Does Milk Really Do the Body Good?

Have you noticed that just about every magazine publication in America reserves an entire page featuring celebrities donning a white mustache portraying the infamous ad that proclaims, “Milk does the body good?" Contrary to what the star-studded ads declare, my suspicion of milk related health issues led me to question, “Does milk really do the body good?” My curiosity on this subject eventually became a research paper for a college courses.. Studies confirmed that milk is in fact related to several health issues ranging from allergies, digestive disorders, ear infections in children to the most extreme health concern-cancer. For this particular research paper, I focused my research on the link between milk and cancer. A recent study from the Medical school at Harvard showed that a growth producing hormone called IGF-1 has been shown to increase normal and cancerous cells in the breast and colon. Cows that receive shots of the growth hormone rBGH or also known as rBST (recombinant bovine growth hormone) are shown to have high levels of the IGF-1 in the milk. Dr. Samuel Epstein, a scientist reveals in his article in the International Journal of Health Sciences the dangers of IGF-1 hormones in the milk from cows given synthetic bovine growth hormone. He claims that IGF-1 used in milk production of cows could be a possible cause for breast and gastrointestinal cancers. Experimentations in rats have proved this to be a fact and moreover, the hormone has been shown to speed up the production of the breast cancer cells. This alone should stir up concerns in women young and old. Milk has been a household staple for decades, and to be challenged health wise is mind boggling to many. What is interesting is that other countries such as; Australia, New Zealand and Japan have prohibited the use of this hormone while the United States continues to sell milk and dairy products with questionable health risks to the public. The most fascinating finding research revealed that consultants who were funded by the manufacturer of this hormone claimed that it is absolutely safe for humans to ingest, even though research showed otherwise. The FDA tried to prevent the labeling on the milk treated with rBGH, thus keeping the public from making decisions based on what is best for them. You can now find dairy and milk products with out hormones. It will usually have a seal on the carton that says, “Milk from cows not treated with rBST.” This can be found primarily in health food stores. Even though the FDA may give their seal of approval on something that is safe for our consumption, we have the right to request accurately labeling anything that could potentially be life threatening to be disclosed on the packaging. Having researched on milk and asking whether or not milk does the body good? According to these studies, there should be enough of a concern for those who consume conventional, to perhaps consider an alternative. Did you know that we are the only mammals that continue to drink milk after being weaned from infancy; but that is another article for another time. Organic milk does not contain these hormones. What is difference between regular and Organic milk? Organic milk is from cows that are not treated with any hormones or antibiotics. They are grass-fed, and graze in the field. Organic milk sales have increased about 20 percent a year for the last decade, driven primarily by consumer demand for hormone-free milk. Sales will continue to increase as more and more consumers are made aware of the potential health risks. The public must be informed of this type of labeling on packages so that they may have the opportunity to make a decision whether or not to purchase organic or conventional milk. We often hear the phrase, “You are what you eat”, however, having read these findings and others alike, it might be more appropriate to rephrase it, “You are what the animal eats!” Organic milk costs a little bit more, perhaps having this knowledge, you might want to pay the farmer a little more now then the doctor a whole lot more later!

http://www.mercola.com/2000/sep/10/milk_cancer.htm http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4198.cfm