Got milk? Get rid of it.
In 2013, the Got Milk ad campaign celebrated its 20th anniversary. For all of these years, we’ve been told that milk makes our bones strong and healthy. But throughout this same time period, Swedish researchers have conducted a study of 61,433 women and 45,339 men and their dietary habits. Their study found a correlation between the amount of milk consumed and an increase in bone fractures, inflammation, and death! (This was not the case with fermented milk products – just cow’s milk).
rBGH and Milk
Since the 1990s the 20-30% of the American milk supply has been produced by cows who were given rBGH, a growth hormone, used to increase milk supply. Many other countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the 27 countries of the European Union have rejected the use of rBGH. Knowing this, rBGH was not a factor in Sweden’s study. One cannot help but wonder how much worse the results would be if a replication of the Swedish study was done in America.
Lactose Intolerance and Milk Allergy
Although many confuse the two, a lactose intolerance is not the same thing as a milk allergy. Lactose intolerance means that your system cannot tolerate milk because it does not have the enzyme, lactase, which is required to digest the sugar in milk (lactose). Lactose intolerance causes stomach upset, bloating, gas, and loose stools.
A milk allergy often causes the same symptoms along with inflammation and tissue damage. Often a milk allergy is present without the obvious digestion problems. Other health problems, especially frequent respiratory infections, ear infections, and sinus infection, suggest a milk allergy. Food allergies also interfere with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.
Raw Milk
Raw milk is not pasteurized or homogenized. It still retains its full and rich heritage of vitamins, beneficial bacteria, linoleic acid, and enzymes – the very enzymes that help us to digest it (including lactase). When studies such as the Swedish study are published, we have to remember that the results were obtained from a population drinking (what we must assume is) pasteurized milk.
Conclusion
If you are going to consume milk or milk products, choose raw milk if it is available. It is a whole beneficial food if you are not lactose intolerant or allergic. Pasteurized milk is not a healthy food. It feeds Candida and other harmful microbes. If you are concerned about calcium, eat more green vegetables and avoid nutrient robbing, acidic, processed foods.
Pasteurized milk has no place in a healthy diet.
If you’re getting off pasteurized milk and other dairy products, it’s a good time to do a Candida cleanse. Also check out How Raw Milk Can be Dangerous.
Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:
- How Raw Milk Can Be Dangerous & Where It Is Legal
- Kill Candida and Balance your Inner Ecosystem
- Processed Milk is BAD for Your Bones – We’ve all been ‘White-Washed’
Sources:
- Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies – The BMJ
- Production of Non-Organic Milk and rBGH – The Worlds Healthiest Foods
- Milk Allergies and Lactose Intolerance – FoodAllergySolutions.com
- 10 Reasons to Drink Your Milk Raw – Nourished Kitchen