toxins such as pesticides and hormones often bind to the fat in dairy
products.
Near the dairy section are the eggs. Most stores now carry organ-
ic eggs. They cost a little more but are still an inexpensive protein bar-
gain.
If you stick to the perimeter of the store, you’ll find that you only
rarely need venture up an aisle. Usually the only food items you’ll
need up the aisles are extra-virgin olive oil, raw unfiltered honey,
beans, nuts, nut butters, spices and sea salt.
Milking Your Health
A wise old axiom is “cow’s milk is for calves, human milk is for
humans.” Unfortunately, most people hear the “Got Milk?” ads
and ignore professional recommendations. Milk consumption
is up, and so are the problems created by it. In many people,
milk can cause various types of gastrointestinal stress, skin
problems and lowered immunity to infections and allergies.
And worse is the potential for hormones and chemicals, so
especially avoid milk and milk products that are not organic.
Milk allergy is common in adults and children. In most people,
milk allergy symptoms are delayed and not obvious until it’s
eliminated from the diet. These delayed reactions come in
many forms; eczema, asthma, constipation, chronic nasal con-
gestion, gastroesophageal reflux and others. In some people,
there is an immediate allergic reaction by the body’s immune
system, usually to the casein protein. Symptoms typically
include swelling, itching, hives, abdominal cramping, breath-
ing difficulty and diarrhea. In a severe reaction, hypotension or
shock can result. Lactose, or milk sugar, poses another poten-
tial problem with milk, as many people have difficulty digest-
ing this sugar and some cannot digest it at all. Those who have
difficulty digesting lactose do not produce enough of an
enzyme called lactase, which breaks down the complex lac-
tose into simple sugars. In these people, the lactose ferments in
the small intestine, producing gas, bloating, cramps and diar-
rhea. Lactose-digestion problems are also associated with more166 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH