Should ADULTS be drinking MILK?

 

 

Since time immemorial, cow’s milk has been included in human’s diet for its numerous nutrients.  Even Cleopatra took milk baths to help her skin stayed soft, supple and glowing as lactic acid found in it acts as an exfoliant and moisturiser, and antioxidants prevent damage from environmental toxins.

Many medical doctors and nutritionists are now saying that cow’s milk is not fit for human consumption, and that it can lead to a host of health problems such as anemia (low in iron), allergies, diarrhea, heart disease, colic, cramps, gastrointestinal bleeding, sinusitis, skin rashes, acne, increased frequency of colds and flus, arthritis, diabetes, ear infections, osteoporosis, asthma, autoimmune diseases, cancer and multiple sclerosis.

Health problems and benefits –

(1)  Many people, particularly those of Asian and African ancestry, are unable to digest the milk sugar as milk is never their traditional food source. The result is diarrhoea and gas.

++ Caucasians have been exposed to milk for thousand of years and have genetically adapted to it by producing more lactase. Those of Asian and African ancestry only started taking milk in recent times. Those who are lactose-intolerance can substitute for yogurt which is brimming with gut-healthy bacteria.  Also probiotics containing beneficial bacteria, Streptococcus thermophilus which produces large quantities of the enzyme lactase.

(2)  Most dairy products other than skim and non-fat products contain low essential fatty acids and significant amounts of saturated fat leading to cardiovascular diseases and certain forms of cancer.

++ Recent studies by British scientists showed otherwise, that drinking 2-3 glasses of milk a day lowers the likelihood of both heart attack and stroke as their LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides registered decline.  It is found that whether drinking skim or whole milk makes no difference in reducing cardiovascular disease.  This is because 80% of protein in milk is whey and balance 20% casein.  Whey is quickly broken down into amino acids and absorbed into the bloodstream.  Casein is much slower and stays longer.  Hence, only when drinking large amount of whole milk can one see a slight increase in LDL cholesterol.

Specifically, in a Harvard study of health professionals, men who drank 2 or more glasses of milk a day were almost twice as likely to develop advance prostate cancer as those who did not drink milk at all.  Some claims made on high levels of calcium that have a direct triggering action on prostate cancer as well.  All these are far from conclusive.

(3)  Milk contains frequent contaminants, from pesticides to drugs. About one-third of milk products have been shown to be contaminated with antibiotic traces with vitamin D content poorly regulated.

There seems no other way out at the moment.  Most commercially reared animals are fed antibiotics to prevent them from illness.

(4)  Cows are given hormones and thus not safe to consume.

Cow’s milk, like breast milk, contains chemicals designed to play an important rote in the development of young calves.  One of these, insulin growth factor IGF-1, causes cells to divide and reproduce.

In humans, IGF-1 is biologically active, especially experiencing rapid growth during puberty. In young girls it stimulates breast tissue to grow and reaches the peck during pregnancy with the activation of two other hormones prolactin and oestrogen resulting in enlargement of breast tissue and increase in the production of milk ducts to prepare for breast-feeding.

Way back in 1993, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone in cattle to increase milk production at less cost to the dairy farmers. This hormone is known to boost milk’s concentration of IGF-1.

Over time, is believed that large intake of milk may cause such inappropriate cell division leading to increased risk factor for breast and prostate cancer.  Note this hormone – oestrogen, considered one of the main risk factors for breast cancer, is also present in milk in minute quantities.

Critics played down the damaging effects and claimed that the hormone is injected and not administered orally, enabling the active form of these chemicals to be digested, rendered harmless and not transferred into the human body.

(5)  In countries where dairy products are not generally consumed, there is actually less osteoporosis than in the United States. Studies have shown little effect of dairy products on osteoporosis.  For those who drank three glasses of milk per day had more fractures than those who rarely drank milk.

Most revealing is the traditional Chinese diet where there is no dairy products and calcium is delivered through vegetables and soya.  Whilst the Chinese consumed only half the calcium that the Americans do, osteoporosis is uncommon in traditional China then, despite the average life expectancy of 70.

Conversely, in western societies that consume the most dairy products have the highest incident of osteoporosis. A possible reason is most of their diets are rich in protein, especially animal proteins which encourage calcium loss.  To counteract this problem, take from plant source such as beans, kale, broccoli and other green leafy vegetables which contain calcium that is readily absorbed by the body. Research confirmed that calcium absorbability was actually higher for kale than for milk.  Also consider fortified orange juice with its large amounts of calcium in a palatable form.

(6)  Diabetic patients should not take milk?

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States said milk can combat type 2 diabetes. In the study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, more than 3,700 participants were followed for 20 years by researchers. They took measurements including blood glucose, insulin and levels of fatty acids.

The findings showed consuming low fat dairy products can help to reduce insulin resistance than those who were avoiding dairy. The sugar present in milk products are lactose or milk sugar, and is converted to blood sugar relatively slowly – thus reduces insulin resistance.

Dairy milk, cheese, yoghurt and butter contain high levels of trans-palmitoleic acid associated with healthier levels of blood cholesterol and insulin.  This fatty acid is also naturally produced in the body.  Experiments showed those with the highest levels of trans-palmitoleic acid had about a 60% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

(7)  Milk helps to put on weight?

