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
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!
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!
Here is a link to a snippet of the article this person referenced: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/ebm/record/22081694/full_citation/Milk_and_acid_base_balance:_proposed_hypothesis_versus_scientific_evidence_
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.
‘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.
Raw milk? Are you trying to say that raw milk is better than pasteurized milk? Raw milk contains loads of bacteria, especially since it just came from a cow. The bacteria is not killed, therefore multiplies. I don’t see how not pasteurizing milk will make it healthier.
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.
Nice! I like ice-cream too.
Sadly, they now put Polysorbate 80 in most Icecreams, which is known to cause sterility, check it out.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
You are WRONG! Antibiotics ARE in the milk. They are routinely given to the cows and they end up in the milk!
I second that!
omg best comeback ever! roflmao
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wilbur is my adult tabby. A mammal. Wilbur would drink all the cow’s milk we’d let him.
I like ice cream.
ice cream is crap for the most part: corn syrup, ie….
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.
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
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.
https://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.
“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”
This is one of the most ridiculously moronic things I have ever read.
Please punch holes in it!!
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).
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.
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.
HAHAAHA @ idkwhattoputhere reply.
touché!
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.
I’m shocked by the language and disrespect used in this thread. If you drink milk or not I have decided that it doesn’t make a person nicer or smarter. Don’t need a case study for this . To all those who are enjoying life the best they chose I say Cheers! Wish politically speaking I’d stop getting y pockets milked for money.. but hey. Inconclusive study whether that causes cancer or is healthy for is either…LOL
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.
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! 😀
harhar!!!
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.
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.
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.
Agree!
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!
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
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.
wtf animal bones?
They started pasteurized the milk for a reason. Lots of people were getting sick on raw milk. People have very short memory I don’t believe in raw or past. I am not a calf! I love my water and white tea.
Where do i order the the “7day Rapid Cleanser”?
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
Well said Gerry! I am tired of these scare tactics that these “experts” use. Live life and enjoy in moderation!
Agree completely to both of you!
Just sat here with a glass of 2% and a cookie enjoying reading this site.
So many people spouting unfounded accusations about how cows are treated, what cows are fed, what milk causes and even that they have never touched milk and have super strong bones…
Good for you all, however without fair balanced testing all of the “I dont touch milk and I havent broken a bone before therefore milk is bad” statements are just hilarious.
Good food in a healthy and balanced way that suits individuals always.
N.B. to author, do be a dear and use referencing or a bibliography at the least so that you don’t a) look like a wannabe academic and b) assuming you are right, you give credit where credit is due.
/post
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.
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.
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.
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?
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
You’re a secretary, not a director. https://www.nvannualreport.com/entities-DNPC-MIDAR-HEALTH-FOUNDATION.aspx
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
Weight bearing exercise is great for improving bone strength. And eat spinich and other vegetables wiyh hihg calcium content
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.
Read “Green for life” its a book by Victoria Boutanko (sp?)
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
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.”
Here’s my recommendation: http://www.westonaprice.org
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….
Have you read “The Vegetarian Myth” by Lierre Keith?
I wouldn’t waste my time reading something as ridiculously titled as “The Vegetarian Myth.” Selfish humans will go to any extreme to justify and defend their egocentric, animal-exploitative beliefs.
What are you talking about? Just stop.
Wow funny thing, other scientific articles hold entirely different messages:
https://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.
https://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.
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.
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.
Where are your sources? I’d be interested in reading more into it.
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.
Agree with you there!
try RAW…has not had the nutrients “cooked out” of it; they are left in and Clean, unlike much of the cows’ milk.
Milk from cows languishing in their own feces, urine, and often in mud, is filthy!!
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.
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.
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.
Hey! I’ve been looking your website for a while. You have really useful posts. Great job:)
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
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.
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
And which part of the milk industry do you work in?
What part of the milk industry does vivian work in? Oh wait… Osteoporosis that’s right she doesn’t drink even drink it
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.
Pants? Well your comment is über toothpaste. Stop posting nonsense.
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…
You deserve a medal! (Will only be milk chocolate though!)
steve that was a bit of a nasty dig at vivian,
at the end of the day shes only trying to point out the pros and cons of the human diet and what could be bad for you and in my book any advice that can improve your health and maybe prolong your life can only be offered with good intentions. ive just gave up drinking milk a few weeks ago and ive never felt better.plus for the first time in my 49 yrs on the planet ive experienced the true tast of tea and coffee and its lovely!.my waistline has gone down 2 inches and i feel fantastic. but the one astonishing thing that struck me which id never given any thought to was the fact that niether cows or any other animal on the planet living in the wild drink milk in adult life.if that doesnt ring a warning bell then you must be still asleep and its time to wake up.
best wishes to vivian.
