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Dairy: 6 Reasons You Should Avoid
It At All Costs or Why Following The
USDA Food Pyramid Guidelines Is
Bad For Your Health
By: Mark Hyman, M.D., May 2006
Got milk?
These days, it seems like almost everybody does.
Celebrities, athletes, and even former president
Clinton's head of Health and Human Services,
Donna Shalala, are all proud to wear the white "milk mustache."
After all, everyone knows that you need milk to be healthy ...Dairy is nature's
perfect food -- but only if you're a calf.
If that sounds shocking to you, it's because very few people are willing to tell
the truth about dairy. In fact, criticizing milk in America is like taking on
motherhood, apple pie, or baseball. But that's just what I'm about to do.
Based on the research and my experience practicing medicine, I typically
advise most of my patients to avoid dairy products completely. I like ice cream
just as much as the next person, but as a scientist I have to look honestly at
what we know.
In today's blog I will explore many of the documented ill effects of dairy, and
give you six reasons you should avoid dairy at all costs.
The Reason I Have Problems with the USDA Food Pyramid
I'm aware that my advice to avoid dairy flies in the face of the new, "up-to-date"
food pyramid from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The
USDA's pyramid recommends drinking 3 glasses of milk a day.
What's wrong with that? Well, for one thing, it's not a recommendation that's
based on strict science.
Some of the "experts" who helped create the pyramid actually work for the
dairy industry, which makes the US Department of agriculture's
recommendations reflect industry interests, not science or our best interests.
In fact, Walter Willet, M.D., Ph.D -- the second-most-cited scientist in all of
clinical medicine and the head of nutrition at Harvard's School of Public Health
-- is one of the pyramid's most vocal critics.
He's even called its guidelines "udderly ridiculous." That's not something a
Harvard scientist says lightly.
But Dr. Willett is right. The pyramid just isn't based on key scientific findings
about health. In a moment we will take a look at some of the pyramid's
recommendations and why I disagree with them.
But before I dissect why the current food pyramid is harmful to your health, I
want to offer a bit of hope. I recently attended a medical conference put on by
Harvard Medical School and the Culinary Institute of America called Healthy
Kitchens, Healthy Lives and met Eric Rimm, who works closely with Walter
Willett at Harvard School of Public Health and is a member of the 2010 USDA
Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee.
I asked him if he felt that science not industry would be shaping the new
guidelines and he said there was now only one scientist with industry ties on
the new panel and he was objective and agreeable to make changes when
presented the data.
I am anxious to see how the science matches policy but feel a ray of hope that
for the first time in the history of our dietary guidelines we will see science
predominate, not industry interests and that the language will be direct, clear
and simple to understand for all Americans.
The guidelines from the early 1990's promoting the consumption of 6-11
servings of bread and cereals daily led to the pasta, carb, sugar generation
and led to the largest epidemic of obesity in the history of our species.
Let's hope the new guidelines for 2010 will guide us toward greater health, not
an increasing burden of obesity, diabetes and chronic disease. The USDA
food policy guidelines form the basis of the school lunch program and it has
contributed to a tripling of obesity in children.
Let's hope we can serve up a different lunch menu for our children and our
nation.
The simple idea that science should become policy is unfortunately one that
has found little traction in Washington. But that seems to be shifting a little
now.
Now back to why the last government guidelines from 2005 are harmful to
your health!
1. Consume a variety of foods within and among the basic food groups while
staying within your body's energy needs.
Sounds sensible -- but which food groups? If you choose dairy, meat, fats,
and carbohydrates, the "perfect" meal could be a cheeseburger, milkshake,
and fries with ketchup (potatoes and tomatoes are the two top vegetables
consumed in America).
Generic advice like that is pretty meaningless and potentially harmful.
2. Control your caloric intake to manage body weight.
Again, that sounds good, but as I wrote in my book UltraMetabolism, even the
best-trained nutritionists and dietitians can't come close to correctly
estimating their own caloric intake in a day.
Also consider this: Is it okay to consume all of your calories from cola or ice
cream as long as you stay within my caloric needs? Of course not. So this is
more useless advice.
3. Increase intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low fat
milk products.
Well, fruits, veggies, and whole grains are great. Milk -- not so much. I'll get
back to that in a minute.
4. Choose carbohydrates wisely.
Who could argue with that? But how do they define "wisely"? The real advice
here should be to cut down sugar intake from 185 pounds per person per year
(what we currently consume) to less than a pound, avoid flour products
(except as a treat), and stick to whole-food carbohydrates like vegetables, fruit,
whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.
5. Choose to prepare food with little salt.
That's not bad advice. But it doesn't make sense if most of what you eat is
packaged or processed foods that you don't actually prepare.
