Think Of Diary As A Condiment
"Most adults can't process cow's milk. Our digestive systems aren't meant to. So keep servings to a dollop, max. Even if cow products don't particularly trouble your stomach, they're just not good for you - they trigger inflammation, create mucus, and make seasonal allergies worse. It's a myth that radically limiting dairy leaves you calcium deficient. You can get all the calcium you need from dark green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, without stressing your gut. And you can replace milk and cream with unsweetened organic almond milk or coconut milk. If you do eat dairy, make sure it's organic and grass-fed. Conventional milk products can contain pesticides, steroids, antibiotics, and bacteria from infected animals."
What I know for sure: I talk with a lot of people who still think of milk as a whole and vital part of their diet. I'm not talking raw unpasteurized milk which is another subject, but store bought milk. We have been brainwashed to believe so many fallacies within our food system, and this is just one of many. Milk holds no purpose in an adult life. No, it doesn't provide the body with stronger bones. No, it doesn't provide us with the calcium we need. No, it doesn't make us stronger and leaner. It does, however, create disturbances in the human body and has the proclivity to assist in disease when used as a primary source of liquid throughout a humans' life-span.
A couple years ago, I met a Mom of two young school-aged girls. She tried to raise her girls with the knowledge of good nutrition appropriate to their ages. As they reached school age, the normal school snacks and lunches plagued her. She and her husband kept an ongoing dialogue in their home about nutrition and refused to give in to 'the norm'. She told me it was difficult on the days when the school held the yearly "milk for health" day. She made a conscious decision to keep her children out of school on those days because it was so contradictory to what she believed was good for her children. She is the minority, but was working hard to try and have others understand what she did - milk was not only unnecessary, but unhealthy. Studies have shown that milk makes our bones weaker and more prone to problems as we age. Heavy drinking of the product throughout a life-time may shorten life span. I think they should actually use a green carton for milk, along with a pic of Ben Franklin; then we could associate it with its' real purpose - cold hard cash! Period the end.
Even with requirements in schools changing to low-fat and no-fat options, it's still there.....lurking. The flavored varieties offered in school go one step further to provide our children with colorings and chemicals involved to make it a yummy tasting chocolate or strawberry. There are various movements throughout this country to try and amend school lunches by providing healthier options, but we're a long ways away. I respect the parents and people who care enough to get involved in the fight!
What Pam Proposes: Try a low calorie almond or coconut milk as a substitute for cow's milk. Because so many of us grew up on and continue to be raised on breakfast cereal, milk is a staple in many houses. Although I would like to see everyone replace their breakfast cereal with a healthier option like quinoa, amaranth, and chia, I would rather see everyone switch over to a non-dairy milk as a first step.
Whipped coconut milk makes a delicious substitute for whipped cream, and if you are considering how to top off your espresso; a well frothed almond milk is a tasty substitute for milk.
Calcium is provided to us through whole foods, particularly dark leafy greens. I continue to propose a variety of good whole foods to get in all the essential vitamins and minerals that the body requires to function well. Then I recommend you get moving using your body weight, kettle bells, or a good variety of other tools to do resistance training. That will strengthen your bones regardless of age. If you're not sure where to start, google some exercises to build bone mass or seek out an expert in the field to provide you with the initial stages of knowledge on movement. TrainSmart is a great place to begin. Give us a call to find out more about our philosophies on health and wellness.
It's never too late - until it is.
