Monday, April 14, 2008

Dairy Foods

Help Fight: Colon Cancer

Eating foods that contain calcium has always been an essential part of a healthy diet. The calcium in dairy products help maintain bone strength and ward off osteoporosis, a common side effect of menopause. New research shows that calcium may also help fight colon cancer.
The calcium may bind to irritants (such as stomach bile acids or some fats) and prevent them from irritating the colon or rectum, or it might have an effect directly on the lining of the bowel. For most people, there is no downside to taking calcium supplement. It's cheap and has few side effects, so why not? But it's important to remember that this is not a magic bullet. There's no substitute for regular colon cancer screenings.

Daily dose: Add 3 servings of cacium-rich foods (for instance, a cup of milk, an 8-oz container of yogurt and a few cubes of cheese) to your daily diet. And ask your doctor if you might benefit from taking a calcium supplement.

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