  If the body cannot release this heat, physical changes may occur, including: body will feel hot, red face, very thirsty, dry skin, constipation, lack of energy, headache, dizziness.

For the hot seasons, Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends foods that are cooling in nature, can balance the body’s Yin & Yang and can release the heat.  These types of foods should be a part of the daily diet during the summer.

Drinking mung bean soup more than once a day is extremely beneficial in reducing the above symptoms.  Upon cooking the mung bean soup it is best kept refrigerated which preserves the dish and also helps to increase its effects.  Drinking two or three cups a day of this soup will help to release the  summer heat as well as preventing the symptoms above.

ii) Clear Skin & Help Acne

Mung beans are sweet in taste and cooling in nature.  One of the very old traditional Chinese books, Kai Bao Ben Cao, mentions that mung beans act more on the Heart channel and clear heat and toxins from the skin, and cool heat in the blood.  Therefore, mung beans can help acne and other skin symptoms, such as the common skin rash, cold sores, mouth ulcers, pimples and boils.  To help these conditions, mung bean soup should be thick in consistency and at room temperature – see the recipe below.

iii) Clear Toxins from the Blood & Body

Modern science now also considers that mung beans can help clear toxins from the body, including environmental toxins and chemicals.

2. Recipes

i) Mung Bean Soup – for skin conditions

2 handfuls of mung beans
4 cups of water

Boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat & cover saucepan with lid.  Allow to soak in boiled water for 30 minutes then strain.

Drink the thick liquid soup.

This process can be repeated once again using the same batch of mung beans.

Effects of this dish: Clear skin heat; reduce acne & other skin complaints as mentioned above.

Drink one cup of this soup twice a day in conjunction with regular treatment.  Have 2 days break from the soup every 5 days.

ii) Mung Bean Soup – for summer (hot weather conditions)

Boil 2 handfuls of mung beans
7 cups of water

Boil for 15 minutes on low heat.  Set the soup aside to cool (it can even be refrigerated).  Drink this thin soup as required.  The beans can also be eaten if soft enough.

Effects of this dish: Clear body heat, prevent heat attack from the hot season.

3. Precautions

i) Avoid eating mung beans if you have diarrhoea or cold hands and feet.

ii) If you are unsure whether or not mung beans are suitable for you, consult your Medicine practitioner.

Published on Jul 9, 2009 by Ping Ming Health Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine, Perth Western Australia

Breakthrough! Prevent muscle loss, obesity and diabetes

NTU study finds ways to prevent muscle loss, obesity and diabetes

		IMAGE: This shows Associate Professor Ravi Kambadur from Nanyang Technological University who discovered the myostatin link in muscle loss during extreme situations like starvation or chronic disease. Click here for more information.

A research study from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has yielded important breakthroughs on how the body loses muscle, paving the way for new treatments for aging, obesity and diabetes.

The study found that by inhibiting a particular molecule produced naturally in the body, muscle loss due to aging or illnesses can be prevented. Blocking the same molecule will also trigger the body to go into a 'fat-burning mode' which will fight obesity and also treat the common form of diabetes.

The exciting discoveries have led NTU scientists to embark on joint clinical research with local hospitals to further validate their findings which were previously carried out on animals.

Their research on how humans lose muscle during extreme conditions such as chronic diseases or starvation was published last month in Cell Metabolism, a prestigious journal known for publishing biological breakthroughs.

Associate Professor Ravi Kambadur and his team from the NTU School of Biological Sciences found that a protein called Myostatin, which controls muscle cell growth, is responsible for initiating muscle loss.

When excess levels of Myostatin is bound to a muscle cell, it induces heavy loss of mitochondria (the part of the cell responsible for energy production that keeps a cell alive), which in turn causes the muscle cell to waste or lose muscle tissue (atrophy) due to the 'lack of energy'.

