RJA #13a: Field Research Report

Dr. Connie Sanchez, ND MSCD Affiliate ProfessorDept. of Health Professions (ITP)www.TheNutritionDoc.com

> 1. As a Naturopathic Doctor what is your opinion of the > nutritional > value of dairy for the human body?>
2. Do you advise or help people with their dietary needs?>
3. What detriments if any do you see with consuming dairy?>
4. What benefits if any do you see with consuming dairy?>
5. In your schooling or research, have you encountered this subject?>
6. Do you know of any diseases that are linked with the > consumption of > dairy?>
7. Why do some people not carry the enzyme that breaks down > lactate? > And do we as humans need milk to live healthy?

1. As a Naturopathic Doctor what is your opinion of the nutritionalvalue of dairy for the human body? Milk has nutrients such as protein,calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, B12, etc., all essential for humanhealth. However, this nutrient package comes with lots of baggage. Milk is high in saturated fats which increase cholesterol, which hasbeen associated with heart disease. The lactose (milk sugar) isindigestible to many folks with lactose intolerance who lack lactase,the enzyme needed to break it down, producing gas, bloating and otherdigestive problems. Casein, the protein found in milk, increases IGF-1(insulin-like growth factor-1). High levels increase risk for cancer.IGF-1 has been identified as the component in milk that increases bonedensity, not the calcium. IGF-1, however, is a growth promoter and hasbeen linked with cell proliferation (cell growth) and cancer, such asovarian.
2. Do you advise or help people with their dietary needs? Yes, as aNaturopathic Doctor, I was trained in clinical nutrition and nutritionis the foundation of all my patients treatment plans.
3. What detriments if any do you see with consuming dairy? Many. Asstated above, dairy or milk consumption has been linked with increasingrates of cancer (IGF-1), type-1 diabetes, and lactose intolerance. Manypeople have allergies to the proteins found in milk. Pasteurized and/orhomogenized dairy products have had their proteins and fats altered sothat the body may not utilize the nutrients as well.
4. What benefits if any do you see with consuming dairy? I don't seeone single benefit from consuming dairy products. You get all thecalcium your body needs by consuming diets rich in green leafyvegetables, such as collard greens, broccoli, and kale. Spinach andchard contain too much oxalic acid, which bind up calcium, making thecalcium unavailable. You can get all the other nutrients from otherfoods without consuming dairy.
5. In your schooling or research, have you encountered this subject? Yes, all the time. Many Naturopathic Doctors teach that small amounts ofdairy if raw, unpasteurized and fermented (yogurt, kefir) may have valuefor some individuals as a food. However, it still contains naturallyoccurring IGF-1 and if consumed in large amounts may increase the riskof cancer. I have studied T. Colin Campbell's work - The China Study andhave taken his course at eCornell called Plant-Based Nutrition. In myopinion there is absolutely no need to add dairy products to the diet inorder to be healthy. Go to www.tcolincampbell.org for more info.
6. Do you know of any diseases that are linked with the consumption ofdairy? Yes, milk or dairy has been linked with type-1 diabetes, cancer(especially ovarian), lactose intolerance.
7. Why do some people not carry the enzyme that breaks down lactate? After weaning, mammals no longer have a nutritional need for milk. Theynaturally lose their ability to make the enzyme (lactase) needed todigest milk. Milk is a growth promoter (IGF-1) nutritionally designedfor each species of animal for it's own unique nutritional needs forrapid growth. Humans tend to be the only mammals that continue to drinkmilk after weaning, we don't continue drinking our mother's breast milk,but we start drinking another mammals breast milk which wasnutritionally designed for growing a baby calf into a cow or steer. Itwas not designed for human consumption. Yes, humans continue to drink milk after weaning and some retain theirability to continue to digest lactose. Genetics plays a role, if yourancestors lived in areas of the world which depended on dairy fornutrition, then you probably have genes that allow you to continue todigest dairy products (Western Europe; ie Sweden) after weaning. Inareas of the world where dairy is not consumed (Far East, Asia, Africa)people tend to lose their ability to digest lactose after weaning. Ifthey consume dairy many will have digestive problems. And do we as humans need milk to live healthy? Absolutely not. Theconverse may be true.