Keith, she is lying. Hence, there should be no remorse pertaining to calling her out.
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.
Not all milk is the same quality; skim, 2%, and “Low-Fat” are of no benefit. Whole milk contains the benefits.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@Rachel, Ahmen!
@Luke, you ruined the “mellow” of the stream. Save your sarcasm for some english teacher, for only will she appreciate (or value) it.
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!
Not magnesium, calcium is absorbed with vitamin D.
Do your research and check facts. Magnesium is indeed needed to absorb calcium.
I acknowledge this: magnesium is needed. However, calcium is more proportional to vitamin D level.
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.
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!
Here is food for thought; milkfat stimulates the metabolism and helps to burn body fat. Try, try to discredit that.
if you want to get thin and healthier, try olive oil!
That’s the only type of oil I use in cooking.
water sauteing work as well, no empty calories.
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.
It is such a relief to find another individual who looks critically and thinks for themselves!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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???
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
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.
A Gorilla’s penis is like 1 1/2″.
You mentioned that Almond milk is your preference. I drink coconut milk, what are your thoughts.
Thank you.
Victoria
Coconut milk is fine, Victoria.
Bit more information would be cool.
I agree with most of this article. I don’t think natural cow’s milk in moderation is harmful though. Recommending soy milk is terrible. Processed soy products (including tofu) are worse than pasteurised products because they are not a whole food. Soy bean and real whole tofu, etc, is healthy, but it’s very rarely kept as a “whole” product in the western world.
Also, the isolated soy protein in the milk and protein supplements is an Estrogenic.
I disagree with all of your posts except this one! For anyone that did not know, it is true that soy in just about any form mimics estrogen in the body,And too much estrogen is no good! It can feminize men,and can cause breast cancer in women. Soy only benefits post-menopausal women obviously because they have low estrogen levels.
True that.
Your claims are tapered to your bias. Though some of your supporting details are based upon fact, but your claims are purely opinion. The calcium in milk is similar to the nitrogen in the air; it needs a carrying agent to be absorbed and used. For milk, this agent is Vitamin D, which is included in “Whole” milk or can be made by the body in exposure to sunlight. With Vitamin D present, the Calcium is absorbed into the bones. 300 mg of Calcium is 30% of the daily recommended value; this can be obtained from 8 fluid ounces of milk.
The solitary piece of useful advice from this article:
Drink whole milk.
Readers of this article:
Please do independent research befor believing these claims; do not take the above composition at face value.
Author of this article:
Please do not take scientific evidence out of context to manipulate your audience.
If this is in a book, then that book should be appropriately classified in entertainment rather than in health or science, for this is closer to a commentary than an informative composition.
If you think it should be classified as entertainment, then you should know where to find it right? Thanks for the comment. Hope you like living life blindly. On that note, I have read scientific articles (independent of this and on my own time too) on the processing of milk and what it actually does in the body. I’ve studied nutrition. You give no valid reason for denying it and you also think that typing up something smart will make you look like the good guy. But there in your comment there is nothing to back up your statement so you don’t look so good do you?
Your comment is precarious as you claim mine to be for you have no references other than your *claim* “I have done research”. Please come back to this forum when you can remove fact from opinion.
I lived in Europe for years, where I grew up. I didn’t drink any milk there. I consumed hardly any dairy products at all, and mostly few times a month only. Surprisingly, I had never been sick and my bones were very strong. But when I came to US, my diet has changed drastically. It was only and only then that I started to drink milk and eat dairy products on a daily basis. Within few months I started having health problems. Since then my health has deteriorated to the point where I can’t work anymore. I have broken my bones, fructured them, and now have a serious difficulty walking, all thanks to this wonderful diet we are told by doctors to follow. If I would have never listened to them from the start, I would have never had my life ruined by them. The article states facts, not opinions. And I have lived to experiance the effects. I’m not even 40 years old yet, am permanently disabled, and already had to fight multiple forms of cancer(only using natural remedies, which do work far better than chemo or radiation therapies put together), and have permanent and irreversable health problems. All these have taken place in the US, and started after I have been living here and exposed to chemicals-riddled food and milk. What you believe is a fiction, I have truly lived and can testidy that it is truth.
