Looks Like the Vegans Were Right! (Why Milk Sucks)
People no longer avoid milk ‘just’ because they’re allergic or lactose intolerant. Today, many people are starting to cut it out of their diets because it’s not actually very good for you. This is not exactly breaking news – for some time now, evidence that milk may not be as beneficial as people once believed has been widely proliferated in the media. Slowly but surely, mainstream food production is catching on, with alternatives to milk and dairy becoming widely available.
Milk Allergy VS Milk Intolerance: Is Being ‘Lactose Intolerant’ Really a Thing?
To be allergic to dairy has far more serious implications than being lactose intolerant, and can even be life threatening. Symptoms of a milk allergy may include diarrhoea, anaphylaxis, vomiting, hives, abdominal cramps, watery eyes and itchy skin (often around the mouth). Babies may develop Colic as a result of a milk allergy.
Lactose intolerance is far more common than having a milk allergy. In fact, a significant portion of our population is lactose intolerant. The symptoms are mainly related to digestion, and include diarrhoea, gas and bloating after consuming dairy products.
5 Great Reasons to Stop Drinking Milk Today!
1. Bad for Our Planet
It’s not hard to find information on the impact the farming of cows has on the environment. The carbon omissions alone are a massive cause for concern, impacting climate change in a serious way.
2. Bad for Your Bones
Contrary to the widely populated notion that cow’s milk builds strong bones and teeth, scientific evidence has now shown that this is not the case. Cow’s milk has high levels of acidity, which causes our blood to become more acidic. To restore pH balance, our bodies will leech calcium from our bones, setting them up for osteoporosis.
3. Bad for Your Skin
Studies have linked dairy to the exacerbation of acne, so if you’re prone to breakouts or looking for a way to clear your skin, cutting out milk is a great start.
4. Bad for Digestion
Lactose intolerance happens because as we age, our body stops producing the enzyme lactase, which is meant to break down the sugar in milk (lactose). This is why lactose intolerance often only develops when you’re older, and why it is actually so common: we simply aren’t able to digest milk after a certain point. As mentioned above, an intolerance to milk upsets your digestive process, causing pain and discomfort.
5. Bad for Your Overall Health
Pasteurised milk contains a high content of saturated fat, so if you’re trying to lose weight, cutting it out is the simplest solution. Saturated fat is also linked to heart disease, high cholesterol, eczema and in some studies, cancer.
Try cutting milk out of your diet for a week to see how your body reacts. If you can, extend that to 2 weeks, or a full month. The results will speak for themselves.
