Mengniu Dairy turns sour in HK gloom

Hong Kong's comeback faltered yesterday as investors chose to lock in profits from Wednesday's bounce rather than bet on further recovery.

The Hang Seng index fell 1.4 per cent to 28,751.21 in light trade after surging more than 1,300 points in the previous session.

Falling stocks outnumbered gainers by five to one. Mengniu Dairy , China's biggest milk producer, took the most eye-catching tumble after Merrill Lynch warned that soaring raw milk costs would damage profits.

The milk processor, which elbowed out Nestlé to become supplier to China's KFC and Starbucks outlets, lost 9.7 per cent to HK$27.30 after Merrill downgraded the stock from "buy" to "sell".

Banks, though, were the biggest drag on the index. Bank of Communications and the Bank of East Asia both lost 3.7 per to close at HK$12.68 and HK$48.45 respectively.

News emerged yesterday that Uni-President , Taiwan's largest food conglomerate, plans to list its China-based business arm in Hong Kong in a move seen as an overture to a buying spree in China. One person close to the situation said the initial public offering was planned for next month.

There are already 57 Taiwanese-owned China-based companies listed in Hong Kong, and 30 more are interested in a Hong Kong IPO, according to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

The damp mood was not confined to Hong Kong, as stocks fizzled across Asia after Wednesday's strong showing.

Japanese shares resumed their slide, with the Nikkei 225 Average falling 0.7 per cent to 15,396.3. The broader Topix closed at 1,498.86, up 0.1 per cent.

Bank stocks rose in the morning in spite of news that three institutions had been hit harder than expected by subprimerelated losses.

Mizuho Financial Group , one of the affected banks, fell 0.7 per cent to Y546,000 after gaining earlier in the day. Aozora Bank slid 1.5 per cent to Y338, but the last of the group, Shinsei Bank , rose 4.7 per cent to Y356.

TDK dropped 6.1 per cent to Y7,350 after UBS put a "sell" recommendation on the electronic components maker and lowered its price target from Y9,500 to Y7,000.

Tokyo stock exchange data showed that foreign investors, the principal driver of the Japanese market in recent years, were net sellers last week, dumping a net Y282bn of shares.

Strategists say some of the sell-off is being driven by the need to cash in liquid stocks to close positions outside Japan, while nervousness about the rising yen and patchy economic data is growing. Goldman Sachs slashed its economic forecast for the country after disappointing gross domestic product data.

In China, the Shanghai Composite also sagged, closing down 0.9 per cent at 5,365.27. Analysts said the market was bracing itself for an impending rise in interest rates, perhaps as soon as today, in an attempt to cool the country's ferocious economic growth.

Minsheng Banking dropped 1.9 per cent to Rm16.48. Vanke , the biggest listed property developer, fell 1.4 per cent to Rm35.49.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 closed down 1.1 per cent at 6,528.6 after a volatile day.

Miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto slid as investors awaited the next move in the former's attempt to take over its rival.

The groups' shares fell 2.5 per cent and 2.1 per cent to A$41.15 and A$134.9 respectively. BHP was also hit by an earthquake in Chile that cut power to its copper mines.

Indian shares faltered too, with the BSE Sensex index closing down 0.7 per cent at 19,784.89.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d1ee57b8-93e5-11dc-acd0-0000779fd2ac.html

Pennsylvania bans rBGH-free labels on dairy products: Newstarget.com

Beginning January 1, 2008, the state of Pennsylvania will ban labels on dairy products which claim to be rBGH, pesticide and antibiotic free. This means consumers will no longer be allowed to distinguish between dairy products containing hormones, antibiotics or recombinant bovine growth hormone, and dairy products which do not.

The states of New Jersey and Ohio are also considering bans on labeling which would prevent consumers from making informed choices between clean versus tainted dairy products. Organic dairy farmers pledge to avoid the use of rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone, or somatotropin) in their cows. Commercial dairy farmers use rBGH to increase milk production.

The state change in labeling guidelines, which blindsided many in the organic dairy industry, is part of a broader effort by the Pennsylvania Agriculture Department to crack down on labels that highlight what is not in a product, such as "antibiotic-free" and "pesticide-free."



The conclusion of this article appears on NewsTarget.com, the independent natural health news source for consumers. This article, along with other related articles and uncensored news on important consumer health topics, can be found at:



Pennsylvania Bans rBGH-Free Labels On Dairy Products http://www.newstarget.com/022379.html



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BUSINESS CALENDAR

-- Minnesota Real Estate Pre-Licensure Training, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Jan. 11-13, 18-20, 25-27, Minnesota State University Moorhead. Three Minnesota state real estate pre-licensure training sessions in January. Each three-day session is approved for 30 hours of real estate pre-licensure education by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce. $280 for each three-day session. North Dakota students can receive reciprocity. For more information or to register, call MSUM's continuing studies office at (218) 477-5051 or e-mail: paulsonk@mnstate.edu">paulsonk@mnstate.edu.

-- Northern Plains Inventors Conference, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 15, Alerus Center, Ballroom 5, Grand Forks. The conference encourages innovation and economic development in Northern Plains states by connecting and exchanging ideas between inventors, entrepreneurs and professionals. Workshops include how to fund the invention process, how to use the media to promote your invention, the patent process, prototype and engineering issues and determining how marketable an invention might be. Event is free. Info and registration: (701)281-8822 or e-mail michael@neustel.com">michael@neustel.com.

-- North Dakota Grocers Association Annual Convention & Trade Show, Jan. 18-20, Ramada Plaza Suites, Fargo. Convention includes awards presentations, exhibits, general membership meeting, entertainment and dining. Registration $85 in advance and $90 at the door. For information call (701) 223-4106.

-- International Business Training Program, 10-month program, first session on Jan. 22, North Dakota State University, Memorial Union, Rose Room, Fargo. Program put on by North Dakota State University and the North Dakota Trade Office includes 10 monthly sessions. Topics include balanced scorecard system, international research, export certification and finance, global project execution, cross-cultural negotiation, team building, international networking, building a productive overseas distribution channel, conflict management and international distribution and contract development. $500 for entire 10-month program or $100 per monthly session. Training is free for North Dakota Trade Office members and graduate students. Registration in advance is requested. Info and registration: call (701) 231-7015 or visit: www.ndsu.edu/dce/html/IBMTP.pdf.

-- Midwest Ag Energy Summit, Feb. 5-6, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, Wis. Midwest leaders outline needed infrastructure, technology, incentives and policy options for renewable energy development. Registration is $100 before Jan. 11. For more information or to register, visit www.midwestagenergy.net.

-- North Dakota Chamber of Commerce Business Conference, March 4, Fargo. Former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow will be keynote speaker. Other featured topics include community service, teamwork, loyalty and how to attract, retain, and motivate young professionals. Info and registration: (701) 222-0929, www.ndchamber.com/events/default.asp.

-- Organic Dairy 101: A Workshop for Dairy Support Professionals,” March 27, McIntosh, Minn. Daylong professional development workshop from Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota and Minnesota Dairy Initiative regional teams. Topics include organic certification, legal and practical requirements, livestock health and nutrition, economics and performance. $35 per person with discounts available for early registration. Info and registration: (320) 226-6318, www.mda.state.mn.us/food/organic.

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Submissions will be printed as room is available. We reserve the right to edit any and all submissions. For information, call (701) 780-1262.

To submit items for the Monday Business section:

-- By mail: Monday Business Section, Box 6008, Grand Forks ND 58206-6008. All submissions must be typed. Photos will be returned if a stamped, self-addressed envelope is enclosed. Label photos with your name, company and address.


http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=60785&section=Business

A Clear Connection?

Matthew, a 33-year-old from Jamaica Plain, has battled acne since adolescence. In high school and college, he became obsessed with how lighting could accentuate the marks on his skin. "Fluorescent lighting was the worst and could make me feel depressed all day," he says, "not to mention wildly self-conscious, to the point of hanging my head in an attempt to shade my acne from friends and family."

By high school, Matthew, who asked that his last name not be used, became convinced that certain foods could trigger breakouts. Anything with concentrated sugar or caffeine, from chocolate to orange juice to coffee, could intensify the occurrence of those scarlet bumps, he believed. But whenever he questioned a dermatologist, he got the same rather patronizing answer: There's nothing linking food and acne, but if something bothers you, don't eat it.

"I felt like I had such a clear experience. I felt like, how can this [response] just be so casual?" says Matthew. "I can't be the only one."

Matthew is not the only one. Dermatologists say that many patients ask about a connection between diet and pimples. These sufferers have, for the past 40 years, received the same information: Science shows no link between the two. Doctors learned this in medical school, where they were taught that the diet-acne connection is a myth. But what if the patients are right and the dermatologists wrong? Can a small band of defiant dermatologists - including one in Newton and another in New Hampshire - actually help prove that myth is fact?

DR. VALORI TRELOAR became a dermatologist in 1990, and since then, a large number of patients have come to her suffering from years of mild to severe acne. Treloar, whose practice is based in Newton, had a limited number of treatment options for these patients: cleansing techniques, topical retinoids such as Retin-A, topical or oral antibiotics, and the powerful drug Accutane. But the drugs, particularly Accutane, have a variety of side effects, and for some of her patients the standard acne treatments did not work or worked for only a few months.

After nearly a decade of practice, Treloar became frustrated and began to investigate alternatives. She stumbled across functional medicine, which holds that many diseases are affected by diet, nutrients, exercise, and trauma. She took courses and began to read everything she could about nutrition and physiology. Eventually she sat for the American College of Nutrition exam to become a certified nutrition specialist. "It gave me a whole new toolbox to use with people with chronic diseases for which conventional dermatology is not working," she says.

