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. 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).1
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).2
Shocking statistics ignored by mainstream medicine
In the Osteoporosis Reversal 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 a press release titled “Monsanto’s Hormonal Milk Poses Serious Risks of Breast Cancer, Besides Other Cancers” (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 Osteoporosis Reversal 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 Osteoporosis Reversal 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.
What Else Haven’t They Told You?
What else have you been told about bone health by your doctor or other “experts” that is flat out wrong? What other “facts” (like drinking milk does a body good) are keeping you from optimal health?
Myths like these are a big reason I created the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. To give you the straight scoop on how to deal with osteoporosis the natural way.
I can help you take control of your future.
Learn more about the Osteoporosis Reversal Program here →
And remember, if you ever hear someone ask “Got milk?” smile and think to yourself “No, because I know better!”
And as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share them with me and the rest of our community by leaving a comment below.
References
1 Cumming RG, Klineberg RJ. “Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994
2 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
You are extremist idiots. The things you’re touting as major concerns are negligible in the reality of statistics. Just because cow’s milk isn’t the best source of calcium doesn’t mean that it’s a. a bad source of calcium, or b. bad for you. It is neither of those things. You have only used the statistics that back up your opinion. The articles I have studied have covered both sides of the issue, even using the same studies, but providing all the information garnered in those reports. you’ve picked your way through them, not even attempting to come up with anything viable to people who do their homework.
You clearly haven’t been doing your homework, or are trusting the wrong information. We’re not meant to drink cows milk. Think- does any other animal include a different species’ milk in their diet daily? We’re the only species that enslaves animals, impregnates them, then steals the (raped) animals baby so we can drink its milk. Pretty disturbing
*Slow clap* Best troll I’ve seen for quite some time.
Yes, the bio-industry does need some regulation and some options qua drinks are better than others. But this argument is utterly bullsh*t. Calcium ions are necessary in the body (e.g. your heart does beat because of the flow of calcium ions). So to kick all milk products out of your diet is just plain stupid. Furthermore I would love to see some better arguments with sources.
Kind regards,
RTCdeVries (proud sipper of milk since 1995)
You know there are plenty other sources of calcium right? Veganpride wasn’t saying we don’t need calcium, just that it doesn’t need to come from animal milk.
Oh my god people. It’s unnatural (and because of our numbers and overpopulation, cruel) to drink another mammal’s milk and you get all the benefits of milk by eating vegetables. Eat spinach for example, it has all the benefits and more and much less calories. I have a great, delicious recipe if anyone needs it.
Milk production rose during the 20 century (wars) because the people were starving and needed more food, when people got back on their feet, it was advertised as healthy and necessary (it’s not) to keep consumption up. They were not about to stop this business or cut the production, that would be too big of a loss. Since then it’s deeply rooted into our “normal” diet. The best argument (by that I mean the worst): “my grandma ate porridge made with milk every day, she was fine.” Just because your ancestors did it and saw it as normal, doesn’t mean you have to or need to. Most of you don’t even know, nor do you want to, what that poor animal goes through. If humans want to be big babies (literally), have women go through it, at least that milk is designed for humans or just ask your mom to have another baby so you can nurse again… Gross huh…
Fun fact: the stereotype about cats drinking milk – they get diahhrea
Well said! People fear change but there really isn’t any arguments agains the fact that we are taking something from another mammal that wasn’t meant for us, simply because we can/it taste good/we have “always” done so. If we can do less harm to this planet and all its inhabitants (including humans of course), why don’t we?
Your logic is flawed. Just because we are the only ones has nothing to do with it being bad… I really don’t see any logic between your first fact making your second fact true.
We are the only animal who creates pills, multivitamins, do open heart surgery, able to communicate between each other even if we are miles and miles away. I think it makes us stronger than other animals that we are the only ones to do that.
Of course we have tons of flaws and are causing lots of harm to this planet… But that’s a different story.
I completely agree cows don’t come to our door and be like I heard you just had a baby can I have some of that milk. We’re the only ones. I’m vegan Because of all that goes on behind everyone’s back and not many are educated about this. If you watch documentaries like Earthlings it’s so disturbing to watch things with real feelings get killed and raped and tortured for us.
I’d bet apaycheck you are pro choice.
I actually agree with you, steelneena. The facts here are skewed.
I love how the obviously know-nothing individual here suddenly knows much better than cardiologists, nutritionists, and other MDs who have gone through 8+ years of medical school, which includes biochemistry, human and animal physiology, and pharmaceutical training, THEN practiced medicine as interns for 5 years, way before they’re even ALLOWED to have their own medical practice…
And someone with almost no college education (by comparison) writes a feminazi/vegan article attacking dairy?!
Meanwhile, I wouldn’t put on those shoes (all shoes are made from leather – animal byproducts, including skins and other such that come off of animals, painfully)…
I wouldn’t put that bra on (polyester which contains sheep products in the mix)
I would probably even skip those clothes too (which are made from sheep products, cotton – which is also held in place with animal skin, or if you’re really hypocritical – which no doubt you are – silk, which is made from insect byproducts).
I’d also skip out on chocolate bars, which contain cow’s milk.
And oh yes… veggies. Which are grown, thanks to (get ready for it…) ANIMAL WASTE after being fed by (here it comes again…) FEED grown and made in fields fertilized by (oh boy, not again…) ANIMAL BYPRODUCTS!!
Wow! So many things we rely on animals for! The Vegan edict is to live animal free (including byproducts). Looks like you hypocrites need to rethink where you stand on the animal/human relationship…
There is a fundamental difference between eating plants grown in soil containing of the fossilized remains of dead wild animals and the intentional breeding and slaughter of billions of farm animals. If you had half a brain, you’d realise that veganism isn’t about perfection – it’s about causing the least harm possible and falling 1% short of that standard is far better than someone like you who won’t even try.
Excellent approach Samantha, I was told from some people, So you are a vegan? What about all the small creatures that you kill everyday with your car, It’s exactly as you said it, Trying to do the least harm.
Completely agree Samantha & George!
Im glad i stumbled on to this artical about cows milk . me and my husband had a talk about this . our children were drinking cows milk until we decided to change their diet. But now since he talked to his boss who told him that almond, coconut , is worse than cow milk which make no sense to me . i mean cow’s milk is for cows. But long story short now our kids dont drink milk at all untill i proce to him that my way is better than his boss’s way.
I have 6brothers and a sister we are all over 50. We have always had cows milk. From your tests we should have all suffered with broken bones can you tell me why we have not? Be nice if you reply. Thanku.
It’s not just your bones breaking, it may cause other health issues. It’s really obvious, like mammals end up stop drinking milk. We’re basically drinking a whole other species milk, if you think about it, it’s kind of disturbing. It’s basically mucus. It is different in aspects of reactions and allergies to everyone. Whether it’s digestive issues, cancers, illnesses and so on.
We also eat their bodies. Cocks ‘n balls ‘n all.
for the thousand time animals stop consuming milk after an age because milk is not cost effective. When you struggle to survive producing milk is hard. Milk is fat and various minerals and proteins concentrated. in the wild a female loses a lot of weight while feeding the cubs with milk and they lose a lot of weight by doing so. So unless you are a top predator you cannot afford to feed milk too much time. And if you are , well meat is better. Again you are mistaken correlation for causality.
Soy milk is NOT UNHEALTHY contrary to all the stuff you see online (aka scare tactics from the dairy industry to defend their freefalling profits). SOY MILK IS GOOD! I like to drink both soy and almond milk and ever since I gave up cow’s milk for these alternatives I’ve felt so much better in life! As stated in the article, unsweetened almond milk is the closest in taste, if that’s your concern.
