The Dairy Debate

THE INDEPENDENT
The white stuff is accused of causing allergies and even cancer. As an anti-dairy campaign is launched, ANASTASIA STEPHENS asks where the truth lies click here to read

No pain, more gain …
THE INDEPENDENT
Exercise can transform your life. Just make sure you don’t hurt yourself says ANASTASIA STEPHENS click here to read

Arms around the world
THE INDEPENDENT
In the US, cuddle parties are the latest way to ease tension and boost wellbeing. Will they catch on here? ANASTASIA STEPHENS gets physical click here to read

The dairy debate

THE INDEPENDENT

The white stuff is accused of causing allergies and even cancer. As an anti-dairy campaign is launched, ANASTASIA STEPHENS asks where the truth lies

Once given out free at schools, milk used to be a dietary staple. But all evidence is, it’s falling out of fashion. Just glimpse at Notting Hill’s organic food shops, and the shelves full of oat and soya milk, vegan cheese and hemp-oil ice-cream, suggest the produce from the humble cow is being squeezed dry.

Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow threw it out years ago. As for Heather Mill-McCartney, she credits a dairy-free diet with helping her to overcome a post-operative infection. But if you’re about to dismiss this as a fad, take note - dairy-free support is gathering momentum in academic circles too.

Nutritionists along with a number of researchers have long recognized that dairy products can trigger health problems ranging from digestive disturbance to allergies. More recent though, is research showing that substances in milk could promote cancer.

Evidence is even emerging that cheese and milk may not strengthen bones as previously thought – out of 37 studies recently reviewed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 27 failed to find failed to show that consuming dairy products affected bone density.

But isn’t the milk of the humble cow a valuable source of nutrition? The pro-dairy argument – driven largely by a dairy industry worth £2.7billion in the UK – is that milk is an essential source of calcium and other nutrients. That’s not to mention valuable fats like conjugated-linoleic acic (CLA) which has been found to fight cancer and speed metabolism. And, let’s not forget, foods like yogurt are an important source of good gut bacteria which help digestion and boost immunity.

So just what side of the dairy debate should we be taking?

Unfortunately, the answer appears to be far from clear. One of the main arguments of the anti-dairy advocates, is that drinking milk from another animal isn’t natural. ‘Like other mammals, we’re not designed to drink milk past weaning, which is why, many people stop producing lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, a milk sugar, after infancy,’ points out Dr Jane Flemming, London based GP.

It is for this very reason that 10pc of Europeans, 90pc of Asians, and 65pc of Africans are lactose intolerant. Unable to digest milk sugar, they suffer symptoms such as bloating, cramps, nausea and diarrhea – unless they cut out dairy completely.

The theory that our bodies aren’t adapted to digest milk might explain other reactions too. ‘We see hundreds of patients with symptoms such as achy joints, eczema and fatigue every year and find that intolerance to milk and dairy products is high on the list of culprits,’ says Patrick Holford, nutritionist and founder of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition. ‘Dairy is also one of the main food triggers for migraine sufferers.’ Perhaps more worrying, is research suggesting that dairy products could promote cancer.

Supporting this, is The China Study, one of the largest epidemiological studies ever conducted. Collating the results, Professor Colin Campbell, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University in the US, found that rural Chinese, who eat a virtually dairy-free diet, have an incredibly low rate of breast cancer – 1 in every 10,000.

It’s a trend that makes more sense when you consider modern milking methods. To get most milk, cows are now milked during and after pregnancy – a time when oestrogens and growth factors in milk are at their highest. Researchers from Princeton University in New Jersey and elsewhere, are concerned that growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), may act on cancer cells like oxygen to a spark - to trigger uncontrolled growth.

It’s a theory that sold on Professor Jane Plant, geologist who claims to have cured herself of breast cancer by cutting out dairy. ‘Despite chemotherapy, my cancer had recurred five times and I was given weeks to live when I cut out dairy from my diet,’ says Plant. ‘I watched a tumor in my neck shrink from the size of a small boiled egg to nothing in six weeks.’

