My take on milk

Trying to decide what kind of milk to your family can be exhausting!  There are so many choices out there and so many opinions!  I want to start by saying that I do not believe everyone should eat the same way I do.  Every family has different things going on and different circumstances.  I do believe you should be educated.  I think a lot of people feed their families whatever the rest of the United States is eating and assume that it is ok with out putting any thought into it.  If you start thinking differently about food (not the traditional American way) it can really open your eyes to a new way of looking at your nutrition.  I have read about how different countries eat and it is amazing the difference in quality and the value they put on food.  

Ok back to milk.  So many choices!  Almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, cow's milk, soy milk, flax seed milk, goat milk, and recently I have heard camel milk can be very good for you!  I may have to get some!  I love testing out new foods!  We used to be a 2 gallon of milk a week family.  I thought milk was necessary for our growing family.  About 3 years ago I was doing some research on acne.  I have always had skin issues since I was 12 years old.  I have been on numerous medicines including Accutane twice!  I came across something that said that dairy can cause acne.  I had NEVER heard that before!  I was desperate for answers so I gave up milk and after about 6 months, my skin was clear!  It took a while, so if you ever take away any food out of your diet, give it some time.  Do not expect changes immediately.  Then about 2 years ago we decided that our boys needed to give up cow milk.  We started with one of our twins who had reflux as a baby, eczema, and bowel issues.  He was reluctant at first but after a few months, it became second nature to him and he also noticed how he felt if he did have dairy.   His bowel issues were gone almost immediately his skin looks much better!  We quickly changed the entire family to dairy free.  

So here is some technical info on why cow's milk is not good for most people:

I like to reference information that I find.  That way you can read it first hand out of the mouth of the writers.  I found this article written by Dr. Mark Hyman who referenced his information from Dr. David Ludwig and Dr. Walter Willett from Harvard.  

Milk is Dangerous for your Health. 

A few years ago I started taking soy protein.  Big mistake!  Soy really messed with my hormones.  I will just leave it at I looked like I was nursing!  I also had this unexplainable amount of cellulite.  So from personal experience alone, I do not recommend it.

I have read that goat and sheeps milk and cheese are acceptable.  Milk has lactose which is made up of 2 different types of sugar molecules, glucose and galactose.  There are lots of people that are lactose intolerant and are not aware of it.  I know I wasn't!   Goats milk and sheeps milk is sometimes more easily digested than cow's milk.   We do not drink it but I am not against it either.  Just make sure it is organic and in moderation.  

One thing that I hear from people and I thought my self was that I didn't think I had any problems with any foods.  I have never been diagnosed to have any allergies.  I don't even get seasonal allergies.  But after giving up milk, wheat, corn, etc I have discovered that those foods were harmful to me I just didn't notice or didn't make the connection.  I just thought I had acne and that's it or I have a "sensitive" stomach.  Uh no, the foods I was consuming were causing it, duh!  

I know it is very hard to change something that you have been doing your whole life plus trying to get your kids to do something new seems impossible but I promise it is possible.  Your kids will fight you on it, no doubt.  It will be hard at first especially when you see the rest of society have dairy galore.  But just think of yourself as an innovator.  I always tell my kids that we are just ahead of the game when it comes to nutrition.  Or we are just catching up with other parts of the world, I'm not sure which.  

Here are some tips on how to get started.  Just some things we did to ease our way into a dairy free lifestyle.  I am lucky enough to have a husband that is as much pro paleo as I am so no problem there.  If you do have a spouse that is unwilling to go dairy free, just like your kids, you can ease your way into it.  Start with lactose free milk or buy chocolate almond milk.  Also, take away cheese last but slowly start taking cheese out of your meals.  Avocado is a good replacement when making sandwiches, Mexican food, or when you just want something creamy.  Canned full fat Coconut milk is a great replacement when cooking and the dish requires cream or milk.  There are so many great alternatives that you will realize that it isn't a big deal.  When my kids ask for cheese every so often, I give them almond cheese and that seems to satisfy their craving.  Anytime they are craving a food I find an alternative.  

To close, please take a look at the benefits of almond milk.  I have talked a lot about the dangers of cows milk but wanted to share this article I found that explains some benefits.  

Benefits of Almond milk

Thanks for reading y'all!!