Should we stop drinking cow's milk

Yes, if you are not a calf!

Why are we the only mammals that drink another species' milk? But cow's milk is not designed for human consumption.

Do you know what's in a glass of cow's milk? You may associate with good health. You might think that it includes vitamins A and D, protein, and some other nutrients. Well, a glass of milk also contains an acidic animal protein that leeches calcium from the bones, pus cells, bovine growth hormone, antibiotics, and a lot of unnecessary fat, cholesterol and calories — all of which create a terrible imbalance in the body. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, it contains on average about three times the amount of protein than human milk does, which creates metabolic disturbances in humans that have detrimental bone health consequences. I think this is one reason why babies are not allowed to drink cow's milk until they're one-year-old.

Many recent researches show that it has a variety of adverse effects, directly linked to milk consumption. Undoubtedly, the biggest irony is that milk is thought to increase calcium loss from our bones. How? When any type of animal-derived, protein-rich foods, like milk, is consumed, our bodies pH become acidified, and this sets off a biological reaction. Calcium actually neutralizes acid in our body, and most of the calcium is stored in our bones. When acidified animal protein is ingested, the calcium from our bones is drawn out to neutralize the effects of the toxic animal protein. After the calcium does its job cleaning up the mess, it is then excreted through the kidneys via urine, thus leading to a calcium deficit. This can also cause easily broken bones...

5 reasons to stop drinking cow's milk

You might think I am crazy to tell you to stop drinking cow's milk, but there are good reasons to do so.

1. To stop cruel for cows

The whole process of dairy farming is also extremely cruel to cows as well. The cows are repeatedly impregnated using artificial insemination processes to ensure that they continue to produce milk for as long as possible. Spending so much of their lives pregnant is unnatural and puts an unnecessary strain on their bodies.

A further problem the cows experience is repeated infections, such as mastitis. This is an infection of the udder that causes them to feel unwell and causes great pain, especially when they are expected to continue producing milk. On top of that, it is also one of the most common reasons for dairy cows to be sent to the slaughterhouse.

2. Lactose Intolerance

Pasteurization and homogenization of milk denature the proteins, which can make it harder for people's bodies to digest. In addition, the pasteurization process destroys a majority of enzymes and vitamins and minerals. These crucial enzymes aid in the digestion process. A study estimates that 65-70% of the world’s population suffers from lactose intolerance. Though that is an astounding percentage, it only further proves the point that humans are not intended to consume cow's milk.

Lactose intolerance leads to nausea, bloating, gas, cramps and diarrhoea. It can also lead to developing later in life some worse symptoms. Since it’s hard to digest, it tires your body out by trying to produce energy to break it down, which disrupts your sleep cycle and makes you feel tired.

3. Cancer

As stated above, cows are pumped full of antibiotics and hormones to ensure they can produce as much milk as required for human consumption. Excessive intake of hormones is closely linked to cancers in the breasts, ovaries, and prostate.

A Swedish study showed that women who consumed four or more servings of dairy products each day were twice as likely to develop serious ovarian cancer as those who consumed two or fewer servings of dairy products each day.

4. Allergies and acne

Milk and dairy products are pro-inflammatory and mucus-producing. Milk increases the risks of respiratory conditions and allergies. It has been linked to the development of arthritis due to joints becoming inflamed. Remember, our bodies are not designed to naturally tolerate animal-derived protein, and seeing it as foreign invaders jolts the immune system to overreact in order to protect.

In multiple studies, the consumption of many dairy products was related to an increased prevalence and severity of acne in both genders.

5. To fight against climate change and save the environment

The dairy industry has also been under fire for being extremely destructive to the environment.

According to the EPA, a 2,000-cow dairy generates over 240,000 pounds of manure daily (roughly 90 million pounds a year), this manure and cow's breath and fart cause to greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane emissions. Also, this manure can easily run off the environment and contaminate the groundwater, rivers and streams. According to the EPA, the runoff from factory farms is the major source of water pollution.

Conventional animal agriculture has an outsized carbon footprint, puts a massive strain on local supplies, and in some places, causes to the loss of significant forests. I believe that the 2019 Amazon fires are closely related to agricultural purposes...

Is all dairy bad?

It is better to clarify that unsweetened cultured or fermented dairies such as kefir or yoghurt are actually acid neutral. Some cheeses, yoghurt, kefir and quark do not cause lactose intolerance.

Which milk to choose?

There are alternatives to cow’s milk, you can choose the best one for you!

Photography by Oksana Bratanova/Alamy, Hussain Ibrahim/Unsplash taken from Mindful Magazine February 2020.