Treloar began poring over international scientific journals, even reaching outside dermatology journals for information that could help her patients. For instance, studies about heart health demonstrate that omega-3 fatty acids, like those in fish oil, reduce inflammation, and she explains that inflammation is a clear actor in the appearance of acne. Then Alan Logan - a Westchester, New York-based naturopathic physician, meaning a practitioner who encourages the body's ability to heal by considering lifestyle, diet, and stressors - invited Treloar to coauthor a book. In September, the two published The Clear Skin Diet. Filled with references to hundreds of scientific studies, the book explains, in biological detail, how everything from sugar, white flour, and dairy to stress and sleep affect hormones and chemicals in our body that could lead to acne.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2007/12/16/a_clear_connection/

The Calcium and Weight Loss Link Uncensored

Question:

What has calcium and weight loss got to do with tiny glands found inside your thyroid ?

Give Up ?

Well, apparently some think it has a lot to do with it.

Quite recently you might have heard in the media about research that high calcium intakes promote fat burning. For a while now, those related to the dairy industry have been pushing the calcium and weight loss link.[2]

The latest claim has been based on a study designed to examine the mechanism by which calcium may increase the fat burning effect of a meal. The study's outcome suggests that these glands may play some role in the calcium and weight loss story.

But there is a downside that some have forgotten to mention. This study was very small and used participants that were not overweight. The study focussed more on the way in which calcium may affect fat oxidation, rather than whether there is a causal link between calcium and weight loss.

You can see the research abstract for yourself here.

The research conducted jointly by Purdue University and Indiana University and funded by the Dairy Council, found that diets high in calcium from dairy sources increases the fat burning effect of a meal.

They also found that an increase in a hormone called parathyroid hormone, known to regulate the levels of calcium and phosphorus in the body, decreases fat burning after a meal.

Researchers prescribed the 10 subjects either a low or high dietary calcium intake over a 1 year period. The subjects were then assessed by measuring respiration and serum parathyroid hormone concentrations after they had consumed 2 isocaloric liquid meals containing 100 or 500 mg of calcium at the beginning of the study and after a year.

The results of the study indicate that the group who received the high calcium intake had higher fat oxidation levels after a meal than did those in the group who received the low calcium meal. They also found that increases of parathyroid hormone were associated with decreases of fat oxidation after a meal.

What does this new study tell us about calcium and weight loss?

The study is small, it had a total of 10 participants. For it to be able to conclude that there is a link between calcium and weight loss, a larger study would need to be done.

It does however, tell us that there may be a viable link between calcium and weight loss.

Making Sense of The Confusion

Let's put this whole issue into perspective. There are two clear groups who have weighed into this issue. On one side are the food police activists who caution consumers against jumping on the "drink milk and lose weight" bandwagon. On the other side are manufacturers and dairy producer associations who have previously seen milk drinking rates decline, and want to get the message across that you need to drink more milk. Both sides are trying to get your attention as a milk consumer.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest that high calcium intake is linked to weight loss.[4] However, some are suspicious that these studies have been funded by parties with a vested interest in the calcium and weight loss issue. [3]

It is not always true that because a scientist has received funding from industry that their work will automatically be biased, but it should be made clear where the money has come from. If it does not matter where the money came from, then independent researchers should be able to get the same outcome.

Having said this, why have other published studies found no evidence of a link between calcium and weight loss?

Supporters of the calcium and weight loss link say that this is because drinking more milk may only help to lose weight, if the individual was calcium deficient in the first place.[4,5]

The overwhelming truth is that, and even the 24/24 Milk website acknowledges this, is that the research is still emerging.[6] There is still more work to be done. However, in their favor, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that there is some kind of link between calcium and weight loss.

So should we drink milk, or not to lose weight?

Whatever the outcome of the dairy and weight loss research, dairy foods still provide your body with a myriad of nutrients important for good health.

If you are not getting 3 servings of dairy each day, then on a general basis, you need to increase your dairy intake, but watch your calories.

Include low fat dairy within a well balanced diet, calorie controlled diet.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines For Americans recommends that you get 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk — or the same amount of low-fat yogurt and/or low-fat cheese on a daily basis. [1]

This essentially is the general message being put across by the dairy industry at the moment.[6]

If you consume whole milk products, most likely you will actually put on weight, because of the extra calories.

What should we do before increasing our dairy intake?

Talk to your doctor. Everyone is different, with differing needs. Your doctor will be able to tell you whether an increased dairy intake is appropriate for you.

More Information: >Tufts University The Dairy - Weight Loss Debate

American Dietetic Association Milk Your Diet: A New Approach to Fuel Your Weight Loss Efforts

Milk, dairy fat, dietary calcium, and weight gain: a longitudinal study of adolescents.

Source:

[1] 2005 Dietary Guidelines For Americans

[2] 3 A Day 3 A Day Calcium and Weight Loss Position, 24/24Milk

[3] Science In The Public Interest Milking The Data

[4] Ilich JZ. A lighter side of calcium: role of calcium and dairy foods in body weight. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2005 Mar;56(1):33-8. Abstract

[5] MedicineNet Lawsuits Challenge Dairy Weight Loss Claims

[6] 24/24Milk Experts Weigh In: Q & A

Article Written: 19th December 2005

Want to learn about calcium and weight loss, or just being healthy ? Many people do, and reading about research and the food that goes into your mouth represents an important way you can educate yourself about balanced nutrition. Visit Savvy Fat Burning Food today, use one of our weight loss calculators such as the BMI Calculator or just read more about Calcium and Weight Loss.

This article represents the opinion of the author and in no way should be taken as medical advice. See your doctor today and discuss real dietary solutions specifically for your weight loss situation.

This website and Savvy Fat Burning Food makes no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding errors or omissions and assumes no legal liability or responsibility for loss, damage, illness or medical event resulting from the use of information contained within this article.

Is Homeopathy Safe For People Allergic To Dairy Or Wheat?

The most common reason consumers give for using homeopathic medicines is that they desire a safe alternative to prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Indeed, the FDA has recorded no adverse effects, negative drug interactions, or harmful properties associated with homeopathy in its entire lengthy history.

But individuals who are allergic to dairy and/or wheat may need to be more careful than the average consumer when it comes to homeopathic medicines. Like most drugs, these medicines contain inactive ingredients. In this case, the inactive ingredients aren’t extraneous fillers, binders, or solvents. They are completely necessary as carriers of the active homeopathic ingredients.

The most common carriers used are solid lactose or liquid alcohol formulations. Lactose is a milk sugar and alcohol is often grain alcohol made from wheat. So is homeopathy safe for dairy or wheat allergy sufferers?

Most homeopathic companies will say that the required doses are so small, a couple tiny tablets or a few drops under the tongue, that allergy sufferers need not be concerned. However, many homeopathic medicines are meant to be taken multiple times a day for a month or longer. Could long-term use of small amounts of substances that initiate acute inflammatory responses in allergic individuals really be good for their health?

Homeopathic tablets and tinctures seem to be a risky proposition for dairy and wheat allergy sufferers. Luckily, a few homeopathic companies have developed water-based homeopathic medicines. Water-based homeopathy is ideal for individuals with allergies. These medicines are available from SafeCareOTC, Sprayology and King Bio. Other companies, such as Boiron and Hylands, offer a few lactose and alcohol-free products as well.

Most of these products are available online and many are available in select stores across the country. If your local natural medicines or health food store doesn’t carry lactose and alcohol-free homeopathics then ask them too. A large number of consumers at stores such as these have food allergies, so your local store can only benefit by offering water-based homeopathic medicines that are safe for everyone.

Nicole Evans is an alternative medicine researcher/developer turned medical student. She also works with King Bio, a homeopathic company dedicated to empowering people to safely and naturally improve their health. For cutting edge contemporary homeopathics visit http://www.kingbio.com

Organic Milk: How is It Different from Non-Organic Milk?

Since the end of the Second World War, milk has been mass-produced using intensive farming methods. It has been touted as good for us by health professionals and the dairy industry for decades, the average Britain guzzles over 86 litres of it each year and children love it, so it makes sense to ensure we are getting it from a good quality source.

More and more people are willing to dig a bit deeper into their pockets to find the extra few pence (or pounds) to pay for the healthier option, and for many, that means going organic. Milk is no exception.

OMSCo (the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative) confirms milk to be the largest single organic product in the UK. Its increasing availability and falling prices make it a popular choice for the consumer. On average, a pint of organic milk will cost just 14 pence more per pint than its non-organic counterpart, and buying multi-litre cartons as many households do, means it works out even cheaper. Supermarket shelves reserved for it are often bare, reflecting its demand.

So why the sudden mad rush for the organic white stuff? Consumers have become increasingly worried about artificial chemicals, antibiotics and pesticides that are required to prevent disease and maximise milk production. With the average cow being excessively milked to produce the highest yield possible, which can be over 11,000 pints of milk per year (more than 10 times as much as they would naturally produce for their calf), mastitis is common.

Affecting 30 per cent of dairy cows, mastitis is a painful infection of the udder routinely treated with antibiotics. The Dairy Council of the United Kingdom states that milk collected from cows treated for mastitis in this way is not sold for human consumption, but some people still have concerns about residues ending up in milk.

Although antibiotics are still used in organic dairy farming, they are kept to a minimum and only used when absolutely necessary, with priority being given to homeopathic and herbal alternatives.

The diet of dairy cows consists of grass, silage (pickled grass), and hay. Large amounts of protein are required to ensure milk demands can be met. One way of achieving this is to supplement the diet with high protein concentrates that can be given in variable proportions, sometimes at unnaturally high levels. This often takes the form of imported genetically modified cattle feed, which helps to keep feeding costs down.

