Milk DOESN’T Do a Body Good… Why Giving Up Dairy is A Great Defense Against COVID

“Milk and other dairy products are the top source of saturated fat in the American diet, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have also linked dairy to an increased riskof breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.”

https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/health-concerns-about-dairy

This is shocking. Especially in light of the fact that many people grew up with slogans such as, “Milk does a body good,” or “You Scream. I Scream. We All Scream for Ice Cream!”

There is plenty of evidence to show that consuming dairy is likely one of the unhealthiest things people can do, yet, dairy is part of daily life for countless individuals.

If people only knew how unhealthy dairy products are, they would give it up, wouldn’t they? Not necessarily.

Artery Clogging Substance

With heart disease on the rise, cutting out dairy is one of the most important actions we can take. In fact, dairy products are the top sources of artery-clogging saturated fat in the American diet. Milk products also contain cholesterol. Diets high in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease, which remains America’s top killer. Cheese is especially dangerous. Typical cheeses are 70 percent fat.

Despite this information, people continue to consume diets high in dairy products, especially cheese.

World Upside Down

Over the last few months, people around the world have been incredibly focused on doing what they can to minimize their risk of contracting COVID-19. Their world has been turned upside down due to stay at home orders, implementing drastic personal hygiene measures as well as minimizing contact with even their closest friends and family members through physical distancing.

Yet, one area many people have failed to make much needed changes is in their dairy consumption. Even with evidence connecting the dangers of consuming factory farmed foods, such as milk, cheese and other dairy products, many people ignore the fact that by eliminating these products from their diet, they would increase their immune system’s ability to minimize their risk factors should they contract the virus.

“I could never give up cheese,” can be heard near and far. “It’s as if I’m addicted,” can be heard from others.

Cheese is addicting

According to Dr. Neal Barnard, “The dairy industry’s marketing wizards do a good job: they sell their products, keep us coming back, and maintain a strong foothold in American homes. It’s hard to compete. They even have the U.S. government hooked. In return for $140 million, Uncle Sam works with Dairy Management Inc. to promote dairy products like cheese, which aren’t helping solve disproportionate rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in America. Compared to those who eat cheese, people who follow a dairy-free diet have a BMI that’s two points lower, on average, the equivalent of 15 pounds.”

Dairy Contributes to Animal Abuse

Health aside, consuming dairy, in 99% of the cases, is incredibly inhumane to animals. Although many people do not connect the dots on how cattle are treated in factory farms, this is an area that needs to be brought to the light of day.

The life of a dairy cow on a factory farm is unbelievably inhumane. With the rise of factory farming, milk is now a most unnatural operation. Cows are forcibly impregnated, with calves born to dairy cows being separated from their mothers immediately after birth.

Female calves are raised to replace older dairy cows in the milking herd. After three or four years of intense and stressful milk production, the females are sent to slaughter.

COVID-19 Cases in Factory Farms

“Meatpacking plants have become national hot spots for the novel coronavirus. Of the 25 largest clusters of COVID-19 cases in the United States, six are tied to meat processing plants (the rest are prisons and nursing homes). At least 48 workers have died from the virus, and another 11,000 have been sickened.” https://www.presbyterianmission.org/food-faith/meat-and-coronavirus/

With the recent increase of COVID-19 cases being diagnosed, doesn’t it make sense to minimize the risk by not consuming dairy products.

If nothing else, the last couple of months have been a great opportunity to look at lifestyle choices we’ve made that either support a healthy lifestyle or contribute to ill health and dis-ease. Many people have made needed changes to improve their health and vitality, while others have done nothing different in their food choices.

Half Measures Avail Us Nothing!

It’s ironic that people will continue to let their world be turned upside down due to the fear of illness and death COVID-19 has caused, but ask them to give up something that has a direct correlation to diseases such as inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and some cancers, and people dig their heels in.

Millions refuse to make simple changes that could literally turn their health around. Granted, due to the addictive nature of dairy products, with cheese at the top of the addictive food charts, it is not necessarily easy.

Yet, when you consider all the chaos caused by the changes we have been required to make due to COVID, giving up dairy seems minimal in comparison.

People are taking half measures by making the surface changes that have literally turned their world upside down. Changes like social distancing, continually washing their hands and wearing masks when out in public. A deeper change is to determine what foods they are consuming that are wreaking havoc on their long-term health.

With the collapse of our healthcare system, financial well-being for millions a thing of the past, and overall health decreasing by the day, we each need to take personal responsibility for building a solid foundation that minimizes our risks to the dangers the virus causes. To not do so is as irresponsible as not putting all the other measures in place.

Experts Speak Out

Looking for insights from experts who live the plant based lifestyle? Then you’ll love the Plant Based Eating for Health Podcast Show. http://www.plantbasedeatingforhealth.com/podcast