		IMAGE: This is Nanyang Technological University Associate Professor Ravi Kambadur who discovered the myostatin link in muscle loss during extreme situations like starvation and chronic diseases Click here for more information.

Under normal healthy conditions, small loss of Mitochondria is needed for the regeneration of new cells, but when a patient is suffering from chronic diseases or is bedridden (and muscles are not used often), this process is disrupted due to high levels of myostatin which results in increased mitochondrial loss and muscle atrophy.

Prof Kambadur said recent studies have shown that extreme muscle wasting can lead to death.

"For example, about 30 per cent of cancer patients die not because of cancer, but because of muscle loss also known as cachexia," said Prof Kambadur.

"When someone is suffering from a chronic disease and doesn't eat enough, the body starts to generate energy by breaking down muscle proteins and that is the reason we see a lot of muscle wasting under chronic disease conditions."

"Over the years, our research has revealed that this type of muscle wasting is initiated by excess levels of myostatin in the body. If we block myostatin from binding to cells, then muscles won't waste away and we can then mitigate the effects of aging and chronic diseases."

Apart from regulating the growth and loss of muscle, myostatin also regulates whether the body will burn fat or carbohydrates during fasting and meal times.

Blocking myostatin keeps the body in "fat-burning mode" and promotes muscle growth at the same time - which could potentially make obesity a thing of the past.

Because obesity is one of the main causes of the most common form of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, blocking myostatin could also treat diabetes. In the US, 90 to 95 per cent of diabetes cases are Type 2, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to Singapore's Health Promotion Board, diabetes is among the top ten causes of death locally. In 2010, it was reported by Ministry of Health that 11.3 per cent of the Singaporean adults aged 18 to 69 years are affected by diabetes while 10.8 percent were obese.

"In near future, myostatin blockers could increase fat utilisation in the body and give you the benefits of exercise, without actually doing intense physical activity," Prof Kambadur explained.

"This would be a good alternative treatment for people who are unable to exercise, such as those who are bed-ridden or are in cancer treatment, who are most at risk of massive muscle loss."

Prof Kambadur added that while blocking myostatin sounds like a good idea, there is a need to study the long term effects, as the molecule is needed to regulate cell growth for normal body operation.

Other studies on myostatin conducted by Prof Kambadur's group have also yielded interesting results.

For instance, people who exercise regularly have been found to have lower levels of myostatin as compared to those who do not. Studies have also found that older people have more myostatin and this can explain why when one ages, muscles become weaker.

Prof Kambadur's research projects on myostatin are funded by Ministry of Education, Biomedical Research Council and the National Research Foundation's (NRF) Competitive Research Programme (CRP). The research on myostatin is conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor Mridula Sharma from the National University of Singapore. The husband-and-wife team have collaborated on various research projects in the area of skeletal muscle for many years.

###

Media contact:

Lester Kok
Assistant Manager
Corporate Communications Office
Nanyang Technological University
Tel: 6790 6804
Email: lesterkok@ntu.edu.sg

About Nanyang Technological University

A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has 33,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Science, and Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences. In 2013, NTU will enrol the first batch of students at its new medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, which is set up jointly with Imperial College London.

NTU is also home to four world-class autonomous institutes – the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering – and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI).

A fast-growing university with an international outlook, NTU is putting its global stamp on Five Peaks of Excellence: Sustainable Earth, Future Healthcare, New Media, New Silk Road, and Innovation Asia.

Besides the main Yunnan Garden campus, NTU also has a satellite campus in Singapore's science and tech hub, one-north and is setting up a third campus in Novena, Singapore's medical district. For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg

Why am I here?

The most basic question everyone faces in life is Why am I here? What is my purpose? Self-help books suggest that people should look within, at their own desires and dreams, but Rick Warren says the starting place must be with God and his eternal purposes for each life. Real meaning and significance comes from understanding and fulfilling God's purposes for putting us on earth.

