Debunking the Milk Myth: Why Milk is Bad for You and Your Bones
Did you know that in Medieval England parents would tie rabbits’ feet around their babies’ necks to ward off illness? Doctors would also spit on wounds because saliva was believed to have healing properties.
Indeed, history is replete with unfounded health beliefs, and to everyone’s detriment, the milk myth is among the most tenacious.
Milk is much more than just a drink; it’s a cultural phenomenon that can be traced back thousands of years ago. And still today, the milk myth resonates loud and clear: in 2001, the average American child consumed 104 quarts of cow’s milk.
Milk depletes the calcium from your bones
The milk myth has spread around the world based on the flawed belief that this protein and calcium-rich drink is essential to support good overall health and bone health in particular at any age. It is easy to understand that the confusion about milk’s imaginary benefits stems from the fact that it contains calcium – around 300 mg per cup.
But many scientific studies have shown an assortment of detrimental health effects directly linked to milk consumption. And the most surprising link is that not only do we barely absorb the calcium in cow’s milk (especially if pasteurized), but to make matters worse, it actually increases calcium loss from the bones. What an irony this is!
Here’s how it happens. Like all animal protein, milk acidifies the body pH which in turn triggers a biological correction. You see, calcium is an excellent acid neutralizer and the biggest storage of calcium in the body is – you guessed it… in the bones. So the very same calcium that our bones need to stay strong is utilized to neutralize the acidifying effect of milk. Once calcium is pulled out of the bones, it leaves the body via the urine, so that the surprising net result after this is an actual calcium deficit.
Knowing this, you’ll understand why statistics show that countries with the lowest consumption of dairy products also have the lowest fracture incidence in their population (there’s more on this later).
But the sad truth is that most mainstream health practitioners ignore these proven facts. I know it firsthand because when I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, my doctor recommended that I drink lots of milk in addition to taking Fosamax.
Fortunately, I did neither, because I knew that…
Cow’s milk is custom-designed for calves
Thanks to our creative ingenuity and perhaps related to our ancient survival needs, we adopted the dubious habit of drinking another species’ milk. Nobody can dispute that cow’s milk is an excellent food source for calves. Weighing around 100 pounds at birth, a calf typically gains approximately eight times its weight by the time it is weaned. But unlike humans, once calves are weaned, they never drink milk again. And the same applies to every mammalian species on this planet.
Also, each mammalian species has its own “designer” milk, and cow’s milk is no exception. For example, cow’s milk contains on average three times the amount of protein than human milk which creates metabolic disturbances in humans that have detrimental bone health consequences.
It’s important to bear in mind that mother’s milk is excellent nourishment for human babies, but its composition is very different from cow’s milk.
Scientific studies show that milk increases fracture risk
Many scientific studies contradict the conventional wisdom that milk and dairy consumption help reduce osteoporotic fractures. Surprisingly, studies demonstrating that milk and dairy products actually fail to protect bones from fractures outnumber studies that prove otherwise. Even drinking milk from a young age does not protect against future fracture risk but actually increases it. Shattering the “savings account” calcium theory, Cumming and Klineberg report their study findings as follows:
“Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age. (“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994).
And the 12 year long Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that those who consumed the most calcium from dairy foods broke more bones than those who rarely drank milk. This is a broad study based on 77,761 women aged 34 through 59 years of age.
In the authors’ own words:
“These data do not support the hypothesis that higher consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium by adult women protects against hip or forearm fractures.” (Source: Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. American Journal of Public Health. 1997).
Shocking statistics ignored by mainstream medicine
In the Save Our Bones Program one of the topics I discuss is the complete disregard of scientific evidence that discredits milk and dairy products as the best source of calcium.
One exception is Amy Lanou Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C., who states that:
“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”
Surprised? You shouldn’t be, because as I mentioned earlier in this article…
Milk is an acidifying animal protein
Like any other animal derived protein-rich food, milk has a positive potential renal acid load (PRAL) which triggers a protective biological reaction to neutralize all the damaging acidic protein before it reaches the kidneys.
The body is designed for survival, so it sacrifices bone density to protect the kidneys and urinary tract because the latter are essential to survival. And the most readily available source of acid neutralizer is in the bones. So even though milk contains calcium, it ends up sapping your bones of that crucial mineral. But that’s not all because…
Today’s milk is a processed food
Until the end of the 19th century in Europe and the beginning of the 20th century in the US, milk was consumed unpasteurized or raw. Later on, homogenization became the industry’s standard. These processes further alter milk’s chemistry and actually increase its detrimental acidifying effects.
Raw milk advocates claim that if cow’s milk is left “as is” it is a healthy and wholesome drink. It is true that raw milk is less acidifying than processed milk and that pasteurization and homogenization may cause a long list of digestive and other health problems, but I still don’t recommend drinking any kind of cow’s milk.
Nowadays, milking cows are given antibiotics and most are also injected with a genetically engineered form of bovine growth hormone (rBGH). A man-made or synthetic hormone used to artificially increase milk production, rBGH also increases blood levels of the insulin-growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in those who drink it. And higher levels of IGF-1 are linked to several cancers.
This should not be ignored, especially in view of recent information by Samuel Epstein, MD, Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition. In an article titled “Monsanto’s Hormonal Milk Poses Serious Risks of Breast Cancer, Besides Other Cancers” (http://www.preventcancer.com/press/releases/july8_98.htm, June 21, 1998) Dr. Epstein concludes that:
“Drinking rBGH milk would thus be expected to significantly increase IGF-1 blood levels and consequently to increase risks of developing breast cancer and promoting its invasiveness.”
Even though organic milk is from cows that are not given antibiotics or rBHG, if you truly care about your bone health and your overall health, you should…
Avoid drinking cow’s milk
As I explain in the Save Our Bones Program and contrary to mainstream recommendations, drinking milk and eating lots of dairy products are not the answer to reversing osteoporosis. And while in the Save Our Bones Program no food is completely off limits, I strongly recommend that you explore the different milk substitute options that I will list for you here.
But first, I’d like to clarify that unsweetened fermented or cultured dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, and sour cream are acid neutral. Yogurt in particular is chock-full of beneficial qualities. As is the case with milk, organic yogurt does not have rBGH, but even several of the most well-known yogurt brands have stopped using the bovine growth hormone (rBGH). You should call your favorite yogurt company to confirm. One more clarification: when I say unsweetened I mean without sugar or any artificial sweetener. However, you can add honey or stevia, a zero calorie plant-derived sweetener that is delicious and alkalizing as well. I like to carry around stevia packets in my purse so that I’m always able to sweeten food or drinks when I’m on the go.
The best milk substitutes
My favorite milk substitute is unsweetened almond milk, not only because it is alkalizing (as almonds are), but also because it’s delicious and tastes very similar to milk. I even cook with it!
If almond milk is hard to get, you can also try rice or soy milk. I strongly suggest consuming only organic soy milk to insure it’s not made with genetically modified soy. There is also some controversy about unfermented soy products, so try to use it in moderation.
And remember, if you ever hear someone ask “Got milk?” smile and think to yourself “No, because I know better!”
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share them with me and the rest of our community by leaving a comment below.
If you liked this article, click the "Like" button for Facebook:
Why Suffer? Start Increasing Your Bone Density Naturally Now!
If you want to accelerate your bone building results with an easy to understand resource that reveals exactly what I and thousands of others in our community did to increase our bone density naturally, then you absolutely have to check out the Save Our Bones Program.
