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NaturalNews.com

Originally published March 15 2008

 

Dairy products linked to Parkinson's disease in men

by David Gutierrez

 

Consuming dairy products significantly boosts the risk of Parkinson's

disease in men, concludes a study published in the American Journal

of Epidemiology. A study surveying the dietary habits of 57,689 men

found that those who consumed the most dairy products showed a 60

percent increase in the risk of Parkinson's disease, a degenerative

nervous system disorder that affects motor skills and speech.

 

Processed milk accounted for most of the dairy consumed by study

subjects. " Processed " means the milk is pasteurized and homogenized

rather than being consumed in its raw, natural state. These

manufacturing processes impact the molecular structure of milk and

may help explain why milk products have been found to promote

Parkinson's disease.

 

The pasteurization of milk kills harmful microorganisms that may be

living in the milk, but it also " cooks " the milk and destroys many

beneficial microorganisms that enhance digestive health.

Homogenization is a process that splits fat molecules into tiny

pieces, allowing the fat to stay in suspension in the milk liquid and

preventing separation of the fat. While it makes the milk appear more

cosmetically acceptable to consumers, homogenization is an unnatural

process and it is widely suspected to be the primary reason why

processed milk products have been linked to heart disease and other

cardiovascular problems.

 

Raw, unprocessed milk is rapidly gaining popularity among health-

conscious consumers. Many states are attempting to outlaw the sales

of raw milk, saying it poses a health hazard to consumers with weak

immune systems, but demand persists -- especially among members of

the raw foods community who use raw milk and active cultures to make

their own kefir (fermented raw milk) at home. Kefir offers numerous

health benefits and is a " living " food teeming with beneficial

microorganisms.

 

Researchers are not yet sure why processed milk products increase the

risk of Parkinson's disease in men. No mechanism for the increase in

the disease risk has been identified, and the fact that dairy

products seem to increase the risk among men -- but not women --

remains a mystery. Epidemiologists do have theories on the link,

however. Dr. Samuel Epstein, M.D., professor emeritus of

Environmental and Occupational Medicine at the University of Illinois

School of Public Health is also author of the book, " What's In Your

Milk? " -- a recently-published expose of how industry has covered up

the dangers of drinking milk from cows treated with genetically-

engineered recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), a chemical that

has been banned for use in dairy cows in many other countries.

 

Milk from rBGH-treated cows, according to Dr. Epstein, poses a

significant health risk to humans and appears to be linked to breast,

colon and prostate cancers. More information about Dr. Epstein's work

is available at the Cancer Prevention Coalition:

www.PreventCancer.com