The Purpose-Driven Life

 takes the groundbreaking message of the award-winning Purpose-Driven Church and goes deeper, applying it to the lifestyle of individual Christians. This book helps readers understand God's incredible plan for their lives. Warren enables them to see the big picture of what life is all about and begin to live the life God created them to live.

The Purpose-Driven Life is a manifesto for Christian living in the 21st century...a lifestyle based on eternal purposes, not cultural values. Using biblical stories and letting the Bible speak for itself, Warren clearly explains God's five purposes for each of us:

• We were planned for God's pleasure
  • so your first purpose is to offer real worship.
• We were formed for God's family
  • so your second purpose is to enjoy real fellowship.
• We were created to become like Christ,
  • so your third purpose is to learn real discipleship.
• We were shaped for serving God
  • so your fourth purpose is to practice real ministry.
• We were made for a mission
  • so your fifth purpose is to live out real evangelism.

This 10th anniversary edition, with emphasis on the question What on Earth Am I Here For? is the life-message of Rick Warren, founding pastor of Saddleback Church. Written in a captivating devotional style, the book is divided into 42 short chapters (six weeks) that can be read as a daily devotional, studied by small groups, and used by churches participating in the nationwide 40 Days of Purpose campaigns.

Living a better life

Take Milk! out of your diet.

The risk of milk and dairy products. There are not necessary in the diet and can, in fact, be harmful to health. It is best to consume a healthful diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fortified foods including cereals and juices. These nutrient-dense foods can help you meet your calcium, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin D requirements with ease and without health risks.

Health Concerns about Dairy Products

Many people still consume substantial amounts of dairy products and government policies still promote them despite scientific evidence that questions their health benefits and indicates their potential health risks.

Osteoporosis

Milk’s main selling point is calcium, and milk-drinking is touted for building strong bones in children and preventing osteoporosis in older persons. However, clinical research shows that dairy products have little or no benefit for bones. A 2005 review published in Pediatrics showed that milk consumption does not improve bone integrity in children.¹ Similarly, the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study,² which followed more than 72,000 women for 18 years, showed no protective effect of increased milk consumption on fracture risk.

A study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, which followed adolescent girls’ diets, physical activity, and stress fractures for seven years, found that girls consuming the most dairy products and calcium had no added bone protection. In fact, among the most physically active girls, those who got the most calcium in their diets (mostly from dairy products) had more than double the risk of stress fractures.³ While calcium is important for bone health, studies show that increasing consumption beyond approximately 600 milligrams per day—amounts that are easily achieved without dairy products or calcium supplements—does not improve bone integrity.²

In studies of children and adults, exercise has been found to have a major effect on bone density.^4-6

You can decrease your risk of osteoporosis by reducing sodium,⁷increasing intake of fruits and vegetables,^7,8 exercising,^5,9 and ensuring adequate calcium intake from plant foods such as kale, broccoli, and other leafy green vegetables and beans. You can also use calcium-fortified products such as breakfast cereals and beverages.

Fat Content and Cardiovascular Disease

Dairy products—including cheese, ice cream, milk, butter, and yogurt—contribute significant amounts of cholesterol and are the number one source of saturated fat in the diet.¹⁰ Diets high in fat and saturated fat can increase the risk of heart disease, among other serious health problems. In two studies, hypertension—a known risk factor for heart disease—was significantly decreased among patients who practiced strict avoidance of animal products.^11,12 A low-fat vegetarian diet that eliminates dairy products, in combination with exercise, smoking cessation, and stress management, can not only prevent heart disease, but may also reverse it.^13,14 Nonfat dairy products are available; however, they pose other health risks as noted below.

Cancer

Prostate and breast cancers have been linked to consumption of dairy products, presumably related to increases in a compound called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I).¹⁵ IGF-I is found in cow’s milk and has been shown to occur in increased levels in the blood of individuals consuming dairy products on a regular basis.^16,17 Other nutrients that increase IGF-I are also found in cow’s milk.