It's filled with breakthrough, 'take-you-by-the-hand', nutritional, exercise, and lifestyle information that is proven to increase bone density naturally. The ‘Actions!’ at the end of the chapters outline exactly what to do and are all backed by over 100 scientific sources.
We value your privacy and will never share your information with anyone.
February 2, 2012
Sustained fractured pelvis and ribs in road accident-2011:
was prescribed PROLIA:
have had (3)injectionns: am not keen to continue!!
Have visited your website and heard your video:
your formulations resonated with me!
Thankyou for your reseach.
I am an elder: almost blind: slender purse.
HAIKU, from the ZEN tradition is my spiritual discipline:
it requires me to formulate, condense and convey, the quintessential nature of my experiences into no more than seventeen syllables.
For my bones sake, would you email me just the ‘quintessentials’ you deem necessary, to rid the organism of PROLIA and re-start a formerly healthy immune system?
most cordially,
KPB.
system to
findings?
January 30, 2012
Anyone else find it interesting that this article quotes scientists and scientific studies, but leaves no sources? No bibliography? On top of being unreliable, that’s also plagiarism – nice job.
What a load of bullocks.
Here’s a peer reviewed article that reviews most of the studies listed above:
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/133/3/862S.long
The coveted 12 year nurses study this author mentions and puts such faith in is mentioned in the above article.
There is suggestion that in some women this is possible, but again, due to conflicting studies, the information is considered inconclusive. Keep in mind as well, that you can create blood ph from animal AND plant proteins. The hippies like to leave that part out.
Again, as mentioned in many journals, and due to conflicting research, the link between lactose (specifically galactose) and cancer is also inconclusive. Find this article:
^ Genkinger, Jeanine M., Hunter, David J., Spiegelman, Donna, Anderson, Kristin E., Arslan, Alan, Beeson, W. Lawrence, Buring, Julie E., Fraser, Gary E., Freudenheim, Jo L., Goldbohm, R. Alexandra, Hankinson, Susan E., Jacobs, David R., Jr., Koushik, Anita, Lacey, James V., Jr., Larsson, Susanna C., Leitzmann, Michael, McCullough, Marji L., Miller, Anthony B., Rodriguez, Carmen, Rohan, Thomas E., Schouten, Leo J., Shore, Roy, Smit, Ellen, Wolk, Alicja, Zhang, Shumin M., Smith-Warner, Stephanie A. (2006). “Dairy Products and Ovarian Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of 12 Cohort Studies”. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 15 (2): 364–372. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-05-0484. PMID 16492930.
You can just simply read whatever some animal rights hippies write on the internet, or, you can learn some basic scientific skills for yourself, and go through a journal database online or at a university and make your own informed decision. What is sad is most of the people on here are making all of these uninformed opinions about milk and they don’t even know the science behind any of it. How many people reading this even know that lactose is a disaccharide sugar? No wonder Hitler had such an easy time convincing people it was communists who burnt down the Reichstag.
January 28, 2012
Hi
I really enjoyed reading your article.
I have been a vegan for over 30 years. I became a vegan due to health reasons and since then have never had to visit a doctor. I do follow a healthy diet, (mainly organic and farmers market) but it seems to have been worth it.
I have always maintained that we do not need animal milk. I have read that once we have stopped weaning we no longer have the renet needed to digest milk and allowing it to coagulate.
I would love to have a survey amongst vegans to see if they have good health
January 27, 2012
VIVIAN THANKS FOR ENLIGHTENING US WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
I HAVE BEING LOOKING FOR STEVIA, AND I HAVE FOUND WHITE EXCTRACT POWDER
OF STEVIA.AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND STEVIA GREEN POWDER IS THE REAL THING,
WHAT ABOUT OF THE CRYSTALIZED STEVIA, REGARDING ITS QUALITY AND HEALTH
CONSIDERATION ? PLEASE GIVE ME SOME REAL FACTS ABOUT TO THESE TWO TYPES.
JULIO
January 26, 2012
My Grand Mother had a dairy farm, so my mother and all her siblings had milk at least three times a day, as a child she would try forcing me to drink milk, and every time I gagged. I used to get quite a few slaps, when I threw it out the window as soon as she left the table.
I used to be the only child that did’nt get to stop from school because of
measles, mumps, whooping coughs, mumps and chicken pox. I used to try like hell, because I didnt think it was fair, so once I even broke a few pustules of chicken pox off my brother, rubbed them on my belly and tried to incubate them, the following morning, i TRIED TO SHOW MY MOM, there was only slight blister(only one came up) by the following morning I was back to school because it had totally dried up much to my dismay!!
Another thing though, My mother had pretty much lost all most of her teeth by age 50 and it wasn’t the lack of proper oral hygiene, she became badly
osteo porotic, which I didnt understand at all, since she had consumed so much
calcium by way of milk.
January 26, 2012
Although I do believe just about everything you have said about osteoporosis and the “medicines” that you actually should NEVER TAKE
to attempt to rebuild your bones; I would also like to let you know
that the normal people in my age group today mostly live on Social
Security Income only. Therefore, though I would dearly love to purchase
your program for bone regrowth, it would take 10 to 30 percent of my
income to do so. This means that I will never be able to afford it and
in my instance as with many others my age (67),I have already suffered
several broken bones, some of which were attributed to osteoporosis. I
live every day with the fear of falling or breaking a bone in some other
way. So you see what is a big money maker for you is an impossible
purchase to work into my budget in any way, shape or form.
Thanks anyway for at least confirming what I have always suspected about
these bone building products(which I stopped using some time ago)and I hope that some day what you are selling will be available to the general
public without cost.
January 25, 2012
Your body needs vitamin d to absorb the calcium. This vitamin helps with bone density and muscle health. You can’t have one without the other. Go to medical school and learn about the human body properly. Also, in the middle ages they believed that shouting at you “get better” would work, just watch the tv show Horrible Histories and you can learn more about medicine and how it has improved over the years.
January 24, 2012
Please list your sources for your “many scientific studies”.
January 23, 2012
I don’t get the logic that says we are the only species that drinks another species milk…aren’t we also the only species that cultivates the ground & plants seed to grow food…that builds sewage systems to process our waste…I could go on, but you know what I mean.
January 19, 2012
I find it interesting that the author says that the animal protein in milk is what causes the acidic effect on the body. Now, is milk the only source of animal protein in a typical American diet? Certainly not! So we need to look at the whole picture here. Is animal protein now off limits altogether? No beef, no milk, no fish, no chicken. Is that it? Now we are reduced to grains, legumes and greens. That doesn’t sound too healthy to me. Women, and especially pregnant and postpartum women need the iron from red meat to replenish their supply.
So then, if animal protein is fairly necessary in our diets (no offense to you vegans out there who think otherwise), why is one animal protein good and another one bad? I disagree with the premise the author is trying to communicate. If animal protein in milk is bad, then she needs to also bring to light the fault of meats and other sources of animal protein for our country’s higher osteoporosis rates.
I love milk, I know that raw milk is best but I can’t afford it. So I and my son drink regular, pasteurized, homogenized milk because it’s affordable and it tastes good. Almond milk and the like are usually about 4 times as expensive as regular milk. When you’re on a tight budget, uber healthy choices are usually not an option.
I don’t eat a lot of meats, just don’t have a taste for some of them, so dairy is one of my go-to protein choices along with nuts/peanut butter and eggs. I have thrived on milk from a young age and I continue to do so. I refuse to forfeit this nutritious drink that, in moderation, helps me to have a well-balanced diet. To each their own!
