13: THE WHITE PERIL

"Things are seldom what they seem, Skim milk masquerades as cream."

W. S. Gilbert, H.M.S. Pinafore. (1878)

Masqueraded as the most healthful food, milk causes more than just heart disease, allergies and intolerance. Milk, as it comes to our table, is quite capable of causing cancer, kidney stones, schizophrenia and other bodily disorders still under investigation. This chapter details some of the perils of milk.MILK INFECTIONSCow's milk is an excellent growing medium for bacteria, especially the fatal types causing tuberculosis, cholera, brucellosis, typhoid, dysentery, Q fever, hepatitis, diptheria, salmonella and scores of others.

Milk infections first came to light in 1857 when Dr. M. W. Taylor of Penrith in England reported an outbreak of typhoid among his patients. However, it was only as recently as 1985, 128 years since the first report appeared, that the British government banned the sale of raw milk, the primary source of infections. Raw milk is still sold on the U.S. farms.

How many people have died of infections from cow's milk, we will never know fully. The number, however, easily runs into hundreds of thousands. For example, from 1938 to 1982 in Great Britain, there were over 300 outbreaks of infectious diseases causing 20,000 deaths from milk infections. Today, diarrhea caused by bacterial infections from milk is the number one cause of death in infants in the Third World. It also hits home frequently. Between December 1983 and July 1984, 122 residents of Brainard, Minnesota had persistent diarrhea. After much frustration and research, it was attributed to use of raw milk from a single dairy. Outbreaks or sporadic cases of a similar illness have occurred in at least seven other states in the recent years. In all instances the culprit was raw milk.Despite the long association between the use of milk and diarrhea, most of us still do not know how to manage it when we get it. The best treatment is to let the disease run its course while giving supportive therapy to replace lost fluids. Antibiotics are recommended in severe cases to check spreading of infection. Another questions often asked is when to reintroduce milk or other diet after an acute case of gastroenteritis, whether caused by milk or not. Diet including milk can be reintroduced immediately since it helps shorten the duration of diarrhea, especially in younger children. There is little need for dietary restrictions in this age group.

Besides providing live germs to afflict our body, milk induces infections by lowering our body resistance to other infections. For example, children who do not use milk show excellent resistance against beta-hemolytic streptococcus germ (group A). Fortunately, infections from milk have declined sharply since the early part of this century. This is partly a result of the systematic eradication of diseases in cattle. For example, the Tuberculosis Order of 1925 provided for the slaughter of tubercular cattle for compensation in England.

Similarly, pasteurization of milk has just about eliminated many milk infections. One such disease is brucellosis, traced to a Biblical reference in Genesis. However, just when we thought that brucellosis has vanished it started to show up again. Between June 1981 and June 1982 nine active cases of brucellosis were reported in Houston.

The decline in typhoid and paratyphoid is attributed to more hygienic means of processing and transporting milk. Reduced incidence of staph infections is attributed to proper education on milk storage; it takes about six hours at room temperature for staph organisms to grow. Therefore, milk rapidly cooled after milking has little chance of developing staph organisms, especially in the summer months.

Improved hygiene in milk processing has resulted in decreased incidence of scarlet fever, strep throat infections and Q-fever.

The chances of contracting campylobacter jejuni infection are about 10 times higher from drinking raw milk and raw water than processed milk or water. Also, there is about three times higher chance of catching this infection when eating undercooked chicken or keeping a cat in the house. In June 1982 there was an outbreak of campylobacter jejuni infection from the use of raw milk. All 38 participants in a banquet who became ill were served raw milk. This bacteria not commonly associated with milk infections in the past, is emerging as the new infecting organism.

In 1984, Jewel Food Stores, a large grocery chain in the Chicago area, sold milk which was later found contaminated with salmonella. There resulted a massive recall and intensive investigations but no definite source of contamination was ever found. Despite optimum hygiene conditions and available laboratory tests, incidences of salmonella poisoning are on the rise in this country.

In early 1983 there was an outbreak of salmonella in Arizona. One elderly woman died not responding to chloramphenicol, the choice treatment for salmonella. This serves as a warning that drug-resistant salmonella spread quickly from animals to humans.

In September 1983 three incidences of gastrointestinal illnesses with similar symptoms affected 45 persons in Washington D.C. after office parties. The illnesses lasted about five days and had symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and fever. Most patients had eaten an imported French Brie cheese one to six days before onset of illness. Similar outbreaks were later reported in Illinois, Wisconsin, Georgia and Colorado. All of these incidences were due to cheese contaminated with E. coli, a dangerous bacteria that produces toxins not destroyed by heat. E. coli contamination, a sign of exposure to sewage, easily escapes detection and is still a problem even in modern countries like US.