Case-control studies in diverse populations have shown a strong and consistent association between serum IGF-I concentrations and prostate cancer risk.¹⁸ One study showed that men who had the highest levels of IGF-I had an almost two-fold increased risk of prostate cancer, compared with those who had the lowest levels.¹⁹ Other findings show that prostate cancer risk was elevated with increased consumption of low-fat milk, suggesting that too much dairy calcium could be a potential threat to prostate health.¹⁸

Dairy products account for approximately 65 percent of estrogens consumed. Estrogens (and their metabolites) are a risk factor for breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers due, in part, to their ability to influence cell proliferation.²⁰ A study suggesting that milk consumption may contribute to breast cancer risk reported that 15 different estrogen metabolites were found in various milk products. (There were no appreciable amounts of estrogen metabolites found in soymilk.)²⁰ Cutting fatty foods is priority No. 1 when you endeavor to lower your risk for breast cancer, and, as noted above, dairy products are the No. 1 source of saturated fat in the diet.

Ovarian cancer may also be related to the consumption of dairy products. The milk sugar lactose is broken down in the body into another sugar, galactose. Research suggests that the dairy sugar galactose might be toxic to ovarian cells.²¹ In a study conducted in Sweden, consumption of lactose and dairy products was positively linked to ovarian cancer.²²Additionally, a study conducted in Denmark—where the incidence of ovarian cancer is one of the highest in the world—found that women who consumed more than two servings of milk per day had nearly two times the risk of developing ovarian cancer than women who drank less than half a serving per day.²³

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is common among many populations, affecting approximately 95 percent of Asian Americans, 80 to 100 percent of Native Americans, 60 to 80 percent of African Americans, 50 to 80 percent of Hispanics,²⁴ and 15 percent of Caucasians.²⁵ Symptoms, which include gastrointestinal distress, diarrhea, and flatulence, occur because these individuals do not have the enzyme lactase that digests the milk sugar lactose. For those who can digest lactose, its breakdown products are two simple sugars: glucose and galactose. Nursing children have active enzymes that break down galactose. As we age, many of us lose much of this capacity.²⁶ Additionally, along with unwanted symptoms, milk-drinkers also put themselves at risk for development of other chronic diseases and ailments.

Vitamin D

Individuals often drink milk in order to obtain vitamin D in their diet, unaware that they can receive vitamin D through other sources. The natural source of vitamin D is sunlight. Five to 15 minutes of sun exposure to the arms and legs or the hands, face, and arms can be enough to meet the body’s requirements for vitamin D, depending on the individual’s skin tone.²⁷ Darker skin requires longer exposure to the sun in order to obtain adequate levels of vitamin D. Fortified cereals, grains, bread, orange juice, and plant milks are healthful foods that provide vitamin D. All common multiple vitamins also provide vitamin D.

Milk Proteins and Diabetes

Insulin-dependent (type 1 or childhood-onset) diabetes is linked to consumption of dairy products.³⁰ A 2001 Finnish study of 3,000 infants with genetically increased risk for developing diabetes showed that early introduction of cow’s milk increased susceptibility to type 1 diabetes.³¹

Contaminants

Milk contains contaminants that range from pesticides to drugs. Milk naturally contains hormones and growth factors produced within a cow’s body. In addition, synthetic hormones such as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) are commonly used in dairy cows to increase the production of milk.²⁸ Because treated cows are producing quantities of milk nature never intended, the end result can be mastitis, or inflammation of the mammary glands. Treatment of this condition requires the use of antibiotics, and antibiotic traces have occasionally been found in samples of milk and other dairy products. Pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins are other examples of contaminants found in milk. These toxins do not readily leave the body and can eventually build to harmful levels that may affect the immune and reproductive systems. The central nervous system can also be affected. Moreover, PCBs and dioxins have also been linked to cancer.²⁹