January 21, 2012
Joy, ALL Animal Protein is bad for you.
Educate your mind and research the cause of all Human Diseases that is attributable to consumption of any Animal Protein.
Heart Disease, Stroke, etc.
Do the research instead of offering your clueless opinion, which is meaningless.
“…grains, legumes and greens. That doesn’t sound too healthy to me.”.
Kindly provide the studies that prove this.
You can’t because they don’t exists.
The Meat and Dairy Industries payed off the USDA to have Top Tier Standing in the USDA’s Food Pyramid, to the detriment of the U.S population’s health.
http://www.quick-weight-loss-principles.com/usda-food-pyramid-history.html
Consume ALL of the Animal Protein that you want and then when you succumb to ANY of the Diseases caused by the consumption of Animal Protein, remember that someone tried to educate you about the hazards of Animal Protein Consumption, but through your uneducated, ignorance you refused to listen.
Consume away ALL Animal Protein that you want, the world needs less brainwashed, ignorant people that refuse to listen to ANY facts that affect their health.
January 29, 2012
This might shed some light on how important animal protein food source is.
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/133/11/3886S.full.pdf
January 22, 2012
Any person who believes this needs to get off the internet and do some real life research. A person can put virtually anything they want on the internet. Milk is a natural beverage that animals can process after weaning but don’t because it is less efficient than feeding from other sources. The milk sold in stores is processed to ensure human safety and contains no pus, antibiotics, or artificial hormones. The proteins and sugars can be processed by humans. Vitamins and minerals are not species specific. Calcium from cows milk is utilized as all calcium sources are. Go visit a local creamery and a doctor.
January 25, 2012
I think people should watch the video “You are what you eat.” There are studies that have been pretty much black listed by the library that boasts about being the biggest in the nation. Those studies include mega-doses of vitamins and how it helps cure most illnesses like depression. They also talk about how the medical field is funded by pharmacutical drug companies and thus there is a bias in the information they provide. Think about how often do you see drug advertisements on TV? Too damn much.
Probably the highlight of the whole video is how they talk about the Gerson therapy and how successful it is in curing cancer. Our body is amazing for how well it heals itself and how a balanced diet of at least a maximum intake of 49% meat in your meals. Your body actually will attack itself if more than 50% is consummed. Meat and sugar provide cancer cells to survive. So if you’re saying meat is good, it is, but in moderation.
If you’re saying you do not have the means for healthy food, then think about the costs of going to the doctor and paying for medication. I certainly think it’s worth the effort, especially if you know it could have been prevented.
January 18, 2012
Bad news for me, I guess. I love ice-cold milk, ice cream and milkshakes. In recent years I downgraded (or upgraded?) to 2% low fat milk to help maintain my weight. And I still use Coffeemate in my morning coffee. Another reason for my switch to low fat is that my development of lactose intolerance is lessened. I’m in my late 50′s in good health otherwise but I don’t see giving up milk altogether. I certainly drink a lot less of it nowadays but I love the stuff. I did try almond milk, it tastes fine but I have difficulty with the thicker texture of it. Years ago, my nephew had serious skin problems (exzema, psoriasis) all over his body from the time he stopped breast feeding until he was about 7 yrs old. Early on, his pediatrician recommended soy milk which the kid obviously disliked but was given no other choice. Out of curiosity, I tasted it and understood his resistance to drinking it. It was nasty! Around the age of 7, he had to sneak pasteurized homogenated (read regular) milk from the fridge and his condition cleared by the time he turned 8. What does that say about milk from contented cows? If non-smokers can die of lung cancer, can non-milk drinkers also die of calcium depletion or worse, bone cancer? The jury is still out on this one, I think. Meanwhile, let’s not shoot the messenger. Vivian does present some food (milk?) for thought.
January 15, 2012
I’m an advocate of raw milk and I believe that studies should be taken to understand if it’s better, it obviously will be to some extent because we all know processing has horrible effects on food.
But I really want to know why you present scientific proof of the health risks involved with processed milk, and then state a personal opinion (“I still don’t recommend drinking any kind of cows milk”)? If you’re going to state opinion, then state everything else as one too. If you’re going to be stating unbiased scientific fact, not meant to stir up controversy to get your name out there, but to provide facts. Then please only use those. You’re not a biologist, so please don’t use people’s naive trust, that comes out of you talking about the subject like you are in a position, to make us believe what you want them to believe.
January 19, 2012
Trey ; Your obvious prejudicial attitude has blinded you to the pink elephant, shitting in living room, right in front of you. First realize that the author in the article is devoted to helping people. This is evidenced by both her training and profession; you may also gather by her style of writing that she convinces one; of her sincerity. Please don’t dismiss her opinion because you, reactively oppose it; predicated by your own beliefs. Her opinion is of scientific value because she has researched and come to that opinion by the expanse of her experience. Read the article again ,trying not to be so reactive. If you disagree redouble your study of the subject and then cite the studies that support your position. Don’t project yourself as an immature kid whom thinks all the people older than you are dummies. You will find that even, your parents, are much wiser than you;if you are fortunate enough to survive your younger years ………. when you knew everything!
January 14, 2012
I’m absolutely shocked to read that milk does not help build strong bones.
January 14, 2012
Is Forteo (parathyroid hormone) safe to use? Does it work to improve osteoporosis?
January 14, 2012
Watch this map change colors over the last 20 years.
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html
Now, you cannot dispute that there are things at play plaguing our health. Open your minds. I made the switch, liked better what I found, and feel better none the less. This is the tip of the iceberg if you ask me. One of many issues.
So many argue first and act second, or never. Read labels throughout any grocery store and start thinking, “Have I ever heard of that.” Then put together the whole. You’ll see business strategy and nothing else. Take this info with a grain of salt as I did years ago when it was emerging. When an opportunity presents itself that milk is the culprit of an ailment for you or a loved one, speak up. I did and I was right about it.
January 9, 2012
“were the only mammal that doesn’t drink other mammals milk” lol what a piece of work this article is. I’m pretty sure we don’t eat our raw placentas and after birth and don’t sleep outside doing the bare minimum to survive a measly ten years to reproduce and keep our species alive. Also, if milk is, as this article even states, loaded with a ton of calcium, then how could it still be so freaking acidic that it cant neutralize itself and in fact takes calcium from my bones? I bet you don’t even know the what the process of depositing and extracting calcium from your bones is called or how it happens or why. It’s a Negative feedback process so unless your telling me that 300 years ago people were running around drinking soy and rice milk, or that they had a life time of constant bone depletion then im pretty sure milk is fine.
January 26, 2012
Actually, it doesn’t get a chance to neutralize itself. When animal protein is metabolized into Acetyl CoA (in our bodies, not in the milk), ketoacids are produced as a metabolic byproduct. These ketoacids have a positive potential renal acid load, which means they are damaging to the kidneys when they are excreted. As a protective mechanism for the kidneys, parathyroid hormone is released which liberates calcium from our bones, where it can neutralize the acids. The calcium is then excreted alone with the neutralized acid into our urine, and out of our bodies, reducing our bone density.
Please do not assume that biochemistry is based simply on surface level reasoning. There are complex processes that take place in the body that you apparently are not aware of. It is inappropriate to respond with a disrespectful comment when someone who knows what they are talking about took the time to research and write an article to better your health–especially when you don’t know what you are talking about.
Secondly, 300 years ago things were quite different. For starters, the average life expectancy was nearly half of what it is now, and osteoporosis was the least of their worries.