Between June 30 and August 30th 1983, 49 patients in Massachusetts came down with listeriosis, thanks to the milk that came from farms where listeriosis in dairy cows was widely spread. Even pasteurization could not inactivate this organism--a warning to those who believe pasteurization takes care of all living bodies out there.Pasteurization has just about cut out all milk-borne infections. The residual infections seen now, can, perhaps, be attributed to any food which is capable of growing these bacteria. Given the long distribution chain for most foods, it is unlikely that infections from foods, especially milk, will ever be eradicated. An added riks in the use of milk is the transfer of durg-resistant bacteria from cow to man. When cows receive antibiotics, they produce bacteria resistent to these antibiotics. When infected in humans, these bacteria become difficult or impossible to treat as shown in salmonella infections. Such risks do not exist with other foods.

Though many believe that milkborne infections have been eradicated, such is not the case. New infection types surface routinely and many old infections continue to surface throughout the country despite extreme control measures in milk porcessing. The problem, however, is not as serious as it was around the turn of the century.

Drs. N. S. Galbraith and J. J. Pusey from England made the following statement which, perhaps, best describes the current situation:

It is, perhaps, ironic as the campaign for universal pasteurization draws to its close and the control of all milkborne infectious disease is finally achieved, that the role of milk in the national diet should now be again questioned, this time by dieticians and cardiologists.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a relentlessly progressive neurologic disease which produces disturbances in speech, vision, and muscle, all leading to patients becoming invalids. MS has a peculiar geographical distribution; it is more common in colder climates and rarely occurs near the Equator. MS is thought to be viral in nature but appears only when our body immunity is at its ebb. The incidence of MS is significantly correlated with milk consumption in the U.S. and around the world but the mechanism behind this correlation is not clearly understood. Hypotheses presented include alteration of the nervous system by milk and the presence of toxic or infectious agents in milk.

Studies conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine show that another similar disease, amylotrophic lateral sclerosis, popularly known as "Lou Gehrig disease" after the famous athlete who was a victim of the disorder, is also caused by milk, among other dietary and environmental factors.

JUVENILE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Several anecdotal and scientific observations link arthritis in children to allergy to milk.

TENSION AND FATIGUE

Tension-fatigue syndrome is the most common symptom of food allergy along with abdominal pains, repeated headaches, aching muscles and joints or even bed-wetting. Children who suffer from milk allergy are often pale, have large circles under their eyes and seem to have a "stuffed" nose all the time. Why not give your child a 21-day test. Take him or her off cow's milk for 21 days and observe the changes.

IRON DEFICIENCY AND MILK CONSUMPTION

A less dramatic form of sensitivity to milk is recently recognized: slow and steady loss of blood in the stool causing anemia. Only chemical means can identify this loss of blood since the stool otherwise appears normal. It is not all that improbable to associate the high degree of anemia in American children--10 to 20 percent--to their milk drinking habits. In most instances, stopping the use of cow's milk alleviates symptoms of anemia quickly.Containing less than one milligram of iron per quart, cow's milk is a poor source of iron. It takes 24 quarts of cow's milk a day to meet daily iron requirements of infants. Even at that, the iron in cow's milk is not properly absorbed because it binds to other components of milk. In addition, drinking large quantities of milk ruins the appetite of infants for other iron-rich foods.

The iron-deficiency anemia makes the child apathetic, irritable and inattentive. The infant cries a lot and the loving mother attempts to appease by offering another bottle, only to worsen the vicious cycle.

We are all familiar with the little "milkaholics" who toddle around constantly sucking on a bottle of milk--an occurrence only increased by the advent of plastic bottles. This is called "blue-bottle syndrome"--since it causes anemia in children who imbibe large quantities of milk.

THE CALCIUM DILEMMA

A major concern of those advised to stop drinking milk is, "What will happen to my teeth and bones?" The answer is astoundingly simple, "They will improve."

The daily recommended intake of calcium in the U.S. is about 800 milligrams. It is difficult to recommend how much calcium is needed in food because not all calcium in the food enters the body. Many components of food such as phosphates, vitamin D, fiber, proteins and hormones alter absorption of calcium in our diet. For example, cow's milk contains 1,200 milligram of calcium per quart; human milk contains only 300 milligrams but the total calcium absorbed in breast-fed babies is higher than in babies fed cow's milk. The phosphates and palmitic acid in cow's milk reduce absorption of calcium.