Health Concerns of Infants and Children

Milk proteins, milk sugar, fat, and saturated fat in dairy products pose health risks for children and encourage the development of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants below 1 year of age not be given whole cow’s milk,³² as iron deficiency is more likely on a dairy-rich diet. Cow’s milk products are very low in iron.³³ If dairy products become a major part of one’s diet, iron deficiency is more likely. Colic is an additional concern with milk consumption. Up to 28 percent of infants suffer from colic during the first month of life.³⁴Pediatricians learned long ago that cow’s milk was often the reason. We now know that breastfeeding mothers can have colicky babies if the mothers consume cow’s milk. The cow’s antibodies can pass through the mother’s bloodstream, into her breast milk, and to the baby.^35,36Additionally, food allergies appear to be common results of cow’s milk consumption, particularly in children.^37,38 Cow’s milk consumption has also been linked to chronic constipation in children. Researchers suggested that milk consumption resulted in perianal sores and severe pain on defecation, leading to constipation.³⁹

Obesity and Calories

Obesity is a risk factor for a number of chronic diseases. Replacing high-calorie dairy products with low-calorie plant foods can assist in keeping within established calorie ranges and maintaining a healthy weight.

Ounce for ounce, colas and skim milk have about the same number of calories. Whole milk has about 50 percent more calories, and 2 percent milk has approximately one-third more calories than cola. Reduced-fat milk is the seventh leading source of calories among Americans ages 2 to 18 years old, and whole milk is 12th, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.⁵¹

Milk and dairy products are not necessary in the diet and can, in fact, be harmful to health. It is best to consume a healthful diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fortified foods including cereals and juices. These nutrient-dense foods can help you meet your calcium, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin D requirements with ease—and without health risks.

Pain

It may be possible for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and migraine sufferers to alleviate pain by eliminating dairy products (and/or other offending foods) from the diet. One of the most common dietary triggers of migraines and arthritis pain is dairy products, and even minor exposures to triggers can cause an attack.

In adults, anywhere between 20 and 50 percent have a reduction or elimination of their migraine headaches when common trigger foods, such as dairy products, are avoided.^40,41

According to several studies, vegan diets appear to benefit about half of arthritis patients, including some who did not identify a specific diet trigger.^42-46 A study evaluating the influence of a four-week, low-fat vegan diet on RA patients showed significant changes in symptomology, such as improvement in ability to function, a decrease in both joint tenderness and joint swelling scores, improved severity of morning stiffness, and a decrease in pain.⁴⁷

Acne

Studies linking milk consumption and adolescent acne suggest that the association is caused by hormones and bioactive molecules present in cow’s milk.^48-50

In a retrospective study of 47,355 women, intake of milk during adolescence was associated with a history of teenage acne, and the association was strongest with skim milk.⁴⁸ Years later the same research group conducted a prospective study on 6,094 adolescent girls and found that a greater consumption of milk was associated with a higher prevalence of acne, and no association was found with milk fat.⁴⁹Similarly, the researchers’ investigation on milk consumption and teenage boys yielded a positive association between skim milk and acne.⁵⁰

References

1. Lanou AJ, Berkow SE, Barnard ND. Calcium, dairy products, and bone health in children and young adults: a reevaluation of the evidence. Pediatrics. 2005;115:736-743.

2. Feskanich D, Willett WC, Colditz GA. Calcium, vitamin D, milk consumption, and hip fractures: a prospective study among postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77:504-511.

3. Sonneville KR, Gordon CM, Kocher MS, Pierce LM, Ramappa A, Field AE. Vitamin D, Calcium, and Dairy Intakes and Stress Fractures Among Female Adolescents.Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. Published ahead of print March 5, 2012.

4. Lunt M, Masaryk P, Scheidt-Nave C, et al. The Effects of Lifestyle, Dietary Dairy Intake and Diabetes on Bone Density and Vertebral Deformity Prevalence: The EVOS Study. Osteoporos Int. 2001;12:688-698.