Lastly, in reference to “eating placentas” etc., they are irrelevant to the author’s statement. The things you mentioned are things we grew beyond as we evolved socially to find better alternatives. Drinking other species’ milk, however, is something that we have adapted that is not likely beneficial to us. By your logic we would be better than other species because we fight wars against each other–simply not valid logic.
Open your mind and your eyes, try not to be so judgmental, and use critical thinking before you attack someone who is just trying to help you next time.
January 18, 2012
Wow dumbass, most people drank beer & water 300 years ago.
January 9, 2012
Lol milks a freaking base to be specific. And by the way you might as well have put an asterik with subtext stating “all of our research was done by people who are partners with the save our bones program. We pay them to find snippets of out of context work to convince you that modern medicine and health is completely wrong and you should by our freaking manual on how to drink soy milk” oh and here’s a thought, when you were writing about the countries that don’t drink milk having less osteoporosis, I might also have mentioned that most of those would be third world nations too poor to afford cows or other essentials, such as oh I don’t know a fucking trip to the doctor to get diagnosed? Same thing in California when one “post-modernist hipster son of a bitch” doctor claimed that vaccines for diseases such as polio caused autism because compared to “countries with less vaccines, we had way more autism” well probably because most countries without vaccines are third world nations with no diagnosis of autism. And then hundreds of children died right here in America. F****g twits.
January 26, 2012
Actually, cows milk pH is between 6.6-6.8, which makes it slightly acidic. This is not the major issue though, as its not so much the acidity of the milk itself, it is the acidity of the metabolic byproducts produced when animal proteins are metabolized in our bodies.
Make sure you do at least a quick Google search to check your facts before you decide to post rude and offensive comments that are completely inaccurate.
January 9, 2012
Eat and drink what makes you feel AMAZING. If you feel slugish and sick after you drink milk. Then maybe your ass shouldn’t dink it. Duah.
January 19, 2012
Sage advice!
I thrive on cow’s milk and have since I was a kid. I’m not a big meat eater, so it’s an easy way for me to get my protein.
January 8, 2012
Well, I’m no nutritionist, but, I can’t agree that milk is pure poison. I’ve been off of dairy products and all things delicious for the past 11 days as part of a liver cleansing program and I have to say that i have never felt so physcally depleted in my life. I’m on a largely “healthy plant based diet” just so you know. I guess the point I’m trying to make here is that just because a great many people suffer adverse effects from eating anything dairy doesn’t make it anathema.
January 22, 2012
Don’t fall for that hipster vegetarian cleansing diets!
Obvious reason why you feel depleted of energy. If you want to feel good and lose weight I suggest you read up on Paleo and/or read the paleo solution by Rob Wolf.
January 8, 2012
Try blending your plants to make a smoothy. This way you break open their protective pockets to get to the nutrients. We don’t chew our food well enough to break open the pockets of the plants, thus we don’t get the full nutrients. My friend is a body builder who only eats raw foods, mostly greens.
January 22, 2012
What a joke – Body builder who only eats raw greens…
LOLWUT?
January 7, 2012
I was a cow’s milk drinker until my sophomore year of college when I started having issues with anything dairy. Mostly feeling bloated, flatulence, stuff like that, but it wasn’t comfortable. Stopped drinking cow’s milk, but would and still do eat foods with dairy in it on occasion, especially if it’s cheese on pizza or something, because it’s melted and goes down easy. Since 2007, my mom and I have been using Silk Soy Vanilla Soy milk, but we don’t drink it like you’d drink a glass of water. We only use it for coffee. And if you get the Silk Soy Very Vanilla Soy milk, you WILL WANT to drink it like you’d drink a glass of water or regular cow’s milk. It tastes like a vanilla milk shake!! Soy milk is much tastier, in my opinion, than rice milk. But soy protein powder is much more tasteless and harder to get down in post-workout shakes than rice protein powder is. Go figure.
January 7, 2012
Your research is flawed. You clearly chose not to read the entirety of any of the articles. You chose fragments that were out of context but did conveniently support your argument. Please do your research and do not cut corners when you are supplying 1000s of people with information. Please refer to an october 2011 article in the Journal of American college of Nutrition which provides further evidence into the matter. Eat simple, keep it balanced, stay healthy…it is easy!
January 10, 2012
Thank you for your post, I have been having arguements with my husband regarding feeding our children milk – he is stongly against giving them milk and quotes the same arguements as in this article. I have not read your mentioned article, but glad that there is another side to this arguement that backs my personal feelings. I strongly believe as you stated – the most important thing is “Eat simple, keep it balanced, stay healthy” and it is that easy!
January 19, 2012
Here is a link to a snippet of the article this person referenced: http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/ebm/record/22081694/full_citation/Milk_and_acid_base_balance:_proposed_hypothesis_versus_scientific_evidence_
January 6, 2012
As someone classified as “mostly Vegan,” I gladly avoid as much dairy as possible. I drink rice milk, and love it. I’m 60, and my health is excellent with a cholesterol rate of 128.
January 28, 2012
‘A cholesterol level of 128′ is very low and not really healthy especially for a 60 yr. old person.
I would never touch soy and its by-products unless properly prepared like tempeh, miso, natto and tamari. Soy is not a healthfood. It’s loaded with anti-nutrients: phytic acid, lectins, plant estrogens, etc.
Raw milk from healthy pastured (grass-fed)animals is the real deal. It is bio-available and is a perfect food in itself.
The author should actually mention whether processed milk or raw/real milk was used for the study. There is a big difference between the two.
January 5, 2012
I have read nearly a hundred comments here and I have to say that I’m not impressed with the majority of these cheap shots that people are making. This is the truth – There IS NOT enough research to conclude that milk is or is not good for you.
Seriously. There is not enough evidence. Plain and simple. We can debate this like a never ending political debate. There are a million other things that most of you do every day that is more harmful that a milk that comes from an cow.
In my opinion, if you don’t eat ice cream because you are afraid of this articles’ info, then you are sadly missing out on the most luxurious food in the world.
January 8, 2012
Sadly, they now put Polysorbate 80 in most Icecreams, which is known to cause sterility, check it out.
January 12, 2012
Your response is not relevant to my comment.
As a High School Agriculture teacher I have taught my students for years how to create their own ice cream at home using ingredients that we know the source of. The chemical you speak of is not one we use. I am aware of the chemicals that are sometimes added into ice cream. I’m all for making specialty products at home.
January 7, 2012
Nice! I like ice-cream too.
January 3, 2012
While a little bit probably won’t hurt much, the facts are stated in this article. I’ve seen them before. Also, dairy creates a mucus in the human intestinal tract, where it doesn’t in the calf. Milk is acidic (especially pasteurized). Factory farm raised dairy is downright bad. Hormones, steroids, antibiotics, GMO feed, etc. How about chicken poo in the feed. I wonder if they really stopped. No thanks. I’ve been dairy free for 2 years now, and I feel great. 49 years old, 6 feet 170 lbs, little fat, can run 5 miles if I wanted. Dairy is garbage. Good article
January 19, 2012
So, the answer to that is, drink milk the way God intended. I’ve heard that “regular” pasteurized milk has to be spun in a centrifuge to rid it of the mucous and gunk in it. When it goes bad, it rots. Raw milk is full of healthy probiotics that keep the bad bacteria at bay. When you leave raw milk out, it doesn’t rot…it sours.
I’d say raw milk is probably pretty safe and healthful for our bodies…IMO.
