21 Good Reasons To Stop Using Dairy Products

TWENTY ONE GOOD REASONS:

STOP USING DAIRY PRODUCTS

1) PESTICIDE RESIDUES Dairy products have high Pesticide Residues, 6 times higher than the average of non-animal food products. [see graph on page 317 of Diet for New America, by John Robbins.]

2) ANTIBIOTICS are routinely added to cows' feed. This comes through in the milk, as well as meat. Antibiotics upset the natural balance of intestinal flora in the body and may be related to Candida albicans problems so widespread today. Antibiotic use in animal production contributes to “antibiotic resistance” and the development of “super germs” which are no longer killed by these antibiotics.

3) DES and other FEMALE SEX HORMONES are routinely administered to cows. Residues are transmitted to people. Possible consequences of this are cancer, earlier sexual maturation of girls and boys, behavior disorders connected to uncertain and confused sexual identities, an expanding assort- ment of sexual aberrations indicating that human hormonal systems are being affected and imbalanced.

4) Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) is a genetically engineered hormone that forces cows to produce 25% more milk. Synthetic BGH puts great stress on cows, making them susceptible to udder infection, or mastitis, and disease. Mastitis causes greater amounts of pus to be secreted into the milk, as well as increased residues of antibiotics in milk, since dairy farmers routinely treat mastitis with injections of strong antibiotics. The FDA approved usage of this new drug in cow's milk production for humans in 1994 without any studies proving that it is safe for humans. BGH increases the level of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in milk. Research has shown that IGF-1 is a mitogen (accelerates the growth of various carcinomas) and studies have implicated it in breast cancer and colon cancer.

5) LACTOSE INTOLERANCE is a condition of lacking the digestive enzyme "lactase" which digests the carbohydrate portion of dairy products known as lactose or milk sugar. This commonly causes headaches, gas, abdominal pain or cramps. This affects 5-10% of Caucasian adults, 70-90% of Black adults, both in America and Africa, 78% of Jews and Arabs, 85-90% of Japanese, Taiwanese, Thais, Filipinos. See "Incidence of Lactase Deficiency in Ulcerative Colitis", Gastroenterology, 53:890, 1967.

6) SATURATED FAT The fat content of dairy products is Saturated Fat. This contributes to heart disease, which kills 40% of Americans, and strokes, which kill 10% of Americans. Saturated animal fat consumption is also strongly linked to many forms of cancer.

7) OSTEOPOROSIS The high concentration of protein in milk causes urinary excretion of calcium. This calcium loss actually promotes osteoporosis, a disease of thinning bones very commonly found in older people. [see McDougall's Medicine by Dr. John McDougall]

8. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE may be caused by high sodium/low potassium diets. Cheese has over 300 mg sodium per serving and is a poor source of potassium, potentially causing strokes, heart attack, and kidney failure.

9) CONGESTION Dairy products are mucous producing and commonly involved in many instances of allergies, sinus congestion, post-nasal drip, bronchial congestion, and lung congestion. Also, chronic ear infections in children under 6, and arthritis in older adults.

At least 3 Different Cancers:

10) NON-HODGKIN’s LYMPHOMA Foods high in animal protein, saturated fat, eggs, & dairy lead to an increased risk of NHL, cancer that attacks the lymphatic system. Am J Epidemiol 2004 159:454-566.

11) PROSTATE CANCER Milk and cheese are specifically identified (along with meat and eggs) as risk factors for fatal prostate cancer (American Journal of Epidemiology, August 1984). "In nine separate studies, the strongest and most consistent dietary factor linked with prostate cancer is high consumption of dairy products." Harvard Medical Guide to Healthy Eating, Walter C. Willet, MD.

Meta-analysis of 11 case control studies between 1984 and 2003 in 8 countries found significant positive association between milk consumption and prostate cancer. Nutr Cancer 2004;481:22-27.

12) TESTICULAR CANCER A high intake of dairy products, especially cheese, was associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer. International Journal of Cancer, 2003; 106:934-941.