5. Prince R, Devine A, Dick I, et al. The effects of calcium supplementation (milk powder or tablets) and exercise on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. J Bone Miner Res. 1995;10:1068-1075.

6. Lloyd T, Beck TJ, Lin HM, et al. Modifiable determinants of bone status in young women. Bone. 2002;30:416-421.

7. Lin P, Ginty F, Appel L, et al. The DASH diet and sodium reduction improve markers of bone turnover and calcium metabolism in adults. J Nutr. 2001;133:3130–3136.

8. Tucker KL, Hannan MR, Chen H, Cupples LA, Wilson PWF, Kiel DP. Potassium, magnesium, and fruit and vegetable intakes are associated with greater bone mineral density in elderly men and women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69:727-736.

9. Going S, Lohman T, Houtkooper L, et al. Effects of exercise on bone mineral density in calcium-replete postmenopausal women with and without hormone replacement therapy. Osteoporos Int. 2003;14(8):637-643.

10. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010. Available at: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm. Accessed January 31, 2011.

11. Lindahl O, Lindwall L, Spangberg A, et al. A vegan regimen with reduced medication in the treatment of hypertension. Br J Nutr. 1984;52:11-20.

12. Ernst E, Pietsch L, Matrai A, Eisenberg J. Blood rheology in vegetarians. Br J Nutr. 1986;56:555-560.

13. Szeto YT, Kwok TC, Benzie IF. Effects of a long-term vegetarian diet on biomarkers of antioxidants status and cardiovascular disease risk. Nutrition. 2004;20:863-866.

14. Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW, et al. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? Lancet. 1990;336:129-133.

15. Voskuil DW, Vrieling A, van’t Veer LJ, Kampman E, Rookus MA. The insulin-like growth factor system in cancer prevention: potential of dietary intervention strategies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005;14:195-203.

16. Young NJ, Metcalfe C, Gunnell D, et al. A cross-sectional analysis of the association between diet and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF-II, IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-2, and IGFBP-3 in men in the United Kingdom. Cancer Causes Control. 2012;6:907-917.

17. Gonzalez CA, Riboli E. Diet and cancer prevention: Contributions from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Eur J Cancer. 2010;46:2555-2562.

18. Leitzmann MF, Rohrmann S. Risk factors for the onset of prostatic cancer: age, location, and behavioral correlates. Clin Epidemiol. 2012;4:1-11.

19. Price AJ, Allen NE, Appleby PN, et al. Insulin-like growth factor-I concentration and risk of prostate cancer: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012. Published ahead of print July 3, 2012.

20. Farlow DW, Xu X, Veenstra TD. Quantitative measurement of endogenous estrogen metabolites, risk-factors for development of breast cancer, in commercial milk products by LC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2009;877:1327-1334.

21.Cramer DW, Greenberg ER, Titus-Ernstoff L, et al. A case-control study of galactose consumption and metabolism in relation to ovarian cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000;9:95-101.

22. Larsson SC, Bergkvist L, Wolk A. Milk and lactose intakes and ovarian cancer risk in the Swedish Mammography Cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80:1353-1357.

23. Faber MT, Jensen A, Søgaard M, et al. Use of dairy products, lactose, and calcium and risk of ovarian cancer - results from a Danish case-control study. Acta Oncol. 2012;51:454-464.

24. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. Lactose Intolerance: Information for Health Care Providers. Available at: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/NICHD_MM_Lactose_FS.pdf. Accessed July 24, 2012.

25. Bertron P, Barnard ND, Mills M. Racial bias in federal nutrition policy, part I: the public health implications of variations in lactase persistence. J Natl Med Assoc. 1999;91:151-157.

26. Swallow DM. Genetics of lactase persistence and lactose intolerance. Annu Rev Genet. 2003;37:197-219.

27. Holick M. The vitamin D epidemic and its health consequences. J Nutr. 2005;135:2739S-2748S.

28. Outwater JL, Nicholson A, Barnard N. Dairy products and breast cancer: the IGF-1, estrogen, and bGH hypothesis. Med Hypothesis. 1997;48:453-461.