It wasn’t the milk, it was all the American junk/ fast food you were rapidly exposed to. Nice try
One thing we must be clear, when we talk about hormone free range free antibiotics free dairy, this is as healthy as can be it has been proved that people that have intolerance to dairy (pasteurized) once they change to organic and I mean full organic do not have this problem, for natural milk has its own lactose, and please most people that come from abroad they adapt to the junk diet most Americans consume, pesticide laden vegetables and fruits, processed food laden with chemicals, fluoridated water and I can go on and on, but hopefully you get the message, and please some of you who are comparing as our close relatives to orangutans, pig’s skin in experiments are used for as close to human properties, that does not mean that we are related, to begin they have no sweat glands.
Here is your answer to Organic Milk: We are Hunter College students. We arranged this Organic Myth website to inform the public what you’re eating and drinking.
Check it out:
https://buythelabel.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/test/
That URL is irrelevant.
guys, you have been well brain washed, congrats!
not enough vitamin d in milk in order to process calcium.
best way to get calcium + vitamin D is fish!
Tis why whole milk is always enriched with vitamin D. Plus, it’s naturally occurring in humans with sunlight; we make our own.
As another comment pointed out, I have also drank whole milk straight from the bulk tank (unpasteurized) all my life. My family and I are all very healthy aside from the occasional cold or flu. Not only my immediate family, but also my distant relatives have dairy farmed for many generations and none have ever had bone problems. I am not a doctor so I would never say its necessary for everyone to drink cows milk but I definitely do not think it can hurt. I believe there are many worse things that people drink compared to milk (ie. soda and sugary juices). And after all, milk is 88% water. There are many worse things you could be advocating against than the consumption of milk. One last point, cows need to be milked, it is a natural process. Milking a cow does not hurt her, it relieves the stress of the milk in the udder. I love my cows and would never hurt them!
The statement “cows need to be milked, it is a natural process” is a little short-sighted. Cows do need to be milked, by their calves, not by humans. Cows make milk for their babies, not for humans. Taking that away from them for human gain is extremely harmful both for the health of the calf and for the emotional and psychological well-being of the cow. You think you never hurt cows? Think again.
I am laughing my butt off at how you keep putting these ignorant fools in their place. Leave it to a dairy farmer to defend something they obviously have no clue about. How sad. Keep up the good work.
You know what, follow lies, be consumed by fad diets and substitute substances, for your health will be as consistent a the stock market. I will eat as much meat as I want; go cry in a corner vegans and vegetarians. I have been drinking milk all my life, never broken a bone, and am healthier than all of you Milk-Haters, so if you wish to be overweight, pale, and unhappy, continue to think that there is something with something as natural as milk.
“the emotional and psychological well-being of the cow.” Are you freaking retarded or what? Have you actually ever seen a cow?
Cow’s give plenty of milk on a daily basis as long as they’re
fed properly. I am sure most of you all do not know much about
cows, no more than what you read.
I’m guessing that cow’s milk is a supply and demand thing. Guess what, a mom breastfeeding her baby can also pump milk out and will not be starving her baby in any way. More demand on the breast for milk equals higher milk production. I’m thinking the same applies to cows…that they can safely feed their babies as well as be milked for human consumption without in any way harming their offspring, as long as their diet gives them plenty of nutrients to support their production.
Just wanted to say that I totally agree with your article! I grew up with very little dairy products because I was slightly allergic to it. Instead I was given organic soy milk, which is delicious, to be honest. But, its not all that good for you. Recently I’ve heard that the body is unable to properly use soy, and it blocks important thyroid hormones to help your body. Last year i had part of my thyroid removed, and soy was all I drank..I’ve had issues with that all my life, so I suggest it’d be better with an almond milk or even oat milk, which is a bit uncommon but has very
many heart benefits. Oat milk is amazing, tastes way better than cow’s milk. I worked in a healthfood store which is how I came to find it, I highly reccomend it.
Thanks for sharing the article!
Oat milk is very easy to make at home.
A couple of corrections. First, I agree that cow’s milk should only be consumed by calves. However, there is NOT antibiotics in the milk you buy at the store. The milk hauler takes samples from each and every tank he or she picks up. Those samples are tested and any milk that tests positive (and ALL the rest of the milk in that truck) is dumped. Second, while most cows from the factory farms get BST, MANY smaller farms do not use it. And you can buy milk that is certified hormone free from untreated cows. Just like anything else you need to be a vigilant shopper. BTW, BST is ILLEGAL in Canada.
What about raw goat’s milk? Is it a benefit?