There are strict regulations in place regarding the feed of organic dairy cows, and GM is a no-go area. Instead the bulk of the diet is made up of grass, silage, hay and other green plants rather than concentrates. Whenever concentrates are given they must be GM-free and not animal derived.

It stands to reason that whatever cows eat, ends up in their milk; animals absorb chemicals just like humans. Pesticides and artificial fertilisers are sprayed on pastures and chemical traces of pesticides have been found in milk. The negative environmental impact of this practice is rife, affecting wildlife and soil quality. Nitrates from fertilisers leach into our waterways, leaving water companies with millions of pounds worth of clean up costs each year in order to ensure the safety of drinking water.

Organic dairy farming does not permit synthetic chemicals to be used on pasture and relies on clover as fertiliser. Its implementation of more traditional farming methods, such as crop rotation, helps to restore the balance of wildlife and improve soil.

Animal welfare is a topic that hits a nerve with many people. Standards in which animals are kept vary from farm-to-farm. For example, on conventional dairy farms, cows do not have to be given bedding or much room; some farms never allow their cows to graze outside and instead they remain inside in stalls and the grass is brought to them. Calves may be kept isolated from their mothers and other calves and thus experience great distress.

Organic dairy cows spend the spring and summer months grazing on pasture and are housed comfortably during the winter with bedding and plenty of space. Calves are allowed to socialise which is part of their natural behaviour. Organic dairy farming requires higher standards of welfare for its animals.

When dairy cows are given nutritious, natural food and a better quality of life, this reflects in the quality of their milk. Research has shown organic milk contains higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids, beta-carotene and other cancer-fighting antioxidants than non-organic milk. Organic milk is more natural as it does not contain potentially harmful pesticide residues or originate from cows fed genetically modified food.

This is not to say non-organic milk is bad. Not all farms are created equal; animal welfare standards and farming practices vary considerably. Organic dairy farming is nothing new; it is simply geared towards age-old farming methods used before the Second World War, and not all organic farms adhere to the same principles.

If you want to drink milk that is organic because you believe it is healthier or simply for your own peace of mind, how can you be sure the milk you drink is produced to high organic standards?

Supermarket own-label brands are likely to be supplied by OMSCo. If the OMSCo logo is displayed on a pint it means a farmer registered with a UK organic certification body has produced the milk. Certification bodies include The Soil Association, Organic Farmers & Growers, The Organic Food Federation and Demeter, all of which demand high organic standards of their members. There are also independent brands, which comply with strict organic regulations; a couple to look out for include Rachel's Organic and Yeo Valley.

Some farming principles are still the same throughout organic and non-organic milk production, but if you have decided to go down the organic route it would seem to be a step in the right direction. Providing of course, it hasn’t sold out by the time you get your trolley down the dairy aisle.

Sharon Kirby is a freelance health writer who likes to write about exercise, fitness, nutrition and a multitude of other health issues. She also writes about eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder.

A Guide To High Testosterone Foods

If you are suffering from depression, lack of sexual appetite, or trouble with sexual functions, you may be experiencing low testosterone levels. If this is indeed the case, one way to address the issue is to try eating high testosterone food.

A testosterone diet is easy to maintain, as long as you are aware of what constitutes good foods to increase your testosterone levels. High testosterone foods contain good qualities of zinc. For this reason, some foods have been called aphrodisiacs.

The reality is, including these foods in your diet may help alleviate the symptoms of testosterone deficiency. In one trial, 22 men with low testosterone levels and sperm counts were given zinc every day for 45 to 50 days. Both testosterone levels and sperm counts rose.

It should not be surprising that one of the best high testosterone foods are oysters. Oysters have long been lauded as a powerful aphrodisiac, and recent studies are showing that the reason may be because they contain high levels of zinc. Oysters are a perfect testosterone enhancing food to add to your diet.

If you are a red meat lover, then you already are enjoying a version of high testosterone food. Red meat is also high in zinc, so keep enjoying those steaks, as they are a very good part of a testosterone diet.

Other suggestions for red meat lovers include wild game, ribs, roast, lamp and pork chops. All of these foods are convenient to purchase, and all are considered good testosterone food.

Poultry also pack a good wallop of zinc, and is an ideal inclusion in a testosterone diet. Chicken breasts, wings and thighs are all high in zinc, and in fact, combined with red meats, poultry makes up most of the zinc intake of the average American.

Goose, turkey, and duck are also poultry that are considered high testosterone food, and are a good part of the testosterone boosting diet. Wild poultry is also a a great choice, and you shouldn’t be shy about trying some quail or pheasant either.

There are also high testosterone food items that are not considered meats. Beans are an ideal part of the testosterone increasing diet with their high zinc content. Nuts are also high in zinc and are a good dietary inclusion. In the grains family, whole grains and fortified cereals are very high in zinc and therefore are good choices.

Finally, many dairy products are testosterone enhancing foods. Milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese are all high in zinc and ideal if you're looking for so called testosterone food.

In conclusion, if you are suffering from low levels of testosterone, one of the best things you can do is include high testosterone foods in your day to day life. Focusing on ensuring that you have a good testosterone diet is a simple way to avoid problems related to low testosterone.

Learn more about high testosterone foods at http://www.testosterone-booster-guide.com

Dairy Products and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Research published in the "Lancet Medical Journal" described a small group of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in Norway. For four years, they experienced substantial improvement by excluding milk and wheat from their diets. Reintroducing these foods into their diets caused an increase in pain.

Those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are not alone in their sensitivity to milk. According to the "New England Journal of Medicine", July 30, 1992, studies suggest that a certain milk protein is responsible for the onset of diabetes because patients produce antibodies to cow milk proteins.

Milk’s vices are many. As strange as it may sound, the digestion of milk proteins can create an addictive substance that acts like endorphins, our own personal narcotics. The same can be true of gluten and wheat. These endorphins have the ability to disrupt brain chemistry and cause addiction.

I am sorry, but this has to be said: Two years ago, the average liter of milk in America contained 323 million pus cells. Sick and infected cows have cell counts above 200 million. A count of 323 million is not even healthy by dairy industry standards. Drinking pus is a bad idea for anyone. It is a terrible idea for someone with Chronic Fatigue.

If you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, consider giving up all dairy sources for a one month period of time to see if you feel a difference. If you are worried about your bones becoming brittle because of a lack of dairy in your diet, consider this: According to Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., “…countries with the highest dairy consumption, such as the United States and Sweden, because of their high animal protein diets, have the highest rates of osteoporosis, a disease involving the weakening and potential breaking of bones.” You should supplement calcium and vitamin D with a good herbal and whole food vitamin source instead of milk.

Heidi Whitaker is an author, popular speaker, and co-founder of http://www.healthydivas.com. Heidi's books and seminars have given hope to countless people who suffer with autoimmune diseases like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. To download a free copy of her book "Conquering Autoimmunity" visit http://www.healthydivas.com/conquer_autoimmunity_free_download.html.

Non-Dairy Calcium Sources - Learn About Some Healthful and Beneficial Non-Dairy Calcium Sources

There are many dairy as well as non-dairy calcium sources which can be added to our everyday diet. Some people have reservations when it comes to drinking milk and any other food coming from animal sources. They think it's not pure and may contain excessive fat content and even some impurities which are harmful for health.

Although it’s not right to say that milk is not a healthful source of calcium, still some people are allergic to it and all other dairy products. Milk provides up to 400 mg of calcium in 1 serving which is easily absorbed by the bloodstream. It also contains many other minerals and enzymes which help in its proper absorption and provide benefits of their own. So, how can we compensate for all these nutrients in a vegetarian or non-dairy diet?

Some of the non-dairy calcium sources are green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, fish and seafood. Ready-to-eat cereals, calcium fortified orange juice and soy beverages are also fairly good sources of calcium. Vegetarians may also want to add sea vegetables to their diet which are rich in calcium and other minerals and vitamins.

Among vegetables, kale has been found to be the best source of calcium as it contains calcium which is easily digested and absorbed by the bloodstream. Other vegetables belonging to the same family, like turnip greens and mustard greens are also excellent non-dairy calcium sources. 1 cup of each of these vegetables, either raw or cooked, provide up to 300 – 400 mg of calcium.

Fish and seafood are termed as the most healthful sources of calcium since they also contain vitamin D in large quantities. Vitamin D and phosphorus are required for proper absorption of calcium. It is also recommended by doctors to add vitamin D or multi-vitamin tablets to your everyday diet to ensure proper calcium absorption.

Calcium supplements available on the market are good sources of calcium other than the usual dietary sources. Calcium deficient people should use these supplements, either in tablet or liquid form, to fulfill their daily calcium needs and also cure calcium deficiency and all the conditions associated with it.

Among calcium supplements, coral calcium tablets have been found to be very effective in terms of overcoming calcium deficiency. Coral calcium has a high absorption rate than normal calcium and it also assists in weight loss and treatment of depression, PMS and kidney stones.

For optimal bone and joint health, we have been using a special natural calcium formula and for good reason, this formula is known as Bone Protect. We have personally been using this formula for over 3 years with excellent health results.

You can learn more about our product of choice and why we use this product above all other calcium formulas at optimal bone health

John Gibb is the manager of a series health websites. His latest addition discusses the calcium formula himself and the editors consume. For more information on calcium, coral calcium, and bone health as a whole, be sure to check out http://www.optimal-bone-health.com

Gluten Allergies, Celiac Disease and Dairy

Gluten is found in the protein of cereal grains. It can be found in a wide variety of foods and some people have allergies to it. Allergies to gluten are found in women more than men and tend to affect those of European descent.

Gluten allergies can cause eczema, skin rashes, itching and hives. More severe sufferers may develop asthma. Nearly 43 percent of gluten allergy sufferers who never seek treatment will get arthritis. Fifteen percent who go on a gluten-free diet because of their allergies will get arthritis anyway.

