MILK: IT DOES A BODY BAD!!!

"Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." 
- Albert Schweizer

As I fly over the state of Texas, en route to Baton Rouge (our next destination on “School Pride”), I can’t help but notice all the farmland we’re flying over...and that made me think of the animals living down there. I have grown a new fondness and respect for myself, nature and all things living as I continue to study and learn more about our environment, health and nutrition, the human body and how different foods react in our digestive systems. What I’ve learned is both fascinating and disturbing, and that new found respect, especially as it pertains to farm animals, has driven me to write this particular blog about milk and dairy farming in general.

It’s moving at a snail’s pace, but Americans are starting to realize just how bad almost all dairy (especially pasteurized cow milk) is for us. It wreaks havoc in our bodies! The truth of the matter is we are ALL lactose intolerant to a certain degree. Our white blood cell count rises every time we ingest dairy just as it does when our body is trying to fight off a virus.

In her book, The Beauty Detox Solution, the brilliant clinical nutritionist Kimberly Snyder says:

"I usually stress moderation with all food groups, including fish and other animal protein for those who really want to keep them in their diet. However, this [dairy] is the one category where there is no room for moderation. No one should eat dairy. Period. We must all work to either cut dairy out of our diet immediately or transition it out completely. This is among the first recommendations I make to all my clients that are looking to feel better and become more beautiful."

Dairy products are also mucus forming. It's so "mucusy" and "gluey" that it's used in wood glue! Does this sound like something humans should be consuming?! I hope there wont be a "next time" after reading this but, next time you have ice cream, milk in your cereal, a coffee drink with some kind of dairy, or eat a bunch of cheese, notice that you have all this phlegm in your throat…that, my friends is the mucus and it’s not just in throat. It’s in your stomach, intestines, and colon too. Remember that cow's milk was designed for baby cows, not humans!

There’s so much false information out there about dairy. It’s in magazines, on the news...even doctors will give you false information and tell you to eat things like yogurt because it's "healthy". This is because the dairy industry is a HUGE multi-million dollar business and they certainly don't want the truth to hit your ears. They industry is very powerful and hugely influence congress and medical schools with their dollars. Think of the campaigns they spend millions on to tell American you should consume their products like The Milk Campaign with celebrities, or all those "Beef, its what's for dinner" commercials, etc. Do a little research and you'll see that there's nothing healthy about dairy products. I want to enlighten you with the truth -- what the real deal is with all things made of milk (ice cream, yogurt, cheese -- ANYTHING containing milk).

1. We are only supposed to drink our mother’s milk as babies and that’s it. Finito! Dunzo! In fact, we stop producing the enzyme that digests milk, lactase, after the age of 3. If you observe nature, you’ll notice that animals only drink their mother’s milk in their infancy. Well, it’s the same with human beings. Unfortunately, we take it a step further in the wrong direction by being the only animal on the face of the planet that drinks the breast milk of another species. Gross! Think about it. Do you ever see a piglet suckling on to a horse? A chimp drinking the breast milk of a gorilla? A goat drinking milk from a cow? Never. It’s not natural. Even cows don't drink cow's milk once they've grown up and wean themselves naturally. After having their mothers milk, they graze the land and eat grass for the rest of their lives.


2. Humans do not need milk for calcium or to strengthen our bones. Dairy actually does the opposite and causes the body to leach calcium from your bones making them weak. For years, women have been told to consume more dairy to avoid osteoporosis. Here’s a sad fact for ya: the level of milk consumption has risen dramatically since this campaign began, but the level of osteoporosis in women has continued to rise! The truth is that in order for our bones to properly absorb calcium, it needs high levels of magnesium...which milk does not contain. Leafy greens contain all the calcium and magnesium in perfect ratio for optimal calcium absorption. If you drink my "Veggie Lemonade" and eat organc leafy green salads everyday, you'll never have to worry about your bones not getting enough calcium. As my nutritionist and friend, Natalia Rose, explains on page 166 of her book “Detox 4 Women”:

"The only approach that will protect a woman and reverse bone loss is reverting to a highly alkaline diet with lots of leafy green vegetable juice, which contains the most highly absorbable form of calcium with magnesium. Any leafy greens will do: romaine, collards, kale, spinach, etc. Carrots are also high in calcium and magnesium, and will make the juice taste even better."

3. The growth hormones and antibiotics given to cows to make them produce more milk are in the dairy products that you eat and drink! Because of these hormones, children are developing MUCH quicker than nature intended. Little girls are developing abnormally large breasts and getting their menstrual cycles much earlier in life, which is not normal, but quickly IS becoming the norm. A friend just told me about his friend’s 9-year-old son who just started growing pubic hair! That’s crazy!


