The truth about milk and why it is bad for your health!
We don't consume diary and neither should you. In this article I will help you understand the negative affect that dairy has on our bodies and minds.
Dr. Mark Hyman, founder and medical director of the UltraWellness Center says:
“Milk is the most nutritious food....if you are a calf.”
Last time I checked, none of my family members were calves. So why don't we drink milk or consume large amounts of diary? Strange as it may seem, we have a house on a cow farm. We enjoy watching how the cows roam freely and that is how far our love for diary goes.
It wasn’t always the case. Although I never gave my kids much cows milk to drink, they still had yogurt and butter on occasion. They have never been cheese lovers so that wasn't a problem for us.
Why should we not use milk or other dairy products, you ask? What about calcium and all the goodness that comes with milk/dairy?
When cows produce milk for their calves the level of IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) and growth hormones in cows are extremely high. This is so that the calves grow quickly. Some farmers even add extra hormones and antibiotics to increase their milk production. These IGF-1, growth hormone and antibiotic stay in the milk and we consume it to the detriment of our health.
When children are given dairy products from a young age it puts an extra burden on their small developing bodies. Extra hormones and antibiotics, they don't need, cause serve problems. It may cause early puberty as well as gut imbalance. Symptoms of these problems appear as allergies such as asthma, ADHD, ear infection and many more.
Long term use of diary can lead to autoimmune diseases, both in adults and children. It is more likely to occur if you have a history of autoimmune disease in your family and your children are even more at risk.
Dairy can harm you and your family in many more ways. Research shows that a high intake of diary products and calcium may increase the risk of prostate cancer in men by as much as 30-50%. This is due to IGF-1, a known cancer promoter. If you have a family history of prostate cancer, your risk is even higher.
Calcium isn't a bone protector as many people believe. In fact, Vitamin D and magnesium may play a much more important role in preventing fractures and other bone related issues than calcium.
Countries with the lowest rate of diary consumption have the lowest rates of osteoporosis.
So what is the alternative to dairy? Our family uses coconut milk for our porridge and we enjoy the family time when we make our own yoghurt. Depending on your taste and budget you can look into milk alternatives such as almond milk, oat milk, rice milk or coconut milk. If you are feeling productive you can make your own nut milk or you can choose organic brands, if your wallet allows. Better yet, just remove diary from your diet altogether.
As for improving our bone health, consume lots of green veggies rich in calcium and invest in a good quality multivitamin which includes calcium and magnesium. Add a Vitamin D liquid supplement and watch your health and body improve with leaps and bounds.*