My Personal Experience
Personally, I never drank too much milk. My mother used to encourage me to drink more of it and I also tried to force myself to consume more dairy since we both had been informed to think it was good for our bones and would help us grow taller and stronger. And with enviable celebrities endorsing milk, what impressionable young girl wouldn’t want to drink more of it?
Although I had the intention to consume more, I just never could. I didn’t feel well after drinking milk, and often times could not finish a glass of it.
My daughter, who is my first child, is about 2 years old as I write this. Given the common American practice of feeding infants and children lots of dairy, I provided my daughter with a mainly dairy-based diet as she weaned off of breast milk, believing that it was good for her.
She was exclusively on breast milk until she was about 10 months old. From about 10 months to 12 months old, she had a mix of breast milk and formula (cow’s milk). From 12 months to 18 months old, she was drinking mostly cow’s milk as well as eating cheese and yogurt. During this period, at least half of her diet was based on cow’s milk.
“Americans consume more cow’s milk and its products per person than most populations in the world. So Americans should have wonderfully strong bones, right? Unfortunately not. A recent study showed that American women aged fifty and older have one of the highest rates of hip fractures in the world. The only countries with higher rates are in Europe and in the south Pacific (Australia and New Zealand) where they consume even more milk than the United States.”
– The China Study (2006) by Dr. Campbell; page 204
So far, we have been lucky with my daughter’s health. She seemed to be exceptionally healthy during her first 12 months. Even though she was exposed to lots of different children almost every day and was in the cold often (she loved being outside in the winter), she got sick maybe twice (and, when she did, it consisted of a day’s worth of minor sniffles), she had a very healthy complexion, and she never had any issues like eczema, acid reflux, or anything else. However, within a couple of months after her first year, she started to catch more colds — was either stuffed up or had a runny nose (was mucus-y), her complexion changed (looking less healthy), and the rims of her eyes also became a tinge of purple. Something felt wrong… and the main change was that she was consuming a lot more dairy.
Sufficient Bodies of Scientific Studies Show a Strong Correlation Between Dairy Consumption and A Wide Range of Illnesses
Concerned about the changes in my daughter, I started to read more about dairy and nutrition in general. Of the numerous books that I have read, the one that has been particularly convincing in its argument against dairy (and, more broadly, animal protein) is The China Study, a book written by a highly credible professor of nutrition at Cornell University.
“The China Study describes a monumental survey of diet and death rates from cancer in more than 2,400 Chinese counties and the equally monumental efforts to explore its significance and implications for nutrition and health. Dr. Campbell and his son, Thomas, have written a lovely, provocative and important book that deserves widespread attention.”
– Frank Rhodes, PhD
President (1978 – 1995) Emeritus, Cornell University
“The China Study is the account of a ground-breaking research study that provides the answers long sought by physicians, scientists and health-conscious readers. Based on painstaking investigations over many years, it unearths surprising answers to the most important nutritional questions of our time: What really causes cancer? How can we extend our lives? What will turn around the obesity epidemic? The China Study quickly and easily dispenses with fad diets, relying on solid and convincing evidence. Clearly and beautifully written by one of the world’s most respected nutrition authorities, The China Study represents a major turning point in our understanding of health.”
– Neal Barnard, M.D., President
Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine
“All concerned with the obesity epidemic, their own health, and the staggering environmental and social impacts of the Western diet will find wise and practical solutions in Dr. Campbell’s The China Study.”
– Robert Goodland, Lead Advisor on the Environment
The World Bank Group (1978 – 2001)
Examining the link between diet and nutrition, the largest study ever conducted on human beings as well as hundreds of other studies consistently show that dairy can cause heart disease; diabetes; obesity; osteoporosis; kidney stones; cataracts; macular degeration; multiple sclerosis; Alzheimer’s; and breast, prostate, colon and rectal cancer!
If I knew then what I know now, I never would have given her cow’s milk, yogurt, and all the cheese that she ate (she loves cheese!)!
“Cheese consumption during childhood is a major concern because it takes ten pounds of milk to make one pound of cheese. Besides the bovine growth hormone given to cows, their milk contains estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin, and other natural cow hormones. Cheese not only is richer in saturated fat, but is a more concentrated source of these hormones. These milk hormones can exert effects on humans. The more you drink or eat dairy, the more hormones you get, and cheese consumption magnifies the negative aspects of cow’s milk. Whether it is the hormonal exposure, the high levels of saturated fat, or the growth-promoting effects, any way you look at it, the vastly successful advertising campaign waged on Americans has given milk and cheese an unearned health food status. Science suggests otherwise, and slower growth and a later maturation are favorable to longer life.”
– Disease-Proof Your Child (2005) by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.; page 87
But, Don’t We Need Milk For Strong Bones?
Click on Osteopororsis. You may be surprised by what the studies reveal.
Okay, I’ll Avoid Dairy. But, Is It Really Safe For My Toddler To Avoid It?
Once convinced that I should minimize consumption of dairy (and animal protein), I was still uncertain about not providing my daughter with animal protein, including dairy. The messages in The China Study seemed radically different from all other messages about healthy diets for children, including advice from my pediatrician. I sought opinions from pediatricians who were also familiar with The China Study. I didn’t necessarily seek for agreement with the recommendations of The China Study but I did seek familiarity with the scientific studies and its more than 8,000 statistically significant findings. I found one book: Disease-Proof Your Child by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, a family physician. (Click on Dr. Joel Fuhrman to read more about his credentials.)
“The American Academy of Pediatrics supports the introduction of whole cow’s milk after one year of age. I do not. Gastroesophageal reflux, iron deficiency, and calcium and sodium excess may be created by feeding cow’s milk to our infants and toddlers…. in addition, the continued intake of DHA from breast feeding is important.”
– Disease-Proof Your Child (2005) by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.; page 114
Concluding Thoughts
Intellectually, I’m on board with eliminating dairy! In practice, we still have a bit of dairy. My coffee is just not the same without my organic Half & Half. We have pizza with cheese… However, we have cut down significantly.
The YouTube video below is one that I would have reacted negatively towards prior to becoming a mom. I probably wouldn’t have even watched the whole +3 minutes of it. However, after reading what I have about dairy, and, especially, after becoming a mom, the video does affect me. It helps me in minimizing dairy.
Related Content:
- Dairy
- Osteoporosis
- Need Help Minimizing Dairy? This Is Meant To Help
- The China Study by Dr. Campbell
- Disease-Proof Your Child by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
- Children: Avoid Milk, Cheese and Wheat
- How to Eat?
- Dairy: Why the HUGE Misunderstanding?
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