Stop supporting the cruel dairy industry and start living!
Most soy milk has a pH of 6.0 (acidic) Guess what else has that pH…
You guessed it! The normal cow’s milk that is like three dollars cheaper and isn’t advertised all that much because no one needs to convince you that it is healthy, unlike…
You guessed it! Soy milk!
My parents force feed me milk. 🙁 And like, a lot of it.
My parents did the opposite Charlie as my family had to share one and a half litres of milk per day between the four of us and my dad had the lion’s share. I didn’t like that at the time but I am glad now as my bones are strong and dense.
How old are you?
Show your parents this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249408/pdf/kwr289.pdf
Regardless of whether or not you have an ethical problem with milk, drinking milk in adolescence greatly increases your chance of prostate cancer later on.
True Story
In 2004, at age 45, I stopped a 30 year long cigarette habit. I am a wheat rancher / graphic designer / web developer.
I carried a cooler with milk in it, the 2% kind, and every time I got a craving for a cigarette,… I opened the cooler and took a drink…
Soon,…. my cigarette addiction was gone, but I had a new addiction: 2% milk.
I started gaining weight like a pig, and soon was over 300 lbs., which isn’t that bad because at the time I “was” 6 feet 4 inches tall.
Over the course of the next few years, my wife “weaned” me to 0% non-fat milk, which I could guzzle nearly a gallon at one sitting if I wanted too,…!
In 2009, I noticed something drastic had transpired between the ages of 45 and 51,.. I had grown nearly 3 inches in height,….!!!!
Making a long story shorter,…. a doctor at the time thought it was the growth hormone in the milk that caused my late life growth,.,… now I am worried as to what else it did,.. well not worried,.. concerned,….!
I didn’t think you could grow anymore after you became an adult. At least no later than your mid 20s if you are a male because men stop growing later than women do.
Did you become 6’4″ after you drank lots of milk or 6’7″?
Drinking less than the RDI of dairy milk is one reason I didn’t grow much, according to your theory.
normally the epiphyseal plates in the leg close at the time of adolescence, for girls, it is 2 years after her period starts, this is why one stops growing.
If not drinking milk is good for your bones, then why did you get osteoporosis? Didn’t work for you. Also, milk is not highly acidic. It is almost considered a base because it’s ph is about 6.7 and neutral is 7.0. I believe milk got a bad rep because of the artificial hormones added to it which increases risk of hormone related cancers – prostrate, breast, and ovarian. Also the antibiotics given that are passed through the milk and do God only knows what. Then there was the big low fat scare that brainwashed people into decreasing fat and increasing sugar consumption leading to an increase in obesity and diabetes. I believe that as long as you drink organic hormone free, antibiotic free milk in moderation, it can be a healthy addition to your diet.
Who got osteoporosis Grace?
Thank god there is someone else in the comments that has heard the word research before…
Also, not saying this applies to all vegans, but:
To all of the veganazis out there, here are some facts that can actually be backed up:
Many things that the average vegan diet consists of, including but not limited to:
Most nuts, potatos, lentils, all beans, most rice and pasta, oats, and wheat, are actually much, MUCH more acidic than milk.
This article is total BS. If you look at it, for every food item there are BS articles but about milk? Seriously?! And you’re using “evidence” from 30 years ago! We have literally been drinking milk for about 7000 years! Oh and I’m dying to see your PhD in nutrition. Please don’t go around misinforming people!
Anonymous, many people can’t tolerate dairy milk. More people than you think. And bone loss isn’t the only problem, apart from being lactose intolerant. My 81 year old Aunty recently gave up dairy milk because she had been suffering from sinus problems for years. I had suffered from eczema since I was a child but it has cleared up now after I gave up dairy milk last year. My doctors only gave me prescriptions for harmful and useless steroid creams instead of addressing my diet. That is so wrong!
Have they tried natural milk from cows truly raised in farms with grass and no antibiotics? Because that XXXX they sell at the supermarket is anything but milk. Is water that tastes like milk. Also you provide 0 sources for those extraordinary claims.
this article is absolute bull ive drank predominantly milk all my life and never broke or fractured a single bone and been in many situations where other people would have broke there bones for instance the time my leg got ran over and its just the same for all my brothers theve drank predominantly milk all there lifes and never broke or fractured a bone
dude, you’re an idiot, just because you haven’t broken any bones doesn’t mean that there isn’t any correlation between drinking milk and weak bones.
shut up you little bitch just because your probably just scrawny, if you actually understood the human body like i do, you’d know this article is bull
whoa there bud, why so harsh?
Lewis you are a disgrace!
You are a brain dead moron. Go play with the children if you can’t carry on a conversation like an adult.
I heard Personal Anecdote is the best way to live your life, my uncle smoked for 50 years and died at age 100 cigarettes don’t cause cancer! My friend had sex with over 100 women unprotected and never got an STD, Condoms are bullXXXX! Do i need to go on? Pwnt.
You are idiotic!
Lewis I drank well below the RDI for dairy milk and, like you I didn’t break bones when most people would have. In fact my bone density at 37 years old was as good as a 20 year old’s so pushing people to drink dairy milk to get strong bones is a lie in my case.
Quack! I mean, Moooo!
All Rubbish
In US they started promoting fat free milk decades ago due to which there was no calcium in their milk, majority of the US crowd consumes 2% fat milk which is too less if you compare to what we have drank over the years.
Now when you remove the creamy layer of the milk you remove a lot of calcium as well.
Our ancestors lived for more than 100 years and they all believed in the richness of milk.
None of them May have ever consumed low fat or fat free milk.
All these worthless studies that come now a days on milk majority never talks about the milk was full fat or fat free.
IGF1 is a protein peptide, unless it is injected in the body through injection it has no effect, so if you inject milk in veins then probably you will have issues, but if you are eating it orally it gets digested and metabolizes just like any other protein.
You are completely ignoring the fact that is scientifically PROVEN that milk ingested from cows with bovine growth hormone increases risk of cancer. It’s not just someone’s opinion.
Additionally, it’s not the issue that calcium is taken out of milk when you reduce the fat, it’s the issue that the human body barely absorbs the calcium that’s in cow milk.
Also, did you just make up the part about all our ancestors living for more than 100 years based on the richness of milk? Our average lifespans have nothing but increased over the years. Moreover, there is no proven link to milk consumption and longevity
Exactly right Daniel! He obviously didn’t read the article properly and is talking bullXXXX about our ancestors living over 100 years.
You guys do realize that the author meant both pasteurized AND raw, correct? In the beginning the authog actually said “especially when pasteurized” which means raw also applies.
Anyways, I always drank a lot of milk when I was a kid. Lots of cow milk. Lots of goat milk. I’m 17 right now (not that old, but bear with me) and am totally okay. I have some sort of skin problem that is the overgrowth of skin cells and it causes lots of redness on my face. However, it isn’t because of milk. In fact, it flares up more when I DON’T drink milk. I have very healthy bones and try to drink milk daily. Nobody in my family at all has ever had issues caused by milk either
some ancestors lived 900. Here is the deal: if you managed to survive past your 20’s and there was no war or epidemics you would reach your 90’s at least. About calcium not being absorbed from milk, if you drink natural milk it surely does get absorbed. stop making asumptions based on supermarket “milk”.
Obviously you didn’t read this article properly, as it does state the claims are made on pasteurised milk, NOT raw milk!
