I was not that surprised by this discovery, as my midwife Sharon Marsay went to great lengths to help us find ways to boost oxytocin prior to birth, since it not only makes birth easier, but helps the mother bond to her child and produce milk for it following birth. She suggested lots of hugging, snuggling, smooching, sex, dark chocolate, cake baking and laughter prior to birth, particularly in early labour. She is onto a good thing, not just for birth, but for life. We who enjoy high levels of oxytocin should make it our mission to 'spread the love' wherever we can, by causing surges in others by hugging people, smiling at strangers, and sharing our chocolate. You help people be better people by doing so!

Sourced from: http://www.dramymyers.com/2013/04/12/the-dangers-of-dairy/dairy/

The Dangers of DairyAll of those “Got Milk?” ads from the last decade or so would have us believe that dairy is a cornerstone of the healthy diet, providing essential nutrients, fortifying our bones, and knocking out osteoporosis left and right. But, is this true? Is consuming dairy necessary or even healthy for most people?

The truth is, dairy can lead to countless health issues and, for many, can cause more harm than good, here’s why.

It’s Highly InflammatoryDairy causes inflammation in a large percent of the population resulting in digestive issues such as bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea, as well as other symptoms including acne, and a stronger presentation of autistic behaviors. I believe dairy is one of the most inflammatory foods in our modern diet, second only to gluten.

What is it about dairy that causes an inflammatory response? Is everyone with a dairy sensitivity lactose intolerant? There are two components of dairy that tend to cause issues for people, the sugar and the proteins. People who are lactose intolerant don’t produce the lactase enzyme, which is required to break down lactose, a sugar found in milk, causing digestive issues whenever they consume dairy products. People who do produce the lactase enzyme but still react poorly to milk are responding to the two proteins found in milk, casein and whey. Casein is a protein with a very similar molecular structure to gluten and 50% of people who are gluten intolerant are casein intolerant as well.

It’s Acid FormingOur bodies like to maintain a neutral pH balance, not too much acidity, not too much alkalinity. Milk, like most animal products, is an acid forming food, meaning whenever you consume dairy your body must compensate for the increased acidity in order to restore a neutral pH balance.

It does this by pulling from the alkaline “reserves” it keeps on hand in the form of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, that are stored in your bones. Pulling from these reserves weakens your bones, leaving them more susceptible to fractures and breaks, meaning milk might not be such a great preventative tool against osteoporosis as we’re told. In fact, research has shown that countries with the highest rate of dairy consumption also have the highest rate of osteoporosis.

It’s Often Full of Hormones and AntibioticsMany times when people drink milk they’re consuming far more than just milk. American dairy farmers have long been injecting cows with a genetically engineered bovine growth hormone called rBGH to increase milk production. This forced increase in milk production often leads to an udder infection in cows called mastitis, which is then treated with courses of antibiotics, which can make their way into your dairy products.

All of these concerns about the health benefits and safety of dairy can lead to even more questions. Is all dairy bad, are alternative sources of dairy any better? Where will I get my calcium if not from dairy? Let’s take a look at these.

What About Goat’s Milk and Sheep’s Milk?Some people who choose to eliminate cow’s milk from their diet still enjoy goat or sheep milk, as they find it much easier to tolerate. Although they have a similar lactose content to cow’s milk, meaning they will not be any easier to digest if you are lactose intolerant, they do have a different type of casein protein, which makes them easier for casein sensitive people to handle.

Casein exists in two variants, A1 beta-casein and A2 beta-casein, which are differentiated only by a single amino acid in their protein chains. A2 is considered the original beta-casein because A1 only appeared a few thousand years ago after a mutation occurred in European cow herds, and it’s often the A1 beta-casein that people react poorly to. Goat’s milk and sheep’s milk lack the A1 beta-casein, which is what makes them more tolerable, but because the A1 and A2 proteins are so similar, these milks can still cause problems for some.

What About Organic and Raw Milk?If you aren’t casein sensitive, and still want to consume cow’s milk, organic and raw milk can certainly be a healthier and less chemical laden route to go. Organic and raw milk comes from cows that have not been injected with rGBH and have not been treated with antibiotics, which eliminates the concern that these chemicals will find their way into your milk.

