Soooo, yesterday I was getting facebook “like” notifications in droves, and couldn’t figure out WHY (it’s not supposed to be abnormal though, is it?! haha;) until I read Christina’s dilly-o on dairy post. Thank you friend for the amazing shout out on both your blog and your facebook page! I hope all the new faces around here like what they see and stick around!
Christina, (and perhaps you, too!) is contemplating going vegan (again). Like most individuals, I’ve experimented with nutritional lifestyles (raw, vegan, paleo, see-food diet etc.) over the different phases in my life, but now and forever I can confidently say I will be Raw, Plant-Based, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, and [refined] Sugar-Free for reasons I hope to respectfully deliver here on the blog appropriately.
Starting with dairy…
This is pretty hard even for me to accept since I love cheese! But you know what? I’m ok with out it! In fact, my body is even better with out it. I can’t unlearn the information I now know, and dairy is no longer appealing.. in fact it’s actually repulsive.
According to Vivian Goldschmidt, founder of Save Our Bones, there are a variety of myths surrounding milk consumption. One of the first myths, she mentions, is that drinking milk creates healthy bones because of the calcium found in the milk. WRONG! In actuality, the animal protein found in milk actually depletes the human body of calcium — exactly the opposite of what milk drinkers expect it to do.
I encourage you to stop what you’re doing and read the rest of her article Debunking Milk Myths because the scientific findings are astounding.
Like all animal protein, milk acidifies the body pH which in turn triggers a biological correction and it turns out that calcium is an excellent acid neutralizer. The biggest storage of calcium in the body is obviously in the bones. So the very same calcium that our bones need to stay strong is utilized to neutralize the acidifying effect of milk. Once calcium is pulled out of the bones, it leaves the body via the urine, so that the surprising net result after this is an actual calcium deficit and possible kidney stones.
Knowing this, you’ll understand why statistics show that countries with the lowest consumption of dairy products also have the lowest fracture incidence (or osteoporosis cases) in their population (Source)
Essentially everything we have been brainwashed taught about milk is incorrect. Scientifically speaking, humans have no business consuming any animal milk aside from his or her own mother’s milk.
I could go on and on about this topic, so here are more excellent resources to examine closer for yourself, and cross reference this information:
Why is Dairy Bad for Me? <– definitely watch this video! I couldn’t embed it.
Forks Over Knives
Not Milk
Milk Chemical Contamination
Got the facts on Milk?
Since Christina is toying with the Dairy-free lifestyle, I thought I would step up my game a bit and come to the table with some help — for her, and anyone else on the fence.
With June just days away, how about a 30-Day Dairy-Free Challenge? Maybe you’ll only want to try it a couple days, a couple weeks, or maybe you’re determined to kick this and need a push…
Who’s onboard? This is a great opportunity to do this challenge with a group of people where you can find tips, recommendations, encouragement, and support!
Here are some of my favorite “dairy” alternatives to kick start your way to a dairy-free lifestyle..
If you’re a coffee drinker, this is a great milk/creamer alternative. In fact, So Delicious actually has creamers, but in my household, the original suffices:) I love making my Cacao/Maca drink with this..
Almond Breeze and Rice Milk are both staple items in my household and is usually bought in bulk. We use rice milk for cereals, and typically any recipes calling for milk, unless I prefer something else. The Almond milk is usually for enjoyment, whether it be in a beverage or pudding, etc.
I’m a fan of hemp milk, too, but rarely have it on hand; however, I may eventually swap the rice milk out for hemp milk, because of the nutrients in hemp:)
So Delicious cultured coconut milk yogurt is off the charts good. Not only do they have several flavors, but the consistency is extremely creamy, and basically identical to traditional yogurt.
So Delicious also has Greek style yogurt — which is also phenomenal if you prefer Greek style yogurt!
Amande was a happy accident find, and I love that it’s a Seattle based company. The product is phenomenal, especially when mixed with chia, nuts, and other toppings; however if you’re the type that needs your yogurt consistency to match traditional yogurt, this might not cut it for you. My easy fix is to pour into a bowl and mix until smooth — This product is definitely worth a try!
Hello, looooovvvverrrr!! Daiya (day-uhh) is by far the BEST cheese on the market. This is the only cheese I know of that is soy-free, which is HUGE for my family and I. Also, they recently came out with wedges, so grilled cheese sammies can be back in my life should I choose to make one because this amazing cheese MELTS!
Heaven. I love my Coconut Bliss so much! So Delicious also makes a coconut based ice cream, but it’s too “fluffy” for me (I think it’s the guar gum?) whereas CocoBliss is very dense. If you prefer a marshmallow-y texture, definitely try to the So Delicious one, otherwise you will luuurve Luna & Larry for life!
My Dad’s favorite little dessert at the moment.. When I ran out of my above mentioned obsession, I indulged in one of these and couldn’t believe how good it was. I of course immediately walked back to the freezer to look at the box and read the ingredients. Flabbergasted, I concluded there is no reason we all can’t be dairy-free… That delicious!
Is the truth about milk/dairy shocking to you?
Do you think you could do 30-days Dairy-Free?
What are some of your favorite dairy-free/alternative products?
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