By the way, not that many people lived to 100 years ago. In fact, most people died well before then so what YOU are saying is bullXXXX!
Actually many people lived to be 90 to 100 years old. The “average” age of death was lower primarily due to accidents and public health diseases like malaria and typhus. If you could avoid accidents and drinking water that is contaminated with other peoples feces, you could expect to live pretty long.
can you provide the line where it mentions it talks about pasteurized milk? because I do not see it.
Hi Vivian in the quote from the comments below
Dr. Anne McKay DNP, ANP-BC, CCD, NAMS-C April 18, 2016, 4:57 pm
“In order to accurately assess the true “side effects” of a medication you have to know the FDA rules behind reporting of side effects. If 2% of patients in the premarketing study of a drug report any physical symptom while in the study it must be listed as a side effect. What you need to look at is the comparison between side effects reported in the individuals on the drug and the group on placebo. In the drug trails for Prolia of all the side effects listed the only one that was statistically more significant in patients receiving Prolia vs. placebo was skin infections. The incidence of skin infections in individuals receiving Prolia was 15 in 3800 or less than 1%. I currently have over 500 patients on Prolia and we have given over 4000 injections in the past 5.5 years. I have taken 4 patients off the medication for skin infections during that time and all were diabetic. Otherwise I have found it to be very well tolerated by patients. In addition we have seen a reduction in fractures and measurable improvement in bone mineral density in the vast majority of these patients.”
Take home message: If you have osteoporosis, statistically your risk of a side effect from Prolia or any other osteoporosis medication, properly prescribed, is far less than your risk of a fracture.
This Doctor who wrote this seems to refute your oft stated claim that the osteoporosis drugs are bad and counterproductive,Like every other Dr. i’ve encountered. I’m 70 years young, recently diagnosed with Osteo. My Doctor wants to start me on Prolia but I’ve been stalling the decision primarily based on the side effects and an unpleasant experience with Actonel and of course all of what you say. I am following the Save The Bones program. Who or what to believe Vivian is my question? More Counter claims only serve to increase my confusion.
I have another question also. Being a GERD sufferer pH is important to me. You mention Kefir milk as being acid neutral yet in his book “Killing Me Softly From Inside” Dr. Jonathan Aviv lists Kefir as having a pH of 4.17 which is on the acidic side of the pH scale. This I don’t understand. So again how does acidic neutral and a pH of 4.17 reconcile with each other ?
Good point Arny.
A pH of 4.17 is very acidic. Are you sure this number is correct. Liquids with a pH of 4 will be able to dissolve metal, and will burn your skin if you stay in contact with if for very long.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this crucial information with us. I already new that when milk is pasteurized it releases minuscule proteins it can cause histamine reactions that can be detrimental.
I’m 22 and I was diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis back in October. I have a compression fracture and scoliosis and kyphosis from the fracture. I was lactose intolerant in most my childhood and didn’t drink milk. My osteoporosis is probably from having celiac disease, asthma medication when young, lactose intolerance, and IBS. These are all factors that should be thought about before it’s said milk isn’t needed for bones.
i started drinking unsweetened almond milk because it has much, much less potassium and i wanted to cut down on potassium. i am 88 and potassium is not good for kidneys and too much protein is not good for kidneys.
Potassium is an important mineral Dora. I hope you don’t have a lot of salt as you need more potassium than sodium to regulate proper blood pressure.
Very interesting article. I would like to recommend a video entitled “Udderly Amazing” which I have watched several times and is an amazing expose on the subject of humans drinking milk. The link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-PQCCiw_Zs
that was a very interesting video. thank you for sharing!!!
Raw milk is actually an alkaline food, and raw organic milk is very healthy! I recommend everyone who can get it to try and see if they get as great benefits from it as I have. I have always had problems with my stomach, and it has gotten 80% better with raw milk. My skin is better, I have more energy and many other things. The studies about milk being bad is actually low fat milk. Whole milk, and especially organic, is a great food that many people have great use of. Its the claim that milk is bad that is the myth, and not the other way around. There is a very big difference between low fat pasteurized milk, and then raw whole milk.
Butterfat content U.S. terminology
80% Butter
45% Manufacturer’s cream
36% Heavy whipping cream
30% Whipping cream or light whipping cream
25% Medium cream
18–30% Light cream, coffee cream, or table cream
10.5–18% Half and half
3.25% Whole milk or regular milk[10]
about 2% 2% milk or reduced fat milk [11]
about % 1% milk or low fat milk [11]
0–0.5% Skim milk or nonfat milk
Your claim is invalid. Milk is acidifying as is all animal protien. Unless you’re an actual Nutritional Analyst then you have no stake in this claim.
And unless YOU are an actual nutritional analyst, you have no stake either.
Hehe…steak
It’s not a myth that milk is bad as most people do drink low fat pasteurized milk. If you had read the article properly it does state that raw milk has different properties. By the way, selling raw milk is prohibited in most areas.
Claims of acidifying the body are nothing more than the blatherings of witch doctors.
Sure…and Donald Trump will be a worthy president…Clinton is not a lying crook…and Putin is a great guy.
They’re not saying your body actually gets acidified. Those claims are stupid (like the ones saying drink mineral water to make your body more alkaline). They’re saying that it acidifies the blood which your body then combats by taking out calcium from the bones to maintain homeostasis, and this is true. Your body pH doesn’t change like those witch doctors claim, but it has a negative effect on your bones because your body has to maintain its pH this way.
well put Phil! the commenters on here don’t seem to read the other comments. don’t be so nasty to each other
EVERYONE READ PHIL’S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No it’s not Kenneth. There is proof. Do you also say that about meat?
I am so happy I found your sight,Just in time when My “NEW” Doctor has prescribed that I get the every 6 Month shots of “PROLIA”.I looked it up and there are 50.”Yes” 50 Side effects of this drug.Why would any doctor prescribe this.? Anyway I searched and am so glad I found you as all that you say makes so much sense.I hope I am able to get more information about my progressing Osteoporosis…..I am 76 But in no Pain(Still can’t figure out why the doctor would prescribe this .I haven’ even had a Bone Density test since 2012…….Thanks for your Information Articles…..Joyce
In order to accurately assess the true “side effects” of a medication you have to know the FDA rules behind reporting of side effects. If 2% of patients in the premarketing study of a drug report any physical symptom while in the study it must be listed as a side effect. What you need to look at is the comparison between side effects reported in the individuals on the drug and the group on placebo. In the drug trails for Prolia of all the side effects listed the only one that was statistically more significant in patients receiving Prolia vs. placebo was skin infections. The incidence of skin infections in individuals receiving Prolia was 15 in 3800 or less than 1%. I currently have over 500 patients on Prolia and we have given over 4000 injections in the past 5.5 years. I have taken 4 patients off the medication for skin infections during that time and all were diabetic. Otherwise I have found it to be very well tolerated by patients. In addition we have seen a reduction in fractures and measurable improvement in bone mineral density in the vast majority of these patients.
Take home message: If you have osteoporosis, statistically your risk of a side effect from Prolia or any other osteoporosis medication, properly prescribed, is far less than your risk of a fracture.
Here is something I don’t understand. How do you know there’s a reduction in fractures? Did the patients get fractures at one point, you administered the drug, and then they didn’t get any further fractures, so that’s considered a reduction? How can you be sure that’s because of the drug? Were there no other lifestyle changes, or did they simply start being more cautious? There’s no explanation of how you arrived at this, so please explain.
Also, skin infections are minor. What is “statistically more significant?”
