The Connection between Meat and Early Puberty

Is there a connection between early puberty and consumption of meat and dairy?  Recent studies seem to point in that direction.  As the consumption of meat products increases in the Western diet, the average age of puberty decreases in girls.   This is concerning because girls who start their periods early are at increased risk for several diseases to include heart disease, ovarian, and breast cancer.   

The amount of meat consumed by Americans in the past 100 years has nearly tripled, according to an infograph in the New York Times.  As well, 100 years ago the average age for a girl to start menstruation was about 14 years old.  According to a study which was published in the June 10, 2010 Public Health Journal, today’s 7 year-olds who eat a little less than two portions of meat per day, have about a 50% chance of starting their periods before the age of 12½.  Girls who eat only one portion of meat every other day are only 35% likely to start menarche by age 12½, according to a Bristol University study.

The reason why meat may cause early puberty is still unclear, however, some scientists believe that the hormones administered to commercial raised beef could be a causative factor. To improve growth and weight gain, combinations of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, as well as the synthetic hormones zeranol and trenbolone acetate are given to cattle.  To increase milk production, some dairy cows are treated with the growth hormone rbGH.

It is perhaps the consumption of various residual hormones in beef, pork, chicken and dairy that could be a contributing factor to premature puberty.  It is also possible that this condition is purely a result of the population tripling their animal protein consumption, despite the hormones and antibiotics.  Obviously, more large scale research needs to be undertaken to understand this problem and avoid a future health crisis in women’s health.

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Antibiotic-resistant germs flourish on meat products in US grocery stores.

Testing of grocery-store meat and poultry is showing an alarmingly high prevalence of MRSA and other antibiotic resistant bacteria.   

Drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, can cause deadly skin infections that can also spread to heart, lungs, blood, or bone. Nationwide tests by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) confirmed 47% of meat and poultry samples were contaminated with S. aureus, of which over half were resistant to a variety of antibiotics.  In another recent study, the largest sampling of raw meat products to date indicated that the superbug MRSA, (methicillin resistant S. aureus) is found in 7% of store-bought pork. Link to Science Daily report here.

These dangerous superbugs are being created by the liberal use of antibiotics by industrial farms to increase growth rates.  The deadly germs are then spread by handling practices at the plants.  According to a report  from the Union of Concerned Scientists, an estimated 70% of U.S. antibiotics are used  for non-medical uses by farm industries, primarily for growth enhancement. Densely-packed concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are the breeding grounds for drug-resistant bacteria that move from animals to to grocery store meat counters.

DNA testing has proven that the food animals themselves are a major source of contamination.  However, the meat handling plants are also a source of contamination, as the meat sampling study of pork  showed no significant difference in MRSA contamination between pork raised with or without antibiotics.

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Meat and dairy cause bad breath.

Do vegetarians have sweeter breath than carnivores? 

Image by Fantata via Flickr

Halitosis a problem?

Foods high in protein, particularly animal protein such as fish, seafood, eggs, and dairy foods (especially milk and cheese) are the main culprits of halitosis (bad breath).  Consuming these high protein foods also feeds the bacteria living in our mouths and intestinal tracts.  The waste products of those bacteria can produce some stinky byproducts.

Driving by a feed lot, it is hard to ignore the foul odor which is actually created by a sulfur compound called methyl mercaptan -- this same sulfur compound is excreted as a waste product by our own oral bacteria as it feeds on particles of decaying meat debris found in gum lines and wedged in between teeth.These sulfur compounds are known by dentists as "volatile sulfur compounds" (VSC's).

Volatile sulfur compounds are the main culprits of bad breath, but the oral bacteria that feed on animal protein actually produce a variety of stinky waste products such as:

• Cadaverine (taking its name from the smell of corpses)
• Putrescine (taking its name from the putrid smell of decaying meat)
• Skatole (this emanates the smell of  fecal matter)
• Isovaleric Acid (think smelly feet)

To rid your mouth of these nasty bacterial byproducts, stick to a diet full of fruits and vegetables.  High fiber, crunchy plant food increases saliva production which keeps the bacteria at bay. Vitamin C is especially helpful in limiting oral bacteria because it creates an unfriendly environment for bacterial growth.  Get your vitamin C from fresh produce (citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers) rather than from supplements. 

It has long been known that parsley fights halitosis, but other herbs are helpful as well to include cardamon, rosemary, tarragon, coriander, eucalyptus and spearmint.

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Fruits and Veggies minimize birth defects.

Image by DrJohnBullas via FlickrAccording to the CDC, birth defects affect about one in every 33 babies born in the United States each year. Birth defects are the leading cause of infant deaths, accounting for more than 20% of all infant deaths.  They usually occur during the first three months of pregnancy, making the mother’s diet during and before pregnancy of critical importance to the health of the baby.

It has long been known that folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects and spina bifida.  Folic acid rich foods include Romaine lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, beans and spinach. In recent years, it was thought that if a pregnant woman simply supplemented any diet with folic acid in tablet form, it would provide optimum protection against birth defects.  While folate supplementation is important, women who eat the most amount and variety of vegetables, fruit and whole grains during their childbearing years will be less likely to have a baby with certain birth defects.   Recently, a study from Stanford University School of Medicine showed that healthy diets that included a diet rich in fruits and veggies decreased the likelihood of cleft lip or palate.  More info here.