January 16, 2012
I was raised on raw cow’s milk, I weaned our 4 kids onto raw goat’s milk, and later on gave them raw cow’s milk. I have made my own butter, ice cream and yogurt, etc with the milk I buy and I am in terrific health -almost 70 and so is my husband who is 75. My grandparents had dairy farms and they lived well into their 90′s. We have great bones and would never go dairy free on purpose. I believe our Creator knew what He was doing when He created the foods that He intended us to eat. But in our degenerate society I can understand if some people have problems with dairy. Each person has to judge his own body and what it thrives on and what it doesn’t. Eat things in balance and moderation.
January 5, 2012
You obviously don’t know anything about milk production. Antibiotics are banned by law in milk. They are not in your milk. Chicken poop? Really? That’s funny. Any farmer that buys chicken manure to feed their cows is a moron and would quickly go out of business. I would know, I’m a high school agriculture teacher and live on a dairy farm of 500+ head of cow.
January 4, 2012
My brother in law is a dairy & hog finishing farmer.
He separates the milk & sells the cream to a creamery that makes butter.
The skim milk left is feed to the hogs from wieners (30 lb pigs) to a finished weight of 225 – 250 lb hogs.
Of course grains corn, soybeans & minerals as chop are also feed.
They sure love that skim milk as do the barn cats.
The meat is tender, sweet & fat free
The hogs are in perfect health until their unfortunate demise.
Without the skim milk the pigs would take a lot longer to finish.
I don’t know what this proves but just a FYI.
January 8, 2012
I wonder about this comment as how would you know the long term effects of milk on pigs seeing is they get butcherd early in life? Us humand live well into 80+ years.
January 3, 2012
I do drink milk and I do have minor osteoporosis, but I doubt there is a connection between the two since I was also underweight for almost 4 years.
Most of the arguments here are absurd, in my opinion.
The first argument that says countries who consume less milk have less diseases. How do they know it’s because of the milk? It could be better health insurance, less junk food on the food market, clean environment and much more. You can’t base anything about that, it could be completely coincidental that counties who consume less milk have less illness.
And then there was the argument about, “we are the only mammals” and “unnatural”. We are also the only mammal who wakes up in the morning in a built house, walk out to our manufactured car and go to work. I don’t think one can compare humans to other mammals, especially when it comes to nutrition.
And about the biological articles, I am not an experienced doctor so I’m not in position to say anything about it. But just to point out, there are biological article out there that claim the complete opposite.
I really don’t like this whole new trend of “x is unhealthy – new research found”. At the end of the day we’ll end up eating only lettuce, because it the only “healthy” thing, and even then people will find flaws with it.
January 8, 2012
we are 99% same as a gorila, living in houses and driving cars have nothing to do with what our nutritional needs are. Chimps and gorilla’s diets are 98% fruits and leafy greens, with consumption of nuts, roots and animals being so small, only consumed in desperation. They don’t drink milk. Have you seel the size and muscle strenght of a full grown gorilla male? Puts our men to shame.
January 28, 2012
No we are not 99% same gorilla. Apparently, you have no idea of how a gorilla’s digestive organ looks like and how it works.
February 2, 2012
I think what he means by 99% gorilla is that our DNA is 99% similar to that of a gorilla’s DNA (human genome project I believe). Obviously there are a ton of differences between the two species so this comment makes little to no sense. I think they also found that our DNA is 95% similar to that of a banana’s DNA as well.
January 11, 2012
Talk about human consumption in relevance to depleting resources, the biggest cause of depleting recources is human population which has then lead us to focus on the way in which we consume. The biggest, most unsustainable waste of space and cause of depleting resources is not the consumption of milk, cheese and other sustainable dairy products but the carnivorous consumption of meat. We’re omnivores not carnivours which means we have a choice between a vegetarian and carnivore diet and I think now is a good time to make a vegetarian decision and stop illogically disregarding sustainable dairy products. If your dairy threat is true an easy solution would be to supplement calcium tablets alongside dairy products and then focus on your unsustainable consumption of meat which contains; iron, phosphorus, protein, b vitamins and …. That’s it.
A cow is roughly 2 years old when slaughtered.
An average sized western carnivore family of 4 eats roughly 1 cow per year divided by 2 years feeds just 2 people per year.
Considering a cow will consume the diet of at-least 2 vegetarians per year or grass/ space equivalent …. Do the math’.
A milk cow can live up to 12 years!
The reason we’re the only animals to drink the milk of others is that we’ve the highest I.q (brain capacity)of all species hence our ability to also cure other species (if they could do so themselves they blatantly would).
January 10, 2012
Evolution has a reason for everything, and if were smart enough to drink another mammals milk to relieve the strain of our females from nursing and lead productive lives outside of mothering, then kudos to evolution. Now if you want to compare your mental capacity to a gorilla I’ll buy it. Show me a primate that’s cured a disease, has nice teeth, decent posture, or a lifespan of a human. I’ll eat my words. I can punch holes so big in this article it looks like Swiss cheese but Id rather just say your an idiot
January 14, 2012
Gee Mark you think being a wage slave is evolution giving you a productive life? Also, I’m surprised you are aware of what nursing feels like. We’re not “smart enough” to drink another species milk, it’s just been considered a norm in our society and further pressed by the media.
http://articles.cnn.com/2011-12-28/entertainment/showbiz_obit-tarzan-cheetah_1_tarzan-johnny-weissmuller-cheetah?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ
Here’s a chimp that just died living near 80. Now you can eat your words and wash them down with some goopy utter puss.
January 8, 2012
Wilbur is my adult tabby. A mammal. Wilbur would drink all the cow’s milk we’d let him.
January 4, 2012
To say that we are the only mammal/animal who wakes up in a built house is a false statement. Rodents, birds, and various other small animals as well as larger ones build nests each and every day. The attitude of human elitism on the food chain is, in my opinion, a big reason why we are also the only species that depletes resources from all over the planet without regard to other species we are completely destroying. It is this attitude that makes people forget that we are still animals and are still built to be able to survive without the luxurious amenities like satellite TV and Starbucks.
Generally speaking, countries who can regularly afford milk and meat have higher per capita incomes in general. There are certain exceptions like Mongolia where a vast majority of the population live as nomadic herders, but in general the western countries that can afford large herds of dairy cows are also very wealthy. That means we have better health care.
January 3, 2012
Based on earlier information from Vivian I gave up dairy milk with my morning muesli. I have used almond milk for the last year. I decided to try oat milk recently and liked it even more. I will use the oat for dairy recipes as it is the closest taste to milk that I have found.
I try to use non dairy yogurt as much as possible. I also get my calcium from both vegetables and certain fish. Unfortunately I have not yet been able to give up my morning coffee with milk. However, I managed to cut two teaspoons of sugar from it years ago so I remain hopeful. Thank you Vivian for your ongoing inspiration and guidance.
January 2, 2012
It seems Kevin Trudeau has been correct all along. Look at his health regime. He has hired the best scientists from all over the world to give us the truth about what is good for us. These scientists are not connected in any way to Farmers, FDA,lobbyists, etc. so there is no bias findings. A healthy natural diet would be the cleanest, organic,having one ingredient, (grass fed organic beef,chicken,eggs, fish, organic fruits and vegetables,non-chlorinated,non-florinated water) and only the colostrum from grass fed cows. Of course a loving,peaceful,lower stressed mind to help the body work easily to keep it healthy and in constant self repair. It makes sense. If you try it,you will see for yourself.
