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Why is dairy bad for you?

6K views 64 replies 29 participants last post by  azerea_02 
#1 ·
I'm very well aware of the cruelty aspect of dairy industry, but what about health? How is dairy, in particular low-fat dairy, bad for you? I remember reading somewhere about milk protein creating an acidic environment and preventing the absorbtion of calcium or something like it... Is that right? Do you know any good articles on the subject? I'd really like to know more about it. Are there any legitimate studies on the negative effects of dairy on health?
 
#2 ·
Here is a referenced article from the PCRM about different health problems that may arise from consuming full-fat and non-fat dairy products. (I would consider the studies referenced in this article 'legit')

This article from the Vegetarian Resource Group discusses how to get adequate amounts of calcium in your diet from plant-based sources.
 
#4 ·
Take a look at the China Study: http://www.thechinastudy.com/

It actually bleaches away the calcium from your bones, makes you susceptible to bovine growth hormone, and increases your change of heart disease.
 
#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by AeryFairy View Post

Speaking purely from personal experience, dairy makes my skin break out and gives me horrendous digestive problems. I've not done much research into the scientific side of things, because that alone was good cause for me to give it up.
Yeah. I didn't notice a whole lot with dropping the meat from my diet, but dropping the milk and cheese cleared my face up


I can't remember exactly what happens, but all animal derived protein is acidic. When you eat it, your body needs to neutralize it to prevent damage, so it takes something out of your bones(phosphorous maybe?) which also takes the calcium out with it. Your body uses the *phosphorous* to neutralize your blood, then the calcium goes to waste. And casein is a carcinogen that makes up a good 80% of the protein found in milk. Milk consumption may be linked to auto-immune diseases/diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis...
 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by AeryFairy View Post

Speaking purely from personal experience, dairy makes my skin break out and gives me horrendous digestive problems. I've not done much research into the scientific side of things, because that alone was good cause for me to give it up.
Ditto. Dairy's really not something humans are supposed to be eating in the first place, so it's no wonder that a lot of people can't digest it (actually most of the world.)
 
#9 ·
I've always had sinus problems, and had only ever been told to "cut back".
It was only when I completely gave up dairy that I realized just how bad it was. My sinuses are now clear between allergie seasons, my skin that I wouldn't leave the house without foundation on, is now clear and never make up.
When I went back on eating cheese during the holidays, it took very little to feel allergy symptoms flaring up.
So often you don't know you're sick until you get better!
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashlend View Post

Ditto. Dairy's really not something humans are supposed to be eating in the first place, so it's no wonder that a lot of people can't digest it (actually most of the world.)
I can't, it makes me sick as hell.

And there is SOOOOO much sugar in it! It's amazing!
 
#11 ·
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Barilko View Post

Humans have been eating dairy products for thousands of years-at least my ancestors have.

I still drink Milk daily and east Cheese regularly with none of the side effects reported here by some.
You don't really notice it, until you stop. As another posted said, sometimes you don't know you're sick until you are better.
 
#17 ·
ok, these statements just grind my every nerve- like cow udder mucus and udder pus......they aren't puss-y, unless a cow has mastitis, milk is pure nurishment for calves....no,not humans, but there is no need to degrade the quality of the object that it is, just to make us sound better or justifiy in your mind why you need to consume it. Even though we don't consume another woman's breast milk, doesn't mean we should call it breast pus or mucus, which it is a far cry from it!

I also can't stand reading "bee vomit" regarding honey. Honey production is a very complex production for honey bees. We don't need to degrade that either by calling it names.

Ok, off soapbox, but really........

To the OP, you've been given some really good info here.
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Photojess View Post

ok, these statements just grind my every nerve- like cow udder mucus and udder pus......they aren't puss-y, unless a cow has mastitis, milk is pure nurishment for calves....no,not humans, but there is no need to degrade the quality of the object that it is, just to make us sound better or justifiy in your mind why you need to consume it. Even though we don't consume another woman's breast milk, doesn't mean we should call it breast pus or mucus, which it is a far cry from it!

I also can't stand reading "bee vomit" regarding honey. Honey production is a very complex production for honey bees. We don't need to degrade that either by calling it names.

Ok, off soapbox, but really........

To the OP, you've been given some really good info here.
I apologize for my previous statement, I didn't mean for it to sound like I was calling milk "milk pus" or any of that. I was just stating the THOUGHT of having pus or blood in it grosses me out. (I forgot where I heard it from or read it) But there are traces of blood and pus from the cow in milk.

So, again, my apologies if it sounded as if I were calling it "milk pus". I didn't mean for it to come off the wrong way.
 
#19 ·
Some of the puss comments may be coming from the fact that at any given time on a factory farm, the majority of cows do have mastitis so chances are likely that a gallon of milk may have come from infected udders and certain allowances are made for the number of white blood cells (puss) that can be found and sold in milk.