But surely we need milk to strengthen our bones?

There’s no arguing the fact that milk is very rich in calcium - cow’s milk contains 120mg calcium per 100ml, making it nearly four times richer in this mineral than human milk (34mg per 100ml). According to The Dairy Council, at these levels, a single glass of milk provides a child with half the daily requirement of calcium.

‘Milk is one of the richest sources of calcium in our diet,’ says Dr Judith Byrans, Director of The Dairy Council. ‘But its not just calcium in milk that is useful – milk and other dairy produce contains magnesium, protein and phosphorous, which are all bone building nutrients.’

The assumption however, is that calcium from milk is easily absorbed and turned to bone. Yet evidence is increasingly suggesting otherwise. A recent review on dairy products and bone health published in the American Academy of Pediatrics found very little evidence to show that dairy products in children promoted bone health. ‘The review found that out of 37 studies, 27 showed no relationship between dairy and bone health,’ argues Juliet Gellately, director of the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation. ‘In the remaining 10 studies, the effects on bone health were small.’

Nutritional researchers say calcium from dairy isn’t well absorbed because of how it affects the acid-alkaline balance of the body. ‘The body works best in a slightly alkaline environment, but the protein in cheese has a very acidifying effect,’ explains Patrick Holford, nutritionist. ‘Calcium however, is alkaline and is used to neutralize the acid. The body channels calcium from cheese or bone into the bloodstream to do just this. Because calcium is needed for this purpose, its not deposited as bone.’

Anyway, diet may not be the most effective way of keeping bones strong. Research shows that physical exercise is the single most critical factor for maintaining healthy bones, as well as lifestyle factors like cutting out caffeine, alcohol and smoking – all habits that leach minerals out of bone. ‘African Bantu women who are physically active, eat almost no dairy products at all; they have a relatively low calcium intake, mainly from vegetable sources,’ points out Gellately. ‘Osteoporosis is virtually unknown.’

Weighing up the evidence

These arguments could well persuade you to throw dairy off your shopping trolley. But the pro-dairy lobby have some convincing arguments too. They point out that the dairy-cancer argument may be more complex than first appears. According to Dr Michelle Harvie, author of the Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Diet, providing your milk is low-fat, it could be cancer-protective. ‘Two large surveys in the US show drinking almost a pint of low-fat milk or eating two portions of low-fat dairy foods a day reduces risk of breast cancer by 20 to 30pc,’ she says.

Any cancer protective effect may be partly due to low levels of vitamin D in milk which helps prevent tumour growth. Dairy products are also the main dietary source of an anti-cancer fat known as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). However, the amount needed for an anti-cancer effect are about three times greater than the usual dietary intake.

For those who don’t suffer from lactose-intolerance or dairy allergies, live yogurt and unpasteurized milk, are one of the best sources of good gut bacteria – which improve digestion and boost immunity. ‘Studies have found that beneficial gut bacteria such as acidophilus help with the digestion of vitamins, boost immunity and kill pathogenic bacteria – and yogurt is an important source,’ says Dr Jane Flemming, London based GP.

By strengthening digestion and immunity, yogurt may indirectly protect against allergies. One study in Helsinki, Finland, on babies born to mothers with hayfever and asthma found that those given probiotics, were less likely to develop allergies themselves.

Then there’s one of the most nutritionally misunderstood dairy products of all – butter. ‘As a raw animal fat, butter is packed with fat soluble vitamins including vitamins A, D, E and K and other vital nutrients,’ claims Dr Mary Enig, US biochemist who researches the nutritional value of fats. ‘Its especially rich in vitamin A, needed for growth, cell renewal, fertility and immunity. Butter gives you vitamin D, needed for a healthy brain, and nervous system and which is also anti-cancer. Then there are other substances unique to butter such as Wulzen Factor, a substance that helps prevent arteries and joints from stiffening with age.’

