Hey Mark - Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate getting these emails about health. They assure me I'm on the right track. Head's up tho that this blog about vitamins got posted twice - it runs one right after the other. Thanks again!

I think it also gets very confusing with supplements when you look at all the different types. The health food store says this, and the supermarket has that, and the drug store has another.

I haven't noticed a big change yet, so I'm on the fence about the possible benefits, and I have many health issues, so until these clear up I can't just take anything willy nilly, (ie calcium and iron because of thyroid medication, and watch out you don't take too much D). I have to time when I take what and I feel chained to the clock! But I'm going to keep on the "wait and let's see what happens" fence and hope for the best.

For me, supplements are definitely NOT a waste of money. I had my gall bladder out 28 years ago and over the years I've lost my ability to digest my food properly due to decreased levels of bile. When I went to the Dr and had my blood tested for vitamin and mineral levels I was found to be extremely low on zinc, iodine, and vitamin D. I was having very strong, very unusual hot flashes that began at my feet and went through my body causing my heart to race and pound and for me to wonder if I was going to have a stroke or a heart attack. Definitely not the usual hot flashes associated with hormonal changes - those just make you feel really hot. Once I started taking the amino acid Taurine, digestive enzymes, magnesium, calcium, vitamin D and using Sea Salt with added kelp granuales those scary hot flashes have not reoccurred. Occasionally, I will have an adrenalin rush, but not like before. The Dr also diagnosed me with subclinical hypothyroidism and I'm taking Armour thyroid for that. After 30 years of being overweight and fighting, fighting to lose weight, the weight is coming off. No sugar, no processed foods, no caffeine, no sodas, no below-the-ground vegetables, no dairy, limited eggs. Instead, I have lots and lots of fruit and salads, low gylcemic protein bars and lean meats. I feel so much better its really quite remarkable. I'm taking doctor prescribed supplements so I don't have to worry about purity since the doctor has all of that aspect covered. The most difficult thing about eating this way is the cost and finding the freshest produce.

I've been told that I'm prediabetic. In addition to eating a whole foods diet and exercising, I've also recently added two additional supplements that seem to help keep my blood sugars lower. They are alpha lipoic acid and evening primrose oil. From what I've "read," they can act together as an insulin sensitizer to help the cells respond to the insulin and allow for the cells to take in the blood sugar. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Thanks.

We need supplemnts that are made to "help" not tomake money. so many on the market don't help. their marketing is great. i do beleive that most people's bodies are so toxic that the supplements they do take make little difference.
the average over=the counter supplements have too many fillers, sugar, or sugar substitues, etc.

My doctor does blood work on me to see exactly what my body needs. I take supplements 3xs a day plus omega 3, dhea, armour thyroid, 5htp. I'm 52 years old & never felt better in my life. Simple blood test taken every three months at the begin. can help keep you in balance. I bought your book & share it with clients. I encourage everyone to take control of their health.

I am a vegetarian, and I lead a very active lifestyle. I found that when I began taking Floradix liquid iron/herb and a host of other vitamin supplements such as the ones mentioned in your book, I need less caffiene in the mornings and my energy doesn't run out in the afternoon. I eat a mostly raw, whole food diet, so this change was brought on by the vitamins....

Hi

Well, I have been tracking my supplements content through blood work with my doctor for 22 months now - AND I'm still gaining weight although I do everything I'm told - it's really depressing. Your latest book was a great help to me understanding what's going on, hoever, my body seems to have a will of it's own. Now I really do not know what to do

I definitely don't think supplements are a waste of money. However, it'd be nice to know which ones are actually working and good for you! I've found this book to be an excellent resource.

The only drawback? I went to CVS the other day to do some price comparing and to see if I could find the supplements I was most interested in. Beyond the fact that none of the multivitamins they had were even close to the recommendations that are listed in the book, by the time I finished pulling each of the different bottles, I still had about 20 that I couldn't find, had well over 30 pills I'd have to take every day, and would have spent well over $100 for a one month supply!

I hope that there will come a time when we are able to go to someone and tell them exactly what we'd like in our supplements, so we can just take a couple, instead of a cornucopia of pills. I can't really afford to spend over $100 a month on supplements. :) So, I just buy the basics and make do.

I wasn't sure that the supplements made a difference till I started taking cal/mag and vit b's. I am obviously low on these as I feel (within about 30 min) calmer and able to focus. Learning to pay attention to my body and what it's telling me is something new. I'm learning to pay attention!

All vitamins are not created equal. I have definitely found that I am healthier since I take my vitamins (and get a proper amount of sleep!). I used to get sick every winter and then cough (hard) for months afterward; got pneumonia twice. I had always hated taking 'pills' of any kind, whether it was a pain reliever for a specific circumstance, or vitamins as a preventative. I finally gave up, did some research, and started a daily vitamin/mineral supplement regimen. I hardly ever get sick anymore, and usually when I do, it's because of a lack of sleep, having slacked off on taking my vitamins, having had an unusaul amount of stress, or any combination of the above; and even then I can usually fight it off before it gets bad by taking the necessary steps (immediately) to correct the situation that caused it in the first place. So far I have not had too much success in the weight loss department, though! :( Sigh!

I have researched and used certain vitamins and supplements for years because I was ill. For over 20 years I went to specialists and was finally diagnosed with Urea Cycle Disorder - Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency. Amino acids, supplements, and a lo pro diet are the only way you can live. And I have finally started losing weight. The deficiency screws up the krebs and the urea cycle, fat storage, etc and causes all sorts of secondary diseases. I loved your book because it touches on many good things that people need to think about. I know I would have died years ago if we had not used alternative medical treatments with herbs, vitamins, and supplements. And now the geneticist requires them!!!

I have a genetic (gene #9) bleeding disorder...Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome. I am lucky as I do not experience internal bleeding. I have some horrible bloody noses though. I take copious amounts of iron, B12, Vit. C, seaweed vegetables to keep my blood rich in color. I am also on Armour Thyroid to keep my thyroid working optimally(Hashimoto's Disease) Within the last year I lost 25 menopausal pounds... not by dieting but allowing my body to tell me what I needed.

I take probiotics, digestive enzymes and some herb supplements. The results. Better health and energy.

I agree with your comments about vitamins. My even greater concern is
Genetically Engineered foods and the fact that there is no Govermental control. How can we demand
labeling of these foods so we can make intelligent choices about whether we wish to consume them or not.

Thanks for giving us a chance to be a voice for better nutrition and health!!

