Dairy is a natural food produced by cows to feed and fatten up their calves. Humans did not start drinking milk and eating dairy until the agricultural revolution about 10,000 years ago. In fact, humans are the only species that drink the milk from other animals into adulthood. Dairy has long been considered a nutrient dense staple of the American diet. It has been promoted to reduce bone fractures, strengthen teeth and help speed up your metabolism. Upon closer examination though, it turns out that dairy products may not be as healthy as once thought.
Dairy is heavily marketed for bone health due to its high calcium content. Calcium is the main mineral used by the body to grow and strengthen the bones. However, bones also need other nutrients such as vitamin D and vitamin K to do repair work and growth. While calcium can help prevent bone fractures, research is now showing that too much dairy can actually contribute to weakened bones. A study conducted in Sweden revealed that high milk consumption was associated with higher rates of death and fractures.
More recently, full-fat milk has been promoted to help your metabolism, thereby helping you to lose weight. However, some studies have linked dairy to acne and Type 2 diabetes because it stimulates the body’s release of insulin and the protein IGF-1. These increased levels have also been linked to breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, among others. This is why it gets confusing for consumers. But when you understand what dairy products are and how they can trigger the body, it becomes easier to see the truth.
Conventional dairy products are full of added hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides. Synthetic hormones, such as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), are given to cows to boost milk production. Antibiotics are frequently used to treat udder infections and some of these pass through to the milk. And guess what else also passes through to the milk? Pus from those infections. YUCK!!
Common toxins found in milk include pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, aflatoxins and melamine. These toxins can build up in the body and harm the kidneys and the urinary tract, as well as the immune, nervous and reproductive systems.
Dairy also contains lactose, a carbohydrate made up of two simple sugars. Roughly 75% of the world’s adults have lactose intolerance, which means they cannot break this carbohydrate down. This condition creates a lot of unpleasant symptoms like abdominal gas and bloating to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. So when someone who is lactose intolerant ingests something containing dairy, it’s similar to an allergic reaction.
Some people have problems with other components in milk, like whey or protein. A food intolerance or allergy can cause the lining of the intestines to become inflamed and loosen up, causing leaky gut syndrome. This is especially important as the undigested food, feces and other materials seep through the gut into the bloodstream. When this happens, antibodies are created, which then lead to later attacks on the body’s tissues.
And for those who suffer from autoimmune diseases, dairy can worsen the symptoms. When patients with rheumatoid arthritis remove dairy from their diets, they frequently report having less pain. This is because casein, a milk protein, causes inflammation in the joints. Dairy products are one of the top sources of added saturated fat and cholesterol in the American diet. When overconsumed, these substances can contribute to high cholesterol and serious health problems, such as heart disease and strokes.
In East Asian Medicine (EAM), dairy products are seen as phlegm producers. This makes sense when you think of how eating or drinking dairy makes phlegm worse when you have a head cold. Phlegm is considered a pathological build up of fluids that can produce visible and invisible phlegm. Visible, or external, phlegm is the excess fluids such as sputum. Invisible phlegm results from a disruption in the body’s fluid metabolism. These imbalances can lead to internal disorders and diseases in the body. In EAM, to dissolve phlegm one needs to check on the lung and spleen organs / energetic meridians to see what needs to be balanced. When the lung and spleen systems are properly functioning, we can properly dissolve and expel phlegm.
Asking patients to give up and avoid dairy products can seem like an insurmountable task, but with all the options out there, it’s actually easier than one might think. There are better ways to meet your nutritional requirements and they start by looking at what you are putting on your plate. Aim for a diet rich in whole foods such as whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits and limited quantities of lean, local, pasture raised meats.
Strengthen your bones by eating green vegetables such as kale and broccoli. They are good sources of calcium and vitamin K. Spend about 10-20 minutes out in the sun each day to get naturally occurring vitamin D. You can also get vitamin D through high quality supplementation, if needed.
Another option for those who love milk is switching to one of the numerous plant-based milks on the market now. The demand for non-dairy milks has exploded in recent years. More people have food allergies and intolerances and there has also been an increase in vegans and vegetarians requesting milk alternatives. Thankfully there are many non-dairy options these days to choose from, including almond, oat, soy, coconut, hemp, flax, macadamia and cashew milks.
If you absolutely cannot give up or avoid dairy, then try to be smart regarding your dairy options. Choose hormone-free (rBGH free) milk and opt for grass-fed, pasture raised dairy products whenever possible. The dairy from cows that are grass-fed have more of the healthy omega 3 fatty acids and more conjugated lineolic acid (CLA) than grain-fed cows. Be aware that how the milk is processed can also change the nutritional composition of milk. While low fat and skim milk contain less fat and vitamins, they contain more sugar to make up for the lack of taste. Trading one for the other can be detrimental to your health in other ways.
I know that changing your diet or giving up some beloved foods can be a little sad or scary. Fortunately, we can make your transition to a reduced or dairy-free life easier. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be used to help the body function better and reduce or resolve any phlegm issues. Improve your health and nutrition by scheduling an appointment and finding out how EAM can help you..