Calcium levels in mother's milk adjust to the needs of infants, decreasing as infants grow. They are higher in mothers who deliver prematurely to provide for unusual growth requirements.The common belief that milk provides calcium needed for healthy teeth development is fallacious. The calcium issue is debatable but the ironic aspect is that milk left in the mouth destroys teeth. During sleep the reduced secretion of saliva prevents milk from being digested or swallowed, turning it sour and making it an excellent media for bacteria to grow, form plaque and destroy teeth. The bedtime feeding of milk, especially past one year of age, causes rapid tooth decay. Only water is advised at bedtime.

The situation is, however, different when breast-feeding. The anti-infective property of human milk prevents tooth decay and it is proper to give night feedings, contrary to the what the cow milk proponent may say.

KIDNEY STONES

Kidney stones are a common complaint in affluent societies. Bladder stones, on the other hand, are common in developing countries. This unusual distribution of stones is attributed to our diet. Diets rich in calcium and other minerals produce kidney stones, a mixture of calcium oxalate or phosphate. Bladder stones, ammonium acid urate, appear in nutritional deprivation when body proteins break down to release ammonia.

There is a direct relationship between the economic health of a country and the incidence of kidney stones in the population. The prevalence of kidney stones in Western societies is between three and four percent. During the two World Wars, the incidence of kidney stones decreased because people could not afford nutritional foods. Tribal Africans rarely complain of this disease. It is almost nonexistent in the Bantu. The American blacks, at one time immune from this disease, now show increased incidence that parallels their affluence. This proves that genetic factors are not responsible for racial differences in the incidence of kidney diseases.Kidney stones form when calcium and oxalate react to form the insoluble complex, calcium oxalate. Both calcium and oxalate are present in our diet and react in the intestine to form an insoluble, non-absorbable complex. However, when there is an excess of either calcium or oxalate, the remaining unbound quantity quickly enters the blood and from there it passes into kidneys. Kidney stone patients have high concentrations of calcium in their urine and reduced concentrations of magnesium. High sodium and low magnesium in the urine reduce precipitation of kidney stones. Thus people such as African Bantu who consume large quantity of common salt are free from kidney stones.

How much calcium arrives in the kidneys ready to make stones is under control of an elaborate hormonal mechanism; insulin is also important here. Since body hormones vary between individuals, so does the risk of kidney stones.The most important factor in forming kidney stones is our diet. Some diets increase absorption of calcium and oxalate others enhance precipitation of calcium oxalate in the kidneys:

. Meat increases absorption of calcium and makes urine acidic, both increasing concentration and precipitating calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys.

. Refined sugar increases absorption of calcium and oxalate and decreases excretion of magnesium from body.

. Fiber binds calcium and reduces its absorption.

Intestinal bulk due to fiber releases hormones which reduce stone formation. Phosphates in fiber reduce excretion of calcium in urine.

. Milk and dairy products, rich in calcium, are the prime source for kidney stones. Milk sugar and proteins increase absorption of calcium from other sources. Milk also adds vitamin D, which increases incidence of kidney stones.

. Lack of enough fluids enhances stone formation. Hard water has a protective effect.

. Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption from diet and mobilization from the bones. The overall effect is increased calcium in the urine.

. Vitamin B6 helps dissolve kidney stones, therefore, its deficiency increases kidney stones.

. Alcohol increases concentration of calcium, uric acid and inorganic phosphate in the urine, all accelerating formation of kidney stones.

Dietary modifications show remarkable reduction in kidney stones. We should begin by adding more unrefined fiber, bran, whole wheat, brown rice, fruits and vegetables to our diet. Avoid all refined carbohydrates and other processed foods, increase fluid intake and reduce use of meat. Finally, we must avoid the rich sources of calcium or oxalate. The high oxalate foods are: coffee, chocolate, peanuts, spinach, rhubarb, beetroot, etc. Calcium comes mainly from dairy products such as milk. Avoid them also.

ADDICTION AND BRAIN DISORDERS

The perils of drinking milk are many. Some we know of today, others are likely to come to our attention in the future. For example, just in the past 10 years, we have come to know how milk causes addiction similar to opium through chemicals called exorphins (ex: exogenous; -orphins: morphines) found in the milk. These chemicals, tiny peptides, or breakdown products of proteins, trigger the same sites in the brain as does opium and produce the same euphoria and dependence.