29. Baars AJ, Bakker MI, Baumann RA, et al. Dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs in foodstuffs: occurrence and dietary intake in the Netherlands.Toxicol Lett. 2004;151:51-61.

30. Saukkonen T, Virtanen SM, Karppinen M, et al. Significance of cow’s milk protein antibodies as risk factor for childhood IDDM: interaction with dietary cow’s milk intake and HLA-DQB1 genotype. Childhood Diabetes in Finland Study Group.Dibetologia. 1998;41:72-78.

31. Kimpimaki T, Erkkola M, Korhonen S, et al. Short-term exclusive breastfeeding predisposes young children with increased genetic risk of Type I diabetes to progressive beta-cell autoimmunity. Diabetologia. 2001;44:63–69.

32. Gartner LM, Morton J, Lawrence RA, et al; American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics. 2005;115:496-506.

33. Pennington JAT, Douglass JS. Bowes and Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used. 18th ed. Baltimore, Md: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005.

34. Lucassen PL, Assendelft WJ, van Eijk JT, Gubbels JW, Douwes AC, van Geldrop WJ. Systematic review of the occurrence of infantile colic in the community. Arch Dis Child. 2001;84:398–403.

35. Jarvinen KM, Makinen-Kiljunen S, Suomalainen H. Cow’s milk challenge through human milk evoked immune responses in infants with cow’s milk allergy. J Pediatr. 1999;135:506-512.

36. Paronen J, Bjorksten B, Hattevig G, Akerblom HK, Vaarala O. Effect of maternal diet during lactation on development of bovine insulin-binding antibodies in children at risk for allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000;106:302-306.

37. Sampson HA. Food allergy. Part 1: immunopathogenesis and clinical disorders.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004;113:805–819.

38. Host A. Frequency of cow’s milk allergy in childhood. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2002;89(Suppl 1):33-37.

39. Iacono G, Cavataio F, Montalto G, et al. Intolerance of cow’s milk and chronic constipation in children. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1100-1104.

40. Egger J, Carter CM, Wilson J, Turner MW. Is migraine food allergy? A double-blind controlled trial of oligoantigenic diet treatment. Lancet. 1983;2:865-869.

41. Mansfield LE, Vaughan TR, Waller SF, Haverly RW, Ting S. Food allergy and adult migraine; double-blind and mediator confirmation of an allergic etiology. Ann Allergy. 1985;55:126-129.

42. Kjeldsen-Kragh J, Haugen M, Borchgrevink CF, et al. Controlled trial of fasting and one-year vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet. 1991; 338:899-902.

43. Hicklin JA, McEwen LM, Morgan JE. The effect of diet in rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Allergy. 1980;10:463.

44. Panush RS, Carter RL, Katz P, et al. Diet therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Arth Rheum. 1983;26:462-471.

45. Skoldstam L. Fasting and vegan diet in rheumatoid arthritis. Scand J Rheumatol. 1986;15:219-223.

46. Kjeldsen-Kragh J, Haugen M, Borchgrevink CF, Forre O. Vegetarian diet for patients with rheumatoid arthritis—status: two years after introduction of the diet.Clin Rheum. 1994;13:475-482.

47. McDougall J, Bruce B, Spiller G, et al. Effects of a very low-fat, vegan diet in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis. J Altern Complement Med. 2002;8:71-75.

48. Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, Danby FW, et al. High school dietary dairy intake and teenage acne. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005;52:207-214.

49. Adebamowo, CA, D Spiegelman, CS Berkey, et al. Milk consumption and acne in adolescent girls. Dermotol Online J. 2006;12:1.

50. Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, Berkey CS, et al. Milk consumption and acne in teenaged boys. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008;58:787-793.

51. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2010. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl.