The truth behind dairy: Hormones, pus, whey, casein, addictive nature, bioaccumulation of toxins, and more with Dr. Vivian Chen

We’re joined today by Dr. Vivian Chen, an integrative health practitioner and a medical doctor, who truly believes that food is medicine. Dr. Chen trained as a doctor in the UK practicing as a family physician. Her own struggles with health and well-being led her to discover the power of food and the role of lifestyle medicine in disease prevention and treatment. These days, Dr. Chen runs her own company, Plateful Health, where she helps her clients take back their health and live the life they deserve. 

In this episode we cover: 

• The experience with her newborn daughter that led her to question the health effects of dairy 
• Lactose intolerance vs dairy allergies 
• Effects of hormones naturally found in dairy 
• The contribution of cheese and milk to saturated fat intake 
• Bioaccumulation of environmental toxins 
• The fact there is actual pus in milk 
• Why dairy is physically addicting 
• The myth that dairy is essential for strong bones (and how it may even increase fracture risk) 
• The best plant-based sources of calcium (and the role of plant-based milks) 
• The health effects of whey and casein 
• Whether lactose-free and A2 milk are better alternatives 
• mTOR, dairy, and the cancer connection 
• The role of dairy in constipation, type 1 diabetes, acne, and heart disease 

You can connect with Dr. Chen on Instagram: @plateful.health and her website is here: https://www.platefulhealth.com 

Episode Resources: 

• BMJ 2014: Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies 
• Osteoporos Int. 2009: Veganism, bone mineral density, and body composition: a study in Buddhist nuns 
• NEJM 2020: Milk and Health 

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IG: Muzammil: @dr.plantbased, Cass: @plant_fueled. 

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Music credit: Scott Holmes. 

*Please appreciate that this information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider!*