13) UTERINE FIBROIDS The consumption of dairy products is strongly linked to various disorders of the female reproductive system, including ovarian tumors/cysts, vaginal infections and discharges, and uterine fibroids. Food as Healing, by Annmarie Colbin. High levels of galactose, a simple sugar released by the digestion of lactose in milk, may damage the ovary and lead to ovarian cancer. Harvard Medical Guide to Healthy Eating, Walter C. Willet, MD.

6 Just for Kids:

14) MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Dairy products are implicated as a causative factor in Multiple Sclerosis. See page 279-282, Diet for New America, John Robbins.

15) COLIC in babies is caused by antibodies in cow’s milk. This can occur even if baby is breast-fed and mother consumes milk products. Pediatrics, April 1991.

16) AUTISM symptoms are caused or exacerbated by dairy products. www.AutismNDI.com

17) CONSTIPATION Milk caused constipation, perianal sores & severe pain on defecation, in children 1-6 years old. New England Journal of Medicine 1998:339;110-4. Dairy products contain NO FIBER, potentially contributing to hemorrhoids and colon cancer.

18. DIABETES Infants, especially those under 6 months, who drink cow's milk, have higher rates of type I diabetes. One of the proteins in milk closely resembles a molecule on the surface of the beta cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. When the body's immune system recognizes the milk proteins as foreign substances and attacks them, it can also attack the similar beta cells, destroying their ability to produce insulin and eventually leading to diabetes. Diabetes Care, Dec. 1994, 17(12):1488-90.

19) ACNE Got Milk? Got Acne? New Research Suggests Link,” Mahoney D, Family Practice News, June 1, 2004:54.

20) HIGH BACTERIA LEVELS due to improper handling during transport and storage.

21) CRUELTY Purchasing dairy products supports the cruel VEAL INDUSTRY. Cows must be regularly artificially inseminated to continue milk production. The female offspring become more milk producers. Male calves won't produce milk, so they are raised in tiny crates to become anemic "tender veal". Milk cows are sent to slaughter after milk production declines.

Info found on www.care2.com

Rob,

Thanks for posting this. About 25 years ago, I was in a health food store looking for some alternative answers to my mother's arthritic problems. The owner, a sage in his own right, immediately asked me if my mother consumed a lot of dairy products (she did). Before he would suggest anything, he suggested she eliminate the dairy as soon as physically possible. He refused to sell me on anything before trying that.

Through the years in my own spiritual/vegan journey, I had experienced skin rashes, breakouts, allergies and overall sluggish feeling when consuming milk.

Even with all that discomfort, the ONE thing that eliminated dairy from my diet was when I was ready to learn the truth about the animal foods industry. Since then, I could not imagine en-JOY-ing ANY food delivered to my table as a result of some animal's misery.

I guess folks just have to find the one good reasons that speaks to them and encourages a better choice.

*Stay sparkly*

Mama Sea

Another reason: giving up dairy may decrease allergy problems. I used to be allergic to a lot of things (nature! cats!), but my allergy problems have decrease (even though my number of cats has increased) since I gave up dairy. I had a roommate who had the same thing happen. And I was at a talk by Neal Barnard where he mentioned that there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that suggests that giving up dairy may decrease allergy problems.

My theory is that the body has a certain tolerance level for allergy-causing substances, and when dairy is present, even if one doesn't have a full-blow allergy to dairy (though most people have some degree of lactose intolerance), it pushes one over the edge.

You forgot to mention blood and pus...yummy

for posting this. About 25 years ago, I was in a health food store looking for some alternative answers to my mother's arthritic problems. The owner, a sage in his own right, immediately asked me if my mother consumed a lot of dairy products (she did). Before he would suggest anything, he suggested she eliminate the dairy as soon as physically possible. He refused to sell me on anything before trying that.

I did that with my mom, too. She was complaining that her hands had been really hurting due to arthritis and I told her to cut diary products out. She did and the pain stopped.

It definitely contributes to inflammation and it also increases mucus production, which is why it is horrible for people with allergies.

~ Adrienne