Your point of view is certainly understandable too though, Jess. I agree that a healthy cow's milk is wonderful for calves.
 
#20 ·
I'm not a scientist, much of the research is contradicted by other sources as with all contentious areas, and I don't know the in-depth details of the studies. However from what I have read milk has been linked to:

1. Breast Cancer- both the levels of oestrogen in milk and the hormone insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) present in milk when bovine growth hormone is used has been associated with an increased breast cancer risk (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/la...384-1/abstract "A positive relation between circulating IGF-I concentration and risk of breast cancer was found among premenopausal but not postmenopausal women.") http://www.thelancet.com/journals/la...438-1/fulltext

An explanation of these studies: http://www.purefood.org/rBGH/rach598.htm

Studies also often point to the very low instances of breast cancer in China and Japan and the very high instances in the UK, USA etc. (A figure I have read is one in 10,000 women in China die from breast cancer - 1 in 12 in the UK http://www.alternative-healthzine.com/html/1200_2.html)

2. Prostate Cancer- IGF-1 again http://www.sciencemag.org/content/279/5350/563.abstract

3. Ovarian cancer- eating four portions of milk products a day doubles the risk compared to those who eat two (there doesn't seem to be any data on those who eat none)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0805064340.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16052536
http://www.webmd.com/ovarian-cancer/...ovarian-cancer

4. Osteoporosis- dairy has an acid effect on the body (along with meat (including fish), eggs, tea, coffee and fizzy drinks) whereas fruit and veg have an alkalinic effect. The importance of this is that: "Like all animal protein, milk acidifies the body pH which in turn triggers a biological correction. You see, calcium is an excellent acid neutralizer and the biggest storage of calcium in the body is - you guessed it… in the bones. So the very same calcium that our bones need to stay strong is utilized to neutralize the acidifying effect of milk. Once calcium is pulled out of the bones, it leaves the body via the urine, so that the surprising net result after this is an actual calcium deficit." http://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/

Too much calcium can also be an issue http://www.4.waisays.com/ExcessiveCalcium.htm

Again there are lower levels of osteoporosis in cultures that do not use high levels of dairy, compared to those that do. http://milk.elehost.com/html/osteoporosis.html

5. Diabetes- milk has been found to increase insulin resistance- http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v.../1602086a.html

6. High Cholestrol/ Heart Disease- Due to high levels of saturated fat, and the milk protein casein A1 has been linked to heart disease.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1268481.stm

7. B12 deficiency (goats milk only)- goats milk has been found to contain a substance which binds with B12 and can cause a deficiency

8. Acne- http://acne.about.com/od/acnetriggers/a/milkandacne.htm
http://www.acnemilk.com/the_no_milk_acne_diet

And that's not to mention that clearly there's people with lactose intolerance, and there are also dairy links to allergies, asthma, sinus issues, mood swings and depression.

There is a lot of evidence out there on either side of the 'milk- health food or poison for humans' debate but I feel that based particularly on the fact that many of these conditions rarely occur in cultures where dairy is not consumed, there must be some truth that milk can cause significant problems to the human body, plus it is unnatural to drink as an adult and from another species, plus it is a cruel industry resulting in a lot of suffering and death... now that it's no longer in my diet I feel well rid of it.
 
#22 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Barilko View Post

Humans have been eating dairy products for thousands of years-at least my ancestors have.

I still drink Milk daily and east Cheese regularly with none of the side effects reported here by some.
You probably wouldn't notice things like heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes or osteoporosis (or breast cancer or ovarian cancer for a women) on a daily basis, but if one of these things did happen, it would likely seem like more than a 'side effect'. These are things that may or may not be the result of prolonged drinking of another species breast milk, I personally feel that based on the evidence there's a high risk and it's not a risk I would want to take.

Also the fact that people have been doing something for hundreds of years doesn't mean it's healthy.
 
#23 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by kasandra View Post

i would love to give up milk but dont like soya or rice milk, i stay in south africa. is there any hope for me to give this up? I drink about half a glass of low fat milk a day, that is how far dairy goes in my eating plan as I dont like cheese
I don't know about South Africa but here you can get oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk and I've heard of but never seen hemp milk.

I didn't like soya milk at first but the chocolate and vanilla varieties are nice and soya milk is an acquired taste, at first I got used to it in tea and cereal and now I can drink it by the glass.
 
#24 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by kasandra View Post

i would love to give up milk but dont like soya or rice milk, i stay in south africa. is there any hope for me to give this up? I drink about half a glass of low fat milk a day, that is how far dairy goes in my eating plan as I dont like cheese
Why do you have to have milk at all? I haven't really replaced milk with anything; I keep a carton of soy in the fridge for baking etc, but I never just drink the stuff. You can get the nutrients elsewhere if you want to give it up
 
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