Stuck on Milk

I just finished reading a new book by Dr. Esselstyn titled Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure

In it the doctor describes the cases of 24 terminal patients who came back to life on a plant based diet. Keep in mind these were not people that had minor heart disease; these were people that had been to the rodeo a couple of times, and who surgeons would no longer operate on.

The main tenet of this eating plan is to consume no animal products.  This means, no chicken, no turkey, no eggs, no milk, no cheese. Saying yes to green leafy vegetables, legumes, and fruits and roots. Those who followed Dr. Esselstyn plan have survived and thrived beyond their expected years when they first started. I urge anyone with a history of heart disease to take a serious look at this plan, and indeed new way of life.

This started me thinking about what we eat and especially what my children eat and more precisely their milk. I found that I am so mentally stuck on “children have to have their milk”. I realize that the nutritional needs of developing children and adults are different. My assumption is that children require more fat, but what kind of fat should be coming into their bodies?  I know walnuts and fish oils are exceptional for the brain and brain function but what about dairy fat? is it any good for them? does it just build up in their tiny vessels just like in ours?

That led me to find Dr. Attwood’s Low-Fat Prescription Diet for Kids. From this book I have learned that cow’s milk protein is a main contributor to allergies, asthma and eczema. It increases the chances of a child who is allergic to the cow’s milk protein to develop type I diabetes.  Also countries where the most milk is consumed have the highest rates of osteoporosis. It doesn’t make sense.

Dr. Rashid Buttar describes in The 9 Steps to Keep the Doctor Away: Simple Actions to Shift Your Body and Mind to Optimum Health for Greater Longevity
that there has been a mutation in the cow’s milk protein beta-casein  causing it to produce a peptide called BCM7 which is inflammatory in the body, and has been linked to chronic diseases like heart disease, autism, schizophrenia, and other autoimmune and neurological disorders.

We have tried other milks. Goat milk was phenomenal for us but too spendy. Now we have almond milk on a regular basis. Segundo is the only one on whole milk and Primera is grudgingly having some almond milk but prefers whole milk.

My main reason for reading Dr. Attwood’s book was never a concern about my children’s outward appearance; those of you who know them have seen they are nowhere near chubby. What led me to this book was a concern raised by Dr. Esselstyn’s book. It got me thinking about what their arteries are like, and what genetic predispositions they may have. I have learned that children’s arteries collect fat just like grown ups do. If they are subsisting on a high fat diet, meaning saturated and unsaturated, they are collecting the stuff in their arteries.

Segundo has had no adverse reaction to cow’s milk. None visible anyway.  As our diet (our family) draws more protein and calcium from non-animal sources he will no longer need it. He may already not need it, but I don’t feel confident that I am well educated enough to manage his diet in a way that guarantees without doubt that he is getting enough calcium without it.

As for the rest of us I know we are meeting our nutritional needs without it. Now Primera just has to get used to the idea of almond milk!

I feel like I am preparing to go on a new adventure. In the last two weeks I have increased our whole grains, legume, vegetable and fruit intake. No doubt I will let you know how it goes, and maybe share some recipes too!

Let me know what you think and if you have any experience in diminishing your animal product intake (does not compute, does not compute), or if you think it is a bunch of bologna!

Enjoy life!

Gilda

Tagged as: babies, children, diet, fat, heart health, milk