Soy: Better than Cow's milk?

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Better Than Cow's MilkDaily Health News In spite of the USDA's latest dietary guidelines recommending milk as part of a balanced diet, evidence continues to mount that cow's milk is best left to the calves. Many Americans are lactose intolerant, meaning that they find it difficult to digest the milk sugar lactose, reacting with symptoms such as nausea, bloating, gas, cramps and diarrhea. Others have a milk allergy and cannot tolerate casein or whey proteins in milk. When they drink a glass, the uncomfortable consequences may include digestive disturbances, skin rash, vomiting, wheezing, immune system reactions and mucus build-up in the sinuses. Even Lactaid -- a lactose-free milk made for lactose intolerant people -- still contains casein. Organic milk poses other challenges. Not only is milk

difficult to digest, it may also not be among the best forms of calcium for absorption, says Mark Stengler, ND, author of Bottom Line Natural Healing newsletter. In fact, he doesn't believe it is a required food for anyone in any amount, and suggests that people who drink milk limit themselves to 24 ounces a week and bulk up on calcium-rich foods. This holds truer for children, due to the sensitivity of developing immune systems to milk's allergenic properties, says Dr. Stengler. He notes that there is a possible association between cow's milk and recurring ear infections in children. In other studies, cow's milk has been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer. In the Harvard Nurses' Health Study, women with an increased intake of calcium from dairy products actually had a higher risk of bone factures. GOT BETTER OPTIONS? So what should you put on your cereal and in your coffee? I asked Dr. Stengler for his recommendations on alternatives to milk. He points out that some people with an intolerance to milk seem to do better on goat's milk. For others, it makes no difference, and they still have digestive problems. Try it yourself and see. However, those with allergies should use goat milk with caution -- it also contains casein-like proteins. Like cow's milk, goat's milk is packed with calcium. A cup of goat's milk supplies 327 mg of calcium along with 271 mg of phosphorus. In comparison, a cup of cow's milk provides 276 mg of calcium and 222 mg of phosphorus. Goat -- and sheep -- milk aren't adequate for babies under one year, since they don't contain the right amount of nutrients. Other alternative sources of calcium include goat's and sheep's milk cheeses, as well as calcium-enriched plant-based milks such as almond,

oat, hazelnut, rice and soy. Plant-based milks are good substitutes for people with milk allergies. While plant-based milks are not naturally rich in calcium, manufacturers fortify them with it. Dr. Stengler points out that any of these enriched plant-based milks generally have just as much calcium per glass as cow's milk or more. A WORD ABOUT SOY Lately, there has been some controversy concerning soy products. Women with a history of or existing breast cancer should not consume soy milk, as it has an estrogenic effect on the body. In Dr. Stengler's opinion, children can have soy milk in moderation, but it is best to rotate with other plant milks. Of course, if your goal is to find alternative sources of calcium rather than another kind of milk to drink, there are plenty of other food sources of calcium... Food Calcium (mg) Broccoli, raw, ½ cup 21 Cereal, fortified, 1 cup 100 to 1,000 Chinese cabbage, raw, 1 cup 74 Kale, cooked, 1 cup 94 Orange juice, fortified, 6 oz. 200 to 260 Salmon, canned with bones, 3 oz. 181 Sardines, canned with bones, 3 oz. 324 Spinach, cooked, ½ cup 120 Turnip greens, cooked, ½ cup 99 Source: National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING I asked Dr. Stengler if

he agrees with the standard government recommendations for calcium intake (1,000 mg/day for those 19 to 50, and 1,200 mg/day for people 51 and over). Because there are questions about a possible link between calcium and prostate cancer, until this issue is resolved, he recommends 500 mg daily for men. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reviewing 12 studies on this association concluded, "High intake of dairy products and calcium may be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, although the increase appears to be small." Another study found that calcium intake exceeding 1,500 mg a day might be associated with a higher risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancers. Once again, all things in moderation, or in this case, variety, seems to be the answer. Calcium is a vital nutrient for

building and maintaining bone, but it is best to get it from a variety of sources, being especially careful to limit consumption from cow's milk and soy. The good news is there are a number of options for both drinking and eating. Instead of asking "Got milk?" perhaps we should be asking: "Got kale?" US: 1 in 150 children has Autism US: 1 in 6 children suffers a developmental disorder New Jersey: 1 in 94 has Autism UK: 1 in 86 has Autism China : Over 20 lakh autistic children,India : No authentic figures, expected 40 lakh +AUTISM IS NOTHING BUT MERCURY POISONING.THERE IS MERCURY IN VACCINES!!

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