Why replace dairy? How?
If you believe that “you need dairy for calcium”, then you have been misinformed. Yes, you need calcium, but other foods, including certain vegetables, also have calcium. Parsley, broccoli, spinach, kale, sesame seeds, tahini (sesame butter), fenugreek, carob, and tofu all have calcium, depending on the soil where they were grown and also on the batch. So no, you do not need dairy for calcium.
Pasteurized, cow’s dairy (milk, cheese, and yogurt) has most nutrients removed during the processing and heat treatment. Also, be aware that much industrial dairy is from cows fed on growth hormones, antibiotics, and painkillers. Dairy can cause congested sinuses, mucus, or skin irritations in many people. If your sinuses are often congested, then why not try avoiding dairy for a week, and see how you feel?
Most dairy also tends to contain a protein called A1, which may be slightly toxic for some people, who break it down to an opioid peptide that can cause inflammation of the digestive system. The acidifying effect of dairy may cause the calcium to become lodged in your tissues and organs, according to the acid-alkaline balance.
The facts about dairy go beyond “lactose intolerance”. Lactose is a sugar (glucose + galactose) in dairy that requires an enzyme in the small intestine called lactase. Some people, particularly aging people, may produce little lactase. They are lactase-deficient. Other people may have been born with a lactase deficiency. Some people tolerate raw dairy better than pasteurized dairy, which is depleted of enzymes during the processing.
Some people tolerate goat or sheep dairy better than cow’s dairy. Without the nutrients found in raw milk, pasteurized, cow’s milk tends to form acids in the blood and tissues. An acidic environment can harbor pathogens, toxins, and lead to weight gain.
If you are not in good health, why not try avoiding dairy for a week, and then see how you feel? Dr. Peter D’Adamo, in his book “Eat Right 4 Your Type“, advises avoiding dairy, particularly if you have blood type A. On the other hand, blood type B is better able to digest dairy, particularly goat’s dairy or sheep dairy, according to blood type eating. Dr. Michael Klaper, MD, a gung-ho vegan, describes why to avoid dairy in this two-minute video here.
Carrageenan is a gum derived from seaweed that is often added to yogurt, ice cream, and confectionery made of dairy. Bovine growth hormone is injected into cows raised for conventional dairy. Transglutaminase, also known as meat gum, is added to many conventional dairy products to thicken them.
Substitutes for dairy
Dairy is most commonly milk, cheese, or yogurt. Almond, soy or coco milk are easy substitutes for cow’s milk. They may or may not be healthy for you. Legumes also have calcium. Soy milk is particularly suitable for blood type A, according to blood type eating. Grass-fed, A2-genetic cows can produce milk that is not inflammatory for some people. A2 refers to the breed of the cow.
For some people, though not for everybody, goat or sheep dairy, especially raw, can be a healthy substitute for pasteurized cow’s dairy. Some people are more sensitive than others to dairy of any sort, including goat or sheep dairy.
It is better to listen to your body. For example, to test your digestion, you could have a mono-meal of goat or sheep yogurt. You could then wait and see how feel one to four hours later. Beware that raw dairy can quickly become moldy or contaminated (without pasteurization).
You can easily test your own sensitivity to all dairy. First, avoid all dairy for one to three weeks. Then try goat or sheep dairy, such as feta cheese, if available, else cow’s dairy. Listen to your body. How do you respond? Does it cause you mucus in your sinus, indigestion, bloating, stomach pains, excess gas, constipation, or diarrhea? Even if you have drunk milk or eaten cheese since your childhood, you may still be sensitive or even intolerant to dairy without knowing it.
Can you find bones of healthy cows at your local butcher? If so, then boiling these bones, you can make your own bone broth, which has calcium.
Fermented foods are a part of many ancient cultures. They are a healthy substitute for dairy. They can stimulate the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Pasteurization reduces the quantity of healthy bacteria in fermented foods, such as sauerkraut (fermented cabbage). Not all fermented foods are healthy for everybody. You can also ferment your favorite vegetables, such as carrots or cucumbers (pickles).
Why Don’t Europeans Have the Same Reaction to Dairy?
Conclusion
If the dairy theory of strong bones were true, how do you explain the fact that in the countries where there is the greatest consumption of dairy (Scandinavia and North America), there is also the greatest incidence of weakened bones of aging people? What about magnesium and other mineral deficiencies?
In this four-minute video, Dr. Mark Hyman, MD, describes how dairy can even be dangerous for your health. Is he exaggerating? Maybe, but I suggest that you watch it and then decide. Dr. Hyman further briefly describes why to avoid dairy here. Dr. Amy Myers, MD, agrees with this conclusion here.
Cow’s milk allergy is the most common food allergy in children younger than five. Sixty-five percent of adults are lactose-intolerant. Five reasons to do without dairy are here.
Mother’s milk can be the best dairy. The human being is the only animal that drinks the milk of another species. We are also the only species that drinks milk after childhood. Is this what nature intended?
Try cutting dairy for one to three weeks, and then see how you feel. You have nothing to lose. You may gain health. Some people digest goat or sheep dairy, such as feta cheese, better than others. Others digest raw milk or fermented raw milk better than others. According to blood type eating, blood types A and O are the least apt to digest certain dairy, while blood types B and AB are the most apt to digest certain dairy. Listen to your body, and know yourself.
Chris Kresser, an avid promoter of supplements, describes his opinion that dairy is not inflammatory to everybody.
References
Oski MD, Frank, “Don’t Drink Your Milk!“, Teach Services, 1993, review
Epstein, MD, Dr. Sam, “What’s In Your Milk?“, Trafford Publishing, 2007, related brief lecture
Levy MD JD, Dr. Thomas, “Death by Calcium“, Medfox, 2013, book reviews, topical video, 1:13
Thompson MD, Dr. Robert, “The Calcium Lie II: Your Doctor Doesn’t Know“, Take Charge, 2013
Schmid ND, Ron, “The Untold Story of Milk“, New Trends Publishing, 2009, related interview
Bateman, Brent, “Don’t Drink A1 Milk: The Type A1/A2 Milk Issue“, self-published, 2011
Woodford, Keith, “Devil in the Milk“, Chelsea Green Publishing, 2009, interview, related lecture by MD
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Greenmedinfo on dairy
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Matthews, Julie, “Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Diet for Autism“, article
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