Is Milk Doing Your Body Good?

Milk does a body good! Right? Actually…your milk could be setting off chain reactions of inflammation, hormone issues, and dietary malfunctions in your body. Not really doing a body good now, is it?

The biggest milk myth we’ve been taught is that we should consume cow’s milk because it’s full of calcium which is good for our bones. But scientific studies have shown that we barely absorb the calcium in cow’s milk (especially if pasteurized), but to make matters worse, it actually increases calcium loss from the bones. In fact, higher milk consumption has been shown to help increase bone fractures.

Milk and other dairy based products can also be a trigger causing people to become lactose intolerant – which means they suffer from bowel cramping, bloating or even loose stools after eating dairy. Dairy can be a real gut irritant in general. Lots of us have undiagnosed dairy sensitivities or allergies, which means our gut gets very cranky with us at the slightest hint of dairy.

There’s more than that though. Consuming dairy can lead to more than just a bit of tummy upset – it can lead to a world of health problems (a lot chronic). How does it do this? By contributing to low-grade systemic inflammation, an important developmental factor in cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, metabolic ailments, and chronic disease. Inflammatory reactions to irritants, like casein from cow’s milk, can even trigger autoimmune disorders.

Other downsides of dairy include:

1. hypothyroidism

2. growth hormones that cause mayhem – Milk contains hormones (organic or not). Milk from a pregnant cow is still filled with hormones that mingle with your own. And did you know that hormonal disruptions that cause acne and other skin irritations also contribute to carcinogens and chronic diseases that are so prevalent in Western societies?

Guys, it’s time to give up the dairy for good – and we know how hard that is, trust us! It’s so delicious and creamy, and quite literally, addicting. That’s because it contains casmorphins – opiate-like compounds that create that “can’t stop, must eat” feeling. We know you can do it though. And there are fabulous dairy alternatives out there, and other ways to get the calcium your body needs (and it needs a lot so make sure you’re getting enough!). Try soy or almond milk. Two cups of chopped kale also contain 19% daily value of calcium, and when you add that to a diet rich in other dark leafy greens, you’ll be hitting your daily calcium intake with no trouble at all. Hummus has that creamy plus salty taste and texture you get from cheese but is so much better for you.

Just, try removing dairy from your diet for 21 days. During that time, keep notes about how you feel. When the 21 days are up, reintroduce a single dairy product and see how you feel. Then come back and tell me how the experiment went. I'm excited to see how much better you feel!