Breathe Better

A runner won’t win the race if he’s gasping for air halfway through; a cyclist is out of luck if she needs to wipe her runny nose while climbing a hill; a powerlifter is in serious trouble if she messes up a deadlift while attempting to clear mucus from her throat. All of these issues— impaired breathing, a runny nose, and excess mucus—can all be exacerbated by drinking cows’ milk. 

• Cows’ milk proteins, particularly casein which makes up 80% of cows’ milk, have been shown to increase mucus production in the gut and respiratory tract. (1)  Researchers hypothesize that increased intestinal permeability, which has been linked to poor diet, disease, and strenuous exercise, allows the casein and other proteins to leak through the gut and therefore stimulate excess mucus production (2,3).
• Cows’ milk proteins seem foreign to the body, so an immune defense is mounted, which can affect lung function, making it more difficult to breathe when we need it most. (2) 
• Asthmatic athletes are particularly crippled by drinking dairy, as dairy is devoid of antioxidants which are essential substances that protect asthmatics’ vulnerable lungs. (3). By eating naturally antioxidant-rich plant-based foods, asthmatics can cut their chance of worsening symptoms by half! (4) In fact, chocolate soy milk from Trader Joe’s almost doubles the antioxidant content of store brand chocolate cows’ milk. (5)

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