"The prospect that vitamin pills may not only do no good but also kill their consumers is a scary speculation, given the vast quantities that are used in certain communities."
"While diets rich in antioxidant nutrients have consistently shown tremendous protection against cancer and heart disease, clinical trials utilizing antioxidant vitamins and minerals have produced inconsistent results." Lancet, Oct. 2, 2004.
Researchers in Japan, after interviewing more than one hundred men and women older than 100, found that of four dietary preference patterns - for cereals, beverages, dairy products, or vegetables - "those preferring dairy products had the highest survival rate." Organic Products Retailer, 2004
"A protein present in cow's milk, as well as in human breast milk, stimulates bone-forming cells in lab dishes and induces bone growth when injected into mice."
The iron-binding protein, named lactoferrin, found by Jillian Cornish at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, is one of a number of "unknown substances in milk [which] appear to directly stimulate the activity of osteoblasts, the cells that form new bone." These substances also protect bone cells from death and inhibit the generation of osteoclasts, cells that resorb bone. "We were absolutely stunned. It's a very potent molecule."
"Got Milk? Dairy protein provides bone-forming boost," J Travis, Science News, 6/5/2004.
A report in the International Journal of Cancer identifies milk drinking as an excellent way to halve your risk of breast cancer. But don't let that stop you from enjoying cheese and yogurt. They count too! A cup of yogurt a day, plus two cups of nourishing herbal infusion can keep your bones strong for a long, long time.
"Milk: It does your breasts good," Health, January/February 2002.
"More than just protecting bones, vitamin D is proving to preserve muscle strength and to give people some protection against deadly diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), diabetes, and even cancer."
Many of the studies cited in this two-part series supported a trend: that high levels of vitamin D protect bone indirectly, by improving muscle strength, as well as directly. Women taking 800IU of vitamin D daily during a three month trial were half as likely to fall according to the February 2003 Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Falls are a leading cause of hip fracture.
Laboratory evidence points to a strong role played by vitamin D in helping to prevent breast, prostrate, and colon cancer, too. Fifteen minutes of sunlight on bare skin in the summer will harvest plenty of vitamin D for then and for the winter months, too. To reap the benefits of sunlight, wise women limit their use of sunscreen.
