Truth or Myth: dairy increases mucus?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I heard all my life that if you have a cold, you should avoid dairy products because they increase mucus production. That if you're already 'phlegmmy' you shouldn't have any dairy.

And then an acquaintance tells me that that's all horse-poo, that the latest research indicates all that is either a myth or old wives' tale, or whatever. I only listened because he's quite the track and field athlete, and seems he'd know if dairy did increase the secretions; he swears by all dairy products and doesn't avoid them when sick and never had an issue with extra mucus production.

Anyone know for sure, not just what they believe because they were told this? What's a reliable source to find out if it's FACT, or CR*P? Would love to know!

Aha! A kindred soul on the net...

I'm pretty anti-superstitions/myths/old wives' tales . . . . . call me skeptical.

:coollook:

steph

i really don't know but i knew a couple who had a cystic fibrosic child and they would not give her milk on doctors orders

but doctors pass on urban legend too

man presented with sprained wrist doc advised cold packs

'are you sure' questioned the man, 'my grandmother always used heat'

the doctor got angry and said' well, my grandmother always used ice'

Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.

but doctors pass on urban legend too

man presented with sprained wrist doc advised cold packs

'are you sure' questioned the man, 'my grandmother always used heat'

the doctor got angry and said' well, my grandmother always used ice'

LOL

Indeed. I think there are some out there that still tell their pts that vitamin C prevents colds.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I don't think it's a myth for everyone. Dairy causes allergic reactions in some people and mucous is increased. I've known a few people who've had chronic stuffy noses and had their sinuses clear up when they went on a vegan diet. I think that as some of us are lactose intolerant and some aren't, some of us get mucousy with dairy and some of us don't.

That dairy is an allergen shouldn't come as a shock. It comes from the breast of a cow to feed baby cows. Humans weren't meant to eat it, although the dairy industry with their billion dollar advertising and the government have brainwashed into thinking it's a "food group" necessary for human life.:chair::sofahider:smiley_ab

Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

The "milk myth" I always heard growing up was that you couldn't drink milk with fish. I haven't heard it in years and have no idea where it came from. I don't know what milk and fish together were supposed to have done to you.

I don't think it's a myth for everyone. Dairy causes allergic reactions in some people and mucous is increased. I've known a few people who've had chronic stuffy noses and had their sinuses clear up when they went on a vegan diet. I think that as some of us are lactose intolerant and some aren't, some of us get mucousy with dairy and some of us don't.

That dairy is an allergen shouldn't come as a shock. It comes from the breast of a cow to feed baby cows. Humans weren't meant to eat it, although the dairy industry with their billion dollar advertising and the government have brainwashed into thinking it's a "food group" necessary for human life.:chair::sofahider:smiley_ab

Tweety . . . . ice cold milk (1 %) and a fistful of warm, homemade Tollhouse cookies. . . . . how can you diss that?? :D:D

My daughter has gone vegan - took her awhile but she loves soy milk now although not all brands.

We drink about 1 1/2 gallons of milk a day here (dh and two sons and me occasionally).

As to the mucus . . . . I still hold to the "myth" idea.

steph

The "milk myth" I always heard growing up was that you couldn't drink milk with fish. I haven't heard it in years and have no idea where it came from. I don't know what milk and fish together were supposed to have done to you.[/quot

i heard this growing up hasn't killed me yet

if you have lactose intolrance or any other type of allergy stay away from the offending product

milk, cheese, yogurt etc have nouished people all around the world since the dawn of time, far be it from me to let the ice cream habit die without putting up a fight

Lots of good info, thanks guys! Tweety, I hear you on the allergen thing (I'm a breastfeeding advocate and am always amused to hear that a baby NEEDS a bottle of cow's milk in order to survive, LOL). But I think rather than the allergic reaction, it's the idea that when someone has a garden variety cold they should avoid dairy products that gets me. I heard a nurse mentioning this to a patient recently, too (telling her to not have any dairy because her stuffed nose would be worse), and wondered about that, guess it was the final straw that sent me here for more info.

I laughed, too, at the 'my grandmother said this, yours said that' from the doctors! Doctors are just as bad at passing on myths as anyone else....remember that I'm a breasfeeding advocate, and have to fight tooth and nail sometimes against the total bunk some MDs put out as truth in that arena. I once had a woman come to me in tears because her doctor told her her breasts were TOO SMALL to feed her child. Made me want to put a hit out on that guy! (and yes, after a session, mom and baby breastfed beautifully ;) )

Anyway, I appreciate the input. And agree with stevielynn and czyja on the 'high colonics' thing. I giggle at the late-night infomercials with the skeezy-looking dude with the fake tan and penciled-in mustache who spouts off on how John Wayne had 25 pounds of undigested meat in his colon when he died. Umm...yeah. And the truly funny thing is the infomercial hawker looks about as unhealthy as anyone I've ever seen, who could really USE a good burger! LOL...

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

Maybe a question you should ask your microbiology or maybe chemistry teacher. Question about whether the milk protiens when mixed with secretions (enzymes) from the mouth can make those secretions thicker.

I doubt that milk make you actually produce more mucus, but it may make the oral secretions thicker for a while after you drink milk.

Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

Anyway, I appreciate the input. And agree with stevielynn and czyja on the 'high colonics' thing. I giggle at the late-night infomercials with the skeezy-looking dude with the fake tan and penciled-in mustache who spouts off on how John Wayne had 25 pounds of undigested meat in his colon when he died. Umm...yeah. And the truly funny thing is the infomercial hawker looks about as unhealthy as anyone I've ever seen, who could really USE a good burger! LOL...

I saw some truly gross pictures on the internet once showing some of the stuff that supposedly came out of some colons after the "patients" had taken these wonder substances to clean them out. Of course, all this stuff was supposed to have sat in there for ages and ages.

I date back to pre-outpatient anything so have prepped a lot of bowels, and I can tell you I'd never seen anything like it. I've seen some scopes, too, and never saw anything like it up in there, either. I could only conclude that the "stuff" was a product of the wonder substances themselves. Most of y'all probably know that too. Give enough Dulcolax, Fleets, and/or Golytely, and you get: liquid. Lots and lots of liquid.

Oh, and the John Wayne thing? Besides the fact that he died of lung cancer, his body was never autopsied, and was buried very quickly as per his and his family's wishes. Nobody has any clue what, if anything, was in his colon when he died, because nobody looked.

Oh, and the John Wayne thing? Besides the fact that he died of lung cancer, his body was never autopsied, and was buried very quickly as per his and his family's wishes. Nobody has any clue what, if anything, was in his colon when he died, because nobody looked.

Thank you! I swear, I did hear/see that; maybe someone oughtta be suing someone else about now?!? If what you say is true, there's even more reason to avoid those Colonic Creeps.

Maybe a question you should ask your microbiology or maybe chemistry teacher.

Well, it's been a LOOONG time since I saw either of them ;) As for the rest, I think the consensus is that it's a myth.

+ Add a Comment