January 1, 2012
guys, if we think aboutthis more common sense.. look at thecow.. look at those teats.. its almost like… callign for us to go drink out of them. i mean.. they just stand there sort of grazing, and with our human intelligence maybe its ok to drink it sometimes, but personally i agree.. now adays milk isnt milk anymore… but almodn milkfrom almond breeze would be a shitty alternative…in moderation everything… but looking at the cow.. it looks like a creature that is asking to be …milked.harhar!
December 29, 2011
I will trust my personal experience with milk and the history of humans drinking milk.
Never had a broken bone in my life. was a reckless kid, played many various sports, and love me some milk!
To the people who say other mammals don’t drink milk after weaning, yes you are correct. However, these mammals also don’t have the OPTION to continue drinking milk as their mothers stop producing it to prepare for the next birth. Other mammals also don’t cook the meats they eat. We are human, we are different. Our bodies are AMAZING vessels which can adapt. Milk has been consumed for THOUSANDS of years.
I trust history over modern day research.
January 10, 2012
You ever hear of a yearling suckler? It’s a cow, much too large for
Milk, in fact fully Grown, that goes around and eats nothing but milk from other mother cows. But wait, this article says no!
December 29, 2011
Right on James
A lot of money $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ is made by these health gurus selling their products & ideas to unsuspecting sheep people who are seeking the fountain of youth from any source available at any cost.
January 2, 2012
A lot of money is made by the dairy industry convincing us that milk is good for us. A little probably wont hurt but we should at least stop spending tax dollars subsidizing the industry.
December 27, 2011
I did drink a lot of milk, but lately, I have been drinking less and use Acidoliphis (sp) with each meal. I am peri-oesteoporsis and want to strengthen my bones. In the last 8 years I have fallen twice and broke a bone on each fall. gloria
January 28, 2012
Drink plenty of broths from animal bones if you want strong bones and make sure to get plenty of Vit. D from the sun. If sunshine is not available, there’s fermented cod liver oil. And don’t forget the saturated fats because calcium, magnesium and Vit. D are fat soluble. Without this co-factor, the minerals won’t be properly utilized by the body.
Raw milk is a great food for your bones as well.
December 27, 2011
Where do i order the the “7day Rapid Cleanser”?
December 26, 2011
I am a man of 72 years & have been drinking 1% milk ever since it was introduced I think back in the 60′s.
I drink about a gallon a week, I haven’t had a cold in years, have strong bones, play golf almost every day of the year , so I do not think the milk is harming me.
If I Quit drinking milk, that I love, especially when I add quick chocolate syrup to it. would it make my life better?
My weight has been the same for 40 years.
If I do gain a little I usually just cut off my bread & treats until my weight is back to normal for me.
Our life expectantly has increased significantly over the last several years, yet we are told what a horrible life style we have these days.
I think we should take of the advice we get with a grain of salt & eat what we want, do what we want, eat drink & be merry but
ALL IN MODERATION.
Gerry
January 26, 2012
Actually, life expectancy predictions show that adult living in the USA will live longer than the coming generation, largely attributed to obesity and other (mostly dietary) factors. This is a real issue. It is fine to apply your personal experiences to how you live your life, but you need to consider what studies (of 10′s of thousands of people) show before giving broad advice.
I keep hearing people say “All in moderation”, but is this something we really do? Do you really eat 50% plants and 50% meat? If you did it would be an unhealthy ratio, but would fit into the subjective term “all in moderation.” The problem with that statement is that moderation is completely subjective and very few people would be personally aware of what “moderation” is, let alone if they fall into that category.
January 5, 2012
Well said Gerry! I am tired of these scare tactics that these “experts” use. Live life and enjoy in moderation!
January 19, 2012
Agree completely to both of you!
December 26, 2011
Well, I’ve just sat here reading the opinions of many, so called “Experts”. Sadly its so confusing that forming a balanced view is impossible. No wonder many people are confused as to whether we should drink Milk or not, eat meat or not, be vegetarian or not. Back to the drawing board I think.
January 14, 2012
There are no experts here. You won’t find much evidence of good anywhere but from the dairy industry and the food pyramid they made for us. The experts are out there, this is just an excerpt.
January 26, 2012
So you are saying that the author is biased because she represents a group that gets profit from selling a program designed to better your health, but the dairy industry, who gets all of its profits from the sale of its products is an unbiased source on the issue? How does that make sense? There is always conflicting information in scientific studies due to different experimental methodologies and areas of focus, but when it comes to interpretation of the results you need to consider who is paying the scientist.
I think that the huge dairy conglomerates have far more resources to throw into skewing results in their favour than any group actually interested in your health, yet there are still studies that support this article. Which should have more credibility?
December 26, 2011
GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT! Your monograph about
cow’s milk (“bovine milk product”) clears
the air for many of us consumers. My
blessings for more content like this
in the future. Harold Treacy, Director
Midar Health Foundation
Dayton, Nevada
December 26, 2011
You have just ruined my DAY>>>WEEK>>>MONTH>>>YEAR>>>>LIFE!!!!
I LOVE milk and really thought it was good for me.
I remember as a child my Irish mother constantly admonishing me to “DRINK YOUR MILK”!!!
Of late I suspected it might be putting on some weight…but what the heck…at 83 one is entitled to be less than perfect.
I’m truly thankful you give the go-ahead to yoghurt.
That’s what I snack on though I have a feeling it isn’t so good for weight watching.
What SHOULD we be doing for our bones?
Thanks,
Padda
January 2, 2012
Weight bearing exercise is great for improving bone strength. And eat spinich and other vegetables wiyh hihg calcium content
December 23, 2011
Hello,
I read this article and felt like I had to share some of my experiences about dairy. I know a lot of people who are lactose intolerant and can’t consume whole milk (which I do love). However a few years ago I was diagnosed with high cholesterol; at the age of 18. For two years I had a strict diet of almost no dairy, meat, ice cream, junk food, etc and exorcized daily. I ate my leafy greens, fish, drank water, etc.
Sometimes I feel people put the blame on something but then find out there’s an underlying factor like I did; I was having headaches and jaw pain I thought from eating meats, turns out I have TMJ. For those two years I dieted, My cholesterol wasn’t lowered and then I became vitamin D deficient. I also would get stomach pains here and there and was recommended yogurt, which I found really helped regulate me which has relieved the stomach pains. I don’t like to consume dairy mainly because of the cholesterol, however I did not see any difference from when I was without it to when I had it except for me, it seemed to help regulate me more (the yogurt mainly). I think a lot of it also has to do with genetics as well; no matter how hard I try it just runs in my family (cholesterol). I also love milk in my cereal (fiber cereal) and in my coffee creamers, which is really the only time I will drink it, however I wouldn’t be opposed to trying an alternative product. I have seen some people recommend almond milk, which I am now very tempted to try. I would just like to do something now while I am younger to get my cholesterol in line more naturally, my doctors say my ratio is good however it is higher than I would like it to be. So if there are any good non-dairy alternatives that either have no cholesterol or can help reduce it, that would be wonderful if anybody has any recommendations.
Thank you.
January 28, 2012
Here’s my recommendation: http://www.westonaprice.org
January 15, 2012
Kris,
I think that you have been had. It is a fact that the higher your cholesterol then the longer you are likely to live.
Cholesterol is what your brain is mostly made of. Reducing your cholesterol can result in Alzheimer’s disease.
Likewise ‘Statins’. The damage they do to the human body is beyond belief. Read the book ‘ the Statin damage crisis’ it is written by a real doctor after he became a victim to statins.
