Before 1964, doctors promoted smoking cigarettes! Nowadays, doctors are promoting cow’s milk focusing on its nutrients like protein and calcium, turning a blind eye on the inflammation it causes. Milk and other dairy products are the top sources of saturated fat in the American diet, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Studies have also linked dairy to an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.

Dairies side effects

  • Increase cancer risk;
  • Calcification;
  • Arthritis;
  • Asthma;
  • Bloating;
  • Reflux;
  • Linked to obesity;
  • Higher bone fractures rates;
  • Elevated cholesterol;
  • Prevalence of acne;
  • Allergies;
  • Heart complications.

Cow milk is for calves

Cow's milk is suited to the nutritional needs of calves, who have four stomachs and gain hundreds of pounds in a matter of months. Cow's milk is one of the primary causes of food allergies among children. Even calves average age of natural weaning is around 10 months of age, why do we keep consuming dairies like cheese and ice cream for all our life?

The composition of milk is unique to each species. Human milk contains 9 g protein/l to be compared with 34 g/l in cow's milk.

How about infant formulas?

Formula fed are 16.7 times more likely to have pneumonia than children who are given only breast milk. harmful bacteria in contaminated formula. increase respiratory and food allergies which can cause eczema, rashes and diarrhea. likely to have asthma and wheezing.

The cow is not smiling in a vast green field

To produce milk on an ongoing basis, dairy cows are continually impregnated. This cycle continues until cows are around 5 years old. At this point, their bodies are considered “spent” and no longer useful to the industry. Spent cows are killed and sold as low-grade beef or for other uses. Dairy cows have been selectively bred and given growth hormones to produce higher volumes of milk. The conditions dairy cows endure on factory farms can cause pain, ulcers, and even bone fractures. Psychological pain also appears to be prevalent on farms. Mothers have been known to cry for days at a time after their calves are removed from them at birth. The “zero pasture” environment of factory farms meaning that cows are forced to spend their entire lives indoors causes additional stress. Cows have evolved to produce enough milk for their calves, amounting to about one gallon of milk per day. Modern dairy farming has resulted in the drastic increase of milk production to seven and a half gallons per day. While the natural lifespan of many cows can reach 15 or even 20 years of age, the vast majority of dairy cows are not permitted to live more than 4-6 years, at which point they're sent to slaughter, usually after their production levels drop. The meat from their bodies is generally considered lower quality (or “low-grade”) and is used in cheaper products such as ground beef. As of 2018, 21% of the total beef supply in the US came from dairy cows.

What happens to the calf?

To produce milk, the mother cow must give birth to a calf. Female calves can be entered into milking production or sold as veal. Because male calves are useless to the dairy industry, they are either shot or sent to veal crates. Regardless of sex, calves are taken from their mothers almost immediately after birth. This often causes significant mental distress for the mothers and impairs the social and physical development of the calf.

Castration

Male calves who will be raised for meat undergo castration. There are several different ways this procedure can be conducted. The “elastrator” is a tight ring affixed to the scrotum that is known to cause extreme pain. Other methods include cutting away portions of the scrotum and destroying testicles by removal or crushing.

Disbudding

Also known as dehorning, disbudding is a process where the horns of young cows are removed. Horns can be burned away using caustic acid or cut away using implements that resemble nutcrackers. The resulting open wounds invite infection and other painful complications.

Natural dairy free alternatives

  1. Soy milk is made from whole soybeans. It has a creamy, mild taste. It is also one of the few plant-based sources of high-quality “complete” protein, which provides all the essential amino acids. Soy is often seen as controversial, this is mostly because of the large amounts of isoflavones in soy. These can affect estrogen receptors in the body and affect the function of hormones. While this topic is widely debated, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that moderate amounts of soy or soy milk will cause harm in otherwise healthy adults. One cup (240 ml) of unsweetened soy milk contains 80–90 calories, 4–4.5 grams of fat, 7–9 grams of protein and 4 grams of carbohydrates.

  2. Almond milk is made with whole almonds and water. It has a light texture and a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. What’s more, almond milk is a natural source of vitamin E, a group of antioxidants that help protect the body from disease-causing substances known as free radicals. Almond milk is a concentrated source of the beneficial nutrients found in whole almonds, including protein, fiber and healthy fats. One cup (240 ml) of unsweetened almond milk contains 30–35 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of protein and 1–2 grams of carbohydrates.

  3. Coconut milk is made from water and the white flesh of brown coconuts. It has a creamy, milk-like consistency and a sweet, coconut taste. One cup (240 ml) contains 45 calories, 4 grams of fat, no protein and almost no carbohydrates. Coconut milk contains one-third the calories of cow’s milk, half the fat and significantly less protein and carbohydrates. In fact, coconut milk has the lowest protein and carbohydrate content of the nondairy milks. It may not be the best option for those with increased protein requirements.

  4. Rice milk is made from milled white or brown rice and water. It is the least allergenic of the nondairy milks. Rice milk is mild in taste and naturally sweet in flavor. One cup (240 ml) of rice milk contains 130–140 calories, 2–3 grams of fat, 1 gram of protein and 27–38 grams of carbohydrates. Rice milk is low in fat and protein yet high in carbohydrates. Due to its low protein content, rice milk may also not be the best option for growing children, athletes and the elderly.

  5. Cashew milk is made from a mixture of cashew nuts and water. Cashew milk has a rich and creamy taste and is low in calories, carbohydrates and sugar. On the downside, it contains very little protein, and may not be the best option for those with higher protein requirements. One cup (240 ml) of unsweetened cashew milk contains just 25–50 calories, 2–4 grams of fat, 0–1 gram of protein and 1–2 grams of carbohydrates.

  6. Macadamia milk is made of water and macadamia nuts and has a rich, creamy taste. It has a richer, smoother and creamier flavor than most non-dairy milks. One cup (240 ml) contains 50–55 calories, 4.5–5 grams of fat, 1–5 grams of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrates. What’s more, it is a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats, with 3.8 grams per cup (240 ml). Increasing your intake of monounsaturated fats may help reduce blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.

If you wish to get the full nutrients out of those nuts, you need to make them at home instead of buying industrial ones with less or none benefits. All it takes is mixing the raw nuts with water.

Vegan source of calcium and protein

Pumpkin seeds, raw almonds, lentils, whole grain rice, beans, peas, kale, soy, carob molasses…

Athlete’s smoothies

1 banana + 10 to 15 raw nuts of your choice + 1 tbsp of crunchy peanut butter + fresh ginger + 1 unpeeled carrot or melon or any fruit of your choice. Blend it all with water. You can add raw pumpkin seeds after blending for more proteins.

This delicious breakfast is full of calcium, protein, omega 3 and 6, fibers and many other vitamins… On top of all it fights inflammation! Enjoy!