survives on solid food, there just isn’t any need for our bodies to continue to produce lactase. This is why the vast majority of the human population becomes “lactose intolerant” after childhood. Even if you are a member of the world’s minority that is not latose intolerant, consider this: the more dairy you consume, the more lactose you consume. And research shows that the more lactose you consume, the higher your risk for ovarian cancer. For example, the Iowa Women’s Health Study found that women who consume the most lactose had a 60% higher risk for ovarian cancer when compared with those who consumed the least. Interestingly, Sweden – the country with the lowest rate of lactose intolerance in the world – also has the highest consumption of dairy in the world along with, you guessed it, the highest rates of ovarian cancer in the world.
Considering the preponderance of research linking dairy consumption to ovarian cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer, it is time to seriously question our nation’s dietary recommendations of two to three servings of dairy per day. And while we’re at it, let’s remember the most basic of biology lessons that we learned in kindergarten: mammals nurse their young, and then they wean. Maribeth Abrams, MS is a Certified Nutritionist, Certified Lifestyle Educator, and author of two cookbooks loaded with “cheezey” nondairy recipes. She has been dairy-free for nearly 20 years and is the mother of two teens dairy-free since conception. Please refer to issue August 2011 issue for Maribeth’s article on how dairy consumption promotes osteoporosis. See ad on page 12.
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