DON’T DO DAIRY?
According to Juliet Gellately of the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation, there are plenty of non-dairy sources of calcium. Major calcium sources are dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spring greens, cabbage, bok choy and watercress. Dried fruits, such as figs (250mg calcium per six figs) will also increase your calcium intake. Eaten alongside seeds and nuts, particularly almonds and brazil nuts, sesame seeds and tahini which contains a massive 680mg of calcium per 100g, and you will definitely be eating enough to cover your calcium RDA (800mg). Pulses including soya beans, kidney beans, chick peas, baked beans, broad beans, lentils, peas and calcium-set tofu (500mg calcium per 250g) also provide a good sources of calcium.

Most nutritionists agree that pulses, tofu and regular servings of fish can amply make up the protein content in any dairy-free diet. There’s also an extensive range of dairy substitutes to choose from. Milk alternatives range from soya, to oat and rice milk and a range of non-dairy cheeses are made from soya and tofu. Many margarines are dairy free. Good brands include Pure and Suma who make soya and sunflower spreads and Biona who make an organic olive spread. There are also dairy free yogurts, ice-creams and even chocolate made from dairy-substitutes such as soya and hemp.

For further info tel: 0117 970 5190.  For pocket sized guides "It's easy to be dairy free" and "How to be Dairy free" (with 20 recipes) contact the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation, 0117 970 5190. www.vegetarian.org.uk

No pain, more gain …

THE INDEPENDENT

Exercise can transform your life. Just make sure you don’t hurt yourself says ANASTASIA STEPHENS

CYCLING

Cycling, even for short periods, gives you an all-round aerobic workout. But cycling regularly and for long distances can strain your knees and, if you're a man, may put fertility at risk. "The main problems I see with cycling involve the hips and kneecaps," says Gavin Burt, the London-based osteopath and spokesman for the General Osteopathic Council. "If your thigh muscles are out of balance, your kneecaps won't be stable - they'll move slightly sideways with the bending motion of your knee. That can cause grinding and inflammation." Cycling can also harm male fertility. Recent studies show that 3 per cent of male cyclists who ride regularly become impotent, and virtually all of them felt pain or numbness before the problem occurred. The studies found that the more a person rides, the greater the risk of impotence or loss of libido.

RISK REDUCTION

Burt recommends the following exercise to strengthen your quadriceps and surrounding muscles. Lie down on your back with a rolled towel under your knee. Keeping your heels on the ground, press each knee down into the towel as if trying to straighten your legs. Men who cycle for short or moderate periods shouldn't worry about fertility. Serious cyclists should take regular breaks along you cycling route - say every 30-40 minutes. Some bicycle seats such as Easy Seat (from pounds 30' www.derri-air.com, 001 406 889 5288) are now specifically designed without the usual "nose" that compresses blood and nerve supply.

RUNNING

Running isn't as bad for your knees as most people think, says Siobhan O'Donovan, the chartered physiotherapist and sports rehabilitation specialist. "A study at Stanford University looked at the cartilage in the knees of runners," she says. "They found that in people who took up running while young, and continued to run, the sport had a cartilage-strengthening effect." For this benefit, you need to start running in your 20s, while your body is still growing.

A sudden decision to take up running and cover long distances, without preparatory training, can cause knee strains. The main risk for regular runners is Achilles tendonitis. "If the arch of your foot is slightly collapsed, your Achilles tendon will be slightly twisted. Run on it repeatedly, and the tendon will eventually become strained and inflamed."

RISK REDUCTION

Build up any running regime slowly and seek appropriate advice in choosing a good pair of shoes. O'Donovan, the clinical director at Meridian Sports in Bolton, recommends seeing a podiatrist or sports professional to get your feet screened. "This will identify if you have low or collapsed arches," she says. "You can then rectify the problem."

