7 Reasons to Avoid Milk
Saturday, December 27th, 2008I had milk this Christmas! Yes…for the first time in years, I had milk products. I have to openly admit that I could not resist my mom’s magic cookie bars or my sister’s chocolate chip cookies. This means that I had milk and butter…and sugar! I am not proud of this fact, but I suppose it makes me human.
Many years ago I gave up milk completely because I found that it was related to my acne problems. More recently I have given up sugar as I discovered the beauty of raw chocolate and the beautiful, healthy sugar alternatives such as agave nectar, yacon syrup, lucuma, mesquite, xylitol and stevia.
I consider myself to have an extremely healthy diet, but when I am around my family, I suddenly realise that I have an outrageously healthy diet. Not that their diet is as bad as many in the country, they at least eat homemade food and lots of vegetables. But I suddenly seem to be really healthy…at the time of year when I am most unhealthy!
So what was the outcome of my milk sugar Christmas cookie craze??? First of all, a tiny spot (zit) developed on my lip and my forehead. Then a large spot appeared on neck. Then I began itching…my skin and head and ears. The climax came when a rash developed on my face. That was the end of the sugar/milk Christmas cookie craze.
I am soooooooo happy that I no longer have anything to do with milk and sugar. What is the point! Unfortunately, I am in the US and have run out or given away my raw chocolate supplies. But it won’t be long before I am reunited with my favourite chocolaty treats!
So today is the day to talk about why milk is so incredibly bad for us. Here are 8 reasons why all of us can consider avoiding cow’s milk:
1) Milk doesn’t keep our bones healthy, preventing fractures and osteoporosis. In fact, according the Nurse’s Health Study, dairy may actually increase the risk of fractures rather than protecting our bones. Countries such as those in Africa and Asia who don’t consume large amounts of dairy actually have the lowest rates of osteoporosis.
2) Milk is not the great source of calcium that most people believe it is. First of all, pasteurizing milk kills all of the nutrients, including calcium. Second, spinach, tahini, kale and other green leafy vegetables are the best sources of calcium on the planet.
3) 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.
4) Dairy may raise cancer risk. Research has revealed that a higher intake of dairy products may increase a man’s risk of prostate cancer by 30 to 50 percent. In addition, the body’s insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is a known cancer promoter is increased by drinking milk.
5) Approximately 75 percent of the world’s population is lactose intolerant, which means that they are unable to fully digest dairy. Lactase is the enzyme needed to digest lactose, and most people stop producing it around the age of 5.
6) Dairy is full of saturated fat and is linked to heart disease. Like cancer, countries such as Japan have a very low level of heart disease, and research commissioned by the New Zealand company A2 shows that there could be a link between and a protein in milk.
7) 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.
So what is the first step in giving up milk?
*Get loads of sunshine to ensure plenty of vitamin D.
*Start eating masses of green leafy vegetables.
*Try substituting milk with nut milk.
*Many studies show that raw milk (unpasteurized) is far better because the nutrients have not been destroyed. Personally, I can drink raw sheep’s milk without any problem!