The March of Dimes website lists animal protein to include meats, poultry and fish, on their list of food-borne risks in pregnancy.  This is because of the risk of bacteria such as listeriosis, E. coli and Campylobacter infections, and salmonellosis.  A particularly dangerous bacteria that can be found in raw or undercooked meat, Toxoplasmosis, is a parasitic infection.  Although it often causes no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms, if a pregnant woman contracts it, there’s about a 50% chance she will pass it on to her unborn baby . This may cause vision and/or hearing loss, mental retardation, seizures and other problems.

Pregnant women should also stay away from fish because of mercury contamination.  High levels of mercury can harm a baby's developing nervous system.  Researchers are also studying the connection between a pregnant woman's exposure to mercury and their children having autism.  Fish that live the longest and are predatory to other fish tend to have the largest accumulations of mercury, but almost all fish are contaminated with some level of mercury.

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A meat-free diet improves arthritis.

Image via Wikipedia

Rheumatoid Arthritis of the hands.

Recent literature has shown that diet can improve the symptoms of painful and inflamed joints suffered by millions of arthritis patients.  Certain foods such as meat and dairy may trigger arthritic symptoms, and a meat-free diet can give relief to arthritis sufferers.  

There are several types of arthritis, all of which cause swollen joints and painful movement.  Recent studies have shown that diets that restrict meat and dairy give symptom relief for all types of arthritis:

Osteoarthritis: This is the most prevalent form of arthritis, caused by wear and tear of the joints.  Most sufferers of this type of arthritis are in the >50 age group.  However, this condition is rare in Asian and African countries whose populations follow a plant-based diet and few animal products.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Thought to be an autoimmune disease, this is a more aggressive type of arthritis caused by damage to the synovium that lines the joints, resulting in pain and inflammation. A study published in the Am. Journal for Clinical Nutrition showed patients in vegetarian diet groups improved significantly compared to patients who followed their usual omnivorous diet throughout the study period.  (More info here.)

Gouty Arthritis: Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the joints.  It is triggered by a diet high in purines to include meat and fish.  The purines in vegetables, however, do not increase gout symptoms.

Inflammatory Polyarthritis:   This type of arthritis occurs when there is inflammation in more than four joints, and is often a precursor to rheumatoid arthritis.   A 2004 study found that “subjects with the highest level of consumption of red meat, meat and meat products combined were at an increased risk for inflammatory polyarthritis.” See abstract here.

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Meat is a choking hazard.

Maureen Oleskiewicz, a 28-year-old teacher , recently choked to death on a hot dog at Wrigley Field.  Meat products, especially hot dogs, are a common choking hazard.  Healthy adults are just as likely to choke on hot dogs or other meat products as young children or seniors.

It is not unusual to see an ambulance parked in front of a steakhouse to help a diner who is choking on a large chunk of meat. In fact, they have coined the term “café coronary” to describe these choking incidents.  The symptoms are similar to a heart attack when in fact the diner is actually choking to death, usually on meat or fish.  Choking incidents in steakhouses are so common, that until recently some states made it mandatory for restaurants to display posters with instructions on what to do when someone chokes.

In the U.S., close to 3800 people die every year from choking as reported by the American Heart Association.  Choking usually occurs during eating and the most common specified food objects that victims choked on were meat products. In fact, meat accounts for 35% of choking incidents.  According to the Journal of Forensic Science, death from choking is the fourth most common cause of unintentional-injury mortality.

Children are especially prone to airway obstruction. Choking on food causes the death of approximately 1 child every 5 days in the United States. Hot dogs are the most common food choking hazard for children. Hot dogs accounted for the largest percentage of food-related asphyxiations among children younger than 10 years of age in a 41-state study published in JAMA (Harris et al.).  Children who choke on hot dogs are 2 to 3 times more likely to be hospitalized than children who choke on candy or other food items.

Most of the medical literature on airway obstruction is related to children, however, people of all ages are susceptible to choking incidents. A study in the UK showed that the 45 to 55 age group nearly doubled the choking emergencies of other age groups. In the UK, the most common cause of choking was fish, followed by meat and poultry.

For more information:

Age Range for Choking Incidents 

Home and leisure accident report Summary of 1998 data p.16 Department of Trade and Industry (UK)

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Eating meat increases chances of developing cataracts.

If you eat meat, you have a higher chance of eventually developing cataracts.  Cataracts affect about 60% of people over the age of 60. Cataract surgeries are performed over 1.5 million times each year in the United States alone.   

Cataracts are thought to be a normal sign of aging, but now scientists believe that diet can largely prevent this common eye disorder.    Cataract symptoms are a gradual clouding of the lens, causing impaired vision.

A 2011 study from Oxford University compared different dietary groups with the incidence of cataracts.  The dietary groups included high meat eaters, low meat eaters, fish eaters (participants who ate fish but not meat), vegetarians (those that included dairy in their diet), and vegans (participants that consumed no animal fat or protein). 

