Do You Drink Cows Milk?

There is a lot of conclusive research that now goes back for decades about the dangers of consuming excessive amounts of cow's milk. After reading both sides of the issue, I decided to give up all milk products on June 12th of this year. The protein in milk has been shown to increase the growth rate of cancer tumors in several types of cancer (breast, pancreatic, prostate and others). That is essentially because cow's milk is intended to grow a baby calf from birth to large weaned youngster in a very short period of time. Humans are designed to grow slower.

I would encourage anyone to do further research on this matter, on both sides of the issue. Most of us are already familiar with the basic claims about milk and how it does a body good (osteoporosis and hip fractures are highest in the populations that consume the most cow's milk). But these claims are promoted by an industry that's in the business to make a profit, not protect your health. One good book that covers the subject in extensive detail is "The China Study". If you don't feel like delving into volumes of research and evidence, watch the documentary, "Forks Over Knives", just released on DVD this week. I wish I had known this information earlier.

Regarding the thing of growing a calve.. I don't know if you've ever looked at the calories in a carton of heavy cream over a gallon of skim milk.. Or like my dad had milking cows and seen the thick, thick cream that comes off the top after the cow is milked and the milk settles.. But all those calories meant for growing the calves are in the cream. The milk itself does not grow the calves. Infact, if you tried giving a calf skim milk it would surely waste away and die.

Myths vs facts about dairy farming: (click on the tabs)

http://www.dairyfarmingtoday.org/Learn-More/MythsvsFacts/Pages/MythvsFact.aspx

Really? I mean, consider the source - this site is created by dairy farmers. What do you think their agenda is?

No I don't drink cow's milk - for the simple fact that I am an adult human and not a baby cow. I wouldn't drink another human's breast milk regularly - why would I drink another species'?

It is factual.
There are a lot of nontruths in that link in the original post. For instance, dairy cattle are most certainly not given constant doses of antibiotics and are not "constantly stressed". It is simply not true. There are many more big stretches and even lies in that article.

You've got to be kidding me. I can't believe you actually swallow that BS from the website of the Dairy Farmers of America. Look up videos of dairy farms and tell me they are not stressed. They most certainly ARE given constant antibiotics and all kinds of other hormones and chemicals.

What makes sense here? These dairy farms (and all big meat producing plants) are in the business to produce a product as quickly and as cheaply as possible. They don't care what they have to do to get the job done. Just think about it a little. Do some research.

I find it very interesting that people are so skeptical of any information that goes against their American-bred belief that milk "does a body good". It's ironic since that whole myth was created by an extensive and massive advertsing campaign that was never based on any real science. And yet...people just won't let go.

It's BREAST MILK! It's chalk full of PUS and BLOOD and HORMONES that cause CANCER. The poor cows live their entire lives in misery and suffering. Please, open your minds to the idea that cow's milk is NOT healthy at all!!

"You've got to be kidding me. I can't believe you actually swallow that BS from the website of the Dairy Farmers of America. Look up videos of dairy farms and tell me they are not stressed. They most certainly ARE given constant antibiotics and all kinds of other hormones and chemicals."

I've actually been to a dairy farm. Have you? I've been to a beef cattle ranch. Have you?



"What makes sense here? These dairy farms (and all big meat producing plants) are in the business to produce a product as quickly and as cheaply as possible."

Well, no kidding. That's called economics. All businesses are in the business of producing a product as quickly and cheaply as possible. If they don't, they're out of business.



"They don't care what they have to do to get the job done. Just think about it a little. Do some research."

Met a lot of dairy farmers, have you? The farmers and ranchers I've met have been concerned about their herds, keeping them healthy and, yes, protecting their investments.



"It's BREAST MILK! It's chalk full of PUS and BLOOD and HORMONES that cause CANCER. The poor cows live their entire lives in misery and suffering. Please, open your minds to the idea that cow's milk is NOT healthy at all!!"

Cite an independent, researched based, unbiased source with documented facts to prove these statements. Otherwise, it sounds like the ranting of the anti-animal product army.

"You've got to be kidding me. I can't believe you actually swallow that BS from the website of the Dairy Farmers of America. Look up videos of dairy farms and tell me they are not stressed. They most certainly ARE given constant antibiotics and all kinds of other hormones and chemicals."

I've actually been to a dairy farm. Have you? I've been to a beef cattle ranch. Have you?



"What makes sense here? These dairy farms (and all big meat producing plants) are in the business to produce a product as quickly and as cheaply as possible."

Well, no kidding. That's called economics. All businesses are in the business of producing a product as quickly and cheaply as possible. If they don't, they're out of business.



"They don't care what they have to do to get the job done. Just think about it a little. Do some research."

Met a lot of dairy farmers, have you? The farmers and ranchers I've met have been concerned about their herds, keeping them healthy and, yes, protecting their investments.



"It's BREAST MILK! It's chalk full of PUS and BLOOD and HORMONES that cause CANCER. The poor cows live their entire lives in misery and suffering. Please, open your minds to the idea that cow's milk is NOT healthy at all!!"

