Is Dairy Really Good For You?

The debate continues on whether dairy products are healthy and necessary for good nutrition. The topic is quite controversial to say the least. Some people do quite well without it. My view on dairy is that it can be very healthy if the cow it comes from is happy and healthy.

Sick cows will produce sick milk.There is no doubt that in today’s world animals are neither treated well nor handled properly most of the time due to the high demand to feed us all. This does affect the quality of our food. Cows were designed to eat grass in open pasture. Instead, they are fed a diet high in corn and antibiotics to help them to be able to better tolerate the corn they shouldn’t be eating in the first place.

In my college Biology 101 class, I took only a million years ago, the professor taught us that human babies are designed to consume their human mother’s milk up until age 2. The idea of feeding human babies cow’s milk is quite new in the grand scheme of traditional wisdom. Before I go any further into this, let me first say this–I did not breastfeed my babies because I could not. I would never insult another woman because she did not breastfeed.

All I am stating is that baby formula is the “new way” to feed babies but it may not necessarily be the ideal choice for a healthy woman with a clean diet. Unfortunately, I did not fit into that category at the time but I do wish, with all of my heart, I would have been able to breastfeed because of the many wonderful benefits (but that is another story.)

The consumption of dairy – specifically cow’s milk products, has been a much debated topic among some in the health community, and more and more people are aware of the health impact that dairy may have on their bodies. Neither of my babies could tolerate cow’s milk so that reiterates the fact that it was not a good fit for us.

Cow’s milk products have protein molecules that, when leaked through our intestinal wall without being fully digested – as in the case of leaky gut syndrome – can cause our immune system to react leading to immediate symptoms such as hives, wheezing and vomiting, or longer term issues such as loose stool, abdominal cramps, and skin rash.

Some people – especially most African Americans, Asians and Native Americans – stop producing adequate amount of lactase to digest lactose (the sugar found in milk) after they have weaned off mother’s milk. The undigested lactase can cause symptoms of lactose intolerance, which can include bloating, cramps, pains, gas, vomiting or diarrhea.

Dairy has been found to promote the production of mucus in our bodies, resulting in symptoms of congestion. Some people who have suffered from sinus issues for their entire life have their sinus cleared just by cutting out dairy from their diets.

Hormones and antibiotics are often used in commercial farming to promote milk production and to prevent infection in crowded conditions. These substances may lurk in the final milk products, affecting our health and in particular, the balance of our endocrine system.

Although dairy contains a good amount of calcium, it may not be the best way to maintain bone health if other factors are considered. In fact, Studies show that countries with the highest milk consumption also have the highest osteoporosis rates. Dairy causes blood pH to become acidic. When the body needs to balance blood pH, it will draw calcium from the bones, reducing bone density. Additionally, calcium in dairy may not be the most bio-available – meaning that the body may not be able to utilize the entire ingested amount.

Here’s a tidbit of information you may find interesting…

I NEVER saw my grandparents drink a glass of milk. They didn’t enjoy the taste. I suppose they used milk in their cereal when they rarely ate it. They did occasionally cook with milk and eat cheese though.