SWIMMING

Swimming is a great low impact sport which strengthens and tones muscles of the whole body – and gives cardiovascular fitness a boost. However, take into careful account which stroke you use. While front crawl is a great stroke for improving all round muscle tone and fitness, chartered physiotherapist and sports rehabilitation specialist Siobhan O’Donovan believes breast stroke is so harmful, it should be banned.

‘Its bad for your neck, back and knees,’ says Siobhan, clinical director at Meridian Sports in Bolton, UK. ‘Keeping your head above water compresses your neck contributing to neck pain and tight shoulders. It also strains your lower back. Knees also suffer. ‘Your knees joints are made to kick up and down, not to kick out sideways as in breast stroke. This movement can strain ligaments and irritate membranes within the joint.’

RISK REDUCTION

If you insist on doing breast stroke, you can minimise the strain by keeping your head in the water while swimming and coming up for breaths of air Gavin Burt, London-based osteopath and spokesman for the General Osteopathic Council, recommends reducing knee strain by propelling yourself forward using the momentum of your upper-body and kicking gently with your legs. Never extend them completely so that they are straight.

TENNIS

Beware of the classic tennis injury, tennis elbow. Caused by the backhand movement, the muscle and ligament leading from the forearm to the outer elbow becomes torn and inflamed.

RISK REDUCTION

As tennis elbow is painful and difficult to treat, your best strategy should be prevention. Using a double-handed backhand, where you use both arms to take the impact of the ball, will help. Burt recommends this exercise for people with tennis elbow: place a moderately tight elastic band around the fingertips of your injured arm. Pull open your fingers against the resistance of the band and repeat several times every day. The exercise builds "support muscles" which help you use your arm while the strained ligament recovers.

ROWING

Rowing is one of the best sports for a strong back, but rowing machines in the gym can put your lower back at risk unless you get tuition in technique, says O'Donovan. Rowing outdoors may also put your lower back at risk if it is stiff. If you have scoliosis - a sideways curve along the spine - one side of your back may end up stronger than the other, causing muscular imbalances and strain.

RISK REDUCTION

O'Donovan suggests that you first ask yourself whether rowing is the best sport for you. "If your lower back is stiff, rowing could easily strain the joints, causing irritation and muscle strain," she says. "In extreme cases, it could lead to a prolapsed or slipped disc." If you do row, it's best to get professional advice. Burt says: "Your legs, low back, upper back and arms should all be involved in one effortless movement to propel yourself with each stroke."

YOGA/PILATES

While yoga and Pilates help prevent injuries by improving flexibility and strengthening abdominal muscles, both can cause the very injuries they're designed to protect against. "Overstretching can tear muscle fibres and irritate tendons or ligaments," says Burt.

RISK REDUCTION

Warm up properly before any stretching to prevent muscle tears in stiffness the following day, says O'Donovan. In winter, when the outdoor temperature is cold, give your body a good 20 minutes to warm up.

SNOWBOARDING

You don't get a rush without risk. And when it comes to winter sports, snowboarding tops the list for both. It offers speed and adventure along with a risk of knee strain, whiplash and wrist injury. "Your feet are fixed on to the snowboard in a way that stresses the knees," says Burt. "And if you fall, your upper body twists but your low body is fixed - that can snap and strain the cruciate ligaments of the knee." Falling forwards or backwards at speed on to compacted snow can cause wrist sprains and whiplash injuries respectively.

RISK REDUCTION

Get instructions and don't take on difficult slopes before you're ready. Protect your wrists from fractures or sprains by wearing wrist guards. Knee-braces worn under your salopettes can reduce any twisting when you fall.

TIPS FOR SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL SPORT

Siobhan O'Donovan suggests picking a sport that will complement and help your physiology - then building up your fitness routine at a gradual rate. "I wouldn't recommend that someone prone to shoulder dislocation takes up rugby, for obvious reasons," she says. "Likewise, I'd be careful about suggesting rowing to somebody with a stiff lower back." Often, she adds, people may be predisposed to particular injuries without their realising.

