Prostate Cancer And Organic Milk Vs Almond Milk
Does the hormonal stimulation of human prostate cancer cells by cow milk in a petri dish translate out clinically in studies of human populations?
Michael Greger, M.D.
As I discussed in my video Prostate Cancer and Organic Milk vs. Almond Milk, concern has been expressed about the fact that cow milk contains estrogens and could stimulate the growth of hormone-sensitive tumors. The assertion is that the consumption of dairy products could both promote the conversion of precancerous lesions or mutated cells to invasive cancer and enhance the progression of hormone-dependent tumors.
This was initially postulated based on suggestive population-scale data like a 25 fold increase in prostate cancer in Japan since World War II. What was happening to their diets during that period? A 5, 10, and 20 fold increase in eggs, meat, and dairy consumption, respectively, whereas the rest of their diet remained pretty stable.
But diet wasn’t the only major change in Japanese lifestyles over the latter half century. Similarly, even though countries with higher milk consumption tend to have more prostate cancer deaths and countries with lower milk consumption fewer deaths, there could be hundreds of confounding variables. But it certainly does spur interest in studying the possibility.
Red Wine Coffee And Almonds May Lower Prostate Cancer Risk
While researchers are not sure exactly how boron lowers risk for prostate cancer, the new study shows that men who consumed the greatest amount of boron were 64% less likely to develop prostate cancer, when compared with men who consumed the least amount of boron in the study. The findings were presented this week at the Experimental Biology conference in Orlando, Fla.
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The American Cancer Society predicts that there will be about 180,400 new cases of prostate cancer in this country in the year 2000, and about 31,900 men will die of this disease. Boron is a naturally occurring trace element that is believed to play a role in certain cellular processes involved in cancer protection.
“This is the very first study relating dietary boron intake and cancer risk,” says lead researcher Zuo-Fen Zhang, MD, PhD, director of the Cancer Epidemiology Training Program at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Public Health.
While cautioning that the findings are preliminary, he tells WebMD that “there was a big reduction of prostate cancer in people who consumed the greatest amount of boron.”
And those men in the study who ate the second-highest and third-highest amount of boron also had a lower risk than men in the study who consumed the least amount of boron, he says.
The next step, he says, is to repeat the findings in a larger study to see if the results hold.
Almonds For Prostate Health: Just A Little Reduces Bph Symptoms
Recent research suggests beta-sitosterol found in almonds and other nuts may benefit benign prostatic hyperplasia .
In a six-month study of 200 men with BPH, 60 mg per day of a beta-sitosterol improved the symptoms of BPH and increased urine flow.
A follow-up study reported that these improvements in symptoms of BPH were maintained for up to18 months in the 38 participants who continued consuming beta-sitosterol after the study ended.
The best way to get the benefits of almonds for prostate health? You can get 60 mg of beta-sitosterol by enjoying two ounces of almonds.
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A Lot Of The World’s Almonds Come From California
Almonds are incredibly important to California. In fact, 80 percent of the earth’s almonds are grown in California including 100 percent of the commercial supply in America. And with people today eating more nuts than ever, keeping this crop viable and plentiful is the backbone of California’s agriculture. Almond orchards take up over one million acres in the state, and all those acres of trees produced 2.26 billion pounds of almonds in 2018. Almond growing is a $5.6 billion industry, and one that California is on top of.
California is such a great place to grow almonds because of its hot and dry climate, as well as the ability to use snow melt from the mountains. It’s the best of both worlds. The orchards are also heavily mechanized, so the cost of labor is much lower than other nuts and produce. That’s more money in the pockets of the farmers of the sunshine state. Almond production is at an all-time high, and as their uses as dairy-alternatives continue to grow, so do the sales. With luck, almond milk will become more affordable every year as almond groves continue to do well in California and the demand remains high.
May Help Improve Vision
Almond milk is rich in various vitamins, including vitamin A, which is essential for the proper functioning of the eyes. The use of computers, smartphones, and tablets is common in most offices and homes in our modern age. Constant use of these devices can affect the vision of the user to a certain extent. This condition can be treated naturally by increasing the intake of vitamin A that you can access in almond milk.
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Dairy Farmers Aren’t Happy About Almond Milk
Almond milk and its alternative milk friends are gaining traction among consumers, and there’s one group who is not lining up for some of that sweet nut milk dairy farmers. Dairy farmers and some government representatives have been lobbying the Food and Drug Administration to stop allowing almond milk manufacturers to use the term “milk” to describe their product.
Representative Peter Welch and Senator Tammy Baldwin have stated that in order for a product to be called milk, it must come from a hooved mammal. “The bottom line for us is that milk is defined by the FDA, and we’re saying to the FDA: Enforce your definition,” Mr. Welch told The New York Times.
May Help Improve Kidney Health
There are minerals such as calcium and potassium that can be harmful to the kidneys if present in an excess amount in the body. Almond milk contains a limited amount of phosphorus and potassium, which is not the case with dairy and soy products. It is advisable that people suffering from chronic or acute kidney conditions should strive to reduce the intake of foods that contain these minerals in such high amounts. Almond milk can serve the same general purposes of milk while also being beneficial for people who are trying to reduce the presence of potassium in their bodies.