Celiac, also known as Coeliac is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract that very often forms directly from an allergic reaction to gluten. Its symptoms are similar to those of a regular gluten allergy, but it can also cause brain dysfunction, arthritis and inflammation of the lungs. You might also notice a clay-colored greasy stool. It is much more serious than the allergies it came from and must be guarded against.

Symptoms that gluten allergies have turned to Celiac are diarrhea, weight loss, iron deficiency, bloating, abdominal pain and malnutrition. The latter is caused by a decreased ability to absorb essential nutrients like iron and vitamins K and D. Celiac sufferers are at higher risk for esophagus, pharynx and small intestinal cancer. Fibroid lung disease seems to occur at a higher rate in gluten allergy and Celiac sufferers.

The treatment for both gluten allergies and Celiac is avoidance of gluten. There is no cure for any allergy. One must simply avoid the allergen. When doing so, it’s a good idea to take some natural supplements to replace the nutrients you’re missing in your gluten-free diet. They’ll help build your body back up to its normal, healthy state.

So what is a gluten-free diet? It’s one in which you eat no food containing wheat, oats, barley or rye in any form whatsoever. It can be difficult, but once you start finding alternatives to grains, you’ll start feeling better quickly. It’s important to find other tasty foods in order to keep yourself away from those that will make you sick.

It’s important to note that if you have been diagnosed with a gluten allergy, it’s very likely you also are sensitive to dairy products. Milk or dairy allergies are sensitivities to proteins found in cows’ milk. Most cows eat a lot of grain and perhaps a link can be inferred.

Milk allergy symptoms can occur within minutes or hours after consuming the dairy product. They can be triggered by a very small amount of milk protein in the system. Like gluten allergy symptoms they can be skin reactions, like swollen lips, tongue, mouth, face or throat. They can also be digestive reactions, such as vomiting, stomach cramps or diarrhea. Respiratory reactions can include a runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes or shortness of breath.

The needed nutrient in dairy products that must be replaced when embarking on a gluten- and dairy-free diet is primarily calcium. Aside from natural supplements, increase your intake of calcium-rich foods like seafood, spinach, broccoli and salmon.

A gluten allergy is not the end of the world. There are plenty of fresh, colorful and tasty foods that contain no grain or dairy. But you must stay vigilant to keep your allergies from turning into something much worse.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Allergies

Is Dairy Good for You?

Do you really know the truth about dairy? Is dairy as good as the Dairy Council and the governement claims? Is dairy making you sick?

That is the point to the website DairyTruth.com. DairyTruth.com will show you the research and the truth about all those dairy products that are supposed to be good for you: milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt. They delve into modern dairy farming practices that require more of a knowledge of chemistry than farming and husbandry. And they look at how dairy products from cows are handled by the human body. After all, humans are not cows and human dietary and physical needs are far different than those of a cow.

And DairyTruth.com looks closely at how cow’s milk affects human babies. Human babies are not calves, yet marketing tells us that mother’s milk is bad for babies and inconvenient. Yet cow’s milk, milk designed to nurture an animal from 100 pounds to 1000 pounds in a short span, is the best solution for a human baby. A hot topic right now is osteoporosis and the huge epidemic it has become in the country’s aging population. Conventional medical wisdom screams, “Drink more milk and eat more dairy. The extra calcium prevents osteoporosis. Milk does a body good!” In actuality, milk does a body bad! The proteins in cow’s milk actually destroy the calcium in the human body worsening the disease it is purported to cure.

So how did we get conditioned into thinking that dairy is good for us? Just blame the Milk Marketing Board and the various dairy marketing associations that for years have been blasting the public with misleading advertisements. All the while, they have been injected their cows with chemicals and steroids to force the cows to produce more milk. And what happens to all those chemicals and hormones? They wind up in the milk we feed our children everyday! And if you don’t believe it, look at the age of puberty in girls in the United States. Puberty in girls is not uncommon in eight year-old girls and one percent of the girls start puberty at age three! How can this be? Plain and simple, it’s the hormones! When you pump a female cow full of hormones to produce more milk, those hormones are passed into the cow’s milk. This milk is then consumed by our daughters causing extremely early puberty.

The effects are the same on boys. Boys consume the same hormone- and chemical-rich milk we feed our girls. Boys are reaching puberty younger as well. And one could argue (though scientific research has yet to prove this out) that our young men are becoming more effeminate by consuming female hormones in their milk. It would be interesting if science would test this theory. Even if this is not the case, our children drink way too much cow’s milk. What our children need to be drinking is clean, pure water. However, that is a topic for another article as our source’s of clean water are becoming harder and harder to find.

Dean Novosat writes about health and nutrition. He has two websites http://www.DairyTruth.com and http://www.FastingLife.com

Dairy-Free Chocolate for the Best Health Rewards

Research has shown time and time again that eating small portions of dark chocolate may provide numerous health benefits as a result of chocolate's antioxidant properties. However, a new study, performed by a team of scientists in Scotland and Italy, suggests that eating milk chocolate or even drinking milk with your chocolate, significantly reduces those health benefits.

Chocolate derives from the seeds of the cacao tree, a small evergreen bush cultivated throughout the tropics. Cacao’s botanical name is ‘Theobromo cacao’, meaning ‘food of the gods’. Chocolate is created from cocoa, the solids of the cacao bean, and cocoa butter, the natural fat of the cocoa bean. Dark chocolate is the purest form of cocoa without any milk additives.

Proven to be high in flavonoids, an essential antioxidant that has been linked to cardio-vascular health, chocolate may be able to protect the body from major health issues, including stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.

The latest study on chocolate used 12 healthy subjects, five men and seven women, between the ages of 25 and 35. They were given dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate with milk to drink, to determine the difference in antioxidant absorption. The study showed that the subjects consuming milk chocolate had to eat twice as much to get the same amount of antioxidants as those eating dark chocolate alone. Eating twice as much chocolate is not a viable substitution for health benefits, since chocolate contains a high level of calories and fats.

The study concluded that eating dairy with chocolate may cause milk proteins to bind with the antioxidants in chocolate, making the antioxidants unable to be absorbed into the body. This also suggests that dairy products may obstruct antioxidants in other healing foods, such as tea, red wine and fruit.

The blood antioxidant levels of subjects eating dark chocolate alone were boosted almost twenty percent.

Although eating daily chocolate could be a feasible, and enjoyable, supplementation method for boosting antioxidant levels, it should not be used as a replacement for fruits and vegetables, the best source of naturally occurring antioxidants as well as vitamins and minerals.

To extract the most benefit from chocolate consumption, sensible consumption (meaning small portions) of dark chocolate, with a cocoa content of 70% of higher, may be best in terms of delivering antioxidant-rich health benefits.

The author of this article is Tim Moore, writing for Vitamins Stuff, a site that offers information on Vitamins and Alternative Medicine.

Food Sources for Calcium - All Dairy and Non-Dairy Food Sources for Calcium

There are hundreds of food sources for calcium which can be categorized as dairy and non-dairy sources. They provide fairly good amounts of calcium and only 4 or 5 of them can be added to everyday diet to receive enough calcium for one day. Let’s find out what these sources are.

1. Calcium-Fortified Food: Starting off with calcium-fortified cereals almost all of us are fond of. 1 oz. of these cereals can provide up to 500 – 1000 mg of calcium depending on the contents. Read the box carefully to find out how much calcium you get by eating these cereals. Similarly, calcium-fortified orange juice and soy beverages can also be used to receive adequate amounts of calcium.

2. Milk and Dairy Products: Milk and dairy products have found to be the richest food sources for calcium. Frozen yoghurt, processed cheese spread, cream and ice cream of any flavor you like are all good sources of calcium. You can include milk to your everyday diet by drinking it directly or adding it to desserts. Similarly, baked desserts can be made by adding blackstrap molasses to them. Blackstrap molasses is known as one of the most beneficial food sources for calcium.

3. Vegetarian Diet: Vegetables such as collards, spinach, turnip greens, kale, okra, dandelion greens, cabbage, broccoli, and beet greens are also rich sources of calcium. You can either cook them separately or make salads by mixing 2 or 3 of these vegetables to fulfill your daily calcium needs. Beans and nuts also provide adequate amounts of calcium and can be added to desserts and other dishes.

4. Seafood: Fish, seafood and sea vegetables are rich sources of calcium and many other important minerals and vitamins. The most prominent ones are sardines from the Atlantic, pink salmon, ocean perch, crabs, shrimps and oysters. 3 oz. of sardines provides up to 330 mg of calcium. Is it recommended that you eat these fish with bones. Canned seafood can also be used to obtain a good percentage of calcium on a daily basis.

Many other food materials are also included in this category. Fish and seafood are healthful sources of calcium because they also provide adequate amounts of vitamin D which is required for proper absorption of calcium.

Other than the above-mentioned food sources for calcium, calcium supplements or tablets can also be consumed regularly to overcome calcium deficiency and fulfill daily requirements of this mineral.

For optimal bone and joint health, we have been using a special natural calcium formula and for good reason, this formula is known as Bone Protect. We have personally been using this formula for over 3 years with excellent health results.

You can learn more about our product of choice and why we use this product above all other calcium formulas at optimal bone health

John Gibb is the manager of a series health websites. His latest addition discusses the calcium formula himself and the editors consume. For more information on calcium, coral calcium, and bone health as a whole, be sure to check out http://www.optimal-bone-health.com

Osteoporosis - Calcium and Protein-Rich Dairy Problem

Osteoporosis is the loss of bony tissue resulting in deformed and brittle bones. In osteoporosis the bones literally waste away as their mineral density is gradually lost, making them increasingly weak and fragile. This is a common cause of fractures in the elderly. Thinning of the bones leads to increased risk of fractures, particularly of the lumbar vertebrae, wrist, hip, shoulder and the femur, or thigh bone. It is possible to prevent and to treat osteoporosis. However, you must take action. It is complete folly to depend on a wonder drug from orthodoxy. No magic medical cures exist and most medical management of this disease is very poor indeed, resulting in untold suffering and misery. In simple terms it is vital to avoid the causative factors in diet and lifestyle, ensure proper and balanced nutrients in your diet and obtain appropriate exercise.

