There are different risk factors in our lifesstyle that increase our chance to become ill. Take breast cancer, for example. Of course, your genetics play a role, but it is not as big as alcohol, being overweight and … drinking more than 1 large cup (300 ml) of cow’s milk every day.
According to recent independent large studies, drinking cow’s milk increases the chance of getting breast cancer in post-menopausal women by 30%-50%! It is worth mentioning, that breast cancer in these studies was a specific type of cancer, stimulated by oestrogen (the oestrogen-receptor positive breast cancer). It can be explained by the fact that cow’s milk contains compounds that stimulate cell growth (IGF1). This process is greatly enhanced by oestrogen. Breast cells that respond both to oestrogen and to IGF1 are more likely to become cancerous. This could explain why high milk consumption can increase the risk of oestrogen-receptor positive breast cancer, but not of other breast cancer types.
Interestingly, fermented dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese, don’t increase the risk of breast cancer because the stimulating compounds are lost during the fermentation process.