Thanks!
Dear Vivian, thank you so much for this important information about milk. I am going
to stop drinking milk, although I like eating
little bit of cheese sometime. I will slowly
cut that off too.
vivian,
Can you please do an artical on the benifits or lack of benifits of fresh, non pastrized, naturally horminized goat milk. They are feed alfalfa hay, and free graze of timothy grass, fescue, acorns, cudzue, pecans and leaves of many trees and weeds. No drugs injected or pesticides on pasture. We make fresh yougart with local honey and cheese. Forgive the typeos, I am off to Milk the girls!
C.C.
Celeste, I talked about goat milk in Vivian Answers Day #10 (https://saveourbones.com/vivian-answers-day-10/). The bottom line is that I’m not an advocate of drinking any kind of animal milk, whether it’s raw or processed.
Well, I have read plenty of stuff about milk, both pro and con, from a scientific standpoint. I am currently reading (an albeit older but very well researched) book by Marjorie Holmes that is very much pro. But beyond the scientific arguments, I have to ask myself one very important (to me) question: If cow’s milk is not good enough for me, why did Abraham serve it (and butter) to the Lord? (See Genesis 18:7-8)
Thanks for sharing that resource Georgia. If you could mention the book I would love to check it out. Also, you may want to check out the Weston A. Price Foundation at:
https://www.westonaprice.org and RealMilk.com
Personally I think it depends more of the kind you drink. Here is an article about that for those who are interested.
https://www.westonaprice.org/making-it-practical/milk-it-does-a-body-good
I totally agree with vivian , avoid cow milk and cream , but eat cheese mainly goat cheese , also a larga sample of the human population is genetically intolerant to the proteins of milk and cream which are not present in cheese
The mediteranean population ‘s diet made of olive oil veggies and goat cheese
Has the lowest level of bones fracture
I dont believe that the ph of cows milk leaches calcium out of our bones. For one its pH is roughly 6.4-6.8 (wikipedia) which is nearly neutral. Compare this to coke which has a pH of 2 and see then you see which is really acidic. Also lactase persistance went through 2 SEPARATE evolutionary processes as it was selected for us to drink it, once in Europe and one in Africa. Is there any reference i can read about the pH of milk?
The PH of a food or drink outside of the body is not necessarily the same as inside the body. You have to know the PH affect after the food or drink is consumed. For instance, citrus fruits such as lemon, are highly acidic outside of the body, but actually are very alkalizing within the body. Soda is indeed highly acidic within the body, but milk is also acidifying. But, as a side note, it isn’t only the PH factor of milk that is of concern. Our bodies also have a very hard time digesting milk, and as a result, we produce a lot of excess mucous to protect ourselves. This is particularly true of processed milk. I learned about this from Hiromi Shina’s book The Enzyme Factor. He has analyzed over 300,000 colons, and has asked his patients about their dietary habits I think for most of that time. He has seen a clear connection between dairy consumption and resultant diseases (among other foods as well.) But what I think is really worthy to note is that he has a zero percent cancer recurrance of all his patients who followed his dietary recommendations. I think he has a very wholistic understanding, and I would recommend anyone who is interested to read his book. It is simple, but has a lot of great information.
I will add in reference to you comment about Lactase digestion evolution that people of European descent have developed more of a tolerance for it. But that still doesn’t mean it is good for us, and as said above, there is a big difference between raw milk and homogenized, processed milk.
Lactaid as an opotion for milk I am surprised not to find in the above article. It is available in several varieties, depending on the amount of fat (or none) you want.
I am a milk drinker albeit only 1 or 2 servings a day. At a point just prior to menopause, I showed signs of calcium loss in bone density tests and was advised to take a yearly drug to rebuild bones…I cvould tell something was wrong with my bones, my spine hurt etc. I was at a healthy weight and exercied. I refused to take a drug at that point However, at menopause, I suddenly gained about 25 lbs, without changing diet. I learned that this was a body’s defense mechanism to hold onto female hormones, which now would be made for me through an alternate pathway, ie no longer from the ovaries… Fat stores hormones etc… A side effect of this weight gain, mostly in the stomach area,etc, was that the bone problems went away….. Also the bothersome permimenopausal hot flashes also went away after this weight gain… This weight is persistent, resistant to dieting and according to my doctor, I would have to use an 800 calorie diet to lose anything, and this is not recommended or safe…However, I believe the bone improvement may be due to the weight bearing advantage of having to carry around this extra weight…. Both my parents in therir 80s are milk drinkers, not fragile and regulary play golf, ie several times a week. I believe nothing in my diet changed,,only a hormonal shift occurred… However, my very slim sister has osteopenia, and from what I can tell, women who are too slim,,, ie under 125 pounds are more likely to get bone problems… many of the slim dieters I have known are not healthy…Recently I read that the demographic thst lives the longest is NOT the demographic wiht either the normal or slim weight range, ie about 5/7 and 165 lbs is the prfile of the longest lifespan.. I am 5, 7 and 170 labs… feeling healthier now than ever… So I believe all things in moderation,,, but dieters,,, be careful,
Aslo I want to remark that many peoples in the northern areas of the world where access to fresh vegetables was non existent, ie Inuit traditional peoples, etc, had healthy meat based diets..We are not exclusive vegetarians,and the Masai people have Olympian levels of health and get it from milk.