4. Casein is a dangerous protein molecule contained in dairy that our bodies cannot break down. More than 80% of milk is made up of casein. There're hundreds of studies that talk about our universal allergy to casein. It's a proven promoter of cancer, diabetes, coronary heart disease, autism, and other such illnesses. Casein is a big reason American children suffer from asthma, allergies, ear infections and the "common cold", which by the way, should not be common at all. In fact, it's totally preventable. Check out The China Study for more info on how terrible casein, and therefore all dairy, truly is for humans.
   
   
5. Pasteurization...it’s the process where the milk is boiled to kill the bacteria growing in the cows breast milk because of poor and inhumane farming practices (it’s the same deal with fruit juices). Yup, milk has to be sterilized/sanitized it's so gross! Not to mention that pasteurized dairy consumption is linked to thyroid conditions and diabetes. The life of a dairy cow is one of the saddest existences on earth. Cows are artificially inseminated and kept pregnant so that they continue to produce milk. Their baby is born and, if it’s a boy, they stick the calf in a tiny cage and the poor thing will never be allowed to roam because he can’t develop muscle for that veal dish that some human is gonna eat when he get’s big enough. This breaks my heart. Where’s the respect for nature and the life of these animals? There’s no need for this and in my opinion, it's criminal. Let’s not forget that we’re animals too. I would love to put these farmers in cages and see how they feel after just a few days. If the calf is a girl, she will be pumped full of growth hormones and given grain and corn to eat (remember, in nature, cows roam the land eating grass and do not eat corn or grain) so that she fattens up quickly and starts her life off as a suffering dairy cow being artificially inseminated to produce milk that humans shouldn’t be consuming in the first place! This is insane, yet it’s happening everyday in farms across America. But let’s get back to Mama Cow. After experiencing the trauma of having her newborn calf taken away from her (and make no mistake, it's a fact that they're anguished and even suffer depression afterwards) she is hooked up to a machine that will milk her for an unnatural amount of time. Now, we’ve all heard stories of human moms who stop breastfeeding because it’s so painful, right? Well, imagine being hooked up to a machine that milks you hard, constantly, to the point where it makes your nipples chafed and bloody! This is what dairy farmers do to cows and their bloody milk is what you consume in the form of milk, yogurt, ice cream, cheeses, heavy cream, etc. And corporations do a mighty fine job masking the disgusting milk with all kinds of addictive sugars (so you keep consuming their products, especially kids), chemicals to preserve and make it last longer in the fridge, flavoring to make it taste better, and artificial colors to make it look pretty.

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian." -Paul and Linda McCartney

If you want to see just how far our maltreatment of animals goes, watch this video. Warning, it's sad and graphic:

Aside from the complete lack of respect for animals and Mother Nature, the bottom line is that dairy products have no business being in our bodies, and are, in fact, harmful to us. It actually deteriorates our bones and teeth and over time, dairy contributes to one’s overall failing health and quicker aging. But please don’t take my word for it! Do a little research yourself and you’ll see that science will tell you the truth. It’s out there for everyone to easily find. Try NaturalNews.com for some great info on this subject.

To learn more about poor farming practices, which are even used with the fruits and vegetables you eat (which is why I always buy all organic), check out the documentaries “Food Inc” and “Food Matters”. The information will blow you away! And read my suggested books on nutrition in the “reading” section of my site. They’re easy reads and are chalk-full of information that will surely start you on the path towards true health, beauty, weight-loss, and energy.

If the above grosses you out and makes you feel sad…GOOD! The truth shall set you free, my friend. So please share this information with your friends and loved ones.

We tell children all the time, “education is the key to your future”…well, that doesn’t end when you graduate from school. The same is true with nutrition and all things in life. We can never stop learning.

I cry when I see videos like the one above, but you know what? It's ok because I've empowered myself with truth and knowledge that help me make healthier choices and I can make a difference in the world.

By educating yourself you’ll be able to make positive changes in your life and hopefully, you will choose to buy your food from companies that are worthy of your money. Dairy products, even yogurt, are not health foods so make better food choices. Look for raw (unpasteurized)/organic goat cheese and yogurt if you don't want to give it up and make the switch to almond milk instead of soy milk (I'll talk about how terrible soy products are in another blog). Start treating your body like the temple that it is and it will reward you. THAT, I can promise!

With lots of love for all animals that roam the planet, including humans :)

"The greatness of a nation and its moral process can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Mahatma Gandhi

Comments

[Lauren M]

I concur!

[Dariana]

Thank you for this Susie! I am a 4 year vegetarian trying to make the switch over to veganism and this may have fully converted me! Btw, im glad you recommended almond milk, it's my favorite!! :D

[SusieCastillo.net]

You are so welcome! I love almond milk too. I use it for smoothies : ) Don't forget to eat plenty of various greens and veggies too. I've met so many unhealthy vegetarians and vegans because they end up eating a ton of white pasta, rice, tofu, soy products and other processed foods. They forget how to eat whole foods from the earth.

Much Love,
Susie

[Hayley]

Susie,

I've read The China Study and become vegan recently. However, I thought soy milk was okay for you? I'm curious why you say to switch to almond milk instead.