Most people wouldn't know if they had a low foot arch, or if their pelvis was slightly twisted leaving one leg slightly longer than the other. These conditions are very common and can lead to muscular imbalances, tightness and injury in a wide range of sports. She recommends a pre-exercise screen: an examination that looks at foot posture, leg length and your muscle balance. Orthotics and specific exercises can then ensure your bio-mechanical alignment is good to begin with.

A thorough warm-up routine is recommended before any sport - consisting of around 20 minutes of gentle aerobic activity and some stretches. It's vital not to overstretch early on, or you risk causing tightness and strain. Remember to finish any brisk activity with a 10-minute warm-down to help your physiology gradually adjust from an active to an inactive state.









Arms around the world

THE INDEPENDENT

In the US, cuddle parties are the latest way to ease tension and boost wellbeing. Will they catch on here? Anastasia Stephens gets physical

On the sheepskin rug, in front of the fire, a dozen or so bodies are lying in spoons, or face to face, or in any position that helps you to hug someone. There's some stroking and laughter, a few contented sighs. Apart from a little gentle repositioning and headstroking, not much is happening. In fact, inaction is the flavour of the afternoon.

I'm being spooned by Jason, a photographer, while nestling my head and neck in the armpit of a woman. Three arms are wrapped around me and I'm stroking another arm. This is the outcome of our "canoodle casserole". Earlier on, we had warmed up by giving each other full one-to-one body hugs.

Despite the strangeness of the situation - I hardly know these people - all the stroking has sent me into a state of jellified contentment, a bit like a blissed-out dog. At the same time, I'm very aware that if a middle-aged neighbour were to walk in, the words "orgy" and "swinging" would spring to mind.

But this has nothing to do with sex. It's a cuddle party, the antidote to a snuggle-starved society and a prelude to bigger cuddle parties coming to Britain from the United States this month.

That's right, cuddle parties. Unlike the dinner party, or dance party, instead of pitching up with a bottle of wine, you bring your pyjamas. Then you dive on to the sofa, or into bed, with a bunch of strangers for some carefree caressing.

And we're all here for the sake of enhancing our emotional wellbeing and health. According to Reid Mihalko and Marcia Baczynski, the relationship coaches who created the Cuddle Party events and website in the US, we are all in desperate need of more physical contact. Cuddling, they say, has positive effects on self-esteem, confidence and anxiety, and is the most direct, physiological way to make a person feel wanted.

"A good hug speaks directly to your body and soul, making you feel loved and special," Mihalko says. "It overwrites any unworthiness or 'negative voices' in your head telling you that you cannot be loved. It's a great anxiety remedy; held in the arms of another, any tension just drains away."

Of course, to reassure the wary, there have to be cuddle rules. All parties begin with a welcome circle where people can talk about their reservations. Even then, everyone must ask permission before cuddling - and it is equally important to say no to a hug if it doesn't feel comfortable.

An answer to lack of touch?

The problem, Baczynski says, is that we are touch-deprived. "In our society, we get physical affection through relationships. If you're single, you have to live with a few awkward passes, the odd drunken grope or an occasional semi-hug from a friend. Even a relationship is no guarantee that you'll get the affectionate touch you need."

That's where cuddle parties come in. They broaden people's scope for physical intimacy. "There's a lot of confusion and fear about intimate touch," Mihalko says. "It doesn't need to be sexual, and there doesn't need to be an agenda. You can get it from strangers and it can be very nourishing."

Their assertions appear to be backed up by research. Studies at the University of North Carolina show that hugging induces positive physiological and emotional changes in the body, mainly by inducing the release of oxytocin, the love hormone.

Researchers found that hugging for 20 seconds was enough to boost levels of oxytocin sufficiently to induce emotional and physiological benefits for a whole day. Oxytocin not only makes you feel good; it also improves heart function, protecting against heart disease. Hugging was found to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with anxiety, physical tension, anger and weaker immunity.