I searched your name and credentials, and every link with your name in it came up as a security risk, so I am not sure I can trust this post. I’m not trying to be confrontational, but since you indicate you are a medical professional, I would think your opinion on a message board should be something that can be backed up.
PS to Joyce above. Any prescription of medication should be made on an up-to-date DXA ( bone density) scan and accurate FRAX score.
That is what I thought.
It’s irresponsible of your doctor to not order a bone density test done if you have osteoporosis. How do you know you have osteoporosis?
What about aged, organic cheese? Is that okay for bones, or is it as calcium-leaching as milk?
You mention you use soy/almond milk instead, have you ever read up on Carrageenan, the thickening agent in virtually all substitute “milks”, and all the lovley things it does?
Is it safe?
You may have heard of health concerns surrounding carrageenan. Perhaps you’ve been reading a popular health food website, or maybe you have encountered a research study suggesting it is not safe.
However, you should know that these sources are not all reliable. There is an abundance of misinformation and misguided science out there, and it can be difficult to know what is true and what is not.
Food grade carrageenan has never been found to be harmful. It is a perfectly safe ingredient that has a major role to play in the food industry, and the foods you love wouldn’t be the same without it.
Hi, I have been making goat’s milk kefir for a few months now to try and introduce natural probiotics into my system and reduce feeling bloated. However i learnt that mammals milk is really bad for you. Is goats milk kefir also bad for you also? Since the fermentation eats away the lactose, will it become acid neutral? Or will the effect be the same as milk which draws calcium out of bones? Please advice as i can’t find much “bad” evidence on milk kefir.
Thanks, Francesca
May be a Good Idea to just get A Probiotic Capsules from The Drugstore/Be sure to get ACIDOLFuLOUS Pure…./////////////TAke One a Day for Bloating.They worked wonders for me.My niece is a Nurse and I suggested them to her.She’ very happy with them…..No more Bloating…..
Can I just say that using a case control study and a prospective study from the 90s do nothing to support your claims. For a start, they’re both 20 years out of date. Secondly, you have not used a single RCT or systematic review. Do you know nothing about the hierarchy of evidence? Regardless of whether this is true, come back when you learn how to research properly so you can present a better argument
Would like to know what your Qualifications are Nat?Do you have information that we need to know???
Hmmmm.. Nat. You say, “regardless of whether this is true or not…” so, it is true and you just don’t like it so you’re poking holes in her presentation of the information?
I’d also like to hear what you think you know that could be helpful. Seems to me that drinking another species milk intended for its young is illogical. . Or should I be feeding my breast milk to my pet dog, and maybe some cats or better yet, maybe we’ve got it all wrong and humans should be drinking feline milk!?!!! Ridiculous… after all… evidence of the world being round wasn’t saturating the common man, or widely accepted at once- in fact it was refuted just solely based on prior thinking, despite evidence to the contrary.
I think I’ll stay away other species body fluids, thank you.
NikkiRose, while I agree with you that Nat’s response has little value I have to correct a pet peeve here.
People have through all recorded history known the earth was a globe. The story that people thought it was flat was made up by a guy who wrote a book about Columbus. The real reason people thought his journey was crazy was because they didn’t know how big the globe was, so there was no way of knowing how long it would take him to sail around the world. The writer thought this wasn’t dramatic enough and made up the story that people thought the world was flat and Columbus would fall of the rim.
Later on people kept repeating that people thought the world was flat while in fact they didn’t, certainly not sailors who knew you could hide your ship over the horizon because of the curvature of earth.
All things in moderation I always say. You say you won’t eat another species fluids,what about another species meat.we know too much red meat is not good for you, but a little is beneficial. The same thing for raw whole milk.
Mal it is illegal to sell raw milk where I live.
You make sense NikkiRose as there is no need to drink dairy milk at all. It’s purely a marketing gimmick and we have been lied to about needing it.
Totally agree Nat. Dates on the studies are 22 and 19 years ago and they are not random controlled studies. Unfortunately the general public does not understand the scientific research process or hierarchy or evidence; therefore, for the most part,.Ms.Goldschmidt and pick and choose her evidence without challenge from the subscribers of her website. Very unethical in my view.
Hello,
Feel blessed to have found your website.
am 63 years old and was diagnosed with osteoporosis in high school. Was breaking bones every 2 years so they sent my tests to a lab in California. The results were that had bones of an 80 year old lady in my hips and spine and a 70 year old in my legs.
My uncle who was a heart doctor and my doctor at the time told me to “drink more milk”. That is all that was said. Tried it and intuitively felt something was not right. The feeling I had is that calcium was floating in my bloodstream but was not going into my bones. Tried calcium supplements and had the same feeling. So stopped taking them. The most interesting part of the story is that there was very little information from doctors or endocrinologists about how to improve your bones other than calcium supplements and have more dairy.
In 1993, had a Dexca (sp) scan and my bones were still osteoporotic.. Since that time, have had other bone scans and have gone from osteoporotic to osteopenia.
Have changed my diet considerably since then: am now gluten free and beginning to be dairy free, cut out all processed meats and foods, make bone broths, eat only dark chocolate for ‘candy’, drink only green tea, red wine and cut out coffee for the most part. May have an organic cup once every 2 weeks. Do enjoy organic grass fed beef, chicken, turkey, lamb and lamb liver.. Enjoy sardines and salmon. Still test scores are not good. Wondered if they changed the testing criteria. From all the research have now done, would not touch any of the osteoporotic drugs. Will keep on my journey. And thank you for confirming what I already surmised – that milk does not support healthy bones. Am thinking there is a hormonal issue involved in my case as recently diagnosed with Hashimotos. Looking forward to receiving your program. All the best..
Caroline
Magnesium (Mg) is the problem. You will be very deficient in Mg and a good quality supplement will definitely help your condition (not Mg oxide). Try either Mg citrate powder (especially if you suffer constipation) or Mg chloride solution. You can also use a topical Mg chloride if you prefer. Calcium (Ca) and Mg are antagonistic partners, one cannot work without the other. Without enough Mg in your body to keep Ca dissolved in the blood, Ca will calcify and cause bone spurs, kidney stones, atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation and arrythmias, depression, muscle spasms, headaches… the list is endless. Mg is necessary for every one of your trillions of cells. Mg controls ATP production and keeps Ca outside the cells. It keeps it where it belongs, in the bones and dissolved in the blood. Our modern diet is low in Mg and high in Ca. A 1:1 ratio of Ca:Mg is what to aim for. Do some research on the importance of Mg and its balance with Ca. Ches
Chess thank you for your information. You are right.
It is totally wrong..Milk is awesome resource for our bones……..
What Credentials to you have to prove That you are right?
Lol. No.
Just repeating something you’ve been told doesn’t make it true.
Actual studies, that are independent, show proof it isn’t.
Did anyone else find it ironic (albeit a bit sad) that the writer, who refuses to drink dairy, got osteoporosis and somehow thinks it’s evidence to support her claims?
One last random thought. I hear people say stuff like milk and eggs aren’t “made for people” to eat. Really though what is actually made with the intention of being eaten by a human being?
Fructose in fruits causes diabetes. Also there’s amygdalin in tons and tons of “edible” plants all over the world, including apple seeds and when that stuff comes into contact with a human digestion enzyme it turns into CYANIDE. No joke look it up. (No it doesn’t kill you so don’t freak out)
Humans/human ancestors have been eating meat since about 2.5 million years ago so this whole its unnatural thing just needs to go. Meats and other animal products can be crazy good for you when eaten in correct proportions.