I didn't realize how much my Cod Live Oil supplement was improving my mood and energy level until I left for a 5 day trip and forgot to pack my bottle in the cooler. I had been taking 2 tsp per day at the suggestion of my psychiatrist for a few months, along with amino acid supplements for seretonin and depomine (sp?), and wasn't really sure that the oil was doing anything or if it was all the aminos. But during those 5 days, still taking my aminos, my mood slowly started to go downhill. I became irritable, and tired, and wasn't enjoying my vacation. I had attributed it to just general anxiety about traveling, but once I returned home, 3 days back on my Carlson's Cod Liver Oil and I was back to normal. Since then, I haven't missed a day and will know that if I ever forget to pack that "insignificant" bottle of lemon flavored oil again, I will definitely stop and pick some up along the way ! It saves my vacations!

Now my question is - are the aminos doing anything, or is the cod liver oil curing my depression?

I've just started reading Ultrametabolizm and completely agree that supplements are necessary. I was very low in Iron and every time I didn't take my multi-vitamin I got cold sores. My husband and I just started taking Fish Oil and I'm looking forward to improved health. Thanks.

My husband and I found that by taking smaller doses of combined vitamins including fish oil, tyrosine, L-glutamine and othere amino acides as well as multi's two to three times a day,AND we were careful with starches and sugars, our appetites decreased significantly.
Though we only lost a few pounds in several weeks, our energy and vitality shot up. My kidney meridians got stronger. We both felt great.
If we add more exercise in the same manner (frequent smaller doses) I believe we will also drop the weight.

My husband and I found that by taking smaller doses of combined vitamins including fish oil, tyrosine, L-glutamine and othere amino acides as well as multi's two to three times a day,AND we were careful with starches and sugars, our appetites decreased significantly.
Though we only lost a few pounds in several weeks, our energy and vitality shot up. My kidney meridians got stronger. We both felt great.
If we add more exercise in the same manner (frequent smaller doses) I believe we will also drop the weight.

hi mark
thanx for updates. they are very helpful..however re vits/mins or supplements in general i have been taking them all for years. no help with weight loss and i feel ok but if i take a two week vacation out of town i don't take my supps. and i don't feel a bit different. i have always wondered about that.do you think in a future update you might talk about GOUT? thanks

Hi Mark !
You asked for comments about today's email: What you say is of course right to a point, BUT most of us actually have an even bigger problem with supplements. Namely, it's not WHAT you eat, but what you ABSORB. Most folks supplement with expensive nutrients, but they end up going straight through. Personally I have this problem with CoQ10 where I take 200mg twice a day -still I have CoQ10 deficiency.
Additionally, I use my "Quantum Scio" machine to measure whether I need a supplement or not. But I noticed there is an ENORMOUS difference in the quality of omega3/fish oils.
So maybe as a codicil you might consider adding what helps us actually ABSORB supplements, be it HCl,pepsin or whatever. Yet another thought is that if one doesn't have an expensive machine like me, that one "muscle tests" supplements first to see what one really needs -and if THAT brand is any good.

Mark, thank you for posting this article. Knowing the confusion and misuse of information, I am pleased to see more attention drawn to our health. I would like to mention to you and others that are concerned with their health and well-being. Go Natural Complete Liquid Nutrition is a complex, balanced and effective source of Ionic Plant Source Minerals, Vitamins, Nutrients, Herbs and Amino Acids all yoked in Aloe Vera. There is no worry about absorbtion as liquid has a 98% absorbtion rate compared to 10 to 20 percent in capsules/tablets. For detailed information about Go Natural Complete, you and your viewers can go to www.gonatural-health.com . The book is spectacular and mixed with Go Natural Complete, I am seeing results.

For years I believed that the supplements I took were just passing on through my system without much value. I was buying quality supplements, but didn't think they were any better than the next brand.

I AM NOW A BELIEVER! I developed a condition called Trigeminal Neuralgia. A condition that sends lightening through my face. My nerologist gave me two options for treatment: Anti-seizure medications that would leave me feeling like a zombie, but only take the pain away sometimes, or brain surgery to insert a pillow between the nerve and the blood vessel. I wanted neither! Through research, I found a vitamin-mineral supplement that helps with nerve function. I am now pain free. I don't know why they would work this way on TN but I am thankful every day that I found the help. If I continue with them, I am pain free. If I forget to take the supps, I am quickly reminded that I still have the condition and the supplements are working. So Yes, I believe!

Dr. Mark,
I have been following your plan for about two months now and have had amazing results! My glucose count went from 140 down to 110 and the lab report said "non-diabetic" on it for the first time in two years. My doctor has started reducing my Metformin med and will do the same with Lovastatin in six weeks. My bp went from 130-140/70-80 to 110/70. I had also lost over 13 pounds since I last saw my doctor. She was very pleased and wanted to know how I did it, so I gave her a "sneak preview" of your book. She said she could recommend this to her other patients. I have been taking Paxil for years and everytime I tried to come off it by missing one night, I was a wreck the next day. This time I started reducing it to one every other night, then every three nights, then every four nights with no problems. I'll probably be off it completely soon. I'm on one every 5 nights and do get a little emotional occasionally at something I've seen on TV, etc. but nothing to be concerned about.

I'm SO confused!!! I want to take the basic recommendations - can you or someone give a brand name or site of where to buy the Vit/Min that meets the BASIC recommendations? The Vitamin store was a total waste of time - would take 50 or more pills / day and still not meet the mininum of all mentioned! Help - I really want to give this a try!

Thanks!

Those studies re nutrient deficiency don't show the whole story. What are these people eating? Do people who eat a healthy diet high in a range of vegetables, fruit, legumes, etc still show nutrient deficiency? Other reports indicate that most people have poor diets, which would have to contribute to lack of nutrition. Not that I'm nay-saying, but I'd like to know more.

Dr Hyman,

As much as you (rightly so) emphasize the necessity of whole foods in our diet, I am suprised that you are recommending a multivitamin instead of a whole food supplement such as Juice Plus or others. Studies have shown that isolated vitamins often deplete the body of those nutrients over time and other studies have shown that the nutrients in whole food supplements are very easily absorbed by the body, and are going to be much more complete; containing all of the phytonutrients contained in a certain set of fruits and vegetables. I definintely agree that our diets need suplementation, but have always felt that this was an important distinction. What are your thoughts on this?

Having suffered less than good health for over 10 years and being diagnosed with depression, pernicious anaemia (body's lack of producing one of the B vitamins), fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, doctor prescribed anti depressants and regular injections to help the pernicious anaemia. Not long after this I was fortunate enough to find a reputable company selling high quality vitamin and mineral supplements (in colloidal form thereby ensuring that the body is able to process and use supplements instead of just eliminating them.)In the 8 years that I have been using them I no longer require the anti depessants, the injections, chronic fatigue is basically non existent and the fibromyalgia is manageable. I don't know where I would be now if it wasn't for the supplements (including eating properly and drinking adequate water.) Other pluses include less colds, no flu and much better health.