These findings support a previous study which found that hugging reduced the emotional effect of stress. When two groups of couples were asked to talk about an angry event, those that hugged first maintained significantly lower heart-rate and blood pressure.

But the benefit of receiving regular hugs could be even more profound. According to Linda Blair, a clinical psychologist at Bath University, researchers have now found that touch and hugging are needed for basic positive emotions to develop.

"Touch affects the cerebellar brain system, an area of the brain where basic positive emotions such as trust and affection probably come from," Blair says. "If you get lots of cuddles early on, you will internalise trust, as well as feelings of bonding and love. If you get no touch, or if the touch is anxious or unfriendly, you will tend to develop mistrust and wariness."

Marianne Jones, a massage therapist from west London, believes that even if you lacked the benefits of touch early in life, you can make up for it later on. "We never get too old to benefit from positive touch," she says. "And, for those who get in adulthood what they lacked in childhood, it can be tremendously healing. Cuddle parties could give people the chance to let others come closer, and to give and receive affection. You'd probably see where you hold tension and anxiety from past emotional pain, and grieve for what you didn't get."

Hugging: the best medicine

The benefits of hugging are now so widely recognised that, in the US, it is sometimes prescribed instead of medication. Organisations such as the US Surviving Burns Support Service advocate "hug therapy" as a way to reduce social isolation and depression and to foster feelings of belonging.

"There can't be a faster, more direct way of making you feel connected, wanted and happy than with a bear-like squeeze," says Tina Malhotra of Free Hugs, an international campaign group to promote hugging. "That's why we go on to the streets and offer hugs. Some people are wary, but most find that a quick cuddle is enjoyable and it puts smiles on their faces."

The canoodle casserole certainly put a smile on my face; first, a snigger at the eccentricity of it all, and then a much deeper, satisfied smile. Despite feeling uncomfortable at times - I felt more at ease with some people than with others, and I wouldn't let just anyone touch me - the party left me feeling unexpectedly content.

And it opened my eyes to completely new experiences. It's not every day that you get to stroke another woman's hair affectionately, or cuddle a man just for the sake of it. So, as strange as cuddle parties sound, I'd recommend them. With no small talk and plenty of silliness, they beat dinner parties hands down.

HEALTH WITH A HUG
To give a proper heart-warming cuddle, you need to grasp the body language of hugging. The most common hug among the British is the shoulder-clasp. This involves leaning forward, politely touching the huggee's shoulders and kissing the air on either side of their cheeks.

"With the vast majority of hugs, people hold their bodies back," says Mike Skilbeck, a teacher of biodanza, a dance therapy with an emphasis on hugging. "The lack of contact doesn't make you feel appreciated."
Be daring the next time you contemplate a hug. Once in the hugging position, stay there. Enjoy the cuddle rather than try to escape it. For a proper "therapeutic" cuddle, keep hugging for at least a minute. Notice how it makes you feel.

Hugging like this makes some people feel uncomfortable. But once you get used to it, most find that it eases tension, and encourages positive emotions.

THE POWER OF TOUCH
Research is confirming that affectionate touch is a good all-round medicine. So what are the benefits?

* HEART DISEASE A 20-second daily hug improves heart function and lowers blood pressure by triggering the release of the hormone oxytocin.

* IMMUNITY Hugging lowers levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that weakens immunity.

* STRESS Positive physical touch has an immediate anti-stress effect, slowing breathing and heart rate.

* MOOD A good hug rapidly induces relaxation and wellbeing. The raised level of oxytocin counters negative emotions and boosts feelings of bonding.

* INFO For Cuddle Partes: cuddleparty@ hotmail.co.uk. See also www.cuddleparty.com




All content is © Anastasia Stephens or else reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder. No challenge to the respective trademarks or copyright of Associated Newspapers, Bauer, Hachette Filipacchi, Express Newspapers, Independent News & Media, Emap Consumer Media or Trinity Mirror is intended or should be inferred.