WHAT ABOUT COW'S MILK? PART 1

THE CALCIUM QUESTION
Many drink milk for its calcium. But milk alone is not really the ideal vehicle for calcium absorption. The body needs other nutrients if it is going to absorb calcium. Other nutrients include boron, vitamin D and magnesium.  Women are told to drink milk to ward off osteoporosis. The belief is that dairy products contain calcium that will help. The reality is that cow's milk is not designed to be consumed by humans. Ingesting dairy actually creates a state of acidity in the body. This acidity causes the body to pulls salts and minerals from the bones in an effort to rebalance. The leaching of these essential minerals and salts actually weakens the bones.  

If you want to raise your calcium intake, consider eating plant foods rich in calcium that have the other nutrients naturally within them. If it is from a grown food source, the calcium is bioavailable, meaning the body can actually absorb and use that calcium. Try collard greens, kale, broccoli, bok choy, brussel sprouts, figs, tahini and beans. Not only do these have calcium, but they also have the necessary magnesium that helps the body absorb the calcium as well as boron and vitamin D.

MILK PRODUCTION IN THE U.S.
Why hasn't milk production slowed since we first began studying its effects in the 70’s? 

There are many reasons for this. One of the main reasons is that milk has a huge industry behind it with a carefully crafted public image. With movie stars doing its advertising, milk has raised its profile to “cool yet nutritious” status. Celebrity milk mustaches were in just about every publication you picked up. Who could argue with a thin, muscular athlete touting; "Milk does a body good!”?  

Another reason is that humans may be “addicted” to dairy. Both cows’ milk and wheat have opioids in them, which are highly addictive (Human breast milk has this too!) This is to keep a baby calf interested, soothe it and keep the baby suckling and calm. It also helps with the baby/mommy bonding process. Yes, even organic milk contains a powerful opiate in the morphine family called casomorphin. 

To make matters worse, the concentrated dairy products such as ice cream, whipped cream and cheese have increased levels of these opioids, which explains why you can't stop eating them!  

NEXT STEPS
If you want to eliminate dairy, it's best to try a gradual approach of trying alternatives. There are so many delicious ones! First, try not drinking milk as a beverage and just having it as a "condiment" in your other foods.Then, you can add hemp, almond or coconut milk to your daily choices, such as on cereals or in recipes.  For a great idea, try my recipe for Vegan Cashew Creme. You won't believe it!