Hi Mark
just read the information on vitamins. I do take some and have been feeling so much better. I also enjoyed the information on sleep. Makes so much sense. I appreciate the emails and look forward to many more
Thanks
Sandra

Mark,

Thank you for your great book. I haven't had a chance to finish it but am working hard on that project. I just want to reinforce that even good quality vitamins in pill form are not readily absorbed by the body and many end up in the waste management departments where the name can still be read on the pill surface. After much research it is apparent to get the best absorption rate a body needs the vitamins etc. in liquid force and even them some are cell-ready and others are not depending on whether they are angstrom-size or not. I have found this particularly true with glucosamine, which I now take in a liquid form and it has allowed me to postpone bilateral knee replacements and to resume teaching 2 dance classes a week, at the age of 62. The body just can't digest those pills fast enough to get the dosage needed to accomplish the purpose. Again, thanks for your book and your e-mails. Here's to everyone's good health! Sherri

Dear Mark,
I certainly can agree with your statements about the need for sleep. I have noticed that lack of sleep does impair my memory function and my mood. Thanks for the suggestions.

I found that after 1 week on the Ultrametabolism Plan and taking just the multivitamin/mineral, Omega-3, B Complex and C supplements, I have noticed a big difference in my health. I used to have problems with my hands, I thought I was getting carpal tunnel syndrome. I would wake up at 3 AM with numb, throbbing, tingling hands that would keep me awake for hours. After doing the plan for a week, I noticed that this did not happen anymore. I am elated, to say the least.

After years of experimenting with various vitamins, I have settled down to taking fish oil for omega-3s, a plain one-a-day, vitamin D, folic acid, and occasional C and B12. But what REALLY made a difference to how I feel is taking minerals. I realized that the vegetables from my own garden can synthesize most vitamins, but no plant or animal can synethize minerals. Plants and animals are totally dependent on the minerals they themselves eat, and soil is becoming depleted all over the world. I take Country Life Total Mins (the no-iron version because my iron levels are always normal) and have found I feel much, much better. The only reason I mention the brand is because I had a hard time finding any non-vitamin mineral supplements that include trace minerals and calcium, magnesium, etc. But where people on this blog are mentioning so many vitamins, I wanted to put in a word for multiminerals.

Dr. Hyman I enjoyed reading your book Ultra Metabolism. I saw you speak on P.B.S. I got the last copy that was avaliable in my book store. I am 38 years old and have let myself destroy and run my body down. Its amazing that if you look good to the eye and seem fit, its harder to realize what is really going on inside. I started taking your recommended basic regimin of vitimin supplements. One week later I can get through the whole day with energy, and notice a difference in some metabolic areas. I have purchased most on the list for phase 1, and just today completed purchasing everything for my "empowered kitchen". If you like I will let you know what happens when I start.

Today is the first day of Phase 1 detox program for me. I bought all the ingredients on the list and plan to follow the daily menus. I am concerned though that the daily menu adds to less than 1600 calories per day. This seems very low considering that in your book, you say that an average woman needs 1600-1700 just to live. Should we be eating 2 servings for some meals?

And to Dr. Hyman's latest entry, I would add another seminal work, Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma for anyone interested in our health and the health of our planet. Fascinating reading and a wake up call!

Dear Dr. Hyman:

Like millions of other Americans, I'm pre-diabetic. My doctor has told me a lot about the dangers of too much sugar in my bloodstream, but I wonder about the dangers of too much insulin. Have there been studies of how excess insulin affects the body?

For example, I developed a gut for the first time recently, and I've also noticed that I can't loss weight, even on a 1200 calorie diet.

My doctor says I must be cheating on my diet and exercise, but I'm not!

Help!

Ed

Dr. Mark,
As a nurse, I know food should be thought of as medicine. In fact, part of my patient teaching is on good nutrition. However, I was teaching the wrong foods. I read Ultra Metabolism and am trying now to enjoy eating more of the right foods. I used to try "low-carb" and was always hungry and couldn't wait until I could eat some high-sugar dessert! I now eat a LOT of brown rice (with beans and vegetables), and a lot of fruit. No sugar, white flour, or dairy. Still working on giving up Diet Coke (but am drinking the caffine free version!). Also working on giving up coffee. I liked how you said not to give up everything at once, and I've got my goal ahead of me. I'm eating well, and have lost 9 pounds in 3 weeks. I used to have hip and knee pain when I slept (and needed Advil to get comfortable). I am 90% pain free at night. I do have some more energy (I know when I stop with the coffee/diet coke it will increase as well!!) I've been taking L-Carnitine, Lipoic acid, and B Complex daily. Best thing of all, I'm not hungry!! I feel this is a plan I can stay on.

If you go into supplements, would they be bought? If already healthy, probably not. If get something, maybe yes. Even on supplements, it took me a year and a half to "see" I have a symptom mentality, bathed as we are by conventional med. and media. As a smoker, I am always working for prevention; as pollution rises, so will others. If threats realized, as gen foods, yes. Please see "mycoplasmas" and gov't use of. Only one form of Vit. C claims to deal with. I want supplements to restore metabolic imbalances. Drs. don't have time to learn "realm" of alternative stuff. Nor most people.For you, options: train others to do what you do - ie. teach others. For business, weigh business aptitude and expertise. I know 8 with cancer; see Medpagetoday.com, 4/9/06: High Vitamin D Serum Levels Lower breast Cancer Risk. Ref. is to Vit D3. Men respond to "principles" to learn supplements; women seem to use an intuitive sense when trying new ones. And of course the risk factor: if make what works, FDA may take away. Larry King quoted someone: Luck is the issue of design" Good luck! Susan Kangas

I have been taking vitamins and suppliments for years. I believe it's one of the reasons that I'm still here and going strong, because my health improves every year.

diabetes, heart by pass and heart attack.Chotty

Not all vitamins are created equal. The key is taking a high quality, pharmaceutical grade product. I've been taking one since 1998 and it's done wonders for me. The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements by Lyle McWilliam (available at Amazon.com) rates Usana's Essentials as the best.

Mark,

Interesting info on vitamins. I am taking Centrum and am thinking of trying some Omega 3. Where is the best place to buy and what brands are trustworthy.

Particularly Hungry

Dr. Hyman,
Your book says to visits www.ultrmetabolism.com/guide to learn which brands of supplements are the best. However, I have been unable to find a listing of specific brands. Would you please provide additional info/guidance? Thank you.

I agree with the comments regarding the necessity of whole foods and the avoidance of excessive amounts of processed foods.

It seems to me that God put us on the earth with a variety of foods to promote health. I really don't believe that most people need ten medicines from their doctor, or hundreds of dollars worth of supplements in their diet.

On the other hand, if all we eat is cheeseburgers and milkshakes, chances are our body is NOT getting what it needs.

Moderation...
Exercise...
Avoid excesses...
Have faith...