There is far too much dangerous rubbish coming from the medical profession and from the so called healthy eating advisors.
Do yourself a real favour. Check everything for yourself. Trust no-one but listen to everyone and stay healthy.
Sandy
January 26, 2012
It is a more complex issue than that. There are different types of cholesterol, HDL is extremely benificial, and LDL is the type linked to atherosclerosis. If you don’t completely read the studies that you are referring to, it is easy for someone who isn’t medically educated to assume that simply “high cholesterol = a good thing.” This is a mistake, and although statins are very powerful medications, the side effects are a lot better than death by heart attack. A doctor would never prescribe a statin for someone who had optimal levels of LDL, and high HDL, and those individuals are the ones referred to in the studies you vaguely cited–very different than those who’s doctors are concerned about their “cholesterol levels.”
January 8, 2012
Read “Green for life” its a book by Victoria Boutanko (sp?)
December 23, 2011
I love your article on why drinking cow’s milk causes bone mass loss or osteoporosis due to inducing acidity in the body. However I was disappointed on your suggestion that eating yogurt is acceptable because according to you, it is acid neutral. There are other health risk factors besides osteoporosis associated with dairy products, including yogurt, cream, etc. These are mayor health issues such as heart disease, stroke, hormone dependent cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, etc. Furthermore, dairy products have also been linked to diabetes as the proteins in dairy foods trigger an immune reaction that destroy the beta cells in the pancreas and making the body incapable of producing insulin. In addition, to these health problems, dairy consumption has also been linked to colic in babies, compromising the immune system and making the human body much more vulnerable to infections, ear infections in infants, asthma, skin rashes, allergies, inflammatory diseases, arthritis, etc. I would avoid all dairy products like the plague!
Humans are the only animal that drink the milk of other animals, this is unnatural, unhealthy and cruel to both mother cows and calves who are stripped from their mothers at birth and mother cows are artificially impregnated (raped) every year in order to force them to produce milk. This puts tremendous stress on their fragile bodies and only survive this brutal treatment 3 to 4 years, only a fraction of their natural life which would be about 20-25 years and then they are murdered for hamburger meat.
Drinking cows milk is as unnatural as cows drinking human milk.
Finally, there are yogurts and cream substitutes made of soy and other non animal products which are healthier…….
We do not need to stuff our bodies with the blubber, fat and bodily fluids of other animals, frankly, the thought is revolting.
Sincerely….
January 28, 2012
Have you read “The Vegetarian Myth” by Lierre Keith?
December 22, 2011
Wow funny thing, other scientific articles hold entirely different messages:
http://www.ajcn.org/content/76/3/675.short
Children who avoid drinking cow milk have low dietary calcium intakes and poor bone health
In growing children, long-term avoidance of cow milk is associated with small stature and poor bone health. This is a major concern that warrants further study.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987799908691
How calcium from calcium carbonate and milk benefit peptic ulcer patients
Writing biased, pseudoscientific articles without proper referencing is something which should be abhorred. I don’t even drink milk, but find it disgusting when people report unproven claims to scare others into submission.
January 3, 2012
Maybe the answer is that we (consumers with little to no technical/scientific background in physiology and nutrition) don’t know who to believe. Maybe the anti-milk people are lying and are hoping to sell us more soy products. Maybe the powerful milk lobby is lying and hoping we never question the “milk = strong bones” assumption. I have no idea why people, with no foundation to support their beliefs, feel compelled to passionately argue their perspective. Not just in harmless ‘milk’ forums, but in politics, art, the economy, etc. Is it really so difficult to admit, “You know what? I just don’t know.” Maybe we should try a glass of accepting the limits of what we know and move on.
January 19, 2012
Agree with you there!
December 23, 2011
Yeah, I agree. This is such pseudoscientific nonsense, and how can milk leech calcium due to its acidity when stomach acids are thousands of times more acidic, making the stomach acid more basic. Ridiculous pseudoscientific nonsense.
January 26, 2012
Actually, the generalizations you are making are more pseudoscientific. The components of stomach acid are in homeostasis in our bodies where the acid is produced, neutralized, produced, and so on without any excess of either.
It is rediculous to suggest that acidifying foods aren’t harmful as they are less acidic than stomach acid. Stomach acid is a closed system, ingestion and digestion are open systems where what we eat has a direct impact on our body chemistry.
Before you go insulting the author for taking the time to do her research and present information with the goal of helping others, maybe you should do a little of your own.
December 22, 2011
The conversation is interesting. However, I do not believe milk is bad for you, what I do believe is the pasturizing of milk that they do to the milk in today world is the problem. I was raised on a farm with cow’s where they were milked and the milk was strained before we would drink it, but that is all before we could drink the milk and after the milk set a few days it would be ready to churn for butter. The churned milk become butter-milk after getting the butter from the milk of course, you do that by scraping the butter from the top of the milk. Now that I’ve explained the process, no milk is good, it is what is being done to milk these days.
December 21, 2011
This doesn’t make sense, milk does not leech calcium from your bones, the stomach acid in a human’s body is thousands of time more acidic, and adding milk raises the ph number, making it less acidic. Such a pseudoscientific article I have not seen for a while.
January 19, 2012
I think what they’re referring to is more the body’s way of balancing it’s overall pH in the blood/body systems…not the stomach acid. I’m guessing the acid part of it would happen more in the intestines then if it were going to be a problem. But, I still don’t agree with it. I’m just saying it may be a valid description, although maybe not a valid argument.
December 21, 2011
Hey! I’ve been looking your website for a while. You have really useful posts. Great job:)
December 15, 2011
My friend hates milk and says she only drinks it if absolutely forced. But also, she breaks at least 2 bones a year. She’s a great athlete, but her broken bones are always a huge setback! I’ve never had a broken bone in my life, and I drink like 5 glasses a day. I love organic milk, it tastes awesome! Milk is also pretty responsible for my growth spurt
December 12, 2011
Vivian, hello. I’m a practicing clinical herbalist and include advice regarding the use of fermented foods in my wellness consultations. I strongly encourage the use of probiotic foods. There are some excellent fermented foods available in the marketplace (kimchi and sauerkraut that has been traditionally cultured, for example), but I’m wary of commercially prepared dairy products, since many “kill” the beneficial bacteria that is used during processing, and many add lactose to increase the nutritional profile. When lactose-intolerant folks attempt to consume some commercial yogurt or kefir, unaware of this practice, they may falsely assume that they are intolerant of all fermented dairy products. I am a big fan of home-made yogurt and kefir, which are brimming with valuable, vibrant probiotics. Are commercially available yogurts and kefir really acceptable, for bone health reasons? In terms of probiotics, commercial is quite inferior to home-made. Also, which, if any cheese varieties do you consider to be healthful for bones? Thank you for your time.
December 11, 2011
Vivian, I would like to point out that everything stated in your above work is incorrect. Milk has 9 beneficial nutrients in it, in very large quantities. Antibiotics and hormones do not survive the pasteurisation stage of milk production, and if they are detected the entire batch is done away with. You, and your radical, sensationalist views on a product like milk have no place in our world. You will never win, milk will always be a staple of human diet in most parts of the world, it is endorsed by governments everywhere. High milk consumption is taught in our schools. All of this aside though, the mere fact anyone who calls milk unhealthy is considered crazy, like those people from PETA, should be more than enough to discourage you from wasting your time bad-mouthing milk. I suggest you find a worthwhile cause to pursue in life, or better yet no cause at all because you obviously suffer from some form on mental deficiency, perhaps you didnt get enough milk as a child?