Sincerely
A recent meta-analysis (April 2011) concludes that “a causal association between dietary acid load and osteoporotic bone disease is not supported by evidence and there is no evidence that an alkaline diet is protective of bone health.” Now, there may be flaws in these studies, but it is incumbent on those claiming that dietary acid load is problematic to show these flaws:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21529374
HI OK SO HERE WE BEGIN THE CONTROVERSIAL POINTS ON DAIRY OR NO DAIRY – MANY PEOPLE CHOOSEING TO STATE THAT ITS NO GOOD FOR MORE THAN ONE REASON 1. PROFIT IS BEING MADE BUT THEY WONT TELL YOU/CANT TELL YOU 2.THERE VEGAN BELIEF WILL GET IN THE WAY AND GET PETA VERY MAD 3.THEY HAVE DECIDE TO IGNORE THE REASON BEHIND GRASS FED RAW DAIRY THAT IT IS ABOUT THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE NOT SO MUCH OF CALCIUM, BUT MORE OF THE FAT SOLOBLE FATS IN THEM AS WITH OTHER ANIMAL SOURCES THE ONLY PLACE WE CAN GET FAT SOLUBLE FATS IS FROM ANIMAL FOODS SO SUPPLEMENTS OR CONSUME FOOD OR BOTH ONLY GREAT PRODUCTS AND FOOD ALWAYS SURE THERES THE DEBATE AND ALWAYS WE AS OUR ON PERSON NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT BENIFITSUS NOT OTHERS OR POCKETS OF OTHER BUT THE INTREST OF OUR OWN HEALTH DONT BE IGNORENT ABOUT THE OTHER INFO. OUT THERE READ IT TO AND DECIDE WITH MORE THAN ON REPORT REALLY STUDY DONT JUST DENIE BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ANIMALS DO YOUR HOMEWORK CORRECTLY THEN YOU AGAIN YOU DECIDE. FROM A CONCERNED CITIZEN
that’s very hard to read, next time don’t put it in all caps. From skimming, I can see that you argue that there isn’t anybody profiting off of milk consumption, but what about the milk industry, dairy farmers, the dairy council, etc. There wouldn’t be money for advertising if there was no money being made.
Very good points Alex.
For me what it ultimately comes down to is “Why do humans drink milk from cows (another species)?”
calves don’t drink milk after they are developed from their mother’s utter, humans don;t drink breast milk after a certain age. why then is it normal for adult humans to drink milk from another species? we force cows to produce milk after they no longer need to just because we have come to believe in it nutritious value. Well, the nutrition believed to be found in milk is available in a variety of food. A lot of vegetables are great sources for calcium, such a broccoli. the fact that milk i mass produced makes the product skeptical in its value of any nutrition, (what forces the cows to produce large amounts of milk their whole life, connected to machines. imagine female humans being forced to pruduce breast milk their whole life. NOT NATURAL)
if this makes sense to anyone i suggest you watch the documentary “Forks over Knives”
a quote from the article that sums it all up for me. “But unlike humans, once calves are weaned, they never drink milk again. And the same applies to every mammalian species on this planet.”
It makes me sad to think the author of this article has never seen a kitten. Cats are universally known for drinking milk of other animals long after they’ve been weaned.
About kittens… My vet told me that once kittens wean themselves (naturally), they never again drink milk (from any species) IN THE WILD. It’s only humans who give kittens and cats milk “because they love it.” My vet told me that milk was bad for my kitten/cat, and that I should give her only what she would drink in the wild, water.
WHAT???
I agree.Once animals are weaned for the most part they never drink milk again.There is money being made.Most animals are not grass fed though they should be.The poor cows are constantly
milked.The treatment of animals for our consumption should be titled abusive.All the chemical should be taken out of the food.
