According to the recommendations published in 2014, milk may be harmful. Is it worth trusting such rules? How to protect yourself from cancer?
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Lard in a positive light. Did you know about this?
6 golden rules
The guidelines on the role of nutrition in cancer prevention, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, are thought-provoking. The report contains six tips for avoiding the development of a tumor:
- Limit or Avoid dairy products. You can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
- Limit or Avoid alcohol. You can reduce the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, colon, rectum and breast cancer.
- Limit your intake red and processed meat. You can reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer.
- Avoid frying and baking red meat, poultry, fish. You can reduce the risk of cancer of the colon, rectum, breast, prostate, kidney and pancreas.
- Eat soy productsespecially if you’re on a period maturation. You can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer in adulthood. Soy products may also reduce the risk of recurrence and mortality in women with early breast cancer treatment.
- Eat it fruits and vegetables in the diet. You will likely reduce your risk of many common forms of cancer.
Keep in mind that these recommendations are based on research into the effects of cancer, even if the matter has not been resolved definitively. The recommendation to limit or avoid milk and dairy products is a definite novelty and controversy. The authors argue that we should not wait for final evidence that milk is harmful.
What about this milk?
There are many accusations under the influence of milk. It is said to assist growth of neoplastic cells, especially those associated with hormones, such as cancers of the prostate, testes and ovaries. However, the studies are often contradictory, inconclusive and, according to the available meta-analyzes, not all reliable. Indeed, some indicate an increased risk of developing prostate cancer (Li-Qiang Qin 2009) and other cancers. Results from a large, prospective cohort study published last year in the International Journal of Cancer suggested that higher consumption of dairy products, especially milk and cheese, may be associated with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the authors themselves concluded that potential biological mechanisms required further research.
At the same time, the entire list of other studies confirms the possible protective role of dairy products against cancers, e.g. of the colon (Murphy, 2013). Consumption of dairy products has also not been recognized as a risk factor for breast cancer and other types of cancer (Pala, 2009). Moreover, Peter et al. In a 2010 meta-analysis found a small but significant reduction in total mortality in those with the highest dairy consumption compared to those who avoided dairy. An analysis of 14 cohort studies from 2014, published in the Annals of Oncology, also did not confirm the hypothesis that dairy products increased the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Despite the limitations of evidence when it comes to milk and dairy products, an article in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition suggests that limiting or avoiding dairy products may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. It was found that consuming 35 g of milk protein (more than 4 glasses of milk) increases the risk of prostate cancer by 32%. The mechanism that increases the risk of this cancer is believed to be a high dose of calcium suppressing the activation of vitamin D and the tendency to increase serum levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I). I wrote about the effects of insulin in an article on the mechanisms of hunger.
The authors are aware of the problems resulting from such a recommendation (including calcium deficiency in the diet) and suggest eating other sources of calcium: leafy vegetables, legumes, and calcium-enriched foods. The recommendation to limit dairy products for cancer prevention can be risky and troublesome as dairy products are the main source of this important dietary mineral, which is essential, inter alia, in for bone health. I think we should focus on complete approach to the diet and recommendations of a well-balanced diety until this situation is clarified. Calcium is a very important element of it, and milk is one of the best sources of calcium. However, if we are convinced by the votes against dairy products, let’s take care of supplementing calcium from other products, as reported by dietitian Emilia Gnybek-Ciosek.
The photo is from: stu_spivack / Foter / CC BY-SA
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