- Steve
December 22, 2011
Steve, you might be right and might not… I am not an authority on anything BUT when you say ” endorsed by governments”, that took the poop out of poopy…. Are they trained for anything other than not knowing anything about anything ??? and if white is white and the government says white is black, do they even know white from black ??? We pay them for guessing on everything and that is why we are all scewed up…
December 14, 2011
This comment is so pants.
I was hoping to see some useful responses from people who are pro-milk and all I get is this paragraph of childish insults from someone who didn’t receive enough love when they were a child.
December 12, 2011
And which part of the milk industry do you work in?
January 10, 2012
What part of the milk industry does vivian work in? Oh wait… Osteoporosis that’s right she doesn’t drink even drink it
December 9, 2011
I want to thank you for the truth about milk. All these years I hated it but drank it to get calcium that I desperately thought I needed. I also am severely overweight from highly processed foods. I am making steps now to change all this through a high plant diet and drinking almond milk and trying more organic products. Keep up the good work and I will spread the word to those I know.
December 3, 2011
I’m never going to come back here and read responses to this, so if you respond, I apologize for not getting back to you. But just a thought. Humans are also the only species aware of their own mortality, therefore I believe that we are too concerned with prolonging that and spend more than half of our lives obsessed with it. Why don’t we just live and eat what we like and drink what we like? We’re all going to die anyway. If you think you can escape it, you’re sadly mistaken.
January 19, 2012
What I think Rachel is getting at is not that we should just eat junk food, gain 400 lbs and die from choking on a Big Mac. I think what she’s getting at is that sometimes people are so caught up in the health food craze and trying to cheat death that we no longer can enjoy the simple pleasures of eating. Instead we have this ingrained mental aversion to anything that tastes good…anything with natural fats or animal proteins…or what have you. We think we’re supposed to be eating nothing but greens and liking it. Well, I think we can eat sensibly but also enjoy our food and not eat like rabbits. Thanks Rachel.
December 14, 2011
Great point Rachel.
I couldn’t care less if my plate of food is filled with crap that makes me obese and disgustingly unhealthy and is responsible for thousands of air miles and maybe a bit of scandelous human exploitation on another side of the globe.
I’ve only got a lifespan of about 95 years! There’s no point looking after our health or saving the NHS thousands of pounds clearing my arteries and performing heart surgery on me. Maybe I’ll get a nip tuck while I’m on the operation table.
December 4, 2011
It isn’t even about that. No matter how long I live, I don’t want to do it with fragile bones–life is very painful with broken/fractured bones. The concern is not with longevity, but rather quality.
November 30, 2011
i would add two points:
- if you want to be healthy, drink WATER! it’s amazing how much crap people would drink but water!
- a simple fact has been forgotten: yes cow’s milk contains calcium BUT lack a sufficient amount of MAGNESIUM for our body to metabolize it. so yeah you drink calcium but because your body can not use it goes straight back out, inducing a higher acid level, which your bones will not like, and without getting any benefit from that calcium because there was no magnesium!
i am not a veg or vegan, i like my cheese (as most french would) but enjoy it for the taste not for fake health benefits!
drink your milk for your own enjoyment but stop thinking it is for your health benefit because it is not or you have been well brain washed! (that’s ok, people thought for a long long long time the earth was flat…)
and for your kids, give them WATER first!
December 6, 2011
I would also like to add that because our bodies do not absorb all the calcium we take in (and calcium is in almost everything including orange juice), This is the reason why almost everyone has heartburn or acid reflux and takes an antacid which contains sodium bicarbonate and what else? Magnesium!
December 1, 2011
Not magnesium, calcium is absorbed with vitamin D.
December 7, 2011
Magnesium is needed to absorb calcium. If magnesium is low, it signals the parathyroid to stop producing calcitonin; a hormone that pushes calcium to the bones.
December 6, 2011
Do your research and check facts. Magnesium is indeed needed to absorb calcium.
November 27, 2011
Here is food for thought; milkfat stimulates the metabolism and helps to burn body fat. Try, try to discredit that.
November 30, 2011
if you want to get thin and healthier, try olive oil!
December 1, 2011
That’s the only type of oil I use in cooking.
December 2, 2011
water sauteing work as well, no empty calories.
November 26, 2011
The information presented on rBGH is misleading at best. In my work with bovine somatotropin (BST/BGH) I can say with absolute certainty that you could never find a way to determine if milk came from a cow that was given rBGH or milk from a cow that was not given any hormone treatment. Additionally your sensational claim that MOST cows are given rBGH treatment is just a flat out lie. The latest numbers from Eli Lilly put the real number at less then 1/4 of the dairy cows in the USA. I am not an expert on animal protein metabolic effects on human bone calcium but if your bit on rBGH is any indication people should be very sceptical of your claims.
December 14, 2011
Thank you for offering a opposing argument without sounding like a twat!
Looking at the other pro-milk responses on here I thought it would never happen.
I’m currently on the fence, but probably slipping more into the anti-milk side.
November 27, 2011
It is such a relief to find another individual who looks critically and thinks for themselves!
December 14, 2011
Thinks for themselves?
Mate, 99.9% of people just lap up milk like starved kittens and totally buy all the billions of pounds of government supported corporate hype on these multi-national campaigns telling us that milk is basically liquid gold.
If you think most people are skeptical about milk and suspicious of it, you’re backwards.
Not saying this article is all correct, but it’s definitely the opinion of the minority, don’t worry!
November 24, 2011
All I have to say, if Mama Nature would have wanted us and thought we needed to drink milk after the infant stage and other mammal’s milk too boot, then she would have implemented it in our diet. And she knows what we need and where to get it, always!!!
I have been vegan for almost 4 years now and a vegetarian for 16 before that and before my last cold 6 months ago have not been sick in over 4 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not sick at all!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love your website!
Thank you!
November 27, 2011
You speak of a natural diet, discrediting milk, and then announce you hav removed all animal products from your diet? Really? Review your comment and TRY to find a reason how it is not oxymoronic.
November 27, 2011
Wow, a real smart person talking… NOT!!!
Ever seen a gorilla or orangutan, some of our closest relatives??? Stupidity should be illegal!!!
Plus, check for typos before you try to look smart!!
And you really think that drinking another’s species’ milk is healthy for you? Then why are humans the only animals doing it???
Last, I did not ask you for your opinion!!!
Did I???
December 22, 2011
Do you realize how stupid you look? Telling someone to check their spelling when they left off one end letter whereas you sit here typing like a loquacious thirteen year old, what with all your excessive question marks and exclamation marks, you sound like a bumbling idiot. Not only that I detected quite a bit of improper grammar as well. And do not post on a comment feed and expect not to have others share their opinion with you. I’m fifteen and clearly more mature than you.
December 1, 2011
You are a heretic to logic and reason. There are many things that could be examined only humans do. For example, everything around you, your house, your car, and this computer or phone you are using. We are the only SPECIES, let alone animal, who has/uses these things. Therefore you can not use your EXCUSE asking why we are the only ones.
To answer your question, autofill is of no fault to me, where lack of a developed brain is surely yours.
Sincerely,
Vasily Borisov
November 20, 2011
You mentioned that Almond milk is your preference. I drink coconut milk, what are your thoughts.
Thank you.
Victoria
November 20, 2011
Coconut milk is fine, Victoria.
December 14, 2011
Bit more information would be cool.