The incidence of cataracts corresponded to the amount of animal protein and fat consumed by each diet group with the high meat eaters having the highest incidence of cataracts, and vegans the lowest, and the other groups correspondingly in the middle.  Click here for study details.

It has long been known that eye health is linked to the consumption of fruits and vegetables.  Many nutrients found in a vegetarian diet have been shown to ward off cataract development.  The most important are:

Beta-Carotene.  In particular, the darker colored fruits and vegetables (apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, collard greens, kale, spinach, papaya, red bell pepper, cantaloupe, etc.) have the most amounts of beta-carotene and carotenoids which are considered important eye-protecting nutrients.

Vitamin C.  All citrus fruits contain a high amount of Vitamin C, as well as other produce such as guava,  bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mango, strawberries, raspberries, etc. 

Vitamin E. This powerful antioxidant is a preventative of cataracts and macular degenerative disease. Some of the best sources are wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, almonds, wheat germ, papaya, and peanut butter.

Zinc.  This trace mineral has a protective effect for eyes, especially the retina. Vegetarian sources of zinc include wheat germ, garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, almonds, tofu, and brown rice.

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Vegetarian diets save on grocery, energy and medical bills.

A good way to save money at the grocery store is to replace meat products with fruits and vegetables. Eliminating meat reduces the average grocery bill by about a third.  For the cost of a single steak, one could have a vegetarian feast for a family of four.

Comparing the cost of animal protein to vegetable protein, the savings are significant.  In the U.S., relatively inexpensive beef, such as ground round, averages approximately $3 per pound, boneless chicken breasts cost $3.40 a pound, and canned tuna is about $2 per pound.  Vegetarian protein such as dried beans and lentils costs less than $1 per pound, and rice, the vegetarian staple, can be found for sixty to seventy cents per pound.

Consumers would also be surprised to know how much of their monthly electric bill and/or gas bill is used to refrigerate and cook meat.  Meat has to be cooked in order to be safe and palatable. Fruits and vegetables for the most part can be eaten raw, but when they are used in baked recipes, they take a fraction of cooking time compared to meat. 

In many homes, refrigerators are the greatest user of electricity. The average family could use a substantially smaller regrigerator/freezer if they did not need it for meat products.  Over 80% of the space in a typical refrigerator is used for meat and dairy products. Although some fruits and vegetables have a longer shelf life when refrigerated, many veggies/fruits will keep for several days, if not weeks, without refrigeration. On the other hand, it is mandatory to refrigerate or freeze meat and dairy from the time it comes home from the market until it is cooked—a large drain on the monthly electric bills.  If there happens to be a power outage for more than a day, all the meat and dairy products in the refrigerator and/or freezer will probably spoil—at a potential cost of several hundred dollars.

The major cost savings of a vegetarian diet, however, is in the long term health benefits. Switching to a healthy vegetarian diet will potentially save you thousands of dollars in future medical costs to include prescriptions, medical treatment, insurance and loss of income. 

Lastly, tax dollars in the U.S. are being diverted to support the meat industry. Although you can get a fast food hamburger for only a dollar, tax payer dollars contribute billions to the meat and dairy industries annually.  Tax money that comes out of your paycheck is used to support the meat/dairy industries by subsidizing feed grain, water, insurance, grazing land, and environmental clean-up for the benefit of a handful of corporations that control the nation's meat supply. 

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Vegetarians live longer, healthier lives!

Compared to people who eat meat daily, vegetarians can look forward to a longer and healthier life.  In fact, vegetarians live about 7 years longer, and and those on a strict vegan diet with no animal products live about 15 years longer than meat eaters according to a study from Loma Linda University.

Red and processed meat intakes are associated with an increase in risk of cancer mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, and an overall increase in total mortality in both men and women, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. 

Important factors that are linked to a longer life expectancy are elimination of “bad” fats and the inclusion of a multitude of antioxidants to the diet. Vegetarians also tend to have lower BMI values (body mass index) which add years to life expectancy.  It is important to note that a healthy vegetarian diet would include more than 60% whole fruits and vegetables.

The leading cause of premature death in the U.S. is heart disease. This is associated with the consumption of animal fats, particularly from red meat. In reality, heart disease would be more aptly named “artery” disease, because it is the buildup of plaque in the arteries that ultimately leads to the demise of the heart. This is a condition that can actually be reversed or cured with adherence to a strict vegan diet. (Read more on the link between animal fat and heart disease.)

Another leading cause of premature death is cancer of all types, to include prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and blood cancers. Numerous clinical studies have shown that vegetarians are far less likely to develop cancer of any type, but especially the types mentioned above.  You can find more info on the cancer-diet connection here.

Finally, obesity has become an epidemic and contributes substantially to a shortened lifespan. A healthy diet that consists mostly of vegetables and fruits will fill you up with substantially fewer calories than a diet high in animal fats and protein. Fewer calories translate to less or no weight gain and longer life expectancy.  The connection between meat consumption and obesity has been highlighted in numerous studies.

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