ALSO ALSO if anyone responds with go read “The China Study” or anything said by Dr. Campbell please just stop and do yourself a favor. Go look up one of the many times what he’s said has been refuted. The raw data did not support his claims. Seriously it’s almost like the vaccines cause autism B.S. again…(OK that might’ve been tasteless but there are definitely parallels to be drawn there)
Does anyone think it’s ironic when non-smokers who claim that smoking is bad for you get lung cancer? No? And when the smoker who lives to a ripe old age of 100 with no health problems at all? Drinking milk only increases the risk of osteoporosis. It doesn’t mean if you drink it you will get it or if you don’t drink it you won’t get it. Just like smoking doesn’t mean you will definitely get lung cancer or non-smoking means you won’t get it. Also, the reader may not have always avoided milk – probably grew up drinking it like most of us which could have contributed to their osteoporosis now.
Right. The key is moderation in any thing we eat or drink. Of course fruit was made for us to eat. So are plants. And so is meat. However, I don’t eat meat because of the way the animals are treated and the fact we don’t need to eat it for a healthy diet. We’re omnivores and have the ability to choose. In caveman times sometimes we wouldn’t see food for days so meat was a good source of energy during that time…. But milk was made for calf’s to drink. If Humans needed milk all their lives for a healthy diet then mum’s would constantly have to breast-feed.
When My son was 8 Yrs old he was very Thin and I thought something was wrong with him as he had a poor appetite! I took him to childrens hospital and the doctor told me to stop giving him Milk .It wasn’t good for his digestive system.He could not tolerate it///So! I would not let him drink milk .OH! A little on his cereal….. he did. Today he is 51 Yrs old and it hasn’t hurt hm one bit.
In response to your thing about the china study: the same goes for the studies that claim milk is healthy. The only 2 or 3 studies that milk-health claims are based on and are repeated by everyone are known to have incomplete data that is manipulated (in a non-scientific way) and even then their positive results weren’t actually significant enough to make any claims either. Their raw data didn’t show any positive results at all. In contrast to the few independent studie that haven’t been manipulated and show health risks.
OMG I am 52 & vegan. found out I have osteoporosis and compression fractures in my spine! before you veghaters start hating I have severe seizure disorder and have taken a med for about ten years that causes metabolic acidosis. do you know what else causes metabolic acidosis???
Spit actually does have healing properties… It has trace amounts of growth hormone as well as antibacterial properties. Why do you think the mouth is the second fastest healing thing on the human body?
Also https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22081694
For people who don’t like clicking on random links this is a medical website stating that milk is non-acidic and also does not cause a release of acids when metabolized so the whole acidic breakdown thing is totally bogus….
This is the same FDA and USDA that tell us that legumes/beans and other plants are “incomplete proteins” and we need to eat animal protein to survive. And yes it acidic. You are not a nutritional analyst so don’t go pulling poor credentials from a government website that is ultimately ran by Monsanto.
Without iron supplements it actually is pretty difficult to be healthy without eating meat. I also like how this article claims that almost all milk is treated with rBST and rBGH. Now I live in a farming community so maybe I’m spoiled but every milk carton I’ve ever seen has had the words “not treated with rBST or rBGH”. The article also says that all animal proteins are acidic, then why do bodybuilders, most of whom consume 200+ grams of protein EVERY day, have extremely high bone density on average? They aren’t eating 6 pounds of black beans every day i can tell you that. They’re eating chicken, beef, fish, pork, dairy, and maybe 25% of that protein comes from vegetables, grains, and fruits.
No it is not. 40% of people in India are vegetarian/vegan and have been for countless generations without any problems. Simply put: eat vegetables with dark green leaves and you’ll get enough iron, calcium, et cetera. It’s not difficult at all: “eat food, mostly plants, not too much.”
You don’t get the absurd amount of protein you need for body building out of your normal meals. They use protein supplements (shakes) for that, and these are nearly always plant based as it’s the most efficient way to create proteins. So I seriously doubt your 25% claim, it’s more likely to be 75%.
Apart from that, high bone density in athletes in general is an survival/adaptive mechanism as well: you’re constantly putting high strains on your bone structure, so your body compensates for it by increasing bone density. Broken bones are bad for survival in the short term. That doesn’t mean it’s healthy, because that calcium, etc. could be needed elsewhere in your body as well and could have long term effects. What you say shows your body takes care of short term threats first, not that there are no threats. A lot of body builders develop all kinds of health problems later in life.
Red meat has certain fats that are essential for a healthy diet which you won’t find in plants. Also red meat is the richest source of vitamin b12 which is essential for proper brain function
It took me a while to decide the legitimacy of this article, but now I know for a fact its BULLXXXX. Because all you have to do is look who this site is sponsored by! Fox News, CNN, and the rest of those corporate LIARS!
I was allergic to milk when I was small, so according to your reasoning and how terrible milk is, it should have gotten worse? But no…drink it now every day.
OK! so you drink it everyday! But how old are you…..??? It may come back to bite you….
you lady, are a wacko
This article has nothing to do with allergies. Though, in fact, most of the worlds population can’t even digest diary. It’s only people with genes originating in Europe that have the ability to digest lactose.
To answer your specific question about allergies: what you are allergic to changes over your life, especially around puberty. Many people who can’t deal with milk when they are young grow over that. But just because you don’t get an allergic reaction to it anymore, doesn’t mean it has suddenly become healthy.
That’s like claiming you used to cough when you started smoking, but now you smoke every day and you don’t have to cough when you inhale smoke anymore, so it must be healthy after all.
I have read this article and find it is flawed. It is based on assumptions that have used data that is incomplete or just plain inaccurate. This kind of thinking leads to urban myths and a reduction in public health. here is a link which provides good evidence to the benefits of milk including cows milk. https://www.livescience.com/36512-experts-explain-milk-health-benefits-risks.html
I would further like to add that a balanced diet is the one which generally is best for people. One other thing. pasteurised foods tend to be safer.
I can understand why so many people are resistant to facts, when they’ve been taught that milk is good for you, that the calcium is needed to grow strong bones, that animal proteins are what the body needs, all their lives, and handed down for generations. Superstitions are passed down that way too. It’s hard to change beliefs.
Look at the scientific facts. Look at the credentials, look at the sponsors of the studies. Cows’ milk is for calves, and there’s no justification for the cruelty the cows endure to support a myth. If you want protein, get it from the earth (that’s where the animals got it in the first place, why not go to the source?) You’ll also get all the calcium you need from that primary source. Why do people eat meat? It’s “tradition,” it’s taste and texture. But it’s also totally unnecessary abuse and cruelty. Dairy farmers do “rape” cows about once/year to produce calves, removed at birth and some calves caged their entire lives to produce veal. The cows suffer from infected, painful and sore udders, and their milk is full of pus, white blood cells and bacteria. Is that what you want to drink? Is that what you want in your butter and yogurt and just about all processed foods? Sure, it’s pasteurized – think why it has to be. Strong bones? No. Needed protein? No. Harmful to humans? Absolutely.
Do we have to pasteurize fruits, vegetables and nuts? If milk is so good for us, why do we have to make it “safe” to drink?
Compare the studies but look at the sources of the information. There’s no doubt about the credibility of the large numbers of doctors who debunk the value of milk, and for good reason.