Dr. Mark,

I found your comments on soy very enlightening. May I ask your opinion of soy protein in such supplements as Met-Rx? Would you consider more than two such shakes a day to be in your "no-no" category?
Thanks for a great site full of useful, thoughtful, no-panic information.

Dear Mark

I believe that supplementing our daily diet is very important. I have had success in this and so has a friend of mine. For example, for years I was beginning to get tire for no good reason. I was still in my 20's. A friend recommended a b- complex vitamin which immediately began to give me more enerby. I later recommended the same to a friend who had similar results.

I now take a liquid daily multivitamin & mineral supplement called SeaSilver. When I began taking this, I noticed a 12 lb weight loss inside of 2 months. I did not exercise during that time. When I ran out & stopped taking it for a couple months the weight began to return. So I got back on it and have remained for 3 years now.

The supplement contributed to balancing my hormones somehow and I think that my weight gain was hormone related. In any case, I know that supplements have definately helped me.

Dr. Hyman,
Your book says to visits www.ultrmetabolism.com/guide to learn which brands of supplements are the best. However, I have been unable to find a listing of specific brands. Would you please provide additional info/guidance? Thank you

Your post on dairy shows you have departed from medical science for the twilight zone of hucksterism. You've taken Prof. Willett's name in vain, you've employed spurious arguments, you've propagated false data (it's not 75% who suffer lactose intoleranc, it's 90% worldwide, oops, a blunder of only 1 billion people).
Shame. Remove me from your list.

I agree with all you are saying but find it very hard to convince my family. However, I am slowly eliminating dairy, sugar and processed foods. Thank you so much for your encouraging newsletters

Dr Hyman,

Your comments about milk are right on, I gave up milk a year and a half ago, before that I had bronchitis at least 3 times a year, I have had it once since then. I do not miss milk and do feel MUCH better.

Although, I've read about Dairy products in the past. This was the most informative yet. I am going to try to not eat dairy for two weeks as suggested and see what happens. I do not drink milk but do enjoy cheese and yogurt. This will be hard but worth it if it helps my weight....

It was my understanding that sour milk products like yogurt were acceptable.
I found plain organic yogurt helped my colon function,, the active cultures are probably the reason,, what would you suggest? Since Im vegetarian I need to be careful not to rely too heavily on soy, right?
And I do need variety.

I never heard anyone speak out aganst milk. I agree. what do you know about food combinations? I read something many years ago about eating the right combination of food so as to digest correctly. i love your blogs

Well i stopped drinking milk when I was a teenager because I wanted to loose weight and my doctor like yourself told me at I no longer had use for it. Now I agree with you about dairy products but I love cheese and butter those ar my big dairy loves besides I have never had a problem tolerating dairy products no constipation none of things you mentioned and I am 55 years old.

Dr. Hyman,
Thanx for you insight and research. Ive been snacking on organic low fat yogurt, of which now Im going to discontinue. I instead can snack on some almonds/walnuts or frozen berries. Do you recommend Silk? or is that considered diary as well?

I agree regarding milk. I quit drinking it more than two years ago, along with eating sugar and flour. I have a lifetime history of digestive problems, sinus infections, bronchitis and allergies. Since following this plan, I think I have had two upper respiratory infections, and no digestive problems at all. My allergies are nearly non-existent. Am I believer? Heck ya.

If you look at everything from an evolutionary standpoint(just a theory), then nothing makes sense. Consider that the earth is only 10,000 years old or less and that it was created by something greater than us. Certain foods were created for us in their natural state, not to be changed by processing and thinking we can make it better than the creator. Raw goats milk is one of these foods and has been drunk since the beginning of time. It is most like human milk and I have seen it totally cure ulcers. Every time man thinks he is better than mother nature or a creator then he screw things up. If you look how man is screwing up the earth and causing global warming then a young earth totally makes sense. People don't believe in a young earth because they have been brainwashed all their lives that everything is "millions" of years old. It is hard for them to comprehend the earth's destruction in such a short period of time because they think the earth will go on for millions of years more. There are scientific studies being done right now to prove the earth's age but most people are being sheltered from this info. Check out ICR.com. By the way, the earth will go on, but the population won't. We are killing ourselves and all living things on the planet. I haven't seen Al Gores movie yet (but I will) but I have seen several programs on global warming on the Discovery Channel and all I know is everybody better wake up.

Correction to previous blog from Kay - The web site is ICR.org not .com Sorry about that. Check out the story about the artic temperature on that site.

Dear Mark,
Thanks for the newsletter! I just started your program on Monday and have seen two pounds gracefully drop. I was on atkins(as a vegetarian) and saw instance results then instance rebound as soon as I ate carbs. Your program helps me eat more protein but lets me still enjoy the vegetable part of vegetarian! Thank you so much!
-Lawra

I just finished your article on consuming dairy. What about all the claims on the beneficial cultures found in products, such as yogurt and kefir?

I just posted to the wrong site - sorry. I just finished reading your article about consuming dairy. What about all the "beneficial bacterial cultures" reported found in products such as yogurt and kefir?

You are so right about dairy. I grew up on a farm, milking cows and consuming some of the best milk.....no herbicides, pesticides, growth hormones, only grass fed cows, no homogenization or pastuerization, but STILL I had many earaches as a child and suffered with asthma for the first 15 years of my life. It was not until I finally discovered the link between these problems and dairy that I got better. I still have to eat cheese (which I dearly love) sparingly or I will immediately get stabbing pains in my ear. Earaches are not confined to childhood.I take digestive enzymes daily to help me with the amounts of dairy that happen to get into my food. Thanks for putting the word out about dairy.

You are bogus!! You are negative!! You tear appart a statement and use weak statistics (nurses research????) and flaunt big names, and use words like milk doesn't cause fractures...duh!! everybody knows milk wouldn't cause or prevent a fracture! GET a LIFE!!!
Love your world! You're filled with bitterness and need recognition EGOTISTICAL!!!!!!

I belive that skim milk is good for me. I have epilepsy so I have to take seizure medicine that destroys my bones, yes, I work out, but my bone density was 122% (I've been taking meds the last 20 years & not eating my veggies like I should) the chiropractics were stunned! I drink about 1/2 gallon of milk a day! It sure isn't destroying my bones!!! I think it only causes allergies when it has hormones because when I could no longer find that in the store I started to have problems, now I get it elsewhere. No problems.

Hi,
Just wanted to let people know who are looking for good supplements. I work in an alternative medical clinic. We use Pure Encapsulations for most of our supplements we recommend from people. Check with your Doctor or Chiropactor is they carry them.

I've heard some of the same comments about dairy before. Now it's just one more reason not to drink too much or eat too much of it. I was wondering what your thoughts are on Rice milk and Soy milk, since my young son still enjoys cereal once in awhile.