One of the common mistakes made, when taking action against osteoporosis, is to increase the calcium by eating more dairy products. This is somewhat controversial however, there is increasing evidence that the removal of dairy products from the diet is important for maintaining health - including the health of your bones. Many people have been lead to believe that dairy products are our only reliable source of calcium. It is true that calcium in our bloodstream is essential for our health and it plays a critical role in blood clotting, muscle contraction, heartbeat maintenance and proper nerve function. About 99 percent of calcium (roughly three pounds) is stored in our bones and teeth, which rely upon the mineral for their strength. When needed, calcium is released from our bones into the blood.

Calcium is calcium, however, whether it's from broccoli or cottage cheese. "There's no best source of calcium," explains Robert Heaney, a professor with the Osteoporosis Research Center at Creighton University School of Medicine. "The sheer quantity of calcium in dairy products certainly makes them attractive sources, but they have no monopoly on calcium. There's no reason in the world why you couldn't get an adequate intake from a vegetable source." I agree with Dr Heaney that dairy is not essential but we would go further. Dairy has other adverse effects, some of which make it a very poor source of food for humans.

There is no clear evidence that high calcium intakes alone - even the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 800 mgs - can ensure bone health. Indeed throughout the world the people who consume the most calcium actually have the poorest bone health and the idea that dosing yourself with calcium will automatically keep your bones in good shape is just plain wrong.

The nations with the greatest calcium intake (because of high dairy consumption) have the highest rates of osteoporosis and hip fracture and there are relatively few fractures among populations where calcium levels (and dairy consumption) are not so high. Healthy bones require more than simply ingesting copious amounts of calcium-rich foods. Certainly, calcium intake is important, particularly during childhood, early adulthood and up to the age of 30 - 35 when our bones achieve their peak mass and stop growing. But retaining the calcium we've stored in our bones appears to be even more vital. This is particularly the case in our late 40s or so, when our bones begin to break down faster than they can be rebuilt. Indeed, research indicates that preventing calcium loss is actually three to four times more important in determining calcium balance (that is, whether we gain, maintain or lose calcium from our bones) than is calcium intake. And one of the greatest instigators of calcium loss is a high-protein diet. Pediatrician Charles Attwood, MD, suggests that "milk, with its excessive protein, may be part of the calcium problem instead of a solution." Protein, and especially protein from animal sources, makes our blood acidic, a condition the body attempts to remedy by drawing calcium, an alkaline mineral, from the bones. Eventually, this calcium is lost, flushed from the body in the urine.

Researchers who reviewed 16 studies examining the protein-calcium relationship found that when protein intake is above 75 grams per day, more calcium is lost in the urine than is retained in the body. Researchers speculate that this level of protein intake alone could account for the bone loss commonly seen in postmenopausal women!

The question of how much calcium is needed by the body remains - especially since the RDA for calcium is established higher than it otherwise would be in order to compensate for calcium losses due to high consumptions of protein. People worldwide develop and maintain strong bones on levels of calcium considerably below the 800 mg RDA. The World Health Organization recommends 400 - 500 mgs daily. However, because vegetarians generally have lower protein intakes and absorb and retain calcium better, they may have lower calcium needs.

For most people, the RDA can quite easily be fulfilled by eating a varied diet with at least several servings of calcium-rich (non-dairy) foods each day. Children, teens and young women should be especially careful to include these foods since their calcium needs are relatively high compared to others. Some people may choose to take bone protecting supplements as added insurance. Of course one advantage of meeting calcium needs with plant foods is that many are also excellent sources of antioxidants, fiber, folic acid, complex carbohydrates, iron and other important vitamins and minerals you won't find in milk products.

Although osteoporosis is both preventable and treatable a simple increase in calcium in the form of dairy products is not the answer. The consumption of calcium rich dairy products is a part of the problem and not a part of the cure.

Dr Jenny Tylee is an experienced health professional who is passionate about health and wellbeing. She believes that health is not just absence of disease and seeks to actively promote vitality and wellness through empowering others. She encourages people to improve their health by quit smoking, cleansing their body, taking essential, non contaminated vitamin and mineral supplements (from healthproductssite.com) and many other methods, including herbal remedies. She also owns Healthy Living blog.

Learn About the Most Beneficial Non-Dairy Food Source of Calcium

Food Source of Calcium – Vegetables

Doctors recommend eating more plant sources of calcium than animal sources because of their freshness, purity and no-fat content. In vegetables, the richest food source of calcium is turnip greens. Other fairly good calcium sources in this category are soy beans, kidney beans, broccoli, cabbage and okra.

1 cup of turnip greens provides up to 450 mg of calcium. Others vegetables belonging to the same family include kale and collard greens. 1 cup of cooked kale provides up to 200 mg of calcium. In addition to these vegetables, beans and nuts can also be consumed to receive adequate amounts of calcium daily. Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, navy beans, lentils, and split peas are good sources of calcium.

Food Source of Calcium – Sea Food and Fish

If we want to know only non-dairy food source of calcium, then sea food is also a good choice. Oysters, shrimps, sardines, tuna, mackerel, and salmon provide optimal levels of calcium for improving bone health. Out of these, sardines is the richest source of calcium and 8 oz of this fish provides up to 1000 mg of calcium if eaten with bones.

Similarly 1 cup of shrimps and oysters provide up to 300 mg of calcium. Sea vegetables also contain calcium in adequate quantities but unfortunately these vegetables are not easily available on the market. However, the names of some of the rich sources of calcium are nori, kombu, and wakame.

Calcium Supplements

A variety of different calcium supplements are also available to assist you in overcoming your calcium deficiency. Calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium lactate, calcium phosphate and coral calcium are some of the most widely used compounds. Out of these coral calcium supplements have been found to be the best and most beneficial calcium supplements.

Coral calcium is a special kind of calcium obtained from fossilized coral reefs. Because these coral reefs are found above sea level, they are pure and provide many other important and beneficial minerals along with calcium.

Teenagers should consume up to 1200 mg/day, adults 1000-1200 mg, whereas women above the age of 40 need 1500 mg of calcium on a daily basis. Coral calcium provides up to 40% of elementary calcium which is easily absorbed by the bloodstream. It reduces acidity in stomach and has many other health benefits associated with it. Recently it has been discovered that depression in women and high blood pressure levels can also be cured with the help of coral calcium.

For optimal bone and joint health, we have been using a special natural calcium formula and for good reason, this formula is known as Bone Protect. We have personally been using this formula for over 3 years with excellent health results.

You can learn more about our product of choice and why we use this product above all other calcium formulas at optimal bone health

John Gibb is the manager of a series health websites. His latest addition discusses the calcium formula himself and the editors consume. For more information on calcium, coral calcium, and bone health as a whole, be sure to check out http://www.optimal-bone-health.com

Why do We Need to Avoid Dairy Products?

Why do we need to avoid dairy products is a question that I am often asked. Avoiding dairy products is one of the dietary changes that are a part of healthy diet recommendations. However many people who live in Western societies react with disbelief when informed that dairy foods are not essential for human health, and that most people on this planet do quite nicely without them.

The strong belief that dairy products are essential for strong bones and teeth has been thanks to dairy industry promotions and decades of government-sponsored nutrition ‘education' in schools. Many people find it even harder to believe the information that there is a solid and growing body of scientific evidence which suggests that limiting or eliminating dairy products from the diet may be important to achieving optimal health.

The dairy industry spends millions of dollars on advertising to convince us that their products are not only wholesome, but absolutely essential for our health. However, "There is no human requirement for milk from a cow," says Suzanne Havala, RD, author of the American Dietetic Association's "Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets" and several books on nutrition. "The use of milk and its products in our country is strictly a cultural tradition," she notes. "There are millions of people around the world who never consume cow's milk and are none the worse for it." The belief that dairy products are essential is incorrect. As one writer stated - ‘even cows don't drink it!'

Many people have also been lead to believe that dairy products are our only reliable source of calcium. It is true that calcium in our bloodstream is essential for our health and it plays a critical role in blood clotting, muscle contraction, heartbeat maintenance and proper nerve function. About 99 percent of calcium (roughly three pounds) is stored in our bones and teeth, which rely upon the mineral for their strength. When needed, calcium is released from our bones into the blood. Calcium is calcium, however, whether it's from broccoli or cottage cheese. "There's no best source of calcium," explains Robert Heaney, a professor with the Osteoporosis Research Center at Creighton University School of Medicine. "The sheer quantity of calcium in dairy products certainly makes them attractive sources, but they have no monopoly on calcium. There's no reason in the world why you couldn't get an adequate intake from a vegetable source."

The dairy industry presents the notion that their calcium-rich foods are veritable guarantors of unbreakable bones. However, there is little support for this assertion. There is no clear evidence that high calcium intakes alone - even the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 800 mgs - can ensure bone health. Indeed throughout the world the people who consume the most calcium actually have the poorest bone health and the idea that dosing yourself with calcium will automatically keep your bones in good shape is just plain wrong. The nations with the greatest calcium intake have the highest rates of osteoporosis and hip fracture and there are relatively few fractures among populations where calcium levels are not so high. Of course the dairy industry disputes these findings, continuing to insist that every man, woman and child would benefit from drinking at least three glasses of milk a day.