Well Wendy its nice that you are defending your position, but please some genuine citations from recognised sources if you please! I have shown you 1 highly recognised source which states that milk is good for you and there is no scientific doubt that humans have been harvesting milk for about 8 to ten thousand years. In fact mainstream science says the opposite to everything you claim. Stronger bones – True, Great source of protein – True harmful to humans – The Milk – not at all, Unpasteurised … cows are known to carry TB. Turns out that many vegetables undergo a process similar to pasteurisation due to the soil borne disease they carry, nuts are also treated. Did you know that there is a lobby group who claim that with the correct amplification you can hear carrots screaming as they are being picked? Did you also know that vegetables, especially rice, transmit more arsenic to humans than meat or fish?
Mainstream science says nothing of the sort, mainstream marketing keeps repeating the same few studies as so called proof. These are 2 or 3 studies that claim health benefits and they were not independent studies, are known to have incomplete and manipulated data (and not in the way you have to do in valid science), and even after manipulation their data didn’t show positives that were significant enough to base any decision on.
Mainstream independent science says that if we look at the results of those studies, even ignoring that the data is incomplete and manipulated, they are inconclusive. On the other hand, the few independent studies with real science have shown health risks.
Your claims after the stuff about pasteurisation get so irrelevant and illogical (that something is done mean that is good) that I’m not even going to respond to that.
Just because something is good for us doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t wash it off or clean it. Going off of this same logic one of the last things we should drink is water. Look at the lengths we go through to purify water. We go to greater lengths to purify water than we do to clean our fruits and vegetables. Is that to say that water is bad for us? Absolutely not. Also like Tim N, I’d like to see some of those “credible sources.”
It is important to note that what is said in this article is for store bought milk only. RAW milk from a responsible farmer who has healthy cows, is one of the most nourishing and building of drinks. RAW milk doesn’t erode and weaken bones, it doesn’t make your body acid and it doesn’t contribute to cancer, it protects from cancer and boosts the immune system. Stop drinking store bought milk, it is trash, drink RAW milk instead, it is what builds healthy calves and babies and will build strong and healthy young children, store bought milk will do the opposite. God gave us RAW milk and it has been building healthy bodies since He created man: don’t throw the baby out with the bath water….
No. That’s not true Tim. Nothing you’re saying here is scientifically supported.
Raw milk, and pasteurized milk do not contain nutritionally significant differences. Raw milk however is full of potential viruses, like bovine tuberculosis.
Milk, is not good for you. If god had a hand in any of this, it was giving women breasts, and their own milk. Why people like yourself instantly turn to the rational you have here is beyond me. We didn’t start milking cows until a thousand years ago. So how is god involved in that at all?
Rob your reply to Tim Mitchell is absurdly wrong. Here is a link and there are lots more. https://milk.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000018
In fact milk is a great source of food and to be honest most of this entire site is dedicated to promoting urban myths. In other words Rob you are full of it.
The article looks good but there are many other factors not mentioned/Like Contaminants and other adiditives to the milk they didn’t have years ago
God gave us cancer too
Thank you for this article. I find it quite interesting. I also have a couple questions. You said that contrary to popular belief, milk is actually detrimental to the calcium supply in our bones, because the effect milk has on our metabolism actually works to deplete more calcium than the amount that the body actually absorbs. You said this is because animal based proteins upset the bodies PH level and calcium is then used to neutralize this upset, causing a reduction in calcium (which is primarily stored in our bones). First question: does this mean that every time I am eating an animal based protein (which I do very often), I am depleting the calcium supply in my bones? Second question, if we should not drink milk as a source of calcium, what is a good natural replacement (excluding vitamins because they are unnatural and the body tends to pee out most of the contents in a vitamin supplement anyways).
Thanks
Hi Sean, here are some great non-animal sources of calcium (and yes, animal protein in general has an acidic effect on the body causing calcium to be drawn out of the bones):
Many kinds of vegetables, particularly dark green ones like broccoli, kale, bok choy, watercress, mustard and turnip greens, collard and dandelion greens, also calcium-set tofu, various beans, almonds, oranges, figs, blackstrap molasses, fortified juices and non-dairy milks, and many others.
Do your own research before discrediting someone else’s. If you think that dairy cows aren’t used up for every drop of milk, THEN butchered for meat afterwards..you are living in some dreamland. The populations of our country alone demand milk and meat higher than our planet can naturally produce it..which lead to the mistreatment of the animals in order to produce the product. Big food companies don’t care about your health, just their profits. Let me ask you this…in most mammals when is milk produced?? Only when they are pregnant..so how are dairy cows able to produce so much milk?? They are constantly impregnated over and over again until their bodies can’t handle it anymore..then they are turned around and butchered. I used to live in a dream, believing our country treated animals right, because “great cheese comes from happy cows, & happy cows come from California”….right??? SO FAR FROM THE TRUTH. Milk is stolen from pregnant cows instilled with fear. On another note there is literally blood and pus in milk. The USDA ALLOWS 750,000 somatic cells per MILLILITER. (& this is for Grade A classification and after pasteurization) In fact the USDA allows all kinds of things to pass in our processed foods..bug wings in peanut butter, rodent droppings in others..everything is safe as long as it doesn’t hit a certain level they claim. I’d rather do without honestly. I am no vegan or vegetarian..in fact I thoroughly enjoy meat and cheese, to clarify. I just happen to be too smart for my own good and I like to know where things come from and why things are the way they are. A true scientist by nature…and let me tell you..the life we share on this planet is all but natural. We are the only species to nurse off another’s milk for “health”..Don’t get me wrong, there has been cases of other animals nursing other species, for example abandoned babies receiving care in the wild from another species, but it doesn’t happen on the regular. Just be open minded and look up things for yourself. Look at both sides of the argument and make your own decision. In 2016 being ignorant is YOUR OWN CHOICE! We live in an Information Age, so everything is at your fingertips. KNOWLEDGE, does a NATION good.
“…there have** been cases…”..not “has been” hahaha my bad.
Milk is not stolen from calves generally speaking, it is fed to the calves until they are of weaning age and then the farmer continues to milk the mothers until they fall pregnant again. A good responsible farmer will increase the nutrients of the feed to the mothers that they are milking to give them all that they need and rotate them around the paddocks to food that will give them what they need. Good healthy RAW milk from responsible dairy farmers is a healthy and building food and has been since the dawn of creation. The only problem is when we started to pasteurize the milk, killing all the enzymes and immune building components which makes milk good. Try raising a baby on almond milk, it will kill them. If it isn’t good as a replacement for a baby then it isn’t a good replacement for growing children. RAW milk is much less acidifying, than the rubbish that we buy in the store today, it does not cause cancer or deplete the calcium from our bones. Store bought milk is all that this article says it is, so don’t stop drinking milk, just find some good raw cows or goats milk….. from a responsible and sustainable farmer.
upon giving birth most mammals on the planet naturally have “RAW” milk! Their “raw” milk is specifically formulated and strictly meant for their own offspring and species! PERIOD!
That’s how nature works on planet earth!
Humans have NOT been drinking cows milk since the “dawn of creation” !!! Humans have been breastfeeding from cows for about 7500 years (hardly the dawn of creation) and it started in Europe due to famine poverty desperation and stupidity!!! God gave gorillas giraffes dogs cats etc. etc. etc. “RAW” milk upon giving birth, should humans drink from them too?! I’m pretty sure some morons would drink milk from just about any creature but does it mean we all should?! Does it make it right?!?
The cow is not your mother!!! (unless she is!?) and if you are over the weaning age you’re too old to breastfeed! It’s preverted!!!
Milk is baby food!!!! And a mothers milk is for her baby only!!! PERIOD!!!! It’s really pretty simple!
Would you drink “RAW” milk from another human?!?
Upon giving birth most mammals on the planet naturally have “RAW” milk! Their “raw” milk is specifically formulated and strictly meant for their own offspring and species! PERIOD!