I am a firm believer of "milk is for baby cows."
I began a wheat, sugar, dairy, corn and soy free plan in January (following Caroline Sutherland) and this is the first spring that I did not require medical care for asthma. In spite of the fact it was the worst year for allergens. No arthritis pain, no snoring, no sinus drip and I have clear breathing through both my nostrils.

I am obese and I have had some weight loss but my Naturopath says I have subclinical thyroid, adrenal, and hormone (close to menopause) issues. Trying to get an MD to address these issues when the lab reports say all is normal...that's the hard part.

Note to all, this book is great...I had about 2-3 weeks of withdrawl, felt like I had the flu but after...what a difference. All edema gone in my legs, no heavy breathing. It works.

Most of my life I have had allergies and low energy.I stopped most dairy first with good results,then unnatural food colourings.Better still, but not completely right.Then I discovered vinegar intolerance so gave that up too.I'm two weeks in to stopping trans fats and hfcs and feel the best ever.The best and most surprising thing about it is-I dont miss or crave anything.The hardest thing is finding reliable sources of good foods where I live.

Got milk? Very interesting. When I was a child of 12 I began having what at the time, we though were migraines though now I think they were very bad sinus headaches. My mother took me to the doctor and she asked how much milk I drank. At the time I drank alot of whole milk. She told me to stop immediately and called it the "white poison." Evidently she was ahead of her time as the headaches stopped. In the course of my fight with weight I joined Weight Watchers who advocate at least 2 glasses of skim milk daily. I began trying to drink at least one a day and found my eyes began tearing for no reason and my sinuses again acting up. I stopped milk again and the symptoms have all but disappeared. I believe you are aboslutly right! Thank you Dr. Hyman!

I have heard so many of these milk debates that I have to say I am somewhat confused by now. Though, here is what I do know.

Several years ago I completely changed my diet in a way that is very similar to the ultrametabolism way of life. First I avoided milk. Then I started drinking it again. Then I switched to raw organic cheese and kefir and goat's milk and goat's milk yogurt.

I have to say that the most significant difference came from the original change of my diet, not really the change in milk. In fact, I have done a lot of reading on goat's milk and have found that it doesn't have the same effect on the body as cow's milk.

I also have IBS and so far I am doing quite well with the dairy products I am using. I don't know if I would say to get rid of milk all together, but to use diary in moderation and to get the right dairy.

You wanted comments about not using dairy. I have not been using mild specifically for about 20 years, and dairy completely for about 3 years when I started using Macrobiotics as a life plan. I have gotten a little less rigid lately and have begun to eat a little bit of white cheese with my bird. Other than that, I have not been regularly eating any dairy. If I do slip and eat an ice cream or some product with dairy and eggs, I have tremendous intestinal issues for hours afterward. I found with the cessation of milk in my diet that I went from having bronchitis from September through May each year and sinus infections and all sorts of problems with respiratory things to having practically none for years and years. I have also been exercising regularly for the last 25 years and haven't been around any second-hand smoke for years and years, which all contributes to my healthier respiratory. As I said, if I do indulge, I pay big time. I eat quite a bit of seaweed and collard greens, kale, etc. for calcium and a wee bit of calcium supplement, but now I may decide to increase food source and decrease supplement. I dislike taking pills anyway and have tried to avoid them at all costs. Thanks for your research and information. I appreciate it and now I have black and white to show friends I have been trying to convince for years to drop dairy from their regimen. rc

I suggest you change the final headline that reads Why Supplements are a Waste of Money because that is NOT the message of the article below and it misleads people so they won't READ what you say below the headline.Bad choice of a hed for that particular piece. OTHERWISE I think you have presented VERY VALUABLE ADVICE and everyone should be more aware of it! Thank you!
Sareen

So more less your message is "dont eat McDonalds". Then u give it a fancy name of nutrigenomics, and call it new. Well guess what, everyone KNOWS that you shouldnt eat McDonalds... and your dairy aregument is crap... Go ahead and bust your wallet buying supplements. Besides nutrition is crap, I eat watever i want... one time i counted my calories and it came out to just over 5000, but somehow im lucky enough to maintain my weight @ 5'8 / 145, and sumhow i can run a mile in 5 minutes, and sumhow i can bench 220 lbs... o wait it might be cause every1 just needs to get off there ass, i guess its cause im still in highschool, in 15 years ill probably be just as lazy as the rest of america

Compound in dairy products targets diabetes
Wednesday, August 2, 2006

University Park, Pa. -- Fatty acids commonly found in dairy products have successfully treated diabetes in mice, according to a researcher at Penn State. The compounds, known as conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), also have shown promising results in human trials, signaling a new way of potentially treating the disease without synthetic drugs.

"The compounds are predominantly found in dairy products such as milk, cheese and meat, and are formed by bacteria in ruminants that take linoleic acids -- fatty acids from plants -- and convert them into conjugated linoleic acids, or CLA," said Jack Vanden Heuvel, professor of molecular toxicology in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and co-director of Penn State's Center of Excellence in Nutrigenomics.

Researchers first became interested in CLA when it was shown to inhibit a variety of cancers such as breast, skin and colon in mice, and further research showed effects on circulating cholesterol and inflammation. These effects are the same as the newest generation of synthetic drugs used to treat diabetes in humans.

These synthetic drugs act by triggering a set of nuclear receptors called PPAR. In addition to being targets for a variety of clinically effective drugs, PPARs belong to a large family of proteins, and their biological purpose is to sense fatty acids and fatty acid metabolites within the cell, said Vanden Heuvel.

When the synthetic drugs interact with these protein receptors, it turns the receptor "on," making it an active form of the protein, which then interacts with DNA and regulates gene expression. This increases the enzymes that process fatty acids and also increases the tissues' sensitivity to insulin.

"We wondered if CLA was using the same mechanism, in which case it could be used as an anti-diabetes drug," Vanden Heuvel said.

To test the idea, he used CLA on mice prone to adult onset (Type-2) diabetes. Results indicated that the mice had an improvement in insulin action, and a decrease in circulating glucose. Also, the mechanism was indeed similar to that of the drugs.

"Anti-diabetes drugs act the same way. They mimic the natural activators of the receptors by getting into the cell and interacting with the PPARs to regulate glucose and fat metabolism," said Vanden Heuvel.

Early human trials indicate that when administered for longer than eight weeks, CLA improves the body's misregulation of insulin and lowers the level of glucose in the blood in patients with adult onset, or Type-2 diabetes, the most common form of this disease.

However, Vanden Heuvel cautioned that while having a diet that is high in dairy and meat products, and thereby CLA, might have a health benefit, one also must be aware of other lipids present in these products, such as trans fatty acids. Instead, he suggested that in addition to a well-balanced diet, it is advantageous to incorporate CLA as a dietary supplement, or to seek out new products that enrich foods such as butter, margarine and ice cream with CLA.