Peptides, the unique chemicals found in the brain, are small proteins such as endorphins and enkephalins, which function as hormones or neurotransmitters. Some endorphins act like morphine (a component of opium). Recently, peptides similar to endorphins were isolated from various foods. The exorphin, beta-casomorphin, made from milk casein induces strong morphine-like effect on the brain. It causes euphoria similar to the feelings after injecting morphine or other drugs of abuse. It is therefore plausible that those who drink milk routinely become addicted to this stimulation of brain, not unlike the addiction to other drugs of abuse.

Perhaps there is a lesson here from nature. Making milk addictive was nature's attempt in assuring that we drink it until we are able to drink or eat other foods. However, by switching to cow's milk we extend our addiction to milk, in total disregard to the nature's intent. The exorphins and other chemicals in milk are also implicated in various mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. For example, people who drink large quantities of milk are more prone to get motor neuron disease, a brain disorder. Even though the connection between milk consumption and schizophrenia is weak, it is likely a factor. Depression, so common in the West, almost seems to parallel milk consumption. Certainly, there are other factors which complicate this relationship, but eliminating milk should be one of the tests to identify causes of depression.Another effect of milk products on brain is the "cheese" reaction. Cheese contains an amino acid tyramine which is decomposed in the body by an enzyme, monoamine oxidase. Many drugs like tricyclic antidepressants, tranylcypromine and isoniazid suppress the function of this enzyme increasing the activity of tyramine. This produces high blood pressure and mental disorders. The prime sources of tyramine in our foods are: aged cheeses, smoked or pickled fish, dry fermented sausages, pods of broad beans, brewer's yeast products, and certain alcoholic beverages, etc.

CANCER

Milk fat is a recognized source of carcinogenesis, confirms a recent French study (September 1986) conducted in over a thousand breast cancer patients. The use of butter is not a cause of breast cancer in women, the study further concludes. And to a great relief of sigh for many, yogurt actually reduces the incidence of cancer.

How milk becomes carcinogenic is easy to understand. First, the use of saturated fat in diet increases the incidence of cancer and milk fat is mainly saturated. Second, milk is an ideal carrier for chemical carcinogens. It is highly improbable that the Surgeon General will require a cancer warning on milk containers in the near future. However, the future, if any, of our nation's health will depend on how quickly we learn to identify and avoid potential carcinogens such as milk. Why not develop a habit of using yogurt instead of milk.

MILK-DRUG INTERACTIONS

The fats and other chemicals in milk interact with many drugs. For example, water insoluble drugs are better dissolved in the intestine when taken with milk. This enhances their absorption such as shown with the use of etretinate, a drug recently used in the treatment of psoriasis. Such alteration in drug absorption can, however, be harmful. If a patient switches from taking a drug with water to taking it with milk, it can trigger an exaggerated response because of its increased absorption. In some instances the fatty nature of milk may even reduce absorption of drugs.

The interaction between milk and tetracycline is quite common. Milk binds tetracycline and reduces its absorption with serious side effects.

AFFECTING BODY BIOCHEMISTRY

Human body is not quite ready to handle the chemical assault of milk. Metabolic and physiologic diseases of all sorts in children and adults can be attributed to drinking large quantities of milk.

Obesity is one such disease. Milk, rich in saturated fats, increases the number of fat cell, especially in children. In adults, these cells grow in size to cause obesity. There is not much we can do to reduce the number of these cells. The best we can hope is to reduce the size of each of these fat cells, a feat not easily achieved as all dieters know.

Dr. J. G. Rothschild reported an unusual effect of milk in November 1985. A 10-year old boy had a two-year history of a rotten fish body odor, noted particularly in the summer months after exercising. Bathing would only temporarily control the odor. Extensive investigation diagnosed the disease as trimethylaminuria, increased secretion of trimethylamine in urine. Restrictions of dietary milk as well as foods containing choline and trimethylamine oxide removed the offensive odor.

IN THE END..

Despite the proof in the medical literature, the public, as well as the health professionals, remain oblivious to the dangers of milk. Some social scientists have advanced the theory that the color of milk is what has made it so popular in the Western world. Would it have been so widely accepted if it were black, they ask. Now we also know about addiction to milk.

Milk supporters tout its superior nutritional value. It is true that two cups of milk give us 16 grams of proteins 600 milligrams of calcium, 0.8 milligram of riboflavin; 600 units of vitamin A and 200 units of vitamin D. However, milk is not an exclusive source to supply this nutrition. Any one of the following substitutions will provide all of the above:

3 slices of natural aged cheese;

2 cups yogurt;

2 cups of LactAidR or SoyamealR, the enzyme treated milks;

4 cups of VitamiteR, a milk substitute;

Various combinations of meats and vegetables.

Are these not better alternatives to milk? The risks that now hang over milk--risks of diseases and death are not worth taking.