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Got milk? 3 reasons your answer should be ‘yes’
I think that one of the most frequent phrases I heard in my home when I was growing up was, “Drink your milk.”
I was the type of kid that was always too busy to finish my meal much less my drink at breakfast and dinner (and we won’t even talk about school lunches). So, my mom, who was a nurse, was always worried about me getting enough vitamins to stay healthy.
And, although the subject of whether milk and dairy products really are good for you has been hotly debated over the last few decades, according to a review of 14 separate scientific articles, it turns out my mom was right.
In fact, according to the systematic review conducted by scientists at the University of Granada and the University of Madrid, getting enough milk and dairy in your diet has been found to have big health benefits you don’t want to go without, including:
#1 – Reduces fracture risk
Milk and dairy products have always been associated with better bone health thanks to the calcium they deliver. And, the study review proved that higher intake of dairy products can lead to a decreased risk of vertebral fracture as you age.
Fractures caused by osteoporosis most often occur in the spine. These spinal fractures — called vertebral compression fractures — occur in nearly 700,000 patients each year. They are almost twice as common as other fractures typically linked to osteoporosis, such as broken hips and wrists, according to
#2 – Lowers chance of metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that are associated with the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Symptoms under the umbrella are:
- High blood pressure
- Elevated blood sugar
- Excess body fat around the waist
- Abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels
Having one of these issues doesn’t necessarily mean you have metabolic syndrome. But, for each one you add to your list, the more you increase your risk of health problems.
Luckily, the review found that low-fat dairy products were associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome and therefore could have a protective effect against the development of diabetes and heart disease.
In fact, current scientific evidence has linked the consumption of these products, especially low-fat dairy and yogurt, with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
And, the research has shown inverse associations between dairy product consumption and ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction. In other words, the more dairy you eat, the less likely you are to end up with heart disease or have a heart attack.
Additional heart protection can be found by eating or drinking dairy products fortified with phytosterols and omega-3 fatty acids since they’ve been shown to improve cardiometabolic risk biomarkers. Phytosterols are simply plant sterols that help to block cholesterol absorption and lower blood cholesterol levels.
Omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand, are those heart-healthy nutrients found in fish oil which can have a positive effect on your triglyceride levels, blood pressure, and heart failure risk and even help you overcome irregular heartbeats.
#3 – Fights cancers
If those benefits weren’t enough to make you pick up a tall, cool glass of milk, the fact that moderate consumption of milk and dairy products is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer and bladder cancer, might do the trick.
The review found that dairy has the power to ward off the Big C — at least those two types. And, that’s no small feat since colorectal cancer is the second most deadly form of the disease and bladder cancer is known for its recurrence, growing into the deepest layers of the bladder tissue.
So, embrace milk and dairy again so that you can grab their bone, metabolic (blood sugar and heart health) and cancer-fighting benefits. I’ll be taking my mother’s advice and drinking a glass of milk right along with you.
Editor’s note: Discover how to live a cancer prevention lifestyle — using foods, vitamins, minerals and herbs — as well as little-known therapies allowed in other countries but denied to you by American mainstream medicine. Click here to discover Surviving Cancer! A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding the Causes, Treatments and Big Business Behind Medicine’s Most Frightening Diagnosis!
Sources:
- Milk and dairy products can help prevent chronic disease — EurekAlert!
- Metabolic syndrome — Mayo Clinic
- Phytosterols: Sterols & Stanols &mdashl Cleveland Clinic
- Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart — Mayo Clinic
- Colorectal Cancer — Consumer HealthDay
- Treatment of Bladder Cancer, by Stage — American Cancer Society