For most Americans who eat half of their meals outside their homes, this isn't
helpful. A better recommendation would be to avoid packaged, processed,
canned, prepared, and fast foods (unless you know exactly how they are
made).
6. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
Sounds good -- but if you're usually drinking two bottles of wine a night, then
one seems like moderation!
I think a better suggestion is to limit your alcohol consumption to half a drink a
day or 3 glasses a week (the amount that seems to have the most health
benefit).
7. Don't eat unsafe foods.
Of course you shouldn't leave your egg salad out in the hot sun or toss your
salad with hands that just handled raw chicken coated with salmonella. But
the food pyramid guidelines don't mention pesticides, hormones, antibiotics,
or genetically modified foods, despite scientific evidence of their harm.
Shame On The USDA
You can see now why I have big problems with the food pyramid! Its
guidelines try to sound sensible -- while still protecting the interests of the
food industry, the agriculture industry, and all of the lobbyists paying for the
elections of the Congress. That way everybody's happy. But I'm not, and you
shouldn't be either.
The public just isn't served by this watered down, confusing, and useless
pyramid. The next guidelines, I hope will be better, especially with
independent scientists like Eric Rimm involved.
Worse, some of the recommendations are downright harmful --like the one to
drink more milk and dairy products.
The Truth about Dairy
According to Dr. Willett, who has done many studies and reviewed the
research on this topic, there are many reasons to pass up milk, including:
1. Milk doesn't 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 lowest rates of dairy and calcium
consumption (like those in Africa and Asia) have the lowest rates of
osteoporosis.
3. Calcium isn't as bone-protective as we thought.
Studies of calcium supplementation have shown no benefit in reducing
fracture risk. Vitamin D appears to be much more important than calcium in
preventing fractures.
4. Calcium may raise 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, but not dairy
products, may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
6. Not everyone can stomach dairy. About 75 percent of the world's
population is genetically unable to properly digest milk and other dairy
products -- a problem called lactose intolerance.
Based on such findings, Dr. Willet has come to some important conclusions:
• Everybody needs calcium -- but probably not as much as our government's
recommended daily allowance (RDA) and calcium from diet, including greens
and beans is better utilized by the body with less risk than calcium
supplements.
• Calcium probably doesn't prevent broken bones. Few people in this country
are likely to reduce their fracture risk by getting more calcium.
• Men may not want to take calcium supplements. Supplements of calcium
and vitamin D may be reasonable for women.
• Dairy may be unhealthy. Advocating dairy consumption may have negative
effects on health.
If all that isn't enough to swear you off milk, there are a few other scientific
findings worth noting. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently asked
the UDSA to look into the scientific basis of the claims made in the "milk
mustache" ads. Their panel of scientists stated the truth clearly:
• Milk doesn't benefit sports performance.
• There's no evidence that dairy is good for your bones or prevents
osteoporosis -- in fact, the animal protein it contains may help cause bone
loss!
• Dairy is linked to prostate cancer.
• It's full of saturated fat and is linked to heart disease.
• Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75 percent of people with lactose
intolerance.
• Dairy aggravates irritable bowel syndrome.
Simply put, the FTC asked the dairy industry, "Got Proof?" -- and the answer
was NO.
Plus, dairy may contribute to even more health problems, like:
• Allergies
• Sinus problems
• Ear infections
• Type 1 diabetes
• Chronic constipation
• Anemia (in children)
Due to these concerns, many have begun to consider raw milk an alternative.
But that isn't really a healthy form of dairy either.
Yes, raw, whole, organic milk eliminates concerns like pesticides, hormones,
antibiotics, and the effects of homogenization and pasteurization -- but to me,
these benefits don't outweigh dairy's potential risks.
From an evolutionary point of view, milk is a strange food for humans. Until
10,000 years ago we didn't domesticate animals and weren't able to drink milk
(unless some brave hunter-gather milked a wild tiger or buffalo!).
If you don't believe that, consider this: 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.
So here are my 6 Tips for Dealing with Dairy:
• Take your Cow for a Walk. It will do you much more good than drinking
milk.
• Don't rely on dairy for healthy bones. If you want healthy bones, get plenty
of exercise and supplement with 2,000 IU of 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.
• If you have to feed your child formula from milk, don't worry. The milk in
infant formula is hydrolyzed or broken down and easier to digest (although it
can still cause allergies). Once your child is a year old, switch him or her to
real food and almond milk.
Still got milk? I hope not! Remember, dairy is not crucial for good health. I
encourage you to go dairy-free and see what it does for you.
By: Mark Hyman, M.D. www.drhyman.com
Article: Dairy: 6 Reasons You Should Avoid it.