That’s how nature works on planet earth!
Humans have NOT been drinking cows milk since the “dawn of creation” !!! Humans have been breastfeeding from cows for about 7500 years (hardly the dawn of creation) and it started in Europe due to famine poverty desperation and stupidity!!! God gave gorillas giraffes dogs cats etc. etc. etc. “RAW” milk upon giving birth, should humans drink from them too?! I’m pretty sure some morons would drink milk from just about any creature but does it mean we all should?! Does it make it right?!?
The cow is not your mother!!! (unless she is!?) and if you are over the weaning age you’re too old to breastfeed! It’s preverted!!!
Milk is baby food!!!! And a mothers milk is for her baby only!!! PERIOD!!!! It’s really pretty simple!
Tim, in the vast majority of dairy farms, cows do not “fall pregnant again.” Soon after they have given birth and had their calf taken from them, they are placed in a contraption known colloquially in the dairy industry as a “rape rack,” and artificially inseminated with a sperm gun that is shoved elbow-deep into her vagina, in order to keep her milk production high, continuous, and profitable to the farmer.
Tim, in the vast majority of dairy farms, cows do not “fall pregnant again.” Soon after they have given birth and had their calf taken from them, they are placed in a contraption known colloquially in the dairy industry as a “rape rack,” and artificially inseminated with a sperm gun that is shoved elbow-deep into her vagina, in order to keep her milk production high, continuous, and profitable to the farmer. The cow then goes through another pregnancy, another birthing, her calf is taken away again, and her milk is sold to human beings. This cycle continues for 4-6 years, until her milk production slows down so that she is no longer profitable, and then she is taken to the slaughterhouse and turned into hamburger. Cows live a natural lifespan of about 25 years.
This is accurate. In addition, when the calves are taken away, a plastic spike ring is fastened to their noses to prevent them from feeding off the lactating mother (it pricks the mother, causing her to pull away).
Sometimes these are fastened so tight, they pierce the calf’s nose.
In addition, the lactating cows are are shockingly thin and unhealthy because all of the nutrients that are injested are used in the production of milk.
I recommend you search images of both of these so you can see a glimpse into this filthy business that is, the milk industry.
raising babies on almond milk will kill them? so only cows milk is ok for children? what? you cant do that with cows milk either.
This is untrue: milk is not produced by pregnant cows. Milk is produced by cows who, having been pregnant, have recently given birth – milk is food for baby cows, not foetuses. So, milk is not stolen from pregnant cows. It is stolen from calves, who are no longer allowed to drink the food specially formulated for them… Please give people accurate information when you are trying to persuade them to your point of view…
How right you are about many things in your article……Do you know that Verments get into the Vats from the vineyards and they make juices and Drinks and jams & Jelly ……Well/Known companies!!!!!! They are suppose to have two guys on the boxes watching and they throw out the rats ,mice and snakes that get into the boxes.Some they miss///They just get ground up when they deliver to the companies that process them. What else are we eating that we don’t know about.? Best to grow your own then you know what’s in your products.
Happy cows come from Wisconsin.
From the quoted sources
Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly:
Article above quotes: “Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age.”
Does not mention that the reference also says:
“However, the quality of recalled data on dairy products and physical activity is questionable, and so our results for these two exposures should be interpreted with great caution”
“A recent longitudinal study of women in their 20s found that adjustment for protein intake increased the strength of the association between calcium intake and increased bone density (Recker RR, Davies M, Hinders SM, et al. Bone gain in young adult women. JAMA 1992;268:2403-8). Failure to adjust for the potential confounding effect of protein intake might explain the dairy product-hip fracture results in our study.”
“Our surprising findings could be due to chance or bias, particularly differential exposure misclassification and confounding. Nevertheless, there are plausible biologic reasons why overweight and dairy product consumption might be associated with an increased risk of hip fracture.”
Where are the links to these studies? Why are posting things on the Internet with out siting sources and backing up your statements. This is why some want regulation of the Internet and they may get it if people like you post this kind of crap without backing it up. Someone please, take it down.
Yes God gave us natural made milk from cows for calves to drink not humans. Were the only mammals that have sooo many diseases that we cant keep up with them n were also the only mammals that drink otha mammals milk raw or pasturised.
To me if u think bout it no it dsnt make sense why do we drink cows milk.
And i raised my 16yr old daughter on Goats milk only wen she was a toddler n so on.
And wen she was 5yrs old she tripped over on cement n her arm didnt break HER BONE BENT n had to b operated on to straighten it.
SO TO BE HONEST IM NOT SURE BUT I SUPPOSE EVERYTHING IN MODERATION IS THE BEST BET
What happened to freedom of speech????
I was looking something else up about milk and I got a bunch of these Vegan propaganda articles claiming milk is bad for you. At least for those of us who can tolerate lactose, it is good (in moderation, as with all things). I’ve been drinking it for years and my bones are in good shape and I’ve never noticed any negative sides to drinking it.
Not your mom, Not your milk. I am not vegan and can tell you that! Also, milk is bad did you not read the article? Geesh
For some reason I don’t think men are affected as much as Women with Osteo….I could be wrong but you don;t hear it as much! Why///Wonder if its a Hormonal thing
What a joke.
Of course milk is good for you! Calcium, Vitamin D, it has everything you need for strong bones and teeth, and the minerals your body needs! Now, almond milk, soy milk, and all those processed garbage milks are bad for you, but not cow’s milk. Especially if you get home-grown, or local cow’s milk that are grass-fed. Obviously, everything excessive is bad for you. Milk is good to drink in the mornings, or with other foods and liquids, but you should never eat or drink anything TOO much. 8 oz of milk a day is good for you, I’ve heard. Just remember ANYTHING, not just milk, is bad in excessive amounts for your body. You need variety in food, as well. According to studies, you shouldn’t overeat anything, even if it’s healthy, like fruits and vegetables. They are linked to certain diseases, and probably even cancer. Always include several minerals and vitamins in your diet, and try not to buy so much canned and processed food, unless you have to. Do not buy things with hydrogenated oils (such as soybean oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil, etc), as those are linked to diseases, as well. They are vegetable oils, but hydrogenated. Unless it says FERMENTED vegetable oil (such as “fermented sunflower oil”), then that’s fine. Stay healthy everyone, we’re all trying to survive in a disease-increasing and processed environment.
Vitamin D is added to milk in the United States. It is not naturally present in milk.
I’m glad someone else pointed out that milk contains 0% Vitamin D. It does contain B-12 though. However, I still prefer to avoid milk. I prefer to use whipping cream (35% fat) in coffee, and greek yoghurt (9% fat) on my muesli. I know, dairy is bad, ra ra ra. But fat is good.
They don’t feed cow’s milk to baby gorillas, or other mammals. So why would we want to drink it?
Milk doesn’t contain 0% vitamin D, that is only the filtered and destroyed fat free milk that you get in your local store. Vitamin D is naturally in the fats that are in the RAW milk and is higher when the grass is growing faster in the spring. The store bought milk is trash, if you want vitamin D and A and immune building compounds which build strong bodies…. and bones, get raw milk from a responsible farmer. Raw milk doesn’t make weak bones, it makes strong bones.