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Foods To Avoid: Caffeine
Avoiding or limiting your caffeine intake, including coffee, tea, energy drinks and fizzy drinks, is another thing that can make a big difference to your urinary health.
Caffeine has a diuretic effect which means it can increase the urge to go to the toilet. On top of this, drinking these beverages, especially late at night, can irritate the bladder and so will make it more likely that you’ll need to use the loo. As it is difficult for men with an enlarged prostate to empty their bladder completely anyway, consuming caffeinated drinks will only add to the problem.
There are now so many caffeine-free drinks available that it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge to swap your usual brew for something a little kinder to your bladder.
Chamomile tea is particularly beneficial as it has anti-inflammatory properties. If you favour coffee, though, then Bambu, our caffeine-free coffee, is a great alternative.
On top of this, another important drink for your prostate is water. It’s vital you stay well hydrated if you suffer from the condition but remember not to drink anything at least 2 hours before bedtime.
Almond Milk May Cause Nutritional Deficiencies In Infants
Almond milk has proven health benefits for many types of people, but not everyone. When it comes to the nutrition and health of infants, almond milk is one way you should never ever go. At least according to Dr. Julie Lemale, who is a researcher at Hôpital Trousseau in France. Her 2014 study came to the conclusion that infants who drank almond milk had nutritional deficiencies as well as growth problems. If your child is allergic to milk or lactose intolerant, consult with your pediatrician for helping finding an appropriate formula.
A lot of this can be trailed back to the fact that almond milk doesn’t contain a high amount of protein, calcium, or other much-needed nutrients, even when fortified. There is also not as many vitamins and minerals in almond milk that infants need as they’re growing. While this may not be as much of an issue for an adult, for a growing child, it’s critical. Growing children need calcium to strengthen their bones during important growth periods. Denying them that can lead to serious complications and osteoporosis down the road.
This isn’t to say that toddlers and children can’t have almond milk. It just needs to be in addition to something else that has the nutrients they need. Think of it as an accompaniment rather than the main beverage of choice.
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You Can Make Almond Milk At Home
Making your own almond milk may seem like a daunting task. After all, how do you milk an almond? Well, the trick is that you don’t at all. Almond milk is made by soaking almonds in water for an extended period of time, blitzing them in a blender, and then straining them. The trick is to soak the almonds for a very long time. We’re talking 8-12 hours. Make sure you fully submerge your almonds in water and then let nature take its course.
Your almonds will be plump after soaking. Drain the almonds and then put them in a blender with a small amount of room temperature water. Blend until you have a thick paste and then pour the contents into a bowl, where you’ll add boiling water and let them steep for 10-15 more minutes. After that, it’s time to strain with a cheesecloth. Voila! Almond milk!
What’s great about making your own almond milk at home is that you can flavor and enhance it any way that you want. Plain almond milk has a light almond flavor, but is pretty much a blank canvas. We suggest adding in some vanilla and cinnamon or nutmeg for a warm cozy taste. If you want to get fancy, add in some matcha or even lavender for an aromatic almond milk.
Warning: Harmful Chemicals In Almond Milk
Commercially sold almond milks, as found at your local health store, are full of synthetic chemicals that stress your immune system and contribute to chronic disease. Read on to find out why you should only drink real home-made almond milk.
Synthetic Ingredients:
Here are just some of the harmful ingredients you will find listed on your store-bought almond milk carton:
Vitamin A Palmitate This is a synthetic version of vitamin A that is associated with birth defects and bone fractures while providing zero health benefits. Other side effects of this isolated chemical form of vitamin A include tumor enhancement, joint disorders, osteoporosis, extreme dryness of eyes, mouth and skin, enlargement of liver and spleen, irritability, drowsiness, fatigue, insomnia, abdominal pain, blurred vision, headache, hair loss, muscle pain with weakness, menstrual abnormalities, seizures, nausea, and immune suppression.
Vitamin D2 This is the synthetic form of vitamin D. Numerous recent studies have demonstrated that vitamin D supplements are highly ineffective at preventing disease, and potentially harmful. Even in amounts considered safe, taking vitamin D over an extended period of time has been shown to contribute to a wide range of health issues, including gastrointestinal symptoms, increases in LDL cholesterol, prostate cancer, kidney disease, and calcium stones.2-8
Synthetic chemicals do not equal naturally occurring nutrients:
Nutrition & Exercise Specialist
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Lycopene Selenium And Green Tea
In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of a supplement containing lycopene , selenium , and green tea catechins that was given for 6 months and targeted men with high-gradeprostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and/or atypical small acinar proliferation, a higher incidence of prostate cancer was seen on rebiopsy in men who received the supplement. Although the expected rate of progression to prostate cancer is less than 20% , more than 25.5% of this population of men had a diagnosis of prostate cancer at 6 months, which may be attributed to inadequate sampling and potentially missed cancers at baseline. A high percentage of positive biopsies raises the concern for cancers missed on baseline biopsy, and further study is warranted.
