Doesn't
my daughter need milk and other dairy products so she can grow strong
bones and teeth? Thanks
in part to lobbying efforts on behalf of dairy farmers, Americans
feel that it's necessary to drink milk throughout their lives.
We've seen countless advertisements which perpetuate the myth:
"Milk. It does a body good." Milk can be a high fat
product with excessive quantities of protein. It's specifically
designed to efficiently grow a cow, an animal which will mature
rapidly and live a relatively short time. The National Research
Council, a nonprofit organization that provides scientific advice
to the federal government, has reported that the cow's milk humans
drink also contains all of the pesticides and hormones that cows
ingest with the alfalfa they eat.
A study published
in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in June,
1993, confirmed that there is a definite correlation between cow's
milk and the incidence of diabetes. Furthermore, some allergies,
which manifest themselves in runny and stuffy noses, can be traced
to cow's milk. Some ear and tonsil infections also originate with
the drinking of milk. Ingesting other dairy products including
butter, cheese and ice cream can also result in these symptoms.
Surprisingly, we
are the only species on this planet that drinks milk after infancy,
and we are also the only species that drinks milk from a species
other than our own. Maybe the other animals know more than we
do!
Many infants have
trouble digesting cow's milk. This intolerance of lactose, or
to the protein in milk, manifests itself in stomach and intestinal
disturbance, gas and rashes.
Lactose is the
result of combining two sugars: glucose and galactose. Most of
us produce an intestinal enzyme, lactase, which allows us to break
down these sugars. Our bodies produce the most lactase in infancy
when we drink the most milk. As we get older, our bodies produce
lesser amounts of lactase so our tolerance to lactose goes down
naturally.
The protein we
get from milk can be obtained from dozens of vegetable sources,
primarily legumes, which include soy bean products. It is a little
trickier to find other sources of calcium but this substance is
contained in many vegetables like broccoli. Calcium is also available,
in smaller amounts, in many other foods. If you're still concerned,
you can buy calcium supplements wherever vitamins are sold. Soy
milk, orange juice and cereals are now calcium fortified.
I want you to be
aware that cow's milk can show up in unexpected food items so
you have to read labels carefully. Even a small amount hidden
in a food can trigger a reaction in children with milk protein
allergies.
Please remember…..
Be gentle as you are making dietary improvements for your family.
Some families do well with a drastic and complete change and some
require a more gradual approach that leads them to a very occasional
indulgence of a favorite food. Find what works for your family
as you walk this path to improving your health by improving your
foods.
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