"Adult-onset diabetes is fast becoming an epidemic and is largely associated with poor diet and nutrition and other lifestyle issues," Vanden Heuvel said. The reason for the increase in diabetes may have to do with the ratio of so-called "good" and "bad" fats, with the average American diet containing too much of the "bad" fats. CLA, whose effect is very similar to fish oil, a source of "good" fat, could prove beneficial against Type-2 diabetes.

"And compared to the synthetic drugs used to treated this disease, CLA does not cause weight gain and may in fact decrease overall body fat," said Vanden Heuvel, who has been granted a patent on the new method of treating diabetes with CLA.

Other researchers on the patent include Martha Belury, Ohio State University, and Louise Peck, University of Washington, for the work initially conducted at Purdue University.

The Penn State Center of Excellence in Nutrigenomics is at http://nutrigenomics.psu.edu/ online.

I read your article on why we need to avoid milk. I have been drinking raw organic goat's milk for about 15 years now on a regular basis and I love it. I have not drank cow's milk at all. It has really helped me health wise in many ways and I know of many others too that have been drinking goat's milk and lots of them have only good things to say about what it has done for them too. What do you think about goat's milk?

Thank you.

http: Got milk?

These days, it seems like almost everybody does.

Celebrities, athletes, and even former president Clinton's
head of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala, are all
proud to wear the white "milk mustache." After all, everyone
knows that you need milk to be healthy, right? OK, THIS IS CORPORATE MILK INDUSTRY MARKETING AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE REAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF REAL--RAW--MILK!

Not necessarily!

Sure, dairy is nature's perfect food -- but only if you're a
calf. NO, ACTUALLY, DOCTORS USED TO GIVE SOURED MILK TO THEIR AILING PATIENTS FOR ITS HEALING PROPERTIES. THERE ARE BENEFICIAL BACTERIAL IN SOURING MILK. THIS WAS PRE-PASTEURIZATION WHEN MILK WOULD SOUR. PASTERUIZED MILK JUST ROTS.

If that sounds shocking to you, it's because very few people
are willing to tell the truth about dairy. In fact,
criticizing milk in America is like taking on motherhood,
apple pie, or baseball.

But that's just what I'm about to do.

Based on the research and my experience practicing medicine,
I typically advise most of my patients to avoid dairy
products completely.

I like ice cream just as much as the next person, but as a
scientist, I have to look honestly at what we know. In just
a second, I will explore the many documented ill-effects of
dairy.

That advice flies in the face of the new, "up-to-date" food
pyramid from the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA). The USDA's pyramid recommends drinking 3 glasses of
milk a day.

What's wrong with that? Well, for one thing, it's not a
recommendation that's based on strict science. And some of
the "experts" who helped create the pyramid actually work
for the dairy industry -- not exactly the most unbiased
group of people! OK--I WOULDN'T TRUST THE FDA OR THE DAIRY INDUSTRY TO TELL ME WHAT'S GOOD FOR ME. BUT WHEN I SAY "DAIRY INDUSTRY" I DON'T MEAN THE DAIRY FARMERS, I MEAN THE MIDDLEMEN THAT PROCESS THE MILK THAT THEY GET FROM THE FARMERS. THAT'S WHERE THE BIG MONEY IS. DAIRY FARMERS ARE ACTUALLY GOING UNDER IN THIS COUNTRY. PROCESSORS (LIKE DARIGOLD) BUY MILK CHEAP FROM THE FARMER, PUT IT THROUGH THE PASTEURIZATION PROCESS, CALL IT SAFE AND GOOD FOR YOU, HEALTHY FOOD, AND THEN SELL IT TO MARKETS WHO SELL IT TO YOU. WHAT THESE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE IS WHEN DAIRY FARMERS SELL RAW MILK DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME. I HAVE AN ARTICLE I'LL SEND TO YOU IN YOUR PACKAGE--ABOUT A DAIRY FARMER IN WISCONSIN WHO TRIED TO SELL RAW MILK TO PEOPLE IN HIS COMMUNITY AND WHAT THE GOVERNMENT DID TO TRY AND STOP HIM.

In fact, Walter Willett, M.D., Ph.D -- the second-most-cited
scientist in all of clinical medicine and the head of
nutrition at Harvard's School of Public Health -- is one of
the pyramid's most vocal critics. He's even called its
guidelines "udderly [JC1]ridiculous." YES...I'M NOT SURPRISED. BUT DON'T LET THIS CONVINCE YOU THAT MILK STILL ISN'T GOOD FOOD. IF THE SCIENCE IS BASED ON PASTEURIZED MILK (AND LIKELY IT IS) THEN THE SCIENCE MAY NOT FAIRLY REFLECT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MILK IF WE DRINK IT RAW.

That's not something a Harvard scientist says lightly.

But Dr. Willett is right.

The pyramid just isn't based on key scientific findings
about health. Just take a look at some of the pyramid's
recommendations -- and why I disagree with them.

1. Consume a variety of foods within and among the basic
food groups while staying within your body's energy needs.

Sounds sensible -- but which food groups? If you choose
dairy, meat, fats, and carbohydrates, the "perfect" meal
could be a cheeseburger, milkshake, and fries with ketchup
(potatoes and tomatoes are the two top vegetables consumed
in America). Generic advice like that is pretty meaningless
and potentially harmful. YES, THESE FOOD GROUPS ARE CLOSELY TIED TO SOME OF THE BIG AGRIBUSINESSES AND DEFINITELY SUPPORTS THAT BUSINESS. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDIES THAT ARE STARTING TO DEBUNK THE MYTHS THAT SAY THAT ANIMAL FATS ARE BAD FOR YOU. ANIMAL FATS (DAIRY, MEAT, EGGS) FROM ***GRASS-FED*** ANIMALS ARE ***VERY*** GOOD FOR YOU. THEY HAVE THE PROPER BALANCE OF OMEGA-3 TO OMEGA-6 AND THEY HAVE IMPORTANT CLAs. AND OF COURSE COMMODITY GRAINS ARE HUGE BUSINESS IN THIS COUNTRY. BUT I LEARNED RECENTLY THAT 85% OF THE WHEAT THAT'S GROWN IN WASHINGTON IS EXPORTED OUT OF THIS COUNTRY. CRAZY.

2. Control your caloric intake to manage body weight.

Again, that sounds good, but as I wrote in my book
UltraMetabolism, even the best-trained nutritionists and
dietitians can't come close to correctly estimating their
own caloric intake in a day. And is it okay to consume all
of my calories from cola or ice cream as long as I stay
within my caloric needs? Of course not. So this is more
useless advice. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT THAT. DON'T DRINK ANY SODAS OR SOFT DRINKS--THEY'RE ALL MADE FROM CORN MOSTLY (HFCS--HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, THE FOOD INDUSTRY'S MAGIC ELIXIR).