Enriched Almond Milk Is High In Vitamin D
Many people are low or deficient in vitamin D. This raises the risk of brittle bones, fatigue, and weak muscles .
There are few good sources of vitamin D in the human diet. Thats why a common public health strategy is to enrich certain foods with vitamin D. This especially applies to milk products.
Just like regular milk, almond milk often contains added vitamin D. The amount of vitamin D varies between products. For example, 1 cup of almond milk may contain 2.62 micrograms, which is 13% of your DV. A cup of vitamin-enriched cows milk contains similar amounts .
This makes enriched almond milk a useful source of vitamin D that can prevent deficiency if you consume it regularly.
Bottom line: Almond milk is often enriched with vitamin D, and consuming it often may help prevent vitamin D deficiency.
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How Many Almonds Are In Almond Milk Find Here
Today, almond milk has become a staple in many households for good. This dairy-free milk has more calcium than the cows milk. Needless to say, it is very delicious. However, most people think that since almond is in its name, they are reaping the healthy benefits of almonds. Unfortunately, there may not be enough nuts in this milk for actually making that difference. So, how many almonds are in almond milk?
More…
Almond Milk Is Great For Your Skin
Almonds and almond milk aren’t just for consumption, they’re actually a very versatile ingredient. There are multiple health benefits to the nut, including your skin. Plenty of cosmetic brands from The Body Shop to Lush to L’Occitane use almond milk in their products to help nourish skin. Almond milk is incredibly moisturizing and can help seriously soften your skin, especially on your face. Almond milk, blended with almond oil, can reduce fine lines and help smooth skin. Almonds are rich in flavonoids, specifically catechin, kaempferol and epicatechin, which are antioxidants. They protect skin cells from oxidizing, thus preventing premature wrinkles.
Also, because of its moisturizing benefits, almond milk is used in masks, lotions, and body butters to really penetrate the skin for maximum hydration retention. Almond milk based products are always great for those with sensitive skin, given its nourishing properties. Making almond milk masks at home is easy. It can be as simple as dipping a cotton ball into some milk and spreading it on your face. If you want some exfoliation involved, mix almond milk with oatmeal and a little bit of honey and spread it all over. Not only will your face be impeccably soft, but you’ll smell nice too!
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May Act As A Substitute For Breast Milk
Almond milk contains vitamins and minerals that are similar to those found in a nursing mothers breast milk. This is because it contains a considerable amount of vitamins C and D, as well as iron, which is very important for the growth and well-being of infants. It is also possibly rich in protein, making it a perfect substitute for food, just like other healthy foods like rice and soy milk.
What To Keep In Mind
But just because something happens in a petri dish or a test tube doesnt mean the same thing happens in a person. Its just suggestive evidence that we can use in a grant application to get money to study actual people. This can be done with a retrospective study where we take prostate cancer patients and figure out what they ate in the past, or a prospective study where we look at peoples diets first and follow them for a few years and see who gets cancer. The looking back kind are typically referred to as case-control studies, because researchers look at cases of cancer and compare their diets to controls. The looking forward kind are often called cohort studies because a cohort of people is followed forward. Then, if we want to get fancy, we can do a so-called meta-analysis, where you combine all the best studies done to date and see what the balance of available evidence shows.
The latest meta-analysis of all the best case control studies ever done on the matter concludes that milk consumption is a risk factor for prostate cancer. And the latest meta-analysis of all the best cohort studies ever done also concludes that milkconsumption is a risk factor for prostate cancer. An even newer study profiled in my video, Prostate Cancer and Organic Milk vs.Almond Milk, suggests that milk intake during adolescence may be particularly risky in terms of potentially setting one up for cancer later in life.
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What Foods To Avoid For Prostate Cancer Prevention
When focusing on our health, most of us know that looking at what we eat is crucial. When discussing prostate cancer risk reduction through diet, there are a some simple guidelines to follow that will leave your body better suited to fight the development of the cancer, that we discussed here.
However, there are two main components of the typical Standard American Diet that must be changed when the word cancer comes into the conversation. The standard American Diet is centered around over indulgence in two categories red meat and dairy. Cutting down the amount of these two products, more similar to a Mediterranean Diet or Plant Based diet, will not only have you feeling healthier, but create an environment in your body that is less conducive to cancer, especially prostate cancer.
Heres why
Red Meat: A diet high in meat may be associated with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This is due to heterocyclic amines which are carcinogens found in cooked meat. HCAs have been linked to the development of several cancers, and The World Health Organization suggests that both red and processed meats may be associated with increased risk of developing prostate cancer. Examples include beef, pork, lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, and sausages.
Instead of red or processed meats, try these protein sources instead:
You may also experiment with eating meat-free for some meals or days of the week. Here are some ideas to try:
Try instead: