What if I handed you a glass of something to drink and provided you a warning label with the following side effects:
* May cause cancer
* Can cause weight gain
* Can lead to osteoporosis and increase your risk of bone fractures
* Will most likely cause inflammation leading to eczema, ear infections, congestion, headaches, and sinus problems
* Is a leading cause of acne
* Can contribute to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
* Can increase allergy sensitivities
If you read this warning label, would you constantly stock this item in your home, drink three glasses of this each day and give it to your children as well? Any clue as to what it might be? * * * * If you guessed Cow's Milk, you are absolutely correct! You might be as dumbfounded as most Americans are, when they find out the side effects of the creamy drink are actually "udderly" ridiculous for us. You might be asking yourself, "How am I going to get my calcium if I don't drink milk for strong bones? What about the Olympic athletes and their 'Got Milk' mustaches? My Great-Great-Grandpa drank fresh milk every day off of his family farm and he lived until he was 101!" To answer those questions: There are copious amounts of other foods that contain calcium. Arugula, Sesame Seeds, Broccoli, and Sweet Potatoes actually contain more calcium than a glass of milk. Yes, we've all seen athletes sport their milk mustaches and have heard that 'Milk... It Does a Body Good,' however, have you ever heard of celebrity propaganda? The milk that your Great-Great-Grandfather drank was very different than the milk found in today's grocery stores. Today's cow's milk contains reproductive hormones, chemicals, antibiotics, allergenic proteins, growth factors and the poor cows who provided that milk were most likely not allowed to graze in open pastures, or even see the light of day. It is unfortunate that some of the' experts' that created the food pyramid which promotes milk drinking actually work for the Dairy Industry! Yikes! That is why these recommendations reflect the industry, rather than our health or even scientific evidence. It has been found that countries who consume the least amount of dairy actually have the LOWEST amount of osteoporosis. Calcium, in fact, might not be as protective as we thought against reducing the risk of bone fractures. Vitamin D might actually be your better bet. Over the last several decades, increased milk consumption has also been linked to cancers and heart disease as well. I've already been there, done that. I do NOT want to increase my chances of having cancer ever again! So, with all of this information, what is a family to do!?!? You can drink dairy alternatives (Almond Milk, Oat Milk, Cashew Milk, Coconut Milk, etc), however even some of these commercially manufactured products have junk and additives in them! Your best bet is to drink water, make your own dairy-free drinks at home, or if you do buy store-bought dairy-free milk, just watch the ingredient labels on any commercially manufactured product. Wean yourself off of cow's milk one drink at a time and before you know it, your skin will be clear, your gut health will be healed, and your headaches will be gone. Cheers to a dairy-free lifestyle!