Healthy bones require more than simply ingesting copious amounts of calcium-rich foods. Certainly, calcium intake is important, particularly during childhood, early adulthood and up to the age of 30 - 35 when our bones achieve their peak mass and stop growing. But retaining the calcium we've stored in our bones appears to be even more vital. This is particularly the case in our late 40s or so, when our bones begin to break down faster than they can be rebuilt. Indeed, research indicates that preventing calcium loss is actually three to four times more important in determining calcium balance (that is, whether we gain, maintain or lose calcium from our bones) than is calcium intake. And one of the greatest instigators of calcium loss is a high-animal protein diet. Indeed pediatrician Charles Attwood, MD, suggests that "...milk, with its excessive protein, may be part of the calcium problem instead of a solution."

The question of how much calcium is needed by the body remains especially since the RDA for calcium is established higher than it otherwise would be in order to compensate for calcium losses due to high consumptions of protein. People worldwide develop and maintain strong bones on levels of calcium considerably below the 800 mg RDA. The World Health Organization recommends 400 - 500 mgs daily. However, because vegetarians generally have lower protein intakes and absorb and retain calcium better, they may have lower calcium needs. For most people, the RDA can quite easily be fulfilled by eating a varied diet with at least several servings of calcium-rich foods each day. Children, teens and young women should be especially careful to include these foods since their calcium needs are relatively high compared to others. Some people may choose to take supplements as added insurance. Of course one advantage of meeting calcium needs with plant foods is that many are also excellent sources of antioxidants, fiber, folic acid, complex carbohydrates, iron and other important vitamins and minerals you won't find in milk products.

Apart from the calcium question there are additional serious health concerns that are related to dairy products. These include:

• Allergies: Milk is the most common cause of food allergy. A recent study found that one way to reduce the number of allergies in infants is for the breastfeeding mother to avoid consuming, or make very limited use of cow's milk.
• Anemia: Over reliance on milk in children can lead to anemia, as milk is very low in iron, and drinking large quantities of it can crowd iron-rich foods from the diet. In young infants, protein from cow's milk can cause intestinal bleeding, another possible cause of anemia.
• Colic: Sensitivity to cow's milk can cause colic, a digestive ailment in infants. Colic can cause problems even in infants who aren't drinking cow's milk but whose mothers are.
• Drug safety concerns: Dairy farmers regularly administer drugs and growth hormones (bovine somatotropic hormone BSH and others) to cows to boost milk production. Investigations have routinely found residues of these veterinary pharmaceuticals in milk and other milk products, some of which may raise cancer risks. One compound approved for use in 1993 and now widely employed by commercial dairies is the controversial genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH). Many feel that this compound poses grave potential health risks for consumers (including elevated antibiotic residue levels in milk).
• Heart disease: Dairy products are major contributors of saturated fat and cholesterol to the diet. According to cardiologist Dean Ornish, MD, "Milk rates second only to beef as the largest source of saturated fat in the American diet." Consider, for example, that one glass of 2% milk fat has as much saturated fat as three strips of bacon. Almost half the calories in whole milk come from fat.
• Insulin-dependent diabetes: Recent research indicates that consuming cow's milk throughout adolescence increases the risk of developing Type I diabetes. About 1 million Americans have this disease.
• Lactose intolerance: Many people cannot stomach lactose, the sugar in milk, because they lack the necessary digestive enzyme. Some people are also sensitive to milk protein. An estimated 50 million Americans experience intestinal discomfort after consuming dairy products. Symptoms include bloating, stomach pain, cramps, gas or diarrhea.
• Women's health concerns: Studies indicate that osteoporosis, which afflicts 20 million American women, and ovarian cancer are most common in those countries with the highest consumption of dairy food and lowest in those countries with low dairy intake. According to gynecologist Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Women's Bodies Women's Wisdom, other health problems associated with the consumption of dairy foods include benign breast conditions, recurrent vaginitis, acne, menstrual cramps, fibroids, chronic intestinal upset and increased pain from endometriosis.

This all indicates that dairy products are not essential for the health of humans and that all the nutrients that are contained in dairy products can be obtained from plant foods. Plant foods offer many health protecting factors while dairy foods increase the risks of many diseases. The more we learn about the affects of dairy products the harder it is to eat them with any assurance that they are doing our bodies any good.

Dr Jenny Tylee is an experienced health professional who is passionate about health and wellbeing. She believes that health is not just absence of disease and seeks to actively promote vitality and wellness through empowering others. She encourages people to improve their health by quit smoking, cleansing their body, taking essential vitamin and mineral supplement and many other methods, including herbal remedies.

Fermented Dairy Products From Bifidobacteria

It is agreed by every one that human milk or breast milk is not available commercially to propagate the bifidobacteria, which requires bifidus factor for its growth and that is present only in human milk. Hence it may appear difficult to produce the bifidus milk containing the bifidobacteria from cow or buffalo milk.

The cow and buffalo milk, which are devoid of bifidus factor, naturally will form a poor substrate for the growth of bifidobacteria. Now the piquant situation arises. How to propagate the bifidobacteria in the absence of human milk and how to cajole them to acclimatize with the available cow or buffalo milk?

Certain strains of bifidobacteria grow very slowly in milk but require preformed simple protein and free amino acids for the initiation of the growth. Another alternative is to use fortified ultrafiltered cheese whey with threonine and adjusting the total solids to 15% for propagating bifidobacteria. The incubation should be done at 37°C for 24 h, which is generally considered very long in the dairy industry.

Bifidobacterium fermented products (milk with bifidus factor) do not possess the typical desirable flavour associated with curd, yoghurt or other fermented products. This is attributed to the acetic acid production at the expense of lactic acid and inability to produce flavour components like diacetyl, acetoin, acetaldehyde and 2,3 butylene glycol by the bifidobacteria.

Most of the bifidobacteria break down lactose in to lactic acid and acetic acid in the proportion of 2:3. This high concentration of acetic acid gives the product flat vinegar like taste and flavour, which will not go very well with the consumer. In order to obtain desired growth rate and flavour production in the bifidus milk, it is better to culture them along with other lactic acid bacteria. When cultured along with Lactobacillus acidophilus, the growth characteristics of bifidobacteria are not adversely affected.

Fortification of condensed whey solid and whey protein concentrate further boosted the growth of bifidobacteria. Symbiotic relationship exists between bifidobacteria and Streptococcus thermophilus when they are co-cultured. S. thermophilus releases carbon dioxide during fermentation of lactose, which provides the required anaerobic condition for the bifidobacteria, boosting its growth. A similar relationship also exists between the Lactobacillus bulgaricus and bifidobacteria; the former is highly proteolytic and breaks down casein in to peptides and amino acids, which favours the growth of the latter. In this way, the milk containing bifidobacterium or bifidus milk can indeed be manufactured with the available resources sans breast or human milk.

Bifidobacterium fermented dairy products (bifidus milk products) are very popular in developed countries such as Japan, EU and US. The available products include bifido-yoghurt, CULTRA AB, frozen bifido-yoghurt, and fruit bifido-yoghurt. Thus, it can be safely concluded that the bifidobacteria can be cultured in the available cow or buffalo milk with certain modifications and culturing them along with other lactic cultures improves its growth rather than when cultured alone. The bifidus milk will provide incredibly excellent nutritional health benefits, especially for infants and growing child.

http://www.dairyforall.com/bifidusmilk-fermentedprod.php

Low Fat Non Dairy Recipe - Cream of Celery Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb celery hearts

1 small red onion

1 small potato

4 cups chicken stock

2 Tbsp cold-pressed olive oil

2 bay leafs

Method:

Peel and chop onion and potato. Sautee with olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan until tender. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Chop celery and add to saucepan along with bay leafs. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leafs from soup. With a soup ladle put about half of the mixture in the blender. Hold the lid on securely while pureeing for one minute. Repeat with the other half of the mixture. Stir all the soup together well.

Makes 4-6 servings

The main ingredient in this recipe, celery is truly a Super food because of all its health benefits. According to Hippocrates celery is known to calm the nerves. Celery also aids the kidneys by helping reduce it of wastes. Another health benefit of celery is that it is an anti-rheumatic. It reduces inflammation by clearing uric acid from painful joints.

The secret ingredient that magically gives this soup a creamy texture without using cream is the humble potato. Heart healthy olive oil is the magic ingredient that is used in the place of butter.

It's one of the healthiest and best tasting soups I've ever had. With this recipe I can have my cream of celery soup and keep healthy too and now so can you!

To print out a free copy of a delicious, low fat spinach salad recipe go to http://www.cookingmagic.blogspot.com and click on the Low Fat Spinach Salad link on the right hand side of the page.

Can Dairy Trigger Acne? The Hormone Story

If you're anything like me, the saying "you are what you eat," has never been particularly satisfying. For years, acne sufferers have been told one of two extremes: that it's the food they eat that directly causes their acne, or that diet has no effect on their acne at all. Criticism has emerged regarding the design of past diet studies, whichever hypothesis they followed, suggesting that there are several gaps in up-to-date scientific studies on the acne-diet link. Modern research seems to be sitting on the fence between these two factions, saying that there is no direct link between diet and acne, but allowing that certain factors within foods can have an influential role on the occurrence and severity of acne breakouts. For instance, a finger has long been pointed at specific components of dairy products as acne triggers. So why the blame on dairy, and where does current research stand on this link?

Cows are the most common source of milk extracted and used in the Western diet. Reports suggest that this process generally starts a month or two after the birth of a calf, and is continued on for several months after that point. This is accomplished by artificially inseminating the cow to keep it pregnant and thus producing milk. Since cow milk is coming from a pregnant animal, several hormones are known to pass into the milk and therefore to humans. Although the hormones naturally occur in milk, it is still highly questioned as to whether humans should be consuming milk after the age of five.

