Those who have been in the United States longer or were born here use a combination. Before, the grandma was the one who gave us the green tea or chamomile. Now we go to the store, but we still like using alternative medications. And because the majority of U.S. Hispanics are of Mexican descent, most studies done in the United States use that ethnic group. The data suggest that Mexicans do not drink enough milk and are prone to diabetes.
Milk is the best way to get calcium.
I tell my patients who think they are lactose intolerant not to drink milk on an empty stomach or to drink it in small amounts. In general, Latinos' native diet, one with lots of beans, lentils and rice, is a healthy one. Hispanics do need to eat more fresh vegetables, she added. That's when we create a sense of good eating habits for their future. That is especially important because there is so much obesity now in this country.