Thanks for the interesting article. I just want to say that correlation is not causation. If it were, I could point to all the people I know who have had plenty of milk in their lives and have strong bones. Like my 95-year old mom, who drank a cup of warm milk (she used powdered) every night for her whole life (on top of milk in cereal and coffee). She died at 95 without ever having broken or fractured anything in her body – and she worked outside until she was in her mid 80s – and actually fell to the ground several times.. (she was always running somewhere…). Not only did she not fracture or break any bones, but she rarely even bruised!! Nevertheless, what you say makes sense. I have osteoporosis. Almost every day I have a shake that consists of kale or collard greens, papaya, blueberries, banana, tumeric, a pinch of red pepper, ginger, and chia seed – and almond milk. I also have naturally sweetened (like Brown Cow) yogurt every day. Soy has been linked to health issues, so I don’t overdo it on that. I could find a more scientific source, but the Pritikin site notes that “many studies on soy-eating populations in Asia have found links between their diets and reduced risk of various diseases, including heart disease and cancers of the breast and prostate.” So, for me, moderation is key. I think exercise is key for bone health.. walking every day, weight-bearing exercise. All the best of all of you!!!
mmm you drank Almond milk///Your mother drank Powered milk///Theres the answer
Stop spreading your bullXXXX
Right? No sources or links to back up this article. Stupid people shouldn’t be allowed on the Internet.
So freedom of speech is bullXXXX then i take it.
N to be honest i didnt know stupid people werent allowed on the net thats all i see on there everyday.
N by the way wats ur IQ????
Did you cite anything in this entire article?
Hello,
I would like to ask if cottage cheese also affects the bones negatively. I rat this alot when I workout to recover.
Looking forward to your reply (and sorry if I missed the answer in the text).
Kind regards,
Daniel
I grew up on a dairy form and there were jokes about how much milk our family drank. My mother has severe osteoporosis and fractured her hip, and my father also had osteoporosis and a hip replacement. I wish I had had this information when I was much younger.
Thank you for sharing that////Goes to show!!!!
Debbie needs to read your article again………..By her comment she didn’t understand what you were saying! I liked you r artcle
I think you forgot to mention it also has casein in it. Also pus and blood. Casein causes cancer. Look it up if you don’t believe me. Its clearly written in wiki .
Casein on its own doesn’t cause cancer, but in tandem with complex sugars and fats (often also found in milk) it can lead to an increase in IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1, a steroid-type protein with a superficial resemblance to insulin) production. IGF-1 leaves certain types of cells a more fertile environment for independently mutated cancers. Drinking fat-free milk could potentially negate this.
Also, seriously? Milk contains pus and blood? Are you XXXXting me? That’s like saying “beef contains horse” as a net statement because of that one manufacturing error in England. Pus and blood in your milk would be the result of poorly maintained machinery and/or a neglect of the dairy cows’ welfare.
Sorry to tell you but my friend works in a multi award winning butchers. Many cows have cancerous growths cut out and then the rest ends up on your plate.
The meat/dairy industry hide so much from the customer. It’s in their best interests to do so
Last I checked they don’t butcher dairy cows for milk and I don’t see the issue with cutting off cancer, it is not like cancer can be contagious… at least cross species anyway.
Every single Dairy cow ends up as a burger
I used to live on a dairy farm. None of our cows ended up as hamburgers or steaks. When they were to old to produce they lived out their lives peacefully and were buried on the farm.
You haven’t addressed either point. Also, what’s your point? Cancerous growths are difficult to process and generally disgusting.
You mean the part on wiki from “The Chinese Study”? The book is a joke written by a Vegan with an agenda. He believes in a low fat diet. This low fat crap is what has made everything half or no fat, but with four times the sugar. You cannot demonize a single aspect of our diet and reject it like that. The proper diet is to eat a range of everything( all in moderation ). We are omnivores, we have evolved eating whatever is available. The people with diet based health problems are those who haven’t properly diversified their diet or simply have bad genes. To be vegan you must eat many foods with planning else you will end up underweight and malnourished as many vegans do. Add just a little meat and fat to a vegan diet will greatly reduce the need to pay close attention to what you eat. On the flip side, going full carnivore isn’t so easy either. It’s a fine balancing act.
Why would we care about blood? Milk will pass on whatever might be in the blood anyway and we eat plenty of blood in meat. Pus isn’t much concern either, we discovered a great technique, it’s called pasteurization. If there is enough to make it taste funny, I’ll buy someone else’s milk.
So the obvious answer to the Western obesity rates is to consume more animal proteins as we have been doing? How is this going to change anything. Do research and don’t base the healthiest lifestyle in the world out of your own, ignorant opinion.
Tities
amazing
Unless the government gets to all the turtles in the form of medication
Turtles?
If your gonna do it just drink some titty milk, I’m sure it’s much needed! supply, demand, Tittie’s! What’s not to love. Jobs for everyone, we can just set up woman boobie factory’s, to make it more private! Oh, and have drive through tittie places, with organic boobie fruit flavored sanitizing lube. Now I understand our fascination with breasts! Thanks guys
I must say your comment is funny but then you are a Man!
Facts are facts, ignorance is ignorance, it’s either two jackasses, or people working for the milk company; u can lead a dumbass to beer, but you can’t stop a dumbass from drinking it. Either afraid of the truth or to damn dumb to comprehend!
You seem to be a loudmouth idiot
agreed
Good to see someone speak sense Jeremy
Morons to say that. Humans are the only people that drink from other species. This doesnt make sense! Why dont we just drink from rats then!? You say it is because they dont have milk, maybe they do, we don’t know, we only know that we aren’t suppose to drink from them. Same with cows and goats and anything else.
ANIMAL MILK IS BAD! Scientists have proven.
Smart
ANIMAL MILK IS BAD AND ANIMAL MEAT IS WORSE. YOU SHOULD EAT HUMAN MEAT INSTEAD OF ANIMAL MEAT OR DON’T EAT MEAT AT ALL!
LOL Thats not funny!
All mammals produce milk, even rats. However rats, unlike cows, wouldn’t produce enough to be worth harvesting. Also, people don’t like rats so it’d be hard to find a market for rat milk. Same issue with dogs and cats, too small. We could milk humans, but morals and health issues prevent that. We do milk sheep, goats, yaks, buffalo, horses, reindeer, llamas and camels. Basically, if it can produce enough milk to be worth it and isn’t a risk to milk (like an Elephant) then we probably milk it. Similarly, if it lays an egg (even snails), someone eats them.
Oh and milk is just a mixture of food. The fact it provides everything a young animal needs to live for the first years of its life is plenty to say it is very healthy, but it also says too much will make you grow as fast as that animal and calves grow fast.
This article is dum. You all so dum. Hairy booby titty milk saved my life. I had case of queefs and then i suck nipple of cow 12 times. I got super powers and was known as titty boob man who shoot laser beams out my foot long nippy nips. Milk is good for yall. Make you all big boom boom. you get all ya vitaminz and have a good tim. Stop being a bunch of cotton headed titty nuggets and suck yo titty boob milk
Yo what the heck u mean nippy titty milk is bad 4 u. Dont be bad bout sexy cow tits they hairy good make bones strong. Suck titty milk and you be good big and hairy cow nipps will help u. Milky tits have many good things and pills make u big boom boom. Ur queefs will be vitamin and more cow nip tit milk will make healthy boy cuz i suck milk tits since i young girl and my mommy says i big girl.
Hi. Milk is good for you. I love milk. Milk.
aw hell ya hairy booby titty milk
I’ll be laughing so hard, when all of you DIE of cancer or DIABETES!!!!
Why would you laugh? Ill laugh when you feel like XXXX when all the close minded people you care about die from not listening to the science. Your mean bro you deserve cancer
NICK M YOU IGNORANT SLUT DID YOU EVEN READ THE ARTICLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!