Huffington Post May 2010
www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/dairy-free-dairy-6-reason_b_558876.
html
It At All Costs or Why Following The
USDA Food Pyramid Guidelines Is
Bad For Your Health
By: Mark Hyman, M.D., May 2006
Got milk?
These days, it seems like almost everybody does.
Celebrities, athletes, and even former president
Clinton's head of Health and Human Services,
Donna Shalala, are all proud to wear the white "milk mustache."
After all, everyone knows that you need milk to be healthy ...Dairy is nature's
perfect food -- but only if you're a calf.
If that sounds shocking to you, it's because very few people are willing to tell
the truth about dairy. In fact, criticizing milk in America is like taking on
motherhood, apple pie, or baseball. But that's just what I'm about to do.
Based on the research and my experience practicing medicine, I typically
advise most of my patients to avoid dairy products completely. I like ice cream
just as much as the next person, but as a scientist I have to look honestly at
what we know.
In today's blog I will explore many of the documented ill effects of dairy, and
give you six reasons you should avoid dairy at all costs.
The Reason I Have Problems with the USDA Food Pyramid
I'm aware that my advice to avoid dairy flies in the face of the new, "up-to-date"
food pyramid from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The
USDA's pyramid recommends drinking 3 glasses of milk a day.
What's wrong with that? Well, for one thing, it's not a recommendation that's
based on strict science.
Some of the "experts" who helped create the pyramid actually work for the
dairy industry, which makes the US Department of agriculture's
recommendations reflect industry interests, not science or our best interests.
In fact, Walter Willet, M.D., Ph.D -- the second-most-cited scientist in all of
clinical medicine and the head of nutrition at Harvard's School of Public Health
-- is one of the pyramid's most vocal critics.
He's even called its guidelines "udderly ridiculous." That's not something a
Harvard scientist says lightly.
But Dr. Willett is right. The pyramid just isn't based on key scientific findings
about health. In a moment we will take a look at some of the pyramid's
recommendations and why I disagree with them.
But before I dissect why the current food pyramid is harmful to your health, I
want to offer a bit of hope. I recently attended a medical conference put on by
Harvard Medical School and the Culinary Institute of America called Healthy
Kitchens, Healthy Lives and met Eric Rimm, who works closely with Walter
Willett at Harvard School of Public Health and is a member of the 2010 USDA
Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee.
I asked him if he felt that science not industry would be shaping the new
guidelines and he said there was now only one scientist with industry ties on
the new panel and he was objective and agreeable to make changes when
presented the data.
I am anxious to see how the science matches policy but feel a ray of hope that
for the first time in the history of our dietary guidelines we will see science
predominate, not industry interests and that the language will be direct, clear
and simple to understand for all Americans.
The guidelines from the early 1990's promoting the consumption of 6-11
servings of bread and cereals daily led to the pasta, carb, sugar generation
and led to the largest epidemic of obesity in the history of our species.
Let's hope the new guidelines for 2010 will guide us toward greater health, not
an increasing burden of obesity, diabetes and chronic disease. The USDA
food policy guidelines form the basis of the school lunch program and it has
contributed to a tripling of obesity in children.
Let's hope we can serve up a different lunch menu for our children and our
nation.
The simple idea that science should become policy is unfortunately one that
has found little traction in Washington. But that seems to be shifting a little
now.
Now back to why the last government guidelines from 2005 are harmful to
your health!
1. Consume a variety of foods within and among the basic food groups while
staying within your body's energy needs.
Sounds sensible -- but which food groups? If you choose dairy, meat, fats,
and carbohydrates, the "perfect" meal could be a cheeseburger, milkshake,
and fries with ketchup (potatoes and tomatoes are the two top vegetables
consumed in America).
Generic advice like that is pretty meaningless and potentially harmful.
2. Control your caloric intake to manage body weight.
Again, that sounds good, but as I wrote in my book UltraMetabolism, even the
best-trained nutritionists and dietitians can't come close to correctly
estimating their own caloric intake in a day.
Also consider this: Is it okay to consume all of your calories from cola or ice
cream as long as you stay within my caloric needs? Of course not. So this is
more useless advice.
3. Increase intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low fat
milk products.
Well, fruits, veggies, and whole grains are great. Milk -- not so much. I'll get
back to that in a minute.
4. Choose carbohydrates wisely.
Who could argue with that? But how do they define "wisely"? The real advice
here should be to cut down sugar intake from 185 pounds per person per year
(what we currently consume) to less than a pound, avoid flour products
(except as a treat), and stick to whole-food carbohydrates like vegetables, fruit,
whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.
5. Choose to prepare food with little salt.
That's not bad advice. But it doesn't make sense if most of what you eat is
packaged or processed foods that you don't actually prepare.
