Cow’s Milk vs Almond Milk

How I explain my aversion to cow’s milk without sounding like a lactose-intolerant, elitist bitch

LINY, why don’t you drink cow’s milk anymore?

Good question. Like any kid, I used to drink cow’s milk. Chocolate at grade school. 1% at summer camp. And Muscle Milk in high school.

Fortunately, my days of drinking cow’s milk are over. Today, you couldn’t pay me to drink cow’s milk. Because today:

• I know cow’s milk is bad for my health.
• I know how (crappy) it makes me feel.

I’m not alone. Thousands of people have given up cow’s milk.

People want to know specifics. Why should they stop sucking the proverbial utter?

With that, here are seven reasons for explaining why you don’t drink cow’s milk anymore.

Seven reasons not to drink cow’s milk

1. Cow utters

Seriously, people. Isn’t that gross enough for you? It’s a white liquid that comes from the phallic nipple on the under-belly of a cow.

Yes, cow’s milk is pasteurized. But so are liquid pasteurized egg whites. And those, with zero fat or cholesterol, actually make you feel good!

Did you know that no other mammal drinks the milk of another?

Sure, we’re the only species with the means to produce cow’s milk commercially. But there aren’t any predators sneaking up to a cow and sucking on her utter, right?

2. Not even good for children

I’m not a child anymore. But anyone who has one should know the truth.

“There’s strong evidence that Type 1 diabetes is linked to diet, specifically dairy.”

That’s right. Type 1 diabetes.

Here’s how children can develop Type 1 diabetes from drinking cow’s milk:

1. Infants and children may not fully digest the protein.
2. Small protein fragments left in the stomach are destroyed as invaders.
3. The invaders look like healthy pancreatic cells.
4. The confused body destroys the invaders and pancreatic cells.
5. Pancreatic cells, which are responsible for making insulin, get depleted.
6. Body becomes unable to produce insulin.

The result of getting Type I diabetes?

• Infected for life.
• Insulin must be managed (shots).
• Risk of early death from disease complications.

Not cool, right?

So, why is this news to you? Well, lobbyists go to extremes to protect big government-subsidized businesses. That may be why you never this 1994 announcement from the American Pediatrics Association:

So there’s that. But wait, there’s more.

3. Multiple Sclerosis?

While unconfirmed, cow’s milk might be a cause of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). A few notable studies link cow’s milk consumption and MS.

Sure, genes will come into play. But, people who move away from their original environment do not retain the same risk levels. So environment matters more than genes.

4. The bone health myth

Yes, there is calcium in cow’s milk. And yes, calcium is needed for strong, healthy bones.

But, why do American women have one of the highest rates of hip fractures in the world? It’s because we consume more cow’s milk per person than most populations. And what about the few countries which consume more milk than us? They are the few countries with worse bone health than us.

WTF?

So how can cow’s milk actually be bad for bone health? In five steps, the human body:

1. Recognizes that cow’s milk is highly acidic.
2. Does not like acidic environments.
3. Needs basic minerals, like calcium, to neutralize the acidic environment.
4. Pulls calcium from bones to neutralize.
5. Has bones now deplete of calcium.

Certainly, humans can get calcium from other sources besides cow’s milk. Broccoli, raw almonds, spinach, kale, and of course, almond milk come to mind.

5. Casein killer

Casein makes up 87% of the protein in cow’s milk. Casein is cancerous. Simple as that.

Skeptics will say, “Well, everything gives you cancer.” And they’re somewhat right. But casein, the main protein in cow’s milk, is one of the most powerful cancer promoters known to man.

To be clear, casein alone will not give you cancer.

Casein will invariably promote cancer growth, however, assuming carcinogens are present.

No, it’s not a fluke. It’s been tested on two different organs, four different carcinogens, and two different species. Casein promotes cancer.

Promotion, and the three stages of cancer

Cancer stages are best thought of with an analogy. Per The China Study, the three stages of cancer is like planting a lawn:

Stage 1: Initiation. Like putting seeds in soil.

Stage 2: Promotion. When the grass starts to grow.

Stage 3: Progression. When grass grows uncontrollably onto the driveway.

Casein, in this example, is like lawn fertilizer. It promotes the growth of grass in the proverbial lawn of cancer stages.

6. Almond milk

Almond milk is available at nearly every grocery store. It looks, tastes and feels just like cow’s milk. It actually tastes better.

Almond milk is essentially crushed, strained almonds mixed with water. You can even make your own with a Vitamix.

Almond milk can be used traditionally, like in coffee or cereal. It’s also good in less-traditional foods like smoothies, buffalo sauce recipes and cashew queso. What’s more, it’s great straight out of the jug!

The best part about almond milk? It has the same or more calcium as cow’s milk.

7. Not too late

Animal proteins, like casein, do promote cancer and can cause Type 1 diabetes. But cow’s milk, as with most other cancer promoters, is like a car’s pedals.

• Gas: Consume it. You’re putting your foot on the gas for cancer promotion.
• Brake: Stop consuming it. You’re putting your foot on the brake for any previous promotion of cancer.

You can usually get the cancer into reverse gear, too. Eat right and disease will fade.

Conclusion

People will ask why you no longer drink cow’s milk. The simple answer is that:

• It causes disease.
• It is not that helpful for bone health.

Or, say what I say: “It helps me spend less time on the toilet or at the doctor and more time in the gym.”

Works cited

Campbell, T. Colin & Campbell, Thomas M. The China Study. Dallas, TX: BenBella, 2006.