I have been dairy free for over 4 years and since leaving that milky stuff behind my digestive health has never been better. In high school it was the worst! I seemed to be allergic to all foods and would get rashes constantly. I was so glad to learn about alternative medicine then, which took me down the path to finding the root cause of my symptoms. I found my two main triggers were dairy and gluten! More on gluten in my next post…

So I decided to go completely dairy free and gluten free. Let me tell you, my skin is not dry and flaky anymore, my tummy is not on fire and digestion has never been better. I wont try to convince you just take a minute to read the points below and make your decision accordingly. I hope you find the answer to your health concerns as I did!

1. Milk Lowers Bone Density! 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. Ill speak more on this later…
2. Adult Mammals Do Not Drink Milk! Especially from another species! Unlike humans, once animals are weaned, they never drink milk again. This applies to every mammalian species on in the world. 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, this 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 so it does not make a suitable replacement.
3. Milk Depletes Bone Calcium! “Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20, 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). A 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. “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). “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.” Amy Lanou Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C.,
4. Milk Acidifies The Body! 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 those 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!
5. Drinking of Pasteurized Milk is Fairly New! Until the end of the 19th century in Europe, and the beginning of the 20th century in the US, milk was consumed unpasteurized which is raw milk. Later on homogenization became the industry standard. These processes further alter milk’s chemistry and actually increase its acidifying effects. Raw milk advocates are on to something. They claim if 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 however milk is very questionable for many other reasons.
6. Increase risk of cancer! Unless you are drinking certified organic milk, cows are given antibiotics and a genetically engineered form of bovine growth hormone (rBGH). rBGHA is man-made, synthetic hormone used to artificially increasemilk production, rBGH also increases blood levels of the insulin-growth factor 1 in those who drink it. And higher levels of IGF-1 are linked to several cancers. Samuel Epstein, MD, Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition wrote in an article titled “Monsanto’s Hormonal Milk Poses Serious Risks of Breast Cancer, Besides Other Cancers” (http://www.preventcancer.com/press/releases/july8_98.htm, 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.” An elevated risk of prostate cancer incidence and mortality has been associated with dairy consumption and the same may be true for ovarian cancer.
7. Milk is Totally Unnecessary! Just as the dairy industry has spent a fortune on ads convincing Americans that milk moustaches are stylish and that milk is nutritious , dairy lobbyists have convinced government officials to keep dairy products in schools and dietary guidelines. The reality is that there is no reason for humans to consume cow’s milk—and there are many reasons to avoid it. Dairy products are packed with fat and cholesterol and may increase the risk of health problems ranging from asthma to some types of cancer. Calcium is a necessary nutrient that we can easily get enough of from many other foods. Such as green leafy vegetables and legumes, nuts, seeds, and broccoli. Broccoli actually contains a staggering amount of calcium that is actually more readily absorbed by the body, unlike cows milk.”

8. Over 70% of the World is Lactose Intolerant! The enzyme responsible for breaking down lactose is lactase, an enzyme found on the wall of the intestines. Lactase breaks down lactose (the sugar found in milk) into galactose and glucose. In humans lactase greatly reduces after breastfeeding, because at that point our bodies no longer needs as much lactase because we should be weaned off milk. But humans have adopted the trend of consuming another species milk through adulthood! Also keep in mind that human mothers milk is much different from the milk of a cow. The reduction of lactase activity after infancy is a genetically programmed event. Approximately 75 % of earths population is lactose intolerant for the reason that it’s perfectly natural!

9. There are No real Nutrients in milk! Pasteurizing milk kills all of the nutrients, including calcium.
10. Milk Causes Acne! Milk is has been linked with acne by at least three large-scale studies reported in the American Journal of Dermatology. Research shows that there is up to 44% more chance of developing acne in those who drink milk. “Dairy does appear to be associated with acne, with the strongest association being skim milk.”
11. Its Totally Unhealthy For Adult Humans! People with many different healthy complaints notice a significant improvement when they avoid dairy. Health complaints associated with dairy intolerance include irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, sinus problems, and ear infections.

HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT ANIMAL MILK AND DAIRY

1. Get loads of sunshine to ensure plenty of vitamin D.
2. Start eating masses of green leafy vegetables so you can ensure you are getting your calcium.
3. Try substituting milk with nut milks. Many contain as much calcium as animal milk
4. Many studies show that raw milk (unpasteurized) is far better because the nutrients have not been destroyed. Raw goat’s milk and raw sheep’s milk are both increasingly popular.
5. Avocado is a wonderful butter substitute. It offers a creaminess that is people who have given up milk miss.
6. Coconut butter is another buttery, creamy substitute for those that want to give up milk. Coconut butter and coconut oil are two of the healthiest oils especially for cooking. It can also replace butter as a spread and cream in cakes and desserts.
7. Try nut butters such as tahini, almond butter and cashew butter.
8. Try coconut yogurt with fruit and honey. the possibilities are endless!So, Instead of harming our health like cow’s milk, these plant foods boost our immune systems and help us avoid chronic illnesses.

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