Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

The New York Times reports mothers who regularly consume dairy are fives times more like to have fraternal twins than those who do not. Experts point to hormones given to diary cows as explanation. Nicholas Bakalar reports:

Dr. Gary Steinman, an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, reached that conclusion by looking at the medical records of 1,042 mothers who were vegans consuming no dairy products and comparing them with those of mothers who regularly ate dairy products.

His findings appear in the May issue of The Journal of Reproductive Medicine. Eating dairy products increases blood levels of insulinlike growth hormone, or I.G.F., and it is this increased hormone level that is associated with increased rates of multiple ovulation.

In a study published in 2000 and cited in the findings, vegan women had concentrations of I.G.F. that were 13 percent lower than those in women who regularly consumed dairy products...

The article also discusses the potential role of synthetic hormones given to cows:

Many dairy farmers inject their cattle with recombinant bovine somatotropin, a synthetic version of the naturally occurring hormone. This increases size and milk production, but it has another effect: cows with higher growth hormone levels produce more twins.

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From Dr. Fuhrman's book Disease Proof Your Child:

The developing baby inside you is sensitive to the effects of toxins more so than at any other time in its life. It is never too early to start protecting yourself and your unborn child.

Clearly, there are a lot of dangerous habits to avoid before pregnancy, and there are also a lot of fears women have that are not found in science or logic.

The real concerns are not microwave ovens, cell phones, and hair dryers. The things we know to be really risky for you and your unborn children are:

• Caffeine
• Nicotine, including secondhand smoke
• Alcohol
• Medications, both over-the-counter and prescription drugs
• Herbs and high-dose supplements, vitamin A
• Fish, mollusks and shellfish, sushi (raw fish)
• Hot tubs and saunas
• Radiation
• Household clear, paint thinners
• Cat litter (because of an infectious disease called toxoplasmosis caused by a parasite found in cat feces)
• Raw milk and cheese
• Soft cheese and blue-veined cheeses such as feta, Roquefort, and Brie
• Artificial colors, nitrates, and MSG
• Deli meats, luncheon meats, hot dogs, and undercooked meats

When a pregnant women uses drugs, even aspirin, she and her unborn child can face serious health problems. Also, just because something is natural or purchased in a health food stores does not mean it is safe. Herbal remedies work because of their medicinal properties from naturally occurring toxins; they are not health food. I also advise against dying your hair during pregnancy.

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