On the contrary, studies showed that drinking milk helps people lose weight.  Not only can the calcium in milk increases the rate at which our body burns fat, its other active compounds (eg. milk proteins) provide an additional fat-burning effect.  If you are dieting, taking skim milk as snack or appetite suppressor to reduce calorie intake.  As for those engaged in weightlifting, drinking whole milk after a rigorous session can boost muscle growth.

 

Our comments

 

Like other dairy produce such as butter and eggs, milk raises its doubts of being the perfect food we should take constantly. They have all come a long way to provide billions of people nutritional food values crucial for normal body development.  

 

Instead, we should examine the food cycle and suspect all genetically modified and commercially prepared foods that have gone wrong. Taking everything moderately may be the wiser choice.  If you are still troubled by the growth hormones used in milk, opt for the organic route or substitutes like soy milk and almond milk.


Hot tips
After eating tear-shedding food you would probably reach out to a glass of water which can worsen the condition. Milk seems to cool the system faster.

Should INFANTS take cow’s MILK?

  

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants under one year of age not receive whole cow’s milk.  Why?

Some scientific evidence raises concerns about health risks from cow’s milk products, relating to the proteins, sugar, fat and contaminants in dairy products, and the inadequacy of whole cow’s milk for infant nutrition, especially iron, essential fatty acids and vitamin E.

The iron content is extremely low, containing only about one-tenth of a milligram (mg) per eight-ounce serving. To get the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of 15 mg of iron, an infant would have to drink more than 31 quarts of milk per day.  This problem is compounded in many infants in the form of gastrointestinal bleeding caused by increased mucus and diarrhoea associated with dairy consumption due to a reaction with milk protein (pasteurisation does not help), further depleting the limited iron stores.  The damage varies with the sensitivity level of individuals.

“It is estimated that half the iron-deficiency in infants in the United States is primarily the result of this form of cow milk induced gastrointestinal bleeding.”

The mucus produced by dairy products also causes accumulation in the lungs, sinuses and intestines contributing to many respiratory problems and mal-absorption of nutrients as the excess mucus hardens to form a coating on the inner wall of the intestines.  Other occurring problems can be chronic fatigue and constipation.

Most infants fed on cow’s milk may develop colic and ear infections.  This is derived either by direct consumption or breastfed by a mother who has been consuming dairy products.

A pathologist reviewed the heart vessels of over 1,500 killed by accident children and adolescents who had been fed cow milk or cow milk based formulas previously showed many of them having signs of diseased arteries in the heart.  This leads to a conclusion that the differences between human milk and cow milk were responsible for the early changes in the coronary arteries.

Milk causes obesity?

Recent study done showed babies given antibiotics directly or indirectly before the age of 6 months could cause obesity.  What happens is that microbes in our intestines may play critical roles in how calories and nutrients are absorbed, and exposure to antibiotics prematurely, may kill healthy bacteria that would otherwise keep us lean.  Farmers know very well that antibiotics are great at producing heavier cows and more milk for the market.

 

Milk causes Diabetes 1?

Several reports link insulin-dependent diabetes to a specific protein in dairy products. Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood and is a leading cause of blindness and contributes to heart disease and kidney damage.

Many studies have shown that cow’s milk proteins known as bovine serum albumin, stimulate the production of the antibodies which destroy the insulin-producing pancreatic cells gradually. When the infection becomes more pronounced with 80 – 90% of the insulin-producing beta cells destroyed, diabetes starts.

A study done confirmed the presence of such antibodies in all the 142 diabetic children at the point the disease was diagnosed. Non-diabetic children may have such antibodies, but only at much lower levels.

Evidence suggests that the combination of a genetic predisposition and cow’s milk exposure is the major cause of the childhood form of diabetes.

What can be done -

1.  We are back to the basics – human breast milk over cow’s milk

A Dr. Oski cited a “study of over 20000 infants conducted in Chicago dated back to 1930s and obtained the statistics:

+  The overall death rate for the babies raised on human milk was 1.5 deaths per 1,000 infants whilst the death rate in the babies fed cow milk was 84.7 per 1,000 during the first nine months of life;
+  The death rate from gastrointestinal infections was 40 times higher in the non-breastfed infants;
+  The death rate from respiratory infections was 120 times higher.
An earlier analysis involving infants in eight American cities showed similar results. Infants fed on cow milk had 20 times greater chance of dying during the first 6 months of life.”

2.  Milk for infants above a year?

 Those who argued that milk should be taken by infants played up the importance of milk being an excellent source of nutrients, especially when parents are unable to get them to eat balanced diets. It is also believed that when milk is taken before the age of 9-10, it reduces the likelihood of developing lactose intolerance.

The health concern on milk consumption remains in the milk protein not easily broken down and can disturb the body by weakening the immune system and causes allergies etc. An enzyme known as lactase is required to digest lactose but most infants have lost the lactase activity in their small intestine over time. This problem can be resolved by substituting for yogurt or using more probiotics. Parents and doctors noticed that some autistic children greatly benefit from removing dairy products from their diet.

3.  Best solution

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be breastfed or use iron-fortified formula during the first one year.  From 4 – 6 months, certain solid foods and juices can be introduced.  There should not be total avoidance of milk as protein and calcium are still essential for their rapid growth.  In this way, a more balanced nutrition is achieved with lesser side effects if milk is really considered unfit for infant consumption.