Cite an independent, researched based, unbiased source with documented facts to prove these statements. Otherwise, it sounds like the ranting of the anti-animal product army.

"Well, no kidding. That's called economics. All businesses are in the business of producing a product as quickly and cheaply as possible. If they don't, they're out of business."

Animals aren't "products". They are living, feeling, sensitive beings. That was my point. Do you support puppy mills, too?

Where exactly is your unbiased source? Because you are all about that website from the dairy farmers. Surely you don't think that is unbiased? I would really, really love to see your unbiased, independent, research-based source with documented facts to prove your statements that dairy cows are not mistreated and pumped full of crap.

Type in "dairy cow undercover videos" and see what comes up. It's horrific. And don't even TRY to tell me that it's a rare occurance.

so, what exctly are the dangers associated with cow's milk? I read about all the bad stuff in cow's milk, but what does it do to our bodies?

Far be it from me to ever rave about the FDA, they have a lot of issues, but they have expressed concern over the possibilities of illegal drugs in the milk supply, drugs that they do not ordinarily test for:


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/business/26milk.html

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Especially when you look at the credentials, or in the case of the site that the OP posted, the lack of credentials of the person or organization putting out the info. I know several people who farm or raise animals and I am getting tired of these folks being treated like they are somehow in league with the Devil.

In response to this I just have to say that small family farmers are as much a victim of big business as are the animals themselves (regardless of what I do or do not believe about raising animals for food). Many (if not most) farmers have been forced into industrial production in order to make a living for their families. When production becomes large, a certain number of losses, and abuses, are allowed, and even calculated into profits (simple economics). When human beings are forced to do inhumane things day in and day out, their own humanity starts being chipped away at. I feel badly for the people who have to work in these situations, just as I do for the animals who have to live through them.

Dear lord... not this crap again.

"You've got to be kidding me. I can't believe you actually swallow that BS from the website of the Dairy Farmers of America. Look up videos of dairy farms and tell me they are not stressed. They most certainly ARE given constant antibiotics and all kinds of other hormones and chemicals."

I've actually been to a dairy farm. Have you? I've been to a beef cattle ranch. Have you?



"What makes sense here? These dairy farms (and all big meat producing plants) are in the business to produce a product as quickly and as cheaply as possible."

Well, no kidding. That's called economics. All businesses are in the business of producing a product as quickly and cheaply as possible. If they don't, they're out of business.



"They don't care what they have to do to get the job done. Just think about it a little. Do some research."

Met a lot of dairy farmers, have you? The farmers and ranchers I've met have been concerned about their herds, keeping them healthy and, yes, protecting their investments.



"It's BREAST MILK! It's chalk full of PUS and BLOOD and HORMONES that cause CANCER. The poor cows live their entire lives in misery and suffering. Please, open your minds to the idea that cow's milk is NOT healthy at all!!"

Cite an independent, researched based, unbiased source with documented facts to prove these statements. Otherwise, it sounds like the ranting of the anti-animal product army.

"Well, no kidding. That's called economics. All businesses are in the business of producing a product as quickly and cheaply as possible. If they don't, they're out of business."

Animals aren't "products". They are living, feeling, sensitive beings. That was my point. Do you support puppy mills, too?

Where exactly is your unbiased source? Because you are all about that website from the dairy farmers. Surely you don't think that is unbiased? I would really, really love to see your unbiased, independent, research-based source with documented facts to prove your statements that dairy cows are not mistreated and pumped full of crap.

Type in "dairy cow undercover videos" and see what comes up. It's horrific. And don't even TRY to tell me that it's a rare occurance.

While I may not personally live on a farm, I live in the dairy capital of Canada which can only mean one thing: I've milked too many cows to count, and every single one of my friends is farmers. My best friend actually grew up with such a love for animals that she is now attending university to become a veterinarian. Her, and the rest of her family, wake up each morning at about 4:30 a.m. to milk. There us absolutely NOTHING wrong with how these animals are kept/ treated. They wander in fields all day, and while they may be hooked up to a machine to be milked, there is no harm coming to these animals. I cannot say exactly what goes into their feed, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that there are some kind of hormones. As much as every farmer loves their animals it still has to feed the family, and it is still their source of income. As for health issues, they drink their milk straight from the filtering tank, to ensure they receive all the "good" bacteria (though this includes the added "bad" that isn't removed in the sterilizing process), and they are all very much healthy.

In all honesty, I don't care about what "crap" is being pumped in, I'm sure its there but that's not the part that bothered me about your post. It was the "mistreatment" of the cows that irked me. if ANY farmer i know heard you talking like that, you would NOT be conscious for much longer. The time, effort and care that is placed onto each and everyone of these cows astounds me. Oh, I'm SURE there are horror stories, but none that i have ever seen or heard of. If you wish to believe that dairy farmers are cruel people only hoping to make a dollar you CLEARLY have not met a dairy farmer.

Fear mongering...what a wonderful tool to use in order to get everyone to believe the same things about everything.

I love milk. I love cheese. Fear mongering like this won't make me stop using dairy products any more than people whining about how "bad" it is that I eat...oh goodness...animals.

This....and I'm a WI girl through and through