3. Increase intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
nonfat or low-fat milk products.

Well, fruits, veggies, and whole grains are great. Milk?
Not so much. I'll get back to that in a minute. ALL ARE GOOD--LOCALLY GROWN, GROWN IN YOUR OWN GARDEN, GROWN WITHOUT CHEMICALS, IN THEIR ORIGINAL STATE AND NOT FROM A CAN OR A PACKAGE, AND ***PLEASE*** NEVER LOW-FAT MILK, ONLY ***WHOLE*** ***RAW*** MILK!

4. Choose carbohydrates wisely.

Who could argue with that? But how do they define "wisely"?
The real advice here should be to cut down sugar intake from
185 pounds per person per year (what we currently consume)
to less than a pound, avoid flour products (except as a
treat), and stick to whole-food carbohydrates like
vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. YES, COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES, AND SUGAR ONLY SOMETIMES (I SHOULD PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH MORE THERE)

5. Choose to prepare food with little salt.

That's not bad advice. But what if most of what you eat is
packaged or processed foods that you don't actually prepare? TRY AN UNPROCESSED SALT LIKE BRITTANY SALT WITH ABOUT 90 MINERALS AND TRACE MINERALS--IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR YOU. IF YOU'RE TIRED, YOU CAN MAKE A TONIC OF IT IN SOME WARM WATER, JUST DRINK IT.

Like most Americans who eat half of their meals outside
their homes, this isn't helpful. A better recommendation
would be to avoid packaged, processed, canned, prepared, and
fast foods (unless you know exactly how they are made).
YES, YES AND YES. GOOD ADVICE. STAY HOME AND COOK YOUR FOOD FROM SCRATCH.

6. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
OK, YES, THAT TOO.

Sounds good - but if you're usually drinking two bottles of
wine a night, then one seems like moderation! I think a
better suggestion is to limit your alcohol consumption to
half a drink a day or 3 glasses a week (the amount that
seems to have the most health benefit).

7. Don't eat unsafe foods.
WHAT'S THAT? OH, WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO FOOD SAFETY HERE. I USED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT I'VE BECOME A LITTLE LESS NEUROTIC ABOUT LEAVING FOOD OUT FOR AWHILE, THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK IT'S MOSTLY HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROPAGANDA TO MAKE US AFRAID OF ANY FOODS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN MADE "SAFE" FOR US BY THE FOOD INDUSTRY. FAMOUS PASSAGE BY WENDELL BERRY (LOOSELY PARAPHRASED): AMAZING HOW WE FRET ENDLESSLY ABOUT GERMS BUT WORRY LITTLE ABOUT THE POISONS THAT ARE IN OUR FOOD.

Of course you shouldn't leave your egg salad out in the hot
sun or toss your salad with hands that just handled raw
chicken coated with salmonella. But the food pyramid
guidelines don't mention pesticides, hormones, antibiotics,
or genetically modified foods, despite scientific evidence
of their harm. Shame on the USDA!

You can see now why I have big problems with the food
pyramid!

Mostly, its guidelines try to sound sensible -- while still
protecting the interests of the food industry, the
agriculture industry, and all of the lobbyists paying for
the elections of the Congress.

Everybody's happy, right?

Well, I'm not, you shouldn't be, either. The public just
isn't served by this watered down, confusing, and useless
pyramid.

Worse, some of the recommendations are downright harmful --
like the one to drink more milk and dairy products.

According to Dr. Willett, who has done many studies and
reviewed the research on this topic, there are many reasons
to pass up milk, including:

1) Milk doesn't reduce fractures.

Contrary to popular belief, eating dairy products has never
been shown to reduce fracture risk -- but dairy may increase
risk of fractures by 50 percent (according to the large
Nurses' Health Study)! I HAVE NO OPINION HERE

2) Less dairy, better bones. I'M NOT SURE. AFTER MILK IS PASTEURIZED, SYNTHETIC VITAMIN D IS ADDED TO THE MILK (AS WELL AS COLORIZERS TO MAKE THE MILK LOOK WHITE AND PRETTY). I WONDER IF THE ORIGINAL CALCIUM WOULD BENEFIT BONES. CHECK OUT THE WESTON PRICE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE--HE'S A DENTIST THAT STUDIED THE TEETH AND BONES OF CULTURES THAT WERE STILL EATING THEIR TRADITIONAL FOODS (INCLUDING DAIRY) AND HE FOUND THAT THEY HAD PERFECT TEETH, WERE EXTREMELY HEALTHY, AND THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL. HE LINKS THEIR WELLNESS IN PART TO INCLUDING DAIRY IN THEIR DIET (OFTEN CULTURED AND ALSO FERMENTED GRAINS AND VEGETABLES).

Countries with lowest rates of dairy and calcium consumption
(like those in Africa and Asia) have the lowest rates of
osteoporosis. YEAH...BUT THAT MIGHT BE RELATED TO SOME OTHER NUTRTION FACTORS.

3) Calcium isn't as bone-protective as we thought.

Studies of calcium supplementation have showed no benefit in
reducing fracture risk. Vitamin D appears to be much more
important than calcium in preventing fractures.

4) Calcium may raise cancer risk. MAYBE CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS. THEY MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF COLON CANCER.

Research shows that higher intakes of both calcium and dairy
products may increase a man's risk of prostate cancer by 30
to 50 percent. Plus, dairy consumption increases the body's
level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) -- a known
cancer promoter. ANY POSSIBILTY THAT THE HORMONES THAT ARE PUMPED INTO THE BODIES OF THE POOR COWS THAT ARE MILKED OF ABOUT 30,000 POUNDS OF MILK A YEAR (HORMONES ARE THOUGHT TO BOOST MILK PRODUCTION) COULD CAUSE THESE KIND OF REPRODUCTIVE CANCERS? WHY HAS BREAST CANCER INCREASED SO MUCH? SOME SUGGESTS IT'S THOSE HORMONES.

5) Calcium has benefits that dairy doesn't.

Calcium supplements, but not dairy products, may reduce the
risk of colon cancer. NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'VE READ. A NATURPATH DOCTOR'S STUDIES SUGGEST OTHERWISE (I DON'T REMEMBER HIS NAME RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.)

6) Not everyone can stomach dairy. AGAIN WHAT I SAID ABOUT PASTEURIZATION AND LACTOSE INTOLERANCE.

About 75 percent of the world's population is genetically
unable to properly digest milk and other dairy products -- a
problem called lactose intolerance. PASTEURIZATION. DEAD ENZYMES.

Based on such findings, Dr. Willet has come to some
important conclusions:

* Everybody needs calcium -- but probably not as much as our
government's recommended daily allowance (RDA).

* Calcium probably doesn't prevent broken bones. Few people
in this country are likely to reduce their fracture risk by
getting more calcium.

* Men may not want to take calcium supplements. Supplements
of calcium and vitamin D may reasonable for women.