Studies report that cow milk contains estrogens, progesterone, and several androgen precursors. These hormones can influence acne in different ways. Estrogen is thought to have a positive effect on acne, reducing overall outbreaks and counteracting negative effects of other hormones. Progesterone sounds like it can be positive, negative, or neutral; it increases water retention in the skin, pinching off pores and causing blockages, but can help in masking the effects of androgen hormones on the skin. Androgen precursors seem to be the biggest problem, because they create the potential for androgen expression which is thought to lead to increased activity in the sebaceous glands. More activity means more sebum, and overproduction of sebum can block the pores and start a chain reaction that results in acne.

Estrogen, progesterone, and androgens are not foreign hormones; all are naturally found in the human body. The reason for concern, then, is that hormones brought into the body through dairy-containing food or drink could potentially upset the delicate balance of naturally occurring hormones in a person's body, tipping the scale towards a surplus of androgens and therefore consequent acne. These effects are thought to be more extreme in women, since many have a genetic over-sensitivity to androgen hormones in the first place. This means that additional androgens brought in through dairy could exacerbate that reaction, making acne-prone skin even more sensitive.

In 2005, Clement A. Adebamowo et al. published an article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology which had some interesting results. The authors studied 47,355 questionnaires completed by women answering questions about their high school diet and acne severity. The results established a positive relationship between acne and consumption of milk in teenage girls. Milk-based instant breakfast drinks, cream cheese, and cottage cheese were also found to cause acne. One important thing to note was that skim milk actually had a higher rate of severe acne associated with it than whole milk; this merely stresses that the resultant acne is not related to the particular fat content in milk.

Since the study was focused on establishing or negating the relationship between acne and milk, no reason for the link was proven. However, the authors did hypothesize that the hormones found in milk are in amounts large enough to effect girls in a biological manner. It would be interesting to see if the same is true for women, given height and weight changes in the years following high school.

More studies need to be done before this study can be taken as conclusive evidence. It is certainly a good start, though, and it does provide food for thought. Dairy does have many positive health benefits associated with it, not least the role it plays in strengthening our teeth and bones. So if you're thinking of reducing your dairy consumption to see the effect it has on acne control, talk to a doctor or dietician first to make sure you’re getting enough calcium and nutrients from other sources.

Author C. L. Jackson wishes the topic of acne was simply an academic interest ... but unfortunately that’s not the case! You'll find much more information on this topic at the author's website http://www.acne-infosource.info/acne-control.php

Pseudomonas in Cottage Cheese and Dairy

Under refrigerated conditions, Gram-negative rods that are able to produce under such conditions ( psychrotrophic/cold-loving bacteria ) usually predominate, especially Pseudomonas spp.

This is especially so when the milk has a high initial infection of these bacteria and the milk is stored for 2-4 days before pasteurization - which is often the case these days, where milk is mostly being picked up from farms every second day only.

This deterioration also often influences the final products made from such milk, because although bacteria will mostly be killed by pasteurization, some produce exo-enzymes that survive pasteurization and even the UHT (Ultra High Temperature/Long Life) process in some cases.

An example of Pseudomonas attacking dairy products happen a lot with cottage cheese. Pseudomonades are widely distributed and aerobic. They tend not to need much carbohydrate, which help them a lot in attacking cottage cheese, because most of the lactose has been removed in the cheese making process. They live very well on high-protein foods like cottage cheese producing slime, pigments and odours. They also prefer high water activity ( high moisture), which makes cottage cheese pretty much the ideal food considering everything that has been said.

Many Pseudomonas spp. are psychrotrophic ( cold-loving ) bacteria although they will grow a lot faster from 15 degrees Celsius to temperate.

Thus a temperature shock during transport for example will give them a big boost - to cause even more destruction.

About the author:
Leon the Milkman is the owner of http://www.LeontheMilkman.com and http://www.dairy-info.org from where he gives a dairy dictionary and cheese tasting terms guide to new members.

Prostate Cancer Research Studies Vote 'Soy Yes, Dairy No'

Controversy abounds on this topic; however, numerous studies over the past decade have shown a solid connection between the risk of prostate cancer and dairy consumption. A cohort study just published in mid 2005 by the American Journal of Nutrition showed that men with the highest dietary intake of dairy foods were 2.2 times more likely to develop prostate cancer than men with the lowest dietary intake of dairy foods.

Prior theories circled around the increase in IGF-1 (insulin growth hormone) seen in milk drinkers. High levels of IGF-1 have been directly linked to various hormonal cancers. Although this theory may still hold some validity, research has uncovered a potential cause that has further heated the debate on dairy and prostate cancer, calcium. The same study referenced above showed a 2.2 times increase in prostate cancer risk for men with the highest dietary calcium intake over those with the lowest. Another study in 2001 observed over 20,000 men, and concluded that men who consumed more than 600mg of daily calcium from dairy products had a 32% higher risk of prostate cancer than men who consumed less than 150mg of daily calcium from dairy products. This came as quite a shock, since the USDA recommends a minimum of 1200mg of daily calcium for men over 50, and 1000mg for men aged 19 to 50. These studies have spurred more medical research into this possible dairy calcium-prostate cancer connection.

Luckily, the news on prostate cancer isn’t all that bad. Several other nutrients, vitamins, and minerals have been given a gold star for their potential to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Fructose (fruit), selenium (seafood, mushrooms, grains), vitamin D (sunshine), vitamin E (nuts, seeds, & greens), lycopene (tomatoes), soy…wait a minute…did we just mention soy in a discussion of men’s health? Oh yes, it seems that a prospective study in the US indicated a 70% reduction in the risk of prostate cancer among men who consumed more than one serving of soy milk per day.

As long as the medical community remains uncertain, there will be no shortage of clinical trials and interpretations addressing the subject of diet and prostate cancer. Below is a list of our resource articles and publications on this subject for more in depth reading:

“Harvard Researchers Link Prostate Cancer and Dietary Calcium” - CNN - http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/cancer/04/04/prostrate.cancer/

Vegan Diet 'Cuts Prostate Cancer Risk' - BBC News - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/782959.stm

Nutrition Action Health Newsletter – Preventing Prostate Cancer - http://www.cspinet.org/nah/07_01/

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – “Dairy, calcium, and vitamin D intakes and prostate cancer risk in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Epidemiologic Follow-up Study cohort” - http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/81/5/1147

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – “Dairy, calcium, and vitamin D intakes and prostate cancer risk in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Epidemiologic Follow-up Study cohort” - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10189040&dopt=Citation

The Adventist Health Study - “Does high soy milk intake reduce prostate cancer incidence?” - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10189040&dopt=Citation

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition - “Dairy products, calcium, and prostate cancer risk in the Physicians' Health Study” - http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/74/4/549

National Library of Medicine – “Long-term dietary habits affect soy isoflavone metabolism and accumulation in prostatic fluid in caucasian men” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=1593044

Harvard School of Public Health – “Calcium & Milk” - http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium.html

© Go Dairy Free (2005) - http://www.godairyfree.org/facts/conditions/prostatecancer.aspx

Our Mission To enhance the lives of millions of people To offer real world strategies and guides for living dairy free To educate the population on the benefits of a dairy-free diet To promote dairy free alternatives To encourage healthy dietary habits

GoDairyFree.org was written and published by Superstar Life, Inc., a company centered on life management, growth, and enhancement. If you have any questions, or would like to submit a testimonial, recipes, or useful information, please email info@godairyfree.org

Treating The Water Used In Dairy Products

You have surely had a need to purchase milk and milk related products for yourself or your family. When passing the dairy isle in the grocery store, you have taken a look at the items offered. Milk and milk products are very important for a healthy diet as they contain vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health.

Not only do you as the consumer view dairy products as nutritious and important for healthy lives, the people who are working in the dairy farms do also. Milk needs to be free from contaminants and other bacteria so that it is not easily spoiled. To obtain this high standard for milk, the dairy farm production needs to be sure that the water used is as clean and clear. Not only is the water they use cleaned but, the water that is disposed of needs to be treated so that it is the best it can be to be released into the sewage system of the public.

Treatment of dairy water is just as important as the milk and milk products that are produced each day. One of the best methods for treating this particular water is by implementing a practice of cleaning the water from any and all bacteria that may be harmful to you and me.

The animals also need clean water to drink. It should be just as safe for the animals as it is for human consumption. If the water carries bacteria, it can cause the animals to become sick and produce a lesser amount of milk that a healthy animal. Treating the dairy water should be and is focused mainly on the water the animals drink and also on the water that is removed as waste.

Each of the dairy farms has come up with their own particular way of treating and cleaning the wastewater. A lagoon on the site of the dairy farm is one of these ways. The water waste that is taken in from the dairy farm is separated from and solid waste products. The solid waste is them recycled and used for mulch or for animal feed. The water is taken to the artificial lagoon for removal. The water begins a natural process of breaking down the microorganisms and starts an anaerobic process because of oxygen removal.

This specific way of water treatment may take several months to be completed and the water fully treated. This also causes a nasty smelling odor and it may become a problem for other people. It can also become a health hazard to those around the lagoon. Treatment of dairy water can and may cause a problem if it seeps into the ground and finds a water source. This will in turn, because contamination to other water sources nearby.

The point of using any type of treatment for dairy water on dairy farms is to bring in a profit without causing the milk and milk product quality to suffer. The animal’s health and the health of the farmers and those living in the area is also an important thing to maintain and protect.

You can also find more information at water filter cartridge and water treatment. eWaterTreatmentSystems.com is a comprehensive resource for water treatment with information on reviews, reverse osmosis and how it works.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Faulkner

Wisconsin Real Estate – Making The Dairy Land Look Good

It might surprise you, but Wisconsin is home to one of the highest rated and most in demand towns in the United States. More and more people are starting to realize the Dairy Land is a good place to live.