For most Americans who eat half of their meals outside their homes, this isn't
helpful. A better recommendation would be to avoid packaged, processed,
canned, prepared, and fast foods (unless you know exactly how they are
made).
6. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
Sounds good -- but if you're usually drinking two bottles of wine a night, then
one seems like moderation!
I think a better suggestion is to limit your alcohol consumption to half a drink a
day or 3 glasses a week (the amount that seems to have the most health
benefit).
7. Don't eat unsafe foods.
Of course you shouldn't leave your egg salad out in the hot sun or toss your
salad with hands that just handled raw chicken coated with salmonella. But
the food pyramid guidelines don't mention pesticides, hormones, antibiotics,
or genetically modified foods, despite scientific evidence of their harm.
Shame On The USDA
You can see now why I have big problems with the food pyramid! Its
guidelines try to sound sensible -- while still protecting the interests of the
food industry, the agriculture industry, and all of the lobbyists paying for the
elections of the Congress. That way everybody's happy. But I'm not, and you
shouldn't be either.
The public just isn't served by this watered down, confusing, and useless
pyramid. The next guidelines, I hope will be better, especially with
independent scientists like Eric Rimm involved.
Worse, some of the recommendations are downright harmful --like the one to
drink more milk and dairy products.
The Truth about Dairy
According to Dr. Willett, who has done many studies and reviewed the
research on this topic, there are many reasons to pass up milk, including:
1. Milk doesn't 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 lowest rates of dairy and calcium
consumption (like those in Africa and Asia) have the lowest rates of
osteoporosis.
3. Calcium isn't as bone-protective as we thought.
Studies of calcium supplementation have shown no benefit in reducing
fracture risk. Vitamin D appears to be much more important than calcium in
preventing fractures.
4. Calcium may raise 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, but not dairy
products, may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
6. Not everyone can stomach dairy. About 75 percent of the world's
population is genetically unable to properly digest milk and other dairy
products -- a problem called lactose intolerance.
Based on such findings, Dr. Willet has come to some important conclusions:
• Everybody needs calcium -- but probably not as much as our government's
recommended daily allowance (RDA) and calcium from diet, including greens
and beans is better utilized by the body with less risk than calcium
supplements.
• Calcium probably doesn't prevent broken bones. Few people in this country
are likely to reduce their fracture risk by getting more calcium.
• Men may not want to take calcium supplements. Supplements of calcium
and vitamin D may be reasonable for women.
• Dairy may be unhealthy. Advocating dairy consumption may have negative
effects on health.
If all that isn't enough to swear you off milk, there are a few other scientific
findings worth noting. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently asked
the UDSA to look into the scientific basis of the claims made in the "milk
mustache" ads. Their panel of scientists stated the truth clearly:
• Milk doesn't benefit sports performance.
• There's no evidence that dairy is good for your bones or prevents
osteoporosis -- in fact, the animal protein it contains may help cause bone
loss!
• Dairy is linked to prostate cancer.
• It's full of saturated fat and is linked to heart disease.
• Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75 percent of people with lactose
intolerance.
• Dairy aggravates irritable bowel syndrome.
Simply put, the FTC asked the dairy industry, "Got Proof?" -- and the answer
was NO.
Plus, dairy may contribute to even more health problems, like:
• Allergies
• Sinus problems
• Ear infections
• Type 1 diabetes
• Chronic constipation
• Anemia (in children)
Due to these concerns, many have begun to consider raw milk an alternative.
But that isn't really a healthy form of dairy either.
Yes, raw, whole, organic milk eliminates concerns like pesticides, hormones,
antibiotics, and the effects of homogenization and pasteurization -- but to me,
these benefits don't outweigh dairy's potential risks.
From an evolutionary point of view, milk is a strange food for humans. Until
10,000 years ago we didn't domesticate animals and weren't able to drink milk
(unless some brave hunter-gather milked a wild tiger or buffalo!).
If you don't believe that, consider this: 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.
So here are my 6 Tips for Dealing with Dairy:
• Take your Cow for a Walk. It will do you much more good than drinking
milk.
• Don't rely on dairy for healthy bones. If you want healthy bones, get plenty
of exercise and supplement with 2,000 IU of 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.
• If you have to feed your child formula from milk, don't worry. The milk in
infant formula is hydrolyzed or broken down and easier to digest (although it
can still cause allergies). Once your child is a year old, switch him or her to
real food and almond milk.
Still got milk? I hope not! Remember, dairy is not crucial for good health. I
encourage you to go dairy-free and see what it does for you.
By: Mark Hyman, M.D. www.drhyman.com
Article: Dairy: 6 Reasons You Should Avoid it.
Huffington Post May 2010
www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/dairy-free-dairy-6-reason_b_558876.
html