* Dairy may be unhealthy. Advocating dairy consumption may
have negative effects on health.
NO, NO, NO! :)

If all that isn't enough to swear you off milk, there are a
few other scientific findings worth noting.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently asked the UDSA
to look into the scientific basis of the claims made in the
"milk mustache" ads. Their panel of scientists stated the
truth clearly:

* Milk doesn't benefit sports performance.

* There's no evidence that dairy is good for your bones or
prevents osteoporosis -- in fact, the animal protein it
contains may help cause bone loss!

* Dairy is linked to prostate cancer.

* It's full of saturated fat and is linked to heart disease.
NO, NO, NO! CORN-FED COWS--YES. GRASS-FED COWS--NO. THESE FATS ARE GOOD FOR YOU!

* Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75 percent of
people with lactose intolerance.
NO, NO, NO! PASTEURIZATION KILLS ENZYMES THAT HELP US DIGEST MILK! CULTURED MILK (YOGURT, KEFIR) IS EVEN BETTER.

* Dairy aggravates irritable bowel syndrome.
LIKE I SAID...

Simply put, the FTC asked the dairy industry, "Got Proof?" -
- and the answer was NO!

Plus, dairy may contribute to even more health problems,
like:

* Allergies (SOME PEOPLE MIGHT TRULY BE ALLERGIC TO MILK, BUT AGAIN...PASTEURIZATION MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THIS INTOLERANCE)
* Sinus problems SAME AS ABOVE
* Ear infections
* Type 1 diabetes
* Chronic constipation
* Anemia (in children)

But what about raw milk?

Isn't that a healthier form of dairy?

Not really. OH JEEZ.

Yes, raw, whole, organic milk eliminates concerns like
pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and the effects of
homogenization and pasteurization -- but to me, these
benefits don't outweigh dairy's potential risks. BOLOGNA.

From an evolutionary point of view, milk is a strange food
for humans. Until 10,000 years ago we didn't domesticate
animals and weren't able to drink milk (unless some brave
hunter-gather milked a wild tiger or buffalo!). WELL, BRAVE HUNTER-GATHERERS DID MILK BUFFALO AND LOTS OF OTHER STRANGE ANIMALS. AND THEY WERE ***VERY*** HEALTHY PEOPLE

If you don't believe that then consider this: the majority
of humans naturally stop producing significant amounts of
lactase - the enzyme needed to properly metabolize lactose,
the sugar in milk - sometime between the ages of two and
five.

In fact, for most mammals, the normal condition is to stop
producing the enzymes needed to properly digest and
metabolize milk after they have been weaned.

Our bodies just weren't made to digest milk on a regular
basis.

Instead, most scientists agree that it's better for us to
get calcium, potassium, protein, and fats from other food
sources, like whole plant foods -- vegetables, fruits,
beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and seaweed.

Convinced yet? NO. I KNOW BETTER.

Here's my advice for dealing with dairy:

* If you want healthy bones, get plenty of exercise and
supplement with 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily -- don't rely on
dairy. NO NEED FOR SUPPLEMENTS IF YOU EAT A HEALTHY DIET.

* Get your calcium from dark green leafy vegetables, sesame
tahini, sea vegetables, and sardines or salmon with the
bones. YES, THESE ARE ALL GOOD TO EAT BUT DOESN'T NEGATE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF RAW MILK.

* Try giving up all dairy -- that means milk, cheese,
yogurt, and ice cream for two weeks and see if you feel
better. You should notice improvements with your sinuses,
post-nasal drip, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome,
energy, and weight. Then start eating dairy again and see
how you feel. If you feel worse, you should try to give it
up for life.
I HAVEN'T DONE THAT. BUT I KNOW THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN SICK (AND NEITHER HAS ANYONE IN MY FAMILY) WITH ANY KIND OF COLD OR FLU FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS.

* If you can tolerate dairy, then use only raw, organic
dairy products, preferably fermented products like
unsweetened yogurt and kefir, occasionally. YES, I CAN AGREE WITH THIS. SOME PEOPLE ARE TRULY ALLERGIC AND THEY SHOULDN'T DRINK MILK.

* If you have to feed your child formula from milk, don't
worry. The milk in infant formula is hydrolyzed or broken
down and easier to digest (although it can still cause
allergies). Once your child is a year old, switch him or her
to real food and almond milk. NEVER SOY MILK FOR THE BABIES.

Still got milk? ***YES!!***

Thank you for your comments re: milk consumption. I suffer from diverticulosis and for years I was having attacks of diverticulitis about every 90 days. Some attacks so severe that I needed hospitalization. My doctors thought I had an abscess and sent me for a CAT Scan. I took so much Tetracycline that it lost its effectiveness. Finally, my mother-in-law told me about a book she had found in which the author claimed that milk consumption could be causing my problems. I immediately stopped consuming milk, cheese, and ice cream. However, it took quite a while to realize how much dairy is embedded in our foods. After many years of being "milk free," I have very few attacks of diverticulitis and my chronic prostatitis and bouts of night sweats are completely gone. I realized when I stopped consuming dairy that my body from about my armpits to my hips had been aching and I had apparently accommodated to the pain. The really tragic part is that NOT ONE of my doctors believes me!! NOT ONE will say that milk consumption contributed to my discomfort! Thank you for being so vocal on this issue.

The comments on this thread are all about milk vs. the headline titled "Why Supplements are a Waste of Money...."

Where can we find comments and discussion about vitamin supplements?

I posted here a while back, but it was never put up that I can find. Am I searching the wrong area?
Thanks,
Dr. Groves

I have recently learned that certain vitamins are usp (?) and others are not. Some dissolve and some wind up whole in the sewers. If the bottles are not labeled with that on it how would we know which ones are good for us? Thank you.

My wife and I love your book and have been following its principles for some time now. One question: Where is the best place to purchase Glucomannon powder or in bulk?

Thanks . . .

Daniel & Linda

Love your book and site. I am working with a terrific nutritionist who is very much on the same page as you. All of my nutritional changes have improved my strength and energy considerably. Fish oil in particular went a long way toward eliminating chronic arthritic knee pain. When I first started taking chromium, I noticed a significant increase in my energy levels. But here's one for you: when I tried ALA (alpha-lipoic acid), it had the same effect on me as a perscription stimulant: it decreased my appetite but made me wired. Even at the low dose of 50 mg., it is having that effect. Ever heard of this? Thanks! ~Cathleen

My great grandmother was a "dietician."  I use the quotation marks because she was actually a vitamin salesperson.    She believed fervently in vitamins and took them religiously.    Well, she lived to be 107 and was very healthy until the last few years of her life.   So maybe there was a reason for her passion for vitamins.

I have to totally disagree on this. Vitamins are not a waste of time! I have tried some of them and it worked great for me! Now I'm increasing my back muscles with Steroids and I don't have any problem!