Wisconsin likes to promote itself as America's Dairy Land and it isn't far off. The state has a strong rural, farming influence. This leads to friendly people and communities living at a pace of life you will not find in more stressful states such as New York and California. Wisconsin, however, does hold a gem of a small city within its borders.

Madison is the capital of Wisconsin and home to the University of Wisconsin. A sleepy college town for years, Madison has long offered a great way of life. National publications started noticing it a few years back and it is regularly listed in top 10 rankings for desirable places to live in the United States. The reputation is well earned as Madison manages to have all the amenities of a large city while maintaining a small college town field. Madison gets a big thumbs up from us.

If you prefer living in larger cities, Milwaukee is as big as it gets in Wisconsin. It is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and is roughly 90 miles from Chicago, a city with which it maintain a natural rivalry and love-hate relationship. Over the last few years, the city has undergone major redevelopment and upgrades which is making it an attractive place to live after long periods of stagnation and decline.

The Wisconsin real estate market is vibrant and compares with any in the country. A single-family home in Madison will set you back roughly $160,000 while the same home in Milwaukee will run you roughly $110,000. Appreciation rates are a steady six to seven percent across the state.

All and all, Wisconsin offers a both a good place to raise a family and real estate market you can afford. The Dairy Land has never looked so good!

Raynor James is with the FSBO site - FSBOAmerica.org - homes for sale by owner. Find homes for sale or sell your own home with a free 1 month listing.

Please, No Dairy For Me, Its Against My Belief

Vegans are split on consuming dairy products in the vegan diet... Its not so much on if its acceptable or not - but more on what reasons.

True vegans will abstain from eating dairy. This my be for ethical or it could be nutritional and could also be both in some cases.

The ethical reasons vary in many ways. The dairy cow is forced to become pregnant, in order for it to produce the max amount of milk, its all about the yields. The cow is fed steroids many different ones in fact, this increases the milk production also. The calves are not allowed to spend time with the mother, nor will it every suckle from the mother. The calve is removed from the mother to be reared for a dairy cow or a beef cow or it could even be for veal production as well. If its for veal, it will be put in to a crate. This crate is so small that the calve will not be able to turn around in its bin. It will always face in one direction and it will be unable to groom its self. This calve will be feed a steady diet of hormone-laden feed untill slaughter day.

The other reasons for abstaining from consuming dairy product are nutritional and health related. It can be as simple as high cholesterol. Many people have problems with lactose digestion. Also it could be a diabetic problem with milk protein (casein).

On top of that cheese and milk can contain small amounts of unwanted hormones that have been feed to our dairy cows, to of course, increase milk production...

You may want to take some time to think about all of these things if you are an prospective vegan. Ask yourself if its dietary or ethical, is it both? With this info I hope you can have a stronger viewpoint and understanding on this topic and it will help you in your vegan diet.

James Johnson is an accomplished Webmaster and publisher of Vegetariandiet.us where he provides additional information on vegetarian diets and types of vegetarains. Also info on how to become a vegetarin. For more advice, tips and hard to find information on Vegetarian Diet.

Not Just Dairy: Other Sources of Calcium

Are you feeling tired most of the time?

Does your mood swing swift from one frame of mind to another?

Perhaps, you lack proper nourishment. To other people, food alone does not suffice your body’s need for a healthy well-being. Nowadays more individuals are into food supplements or vitamins to fill in the nutritional gap they are experiencing.

Calcium is one great example of a nutrient which is normally less in an individual’s diet. Because of this, more individuals are experiencing brittle bones and teeth.

Nutritionists recommend that you ingest suggested dietary allowance of calcium to complete your diet. Each group of individuals has different calcium needs. For instance, an infant until he reaches the age of one need to have about 250-600 mg of calcium per day. On the other hand, toddlers between one to three years old require about 500 to 800 mg of calcium per day. Preschoolers between four to ten years old has calcium requirement of about 600 to 800 mg per day. Teenagers need 700 to 1200 mg of calcium per day. If you are in your adult stage which is normally twenty five years old and above, you need to have 800 to 1200 mg of calcium daily. You can observe that as a person ages, his need for calcium increases.

Dairy and other milk products are your major sources of calcium. However there are other alternatives to milk and milk products for you to be able to supply your body with the proper amount of calcium.

Fruits and vegetables which are rich in calcium are the following:

• Orange
• Apricots
• Pears
• Prunes and other related prune fruits
• Broccoli
• Sweet potatoes
• Nearly all of the dark, green leafy vegetables

You can also obtain calcium through nut consumption. Some of the nuts which you need to take are:

• Hazelnuts
• Chestnuts
• Brazil nuts
• Seeds such as sesame, pumpkin and sunflower

Fish and other sea foods can also be your source of calcium. Sardines and salmon are known to have high calcium content. Other than that you can also choose to ingest mackerel, shrimp, clams, flounder, and oysters.

If you think that food alone cannot provide you with enough calcium, then you can decide to undergo consuming calcium supplements. It is recommended that you consult with your nutritionist before taking any supplements.

For you to be in good physical shape you must take into consideration what food items you are taking. By doing so you can ensure that you will not feel restless most of the time nor have mood swings.

This content is provided by Jeremy Low and may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more info on calcium, please visit http://calcium.articlekeep.com.

Calcium Deficiency and Osteoporosis: Will Consuming Dairy Products Protect You From These?

As part of their sales pitch for milk and other dairy products, the dairy industry flaunted the fact that milk contains high levels of calcium. This worked very successfully, because when asked to name a good source of calcium, most people answer with 'milk and other dairy products'.

It appears to be a common view in the Western world that an adult diet devoid of dairy is unhealthy and will lead to weak bones and teeth. Unfortunately this means that other foods also high in calcium are not recognised as such, and many people have no idea that a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, pulses and fish contain it. This is good news for people who are lactose intolerant, allergic to milk, vegan or choose to avoid dairy produce for other reasons.

Calcium is an essential mineral. Ninety-nine percent of the body's calcium is stored in the bones and teeth and the rest has other functions in the body such as muscle contraction (including heart muscle), the transmission of nerve impulses, blood clotting, the regulation of blood pressure and metabolic reactions. Calcium also has an important role to play in the development of bone mass.

The RNI, or reference nutrient intake (the minimal amount required to prevent deficiency) for calcium is set at 700mg per day for UK adults. Three portions of dairy each day, such as a glass of milk, yogurt or piece of cheese provides this. Fish eaten with the bones, such as sardines and pilchards is also a good source.

Some good non-animal sources of calcium include green leafy vegetables, such as kale, collard greens, broccoli, cabbage and watercress, leeks, parsnips, sea vegetables, beans and lentils, tofu and Soya products, sesame seeds, dried apricots, dried figs and dates, blackcurrants, blackberries, oranges, currants and almonds. Calcium is also found in drinking water in hard water areas.

It is fair to say that non-dairy foods are likely to contain less calcium than dairy foods, for example, a portion of broccoli contains about a third as much as a glass of milk. However, this does not mean it is impossible to get adequate amounts of calcium with a dairy-free diet, especially if a wide variety of calcium-containing vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and pulses (as well as small-boned fish if not vegetarian), are eaten regularly and in plentiful amounts. If in order to accomplish this it means paying more attention to our diets, it can only be a good thing, after all, this is something we should all be doing regardless of whether we choose to eat dairy or not.

While the amount of calcium in different foods is an important consideration, so is the amount we actually absorb. While calcium is easily absorbed from milk, due to the presence of lactose sugar, high amounts of protein actually cause calcium to be lost in the urine. Milk is an animal protein, therefore a diet consisting of large amounts of dairy, as well as meat, (which is typical of the US and UK populations) also means large amounts of calcium are lost.

As more meat and dairy is consumed, the need to take in extra calcium becomes greater (the RNI for calcium is set at 1000mg for US adults). Other foods that cause calcium to be lost and therefore increase the need for more calcium include those high in fat and salt, as well as alcoholic, caffeinated and carbonated drinks.

The main cause for concern regarding calcium deficiency is osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become brittle and more likely to break due to loss of calcium in later life. The Dairy Council of the United Kingdom advocates eating dairy as the easiest way to get enough calcium to protect our bones against this disease. This is an interesting idea, especially since countries such as Britain and the United States where the prevalence of osteoporosis is high, consume large quantities of milk and milk products. If dairy produce helps to prevent this disease, then surely the inverse would be true?

Putting the 'dairy or not to dairy' argument to one side, calcium is not the only factor involved in whether or not someone will develop osteoporosis. The action of sunlight on the skin stimulates the production of vitamin D, which is required for the absorption of calcium. If the skin is not exposed to the sun or little time is spent outside low levels can be a problem, especially during the winter months. Food sources of Vitamin D include oily fish and eggs, but if sufficient levels of vitamin D are likely to be compromised, fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals and margarines as well as supplements are available.

There are also other lifestyle factors to consider regarding bone health; regular weight bearing exercise boosts bone strength, while smoking and excessive alcohol consumption has an adverse effect.

If you choose not to consume dairy products it is no reason to be alarmed - dairy will not necessarily protect you from a calcium deficiency or osteoporosis. Dairy produce may well be higher in calcium than most other food sources, but that does not automatically make it the best source. Calcium-rich foods that are vegetable in origin, sufficient exposure to sunlight and plenty of weight bearing exercise will go a long way in protecting our calcium stores and future bone health.

Not only do we have to make sure that we maintain an adequate intake of a variety of calcium rich foods, we also have to protect the calcium reserves that we already have.

Sharon Kirby is a freelance health writer who likes to write about exercise, fitness, nutrition and a multitude of other health issues. She has a particular interest in eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder.