milkSUCKS.com

[_shannon_]

I read an article a few years ago about how women who drink milk are actually more at risk to fracture bones than women who do not drink milk. So I googled the 'truth about milk' and found this website and this introductory article.

From www.milkSUCKS.com:

"The dairy folks, ever since the 1920s, have been enormously successful in cultivating an environment within virtually all segments of our society—from research and education to public relations and politics—to have us believing that cow's milk and its products are manna from heaven. ... Make no mistake about it; the dairy industry has been virtually in total control of any and all public health information that ever rises to the level of public scrutiny."
Dr. T. Colin Campbell

Why dairy products won't help
you maintain healthy bones

Building strong bones and keeping them that
way is easier than you may have thought.

This Web page focuses on debunking a myth sold to the American public by a multibillion-dollar industry—an industry that has repeated its marketing message so often and for so long that most people now believe that dairy products are essential to bone health, despite extensive evidence to the contrary. The dairy industry has an army of dietitians, public relations consultants, and lobbyists on its payroll but does not have the evidence on its side.

The dairy pushers pay dietitians, doctors, and researchers to endorse dairy products, spending more than $300 million annually, just at the national level, to retain a market for their products. The dairy industry provides free teaching materials to schools and pays sports stars, celebrities, and politicians to push an agenda based on profit, not public health. Dr. Walter Willett, veteran nutrition researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health, says that calcium consumption via dairy-product intake "has become like a religious crusade," overshadowing true preventive measures such as physical exercise. To hear the dairy industry tell it, if you consume three glasses of milk daily, your bones will be stronger and you will be able to rest assured that osteoporosis is not in your future. Not so.
After examining all the available nutritional studies and evidence, Dr. John McDougall concludes: "The primary cause of osteoporosis is the high-protein diet most Americans consume today. As one leading researcher in this area said, 'eating a high-protein diet is like pouring acid rain on your bones.'" Remarkably enough, both clinical and population studies show that milk-drinkers tend to have more bone breaks than people who consume milk infrequently or not at all. For the dairy industry to lull unsuspecting women and children into complacency by telling them to be sure to drink more milk so that their bones will be strong may make good business sense, but it does the consumer a grave disservice.

Much of the world's population does not consume cow's milk, and yet most of the world does not experience the high rates of osteoporosis found in the West. In some Asian countries, for example, where consumption of dairy foods is low, fracture rates are far lower than they are in the United States and in Scandinavian countries, where consumption of dairy products is high.

While reading this, please remember that dairy products contain no complex carbohydrates or fiber but are packed with saturated fats and cholesterol and have been linked to heart disease, cancer, Crohn's disease, and a host of childhood illnesses from asthma to diabetes.

But Don't Take Our Word for It—Examine the Science for Yourself

"Milk, it now seems clear, is not the solution to poor bone density. To the contrary, it's part of the problem."
Dr. Charles Attwood
In one study, funded by the National Dairy Council, a group of postmenopausal women were given three 8-ounce glasses of skim milk every day for two years, and their bones were compared to those of a control group of women not given the milk. The dairy group consumed 1,400 mg of calcium per day and lost bone at twice the rate of the control group. Accordi

[lauren]

It's a long read, Nan, but very good information. Many people may not have seen Teresa's Newsletter Milk to Drink Or Not to Drink? but a lot of this information coincides.

Thanks for the post. Im still not quitting though. Ill quit the Dew but LOVE milk. []

Have a great day!

**lauren**
T-Tapp Staffer/ T-Tapper
Questions? Contact me:
1.877.TAPP.FIT


Taking my own advice - Started at a 14 on 4/26.
Now in a 10 and working my way down!
1 more size to go! Yay me!

[Nikki Dawn]

Well just a thought is the milk homoginzed and pasterized? If you read the studies on raw milk you will find a totally different product. If you drink just regular milk from the grocery store you are right it is not good for you. If you can find a raw grass fed source you will find a good product worth the effort.

Another thought is did they consider the amount of physical activity one is doing? It is known that weight baring exercise increases bone density. I would imagine that they might be alot more physical in other countries than we are here.

[triciajenn]

For every study/article proving a point, you can find one to counter it. It gets frustrating. A balanced diet is the only one you can win with.

[WendyD]

Hmmm, it says that

quote:Eliminating animal protein. For a variety of reasons, animal protein causes severe bone deterioration.

There have been studies that refute that statement. Per Mastering Leptin by Byron Richards (the best documented book I've ever seen!), they found that higher protien content in the diet resulted in better bone density.

Food for thought.

Wendy

You can learn something from everyone you meet. Just listen...

[HF]

You may like to read this article for another view of it: http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstruths/mtbones.html (It's called "Dem Bones:
Do High Protein Diets Cause Bone Loss?" by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, Ph.D.)



Helena

[gillmings]

I think the issue is specifically with ANIMAL protein causing the problem, not protein in general. Animal protein causes such a high acid environment in your body that your body pulls calcium from your bones to buffer it. I don't believe that's the case with vegetable protein sources. (As as example, Dr. Young advocates eating lots of nuts but not animal protein, and he's the pH Miracle guy.) That's what makes milk a bad source for calcium because they more you drink, the more calcium you need and it's a vicious circle.

Personally, I don't think we have to avoid all animal protein (although I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea, either, if you do it properly), but balance is the key. Many people focus their diet with animal protein as the center and everything else almost little more than "condiments".

I really think there's something to the argument about raw dairy. The pasteurization and homogenization really does alter the product. I have noticed that, at least for me, my body likes clean, raw dairy much better than processed. It probably helps that I've been NAET-treated for dairy, also. But I've had dairy issues for years and now, the raw goat's milk kefir I culture, along with the raw cheeses I eat, seem to really agree with my body.

It really is a puzzle, isn't it? It's so great that we have this forum to exchange ideas and help each other put the pieces together for our own bodies!

-Moyne
www.chinow.com/moyne

"She is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain." -Louisa May Alcott

[Heather73]

Definitely a lot of info to sort through!

Personally, I have to agree with those who make a distinction between pasteurized, homogenized (aka DEAD) dairy products and those that are fresh, whole and raw--from healthy animals. Many people use goat or sheep milk rather than cow's, which has a different protein structure than cows milk, so someone who is not benefitting from cows milk does not necessarily have a problem with 'milk', but rather the type of milk they are using.

I didn't see specifically in the posted piece where this distinction was made, and since processed dairy is what is most widely available in the US, and most widely pushed as healthy, I have to assume the majority of the milk drinkers that were tested use the devitalized version of bovine origin.

Also, if dairy intolerance exists, it obviously would be wise to avoid it, since food that is not being properly digested will not yeild any nutritional benefit. I personally seem to have a problem with commercial cow's milk products and a couple of my children seem to have constipation issues even from raw cow milk. However, when we had dairy goats, I do not recall having this problem.

I have seen the 'high protein causes brittle bones' argument before--particularly when high carb advocates are trying to make a point about low carb eating being an unhealthy way to nourish one's self, and I have to feel a bit skeptical. Not because I have proof one way or another, but because the sources frequently tend to be sites that are maintained by people who believe it is ethically wrong to eat animal protein. In fairness, I have no quarrel with people who choose, for whatever reason, to not eat animal based foods. If strict veganism is what is healthy for some people, I certainly wouldn't try to convince them to eat meat, eggs, dairy or any other animal sourced foods. But I don't know that the information they often use to support the unhealthfulness of concentrated protein is actual scientific data obtained from controlled studies. Other sources indicate that high consumption of refined carbohydrates is just as damaging as protein is said to be. So much contradictory info floating around.

Possibly we could ask--Do the anti-protein studies take into account what other food/lifestyle habits the high protein eating people have? For instance, I have seen info that points the brittle bone due to lack of calcium finger at refined flour, sugar, caffeine, carbonated beverages and smoking, stating that studies show that these substances cause leaching of calcium from bones. Some sources claim it is acidification that causes the body to give up calcium in order to try to de-acidify the system. Interestingly, all the above culprits, along with most grains and legumes, meat, most dairy products (but not all) and lack of exercise are also listed as contributors to acidification. Couldn't it be possible that many people who happen to eat a higher protein diet are also doing something else that is really causing the problem with brittle bones?

It might be worth noting that many milk products, while fairly high in protein, are often also high in sugar--both naturally occuring lactose, as well as the various sugars added to most commercial yogurts, ice creams and other dairy based desserts. A glass of plain cows milk has roughly the same amount of carbohydrate ( as lactose, or sugar) grams as it does protein.

Eh. I guess I should stop before it seems as though I just want to be argumentative. To be honest, I do think that any time commercialization of a food comes into play, there is a huge potential for inferior product and misinformation to the general public about its health benefits, so in that I totally agree with the posted info. Soy comes to mind as well as a food that may or may not be healthful depending on how it is prepared, how much is consumed and suitability to the individual makeup of the person eating it. Anyway, I am sure I have hogged enough space here. Just couldn't resist sticking my finger in the pie[}]

[_shannon_]

I agree with TriciaJen there is too much information going both ways.

I know Peta is trying to win people on to their side of the fence with this article as well as the milk and meat industry by releasing studies that support their side. This would not be the only account of "study wars" I've come across.

Regardless, there's no harm in understanding both sides of the argument. I respect the Peta people for stating all the disgusting things we don't want to hear about the food industry. Just as it is important to challenge ourselves to live healthier lives, it is important that someone out there challenge these industries to keep the animals/products we eat/drink healthy before they get to our plates/glasses.

Shannon, T-Tapp Staff

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."
- Plato

[niecy]

I'll keep drinking my kefir. I buy organic and feel good drinking it. People have been drinking it for eons.

Make YOUR choice and feel GOOD about it! Don't drink milk as you're saying to yourself....oh this is bad for me.... guess what! You're body will respond accordingly. Get the best for your body if you choose to consume dairy.

Denise
T-Tapp Trainer - Illinois


http://flowerchild.younglivingworld.com
http://niecy.gaia.com/