Drinking unpasteurized milk is Russian roulette

Question: Are there any benefits to drinking raw, unpasteurized free-range cow's milk? — Anonymous

Answer: Well, a friend of ours would say the weight loss that comes from a few days of vomiting and diarrhea. Drinking raw, unpasteurized milk is like playing Russian roulette. Somewhere down the line, you're going to get a bellyful of bacteria, like salmonella, listeria and E. coli, which will put you in a world of hurt. And the elderly, small children and people with impaired immune systems could face life-threatening complications.

One reason some folks tout raw milk with cultlike fervor is that pasteurization removes some of the friendly bacteria, such as lactobacillus. You can get that in probiotic capsules (look for ones, such as Digestive Advantage, Sustinex or Affirm, that contain them in "spore form." These survive your stomach acid).

Pasteurization may reduce vitamins B-1, B-6, B-12 and C in cow's milk. But these benefits don't outweigh the risks. If you want a "better" milk that is pasteurized, consider dairy products from grass-fed cows. Grass improves the fatty acid ratio in their milk — equalizing omega-6s and omega-3s to levels known to raise healthy (HDL) cholesterol, reduce inflammation and lower triglycerides."

Question: Last year I was diagnosed with prediabetes. My doctor told me that once you're impaired, there's no way to get back to normal, but I saw people on "The Dr. Oz Show" who said they were free of diabetes after working out and making other healthy lifestyle changes. Can you really reverse prediabetes?— Anonymous

Answer: Yes, you can. (At least in studies, 98.5 percent of people with type 2 diabetes can.) Normally, insulin shuttles sugar in your blood into your cells for fuel pretty effortlessly. But having prediabetes means this system is off kilter. As a result, some extra sugar roams your bloodstream like an unruly mob, potentially damaging your heart and circulatory system.

With prediabetes, your blood sugar levels are higher than they should be, but not elevated enough for a diagnosis of full-blown diabetes. But you're headed there: You may be 15 times more likely to develop it than people with normal sugar levels.