milk is bad right? i know it is but why, ........?

Question

i read richard cohens book, and milk sucks, i just want to be sure.......... i know im right, just affirm my knowledge PLEASE , my pregnant gf needs to know, so we can be healthy with our baby.

Answer 1

If milk is not pasteurized than I wouldn't drink it, but normal commercially produced milk that has been properly refrigerated is fine.

It's a great source of calcium which is very important for the growing baby and the mother - if the mother's diet doesn't include enough calcium to nourish the growing fetus's teeth and bones than it will start to leech from the mother, causing problems for mum with tooth decay and gum disease, and brittle bones (osteoporosis).

Cohen's attitude to milk is POLITICAL, not nutritional. Read his work in perspective.

Answer 2

I myself haven't drank milk in over 15 years. Since I have stopped drinking it, my health has dramatically improved. I hardly get colds anymore, i use to be so prone to colds and then bang, none. Can't tell me thats just a coincidence since I stopped drinking milk. I have even read in some health articles that if you have a cold, don't drink or eat dairy it can make your recovering time longer. Also cows milk is for baby cows! Also the added hormones, pesitisdes and whatever else they add to the cows is in the milk, yuck!
Milk has a lot of protein and it's believed that excess protein leaches calcium from the bone, so kinda counteracting the benefit of calcium from the milk. There are much better sources of calcium out there, green leafy veggies. This is really what you should be eating. There's so much nutrients in these green veggies. Also why in such a high diary consuming society are we still dealing with such high rates of osteoporosis? Milk is good for bones? Why is it that in societies that aren't so dependant on diary, have low osteoporosis rates? There are many other anti milk advocates other than richard cohen.

Also I had two pregnancies and my babies came out very healthy! (even my 25 wk preemie, my preterm labor wasn't due to not drinking milk for sure) Both my girls only had breastmilk (well some formula for my preemie) They are both extremely healthy. My oldest has had one little bitty cold, actually just sniffles. My little one has yet to get sick. So no one can tell me they need milk to be healthy. I truely believe that we as a species are designed to have breastmilk in the beginning years and as we wean off of breastmilk, the only form of liquids we requiring are water. Think about it from early days beginning days of humans, they weren't milking cows to live, our bodies weren't designed to drink milk from another species. Leave the cows milk to baby cows.

Answer 3

I agree with you. With all of the hormones given to the cows so that they can continue to produce milk, possible pesticides, and God knows what they're fed (besides grain) milk is scary. I'm six months pregnant. I'm healthy and my baby is healthy. I'm not worried about that.

Personally, I think that just because the government says something is good and wonderful doesn't mean it is. I think the dairy industry and the government "help" each other out.
I've also heard many stories of doctors and nurses who seemed to be misinformed about health and the vegan lifestyle. I have not told my doctor I'm vegan. She's already been concerned that my baby is not growing properly for as far along as whe she thinks I am. However, I've read and heard that other mothers didn't show much with their first pregnancies as well. Also, I have a couple of friends, one who is a couple of inches shorter than my six feet, one who is a couple of inches taller who both said that they hardly showed with their first babies as well. I'm not worried about my baby's health.

Emo also made some good points as well.

I get calcium from other sources like soy milk, tofu, broccoli and spinach. (I still don't care for spinach, but mixed with other veggies, it's tolerable. However, there is too much good stuff in it to not eat it.)

I did searches for "vegan calcium sources", "vegan pregnancy", "vegan health" (I think, I don't remember if I did this one or not) and "vegan pregnancy".

I can't remember where I read this, but I once read that Americans get too much calcium with an over intake of dairy, meat, etc. It almost seems as though I read it in an issue of "Women's Day" earlier this year, and/or a veg site.

Also, go to the Vegetarian and Vegan subsection under the Food section. Check out some vegetarain and vegan message boards/forums as well. The "Mothering" magazine has some good boards, including a vegetarian and vegan section.

Vegan calcium sources:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.htm
http://www.soystache.com/calcium.htm
http://www.chooseveg.com/
http://www.mercyforanimals.org/
http://www.veganhealth.org/

These are sites on vegan children's health and vegan pregnancy health:
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/people/lifestyle/families/parenting/vegan_children/
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/veganpregnancy.htm
http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-pregnancy/index.htm
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/people/lifestyle/families/parenting/vegan_children/pregnancy/nutrition.php
http://www.vegsource.com/

PS: Laura S made some good points as well. Since I went vegetarian, eventually vegan, my immune system has been good. I had a cold last fall, but that might have just been in part to climate change, as my husband and I moved a couple of months prior. I also had a bug while pregnant, but it's common for immune systems to be down a bit as the body is focusing on the baby.
What Laura S said about osteoperoisis, is what I was trying to get to, too.

Answer 4

Milk is not meant for humans - its meant for baby cows. Thats why its not good for you as such.

It is thought that up to 85% of people have a degree of milk intolerance (its the lactose). This provides symptoms such as mood swings, stomache aches, diareah, heasdaches, rashes, weazing and more.

If you have always been a milk drinker and you are fine, then it will still be fine for you to dring it during pregnancy - although it is thought if you have a mild intolerance and do drink it - this could cause a more prominent intolerance to milk in your baby.

It isnt good for new borns - they need either breast or formula milk. Wait until they are at least 12 months if you want to introduce milk.

The thing about milk for calcium is not infact accurate. There are plenty of foods you can get calcium from.

I have never really drank much milk (when I do it 'goes though my system') and my bones and calcium content are fine. But each person to their own devices.

Answer 5

You can't base your decision not to drink milk off one guys book. Milk is part of the WIC program that the government offers to pregnant women to maintian a healthy diet throughout her pregnancy. Such as stated above, your girlfriend shouldn't be drinking it if she is allergic, but why else would OBGYN's and pregnancy books worldwide tell you that you should be drinking milk for the calcium if it was so bad for your baby? Read What to Expect When You Are Expecting, and talk to your OBGYN about the risks and benefits to drinking milk.

Answer 6

Unless you're lactose intolerant, milk is good for you, and a growing baby. Milk has all the essential nutrients a growing fetus needs. To cut it out would be dumb just because some guy said milk was "bad." Don't believe everything you read, it could be just propaganda. Millions of people drink milk and they are completely healty. Milk does a body good!

Answer 7

What is bad about milk? Milk is the best source of calcium available. Providing she's not allergic to it, your g/f should be drinking lots of milk, especially when pregnant. The body gives what nutrients it has to the baby first, and then the mother gets what is left over. Is she's not getting plenty of calcium for her and the baby, she'll be missing out and it can lead to osteoperosis in the future. I have never heard about milk being bad... that's crazy.

Answer 8

Raw milk is the best...I have been drinking it along with my 2 kids for the past year and I have never felt better. During the pasteurization process all of the good bacteria is killed which your body needs for digestion, that is why a lot of people end up being lactose intolerant. As long as you are getting your milk from a certified dairy It should be fine. I say drink as much of it as you can....RAW the way god intended!!

Answer 9

There is alot of things in this world that is bad for you and they are ALOT worse than milk. My doctor told me to switch to vitamin D milk for the added vitamins and stuff at the beginning of my pregnancy.

I would die if someone took away my milk and I'm currently 37 weeks pregnant with a HEALTHY baby girl.

Answer 10

There is nothing bad in milk, except if you are allergic or milk-intolerant. In bigger quantities it might cause constipation or slightly increase the risk of your baby having a milk allergy. But as long as you don't overdo it, it's a perfect source of calcium and proteins. I really love milk and I'm really sorry that I can't drink it as I'm milk-intolerant.