Raw milk, although contentiously debated, does have many health benefits that pasteurized milk lacks. The pasteurizing process, which is intended to kill harmful bacteria, kills many of the helpful enzymes that occur naturally in milk as well. In fact, one of the enzymes present in raw milk that is missing in pasteurized milk is the lactase enzyme, meaning people who are lactose intolerant are actually able to drink raw milk because it contains the enzyme needed to break down lactose their body is unable to produce.

Ultimately the decision of whether or not to consume dairy and from what source rests with your body. Try eliminating dairy from your diet altogether and pay attention to how your body reacts, then try reintroducing dairy in its different forms and sources and notice how you respond.

If you do decide to eliminate dairy, fear not, there are plenty of other natural sources of calcium you can incorporate into your diet!

10 Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium1. Almonds
2. Kale
3. Oranges
4. Collard Greens
5. Broccoli
6. Figs
7. Spinach
8. Enriched rice, almond, hemp and coconut milks
9. Sesame seeds
10. Tofu

Photo credit: MindBodyGreen

Originally published on MindBodyGreen

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130201100149.htm
Feb. 1, 2013 — Sugars are needed to provide us with energy and in moderate amounts contribute to our well-being. Sustained high levels of sugars, as is found in diabetics, damages our cells and now is shown that can also increase our chance to get cancer: The dose makes the poison as Paracelsus said.

It is well known that obesity is a leading cause of diabetes, a disease where the body fails to control blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels are characteristic in obesity and diabetes. What is less well known is that diabetes and obesity are also linked to an increase in cancer risk. That is, the diabetic population has up to double chances to suffer pancreatic or colon cancer among others, according to well sustained epidemiological studies. With obesity in British and Spanish children reaching 16%, the highest in Europe, this epidemic has major health implications. How obesity or diabetes increase cancer risk has been a major health issue.

Scientists led by Dr. Custodia Garcia-Jimenez at the University Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid have uncovered a key mechanism that links obesity and diabetes with cancer: high sugar levels, which increase activity of a gene widely implicated in cancer progression.

Dr Garcia Jimenez's laboratory was studying how cells in the intestine respond to sugars and signal to the pancreas to release insulin, the key hormone that controls blood sugar levels. Sugars in the intestine trigger cells to release a hormone called GIP that enhances insulin release by the pancreas.

In a study published in Molecular Cell, Dr Garcia Jimenez's team showed that the ability of the intestinal cells to secrete GIP is controlled by a protein called β-catenin, and that the activity of β-catenin is strictly dependent on sugar levels.

Increased activity of β-catenin is known to be a major factor in the development of many cancers and can make normal cells immortal, a key step in early stages of cancer progression. The study demonstrates that high (but not normal) sugar levels induce nuclear accumulation of β-catenin and leads to cell proliferation. The changes induced on β-catenin, the molecules involved and the diversity of cancer cells susceptible to these changes are identified.

Dr. Custodia García said "We were surprised to realize that changes in our metabolism caused by dietary sugar impact on our cancer risk. We are now investigating what other dietary components may influence our cancer risk. Changing diet is one of easiest prevention strategies that can potentially save a lot of suffering and money."

Colin Goding, Professor of Oncology at the University of Oxford, UK said 'Previously we were unsure about how increased blood sugar found in diabetes and obesity could increase cancer risk. This study identifies a key molecular mechanism through which high blood glucose would predispose to cancer. It opens the way for potential novel therapies aimed at reducing cancer risk in the obese and diabetic populations.'

Estimations published by the World Health Organisation (WHO): Obesity predisposes to diabetes and its prevalence is doubling every 20 years worldwide. More than 1 in 10 adults worldwide (12%) are obese (BMI>30). 1 in 6 children in UK and Spain suffer obesity.

Diabetes caused 4.6 million deaths in 2011, more than 2 deaths per hour in Spain, more in USA. Worldwide, 1 in 10 adults (10%) suffered from diabetes in 2010 and more than one-third of individuals with diabetes are unaware they suffer from the disease. The national cost of diabetes or cancer is in the order of billions of pounds or euros in Spain or England.

More than half (63%) of premature deaths worldwide are due to non communicable diseases (NCD) of which cancer and diabetes are among the 4 causes more frequent. At least 1 in 3 of the main cancers (27-39%) can be prevented by improving diet, physical activity and body composition.