Tuesday 25 March 2014

Why I don't heart dairy



Have you ever considered why a cow produces milk?  It's the same reason that females produce milk, to feed our babies to help them to develop and gain weight so that they have the best start in life.  Breast milk can grow an 3kg newborn into a 10kg toddler.  It is intended to allow for the biggest growth spurt of a person's entire life.  When a child is anywhere from 12 to 24 months old, a mother stops breast feeding.  Her milk dries up.  The child will never drink breast milk ever again.

Cows are much the same, their bodies produce milk only when they give birth.  Contrary to belief cows don't need to be milked - ever.  Their udders, like women's breasts exist even when there is no milk in them.  There is one major difference though.  Cow's milk by design, grows a 40kg calf into a 900kg cow over the course of two years.  It allows calves to double their birth weight in forty-seven days and leaves their four stomachs feeling full.

So now I want to ask you a question?
Why do we as humans ingest a food that is designed to make baby cows fat?
Now I know that you are thinking, "but we need cows milk to grow up big and strong, it's the only source of calcium I can get, and without milk my bones will break or I'll get osteoporosis".

Let's address the main underlying issue everyone has with limiting their intake of dairy - Where do you get your calcium?

Firstly you don't need to be ingesting calcium by the truck load.  A simple way to get adequate calcium is by including the following foods in your diet: fortified grains, kale, cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, seaweed, chickpeas, red beans, soybeans, seeds and nuts.  Did you know that 1 cup of kale, broccoli and tofu has more calcium then 1 cup of cow's milk.

Milk is also not a reliable source of minerals.  You get much higher levels of manganese, chromium, selenium and magnesium from fruits and vegetables.  Fruits and vegetables are also high in boron, which helps lessen the loss of calcium through urine.  Consuming high amounts of dairy also blocks the absorption of iron, contributing to iron deficiency.

Dairy products have been linked to a host of other problems too, including acne, anaemia, anxiety, arthritis, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, fibromyalgia, headaches, heartburn, indigestion, irritable bowl syndrome, joint pain, osteoporosis, poor immune function, allergies, ear infections, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, autism, Chron's disease, and cancer.  In short dairy products are disease producing.  They're the perfect thing to eat if you want to be sick and have a diseased body.

To look at this from a vanity stand point, the amount of weight you will loose from removing dairy alone will make you want to kick it to the curb.  The fat in cheese is what gives it the taste and texture that we love; 70 to 80 percent of the calories found in cheese are from fat.  Even if you think you are buying the low fat versions, more than half the calories still come from fat and the other half is pumped full of sugar to make it taste bearable.  Remember what milk is made for; it is designed to make baby cows fat, do you really think milk can be made fat free?

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, you don't have to give up on traditional milk products, there are some great substitutes if you are craving something a little sweeter or if you love having milk in your morning coffee.

In Australia, Sanitarium make a range of great soy, seed, grain and nut milks, remember to read the labels though and don't buy the products that are pumped full of sugar, try to buy the un-sweetend versions.  Sanitarium also make a pretty amazing soy ice-cream.  There are also more and more coconut products out there everything from yoghurt, milk and ice-cream are available.

Remember as the demand grows for healthy, yummy, animal free, dairy free products more and more companies will supply us with these foods.  So let your consumer dollars voice your desire and your body will be rewarded.

Nic
xx

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This is all just my opinion and advice, you can do what ever it is that you want.

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