Does Milk Really Do The Body Good?

My friend Sal asked me the other day why I never recommend milk to clients. I told him that milk is not the best choice for optimal health and is actually bad for you in many ways.

Why do you think the American Dairy Association has such an aggressive marketing approach with their “Got Milk?” commercials and hiring sexy celebreties and superstar athletes like David Beckham? Could it be they don’t want you to know everything about milk?

Here’s why I don’t recommend milk and other dairy products:

1. Whole milk is very high in saturated fat.
2. Whole milk has a lot of cholesterol.
3. Milk and dairy products are highly processed and have traces of antibiotics and penicillin which places a big burden on your system.
4. Not good for people who have asthma or other breathing problems.
5. In my opinion, skim milk tastes horrible (too watered down).

You most likely already knew these things, but here’s a couple of things you need to consider. According to Harvey Diamond, author of “Fit For Life,” he says:

“Cow milk has casein, which coagulates in the stomach and forms large, tough, dense, and difficult to digest curds that are adapted to the four-stomach digestive apparatus of a cow. Once inside the human system, this thick mass of goo puts a tremendous burden on the body to somehow get rid of it. In other words, a huge amount of energy must be spent in dealing with it. Unfortunately, some of this gooey substance hardens and adheres to the lining of the intestines and prevents the absorption of nutrients into the body. Result: lethargy.

“Also, the by-products of milk digestion leave a great deal of toxic mucus in the body. It’s very acidic, and some of it is stored in the body until it can be dealt with at a later time. The next time you are going to dust your home, smear some paste all over everything and see how easy it is to dust. Dairy products do the same to the inside of your body. That translates into more weight instead of weight loss. Casein, by the way, is the base of one of the strongest glues used in woodworking.”
A better option is soy milk. Soy milk is low in saturated fat, lower in calories, contains a good amount of protein (about 6 - 7 grams per serving), and doesn’t have any cholesterol. And, the best part, soy milk is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (isoflavones). Phytonutrients are the extracts from fruits and vegetables which have been proven to reverse/prevent cancer and other diseases. Cow milk does not have phytonutrients.

But what about calcium from whole milk? Soy milk has the same amount of calcium per serving as cow milk. Also, there are other food items that have a good amount of calcium, such as spinach, brocolli, nuts, and various fruits.

Harvey Diamond always used to say “Cows don’t even drink cow milk. Only baby calves drink cow milk when they are born.”

Look into soy milk. It tastes great too! (Try Silk Vanilla)

Alli . . . Is it really worth the side effects?

You better read the fine print if you're thinking about purchasing Alli, the first FDA-approved nonprescription diet drug.

This has not stopped consumers here in the Houston area from rushing into pharmacies to purchase the new weight-loss pill. In fact, merchants can hardly keep them in stock. They are selling like crazy at a price of $50 for a 60-pill starter pack.

Here's how Alli works. It prevents the body from absorbing fat by blocking enzymes in the digestive system. It blocks about 25% of the fat eaten during a meal when users take a pill beforehand.

The manufacturer claims that you can lose about 50% more weight than you would through dieting alone. For example, someone who loses 10 pounds through dieting could lose 15 pounds with Alli.

But there's a catch. In order to be effective, users must eat a diet low in fat (less than 15 grams of fat per meal). Otherwise, not following these guidelines, you could experience some unpleasant side effects the manufacturer is not highlighting in bold letters with their marketing efforts. These include: gas with oily spotting, loose stools or more frequent stools that may be hard to control."

I am very skeptical about this new weight-loss pill and don't recommend it. What the manufacturer doesn't detail in their research studies are what happens when you combine a healthy nutrition eating plan and a regular exericise plan. My research says you can lose more weight for the long run and it's way cheaper and safer. They just compare people who diet alone. This is just a trick on statistics.

My prediction is that the sale of adult diapers will increase too . . .

Brazilian Breast Implants Bargains Entice Americans, Europeans

Last year while I was visiting Brazil, I took notice of the many plastic surgery offices across the city. They were located in the ritzy sections and had a modern, stylish look to them . . . kind of European looking. I thought to myself, this has got to be a lucrative business in Brazil.

My instincts were correct. I recently came across an article written by Adriana Brasileiro on the bloomberg.com website detailing the huge popularity of plastic surgery in Brazil, and especially with Americans and Europeans. There's even a new term for it called "lipotourism."

According to Brasileiro, over 50,000 foreigners traveled to Brazil to have their tummies tucked and to get a "Brazilian butt-lift.".

The popularity of plastic surgery has even given birth to a popular American show on FX called "Nip Tuck (cool show, BTW)."

Why the huge increase in recent years?

A few reasons. First, Brazil has some of the best plastic surgeons in the world. In fact, Ivo Pitanguy, is considered the "Father of Plastic Surgery," and has taught more than 600 surgeons from 43 countries his techniques. Brazil (mostly in Rio) also has some of the best facilities in plush, resort-like settings.

Second, the cost is much lower compared to fees in the United States and Europe. For example, an average cost for a face lift in Brazil is $1,900. In the United States, it's around $6,000.

My other instincts tell me that most of these people seeking these kind of plastic surgery services are "looking for the quick fix.", very similar to the magical fat burner pill. Yes, just find the right doctor, pay a few thousand dollars, and then you can have that great body you've been dreaming of.

Would it not be better (and cheaper) to be involved in a well planned fitness and nutrition program?

My theory is that most of these "beauty seekers" will do just about anything to attain a sexy body, except hard effort, discipline and sweat.

What do you think?

Of course, I believe plastic surgery has it's place and benefits many people greatly. There's many plastic surgeons who have helped people with facial deformities, scars and other health issues. I, for example, had my ears tucked in when I was 8 years old. I looked like "Dumbo" and purposly had long hair as a youngster to hide my ears. Plastic surgery helped my self-esteem immensely when I was young.

In the long run, following a well planned exercise and nutrition program with consistency will give you way better results to build a better body and be truly healthy. Do it yourself.

More info:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a3cX8NG8Z6jQ&refer=h0me