Floride should be taken out of the water.
The earth gave us what we need.
Hey Jenny, you may be interested in reading Dr. Mercola’s article – Vegetarian Movie ‘Forks Over Knives’ Critically Reviewed:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/13/vegetarian-movie-forks-over-knives–critically-reviewed.aspx
I’d have to say that the main reason why people tend to drink/consume milk or “milk products” is because it tastes good! God gave us animals to eat (Jesus was no vegan), so if we eat animals, why not eat the product they produce…and back in the days, some women were “kept breastfeeding” – they did it as a job (for women who couldn’t)….anyways, in the end, I LOVE milk and absolutely love cheese…if you don’t like it, don’t eat it! 🙂
I just checked the “Medical Research” section of Wikipedia’s article on Milk. They cite numerous studies demonstrating the health benefits of dairy fat consumption. I didn’t find any evidence supporting skim milk or no milk.
Here the link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk%23Medical_research
From Wikipedia:
A 2006 study found that for women desiring to have a child, those who consume full fat dairy products may slightly increase their fertility, while those consuming low-fat dairy products may slightly reduce their fertility.
…
Numerous studies have found that conjugated linoleic acid, found mainly in milk, meat and dairy products, provides several health benefits including prevention of atherosclerosis, different types of cancer, and hypertension and improved immune function.
really, wikipedia is your argument?
LOL, yea we need more fertile women. There doesn’t seem to be enough people in the world. It’s becoming a BIG problem. Atherosclerosis is CAUSED by meat and dairy! My god, why is it so hard for people to see through the B.S. of the Food and Drug industries? Milk is NOT for humans! Milk is for calves! Milk promotes cancer cell growth in humans! Animal FAT and Cholesterol are BAD for you!
Humans are the ONLY creatures to drink the milk of another species, and the only adults to do it PERIOD. It’s unnatural.
STOP DRINKING THE WHITE CREAMY FLUID THAT IS SQUEEZED FROM A COW”S TIT. IT’S NOT NORMAL!
Humans are the only species to do a lot of things. We are the only species that cooks our food before we eat it. Perhaps we shouldn’t cook our food anymore. (sarcasm)
a lot of humans on this planet do eat their food (meat, fish, veggies) raw though…
Yeah aye…imagine eating chicken without cooking it! hhaha I’d say we’d be pretty fudged**, if you get what I mean….meh, let us milk-drinkers drink, I say haha 🙂
I guess no one heard about the arsenic in chicken that the FDA have finally admitted to knowing about.
But it’s yum though 🙂
No offense But you heard it from wikipedia? Try reading about it from actual medical literature. Wikipedia “quotes” information. they do no research of their own. I bet you think the FDA is really protecting us too.
Has a causal relationship ever been clearly demonstrated? When you say there is a “link” I think about the whole slew of diseases and symptoms sometimes called “Western Disease” which has clearly followed western civilization everywhere around the globe. There is probably something other than milk consumption that causes the western diseases. Increase refined carbohydrate consumption and bad Omega 3/6 fatty acid ratios are high on my list of suspects.
I think nutrition theories should to take into account the many various indiginous diets that all seem to be tremendously healthy. If your theory is true then you would expect the Masi people who live almost entirely on cow milk and blood to have bad bones. This is surely not the case. They are among the healthiest people on earth and I bet have incredibly strong bones. Just something I would check on before accepting the apparent “link”.
Also was there any distinction made between skim, 2% or whole milk? I bet whole milk drinkers will very different results from skim milk drinkers. It’s possible (likely?) that skim milk consumption is a contibuting factor to osteoperosis because many of the good nutrients, like vitamin D and possibly calcium, require fat to be absorbed into the body.
These issues would need to be addressed before I would make changes to my diet.
My family and I drink milk. Not only that, we drink raw milk straight from the bulk tank. We’re all extremely healthy! We have very few (if any)health issues in our home. Ironically, the people who know who are strictly skim milk or NO milk advocates are always at the doctor’s office, or sick. Obviously, every case is different. We drink raw milk because we believe the pasteurized stuff is not good for us. But isn’t cutting milk altogether kind of extreme?
Jules, As an MD/PhD, I would love to know if you consider body fat percentage in your analysis of your healthy family. I’m so glad to hear that your family is healthy, and I’d like to provide examples of wholly healthy individuals who are making milk choices.
it also has to do with your genes write? every one is different