Calcium Deficiency and the Diseases of Milk

The typical Western diet has almost no vitamins and minerals. The only nutrients in abundant supply are protein, iron, fat, and those chemically added to food such as vitamin D. If it weren’t for dairy products most Americans would be deathly ill by their teenage years. Calcium deficiency is a major problem in the United States, yet we are one of the largest consumers of cow’s milk in the entire world. Cow’s milk is one of the most unhealthy things you can drink because cow’s milk is meant for baby cows, not baby humans.

milk makes you sick

Parents who feed their children cows milk should reconsider their choices because cow’s milk has many disastrous consequences for both adults and children. According to Dr. Fuhrman in Disease-Proof Your Child, the diseases with a strong link to Cow’s Milk are: prostate cancer, heart attacks, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, childhood-onset diabetes, anal fissures, ear infections, chronic constipation, and allergies.

resolving calcium deficiency is easy

photo by 3liz4 on flickr width=
garlicky baby bok choy by 3liz4 on flickr

A diet of whole plant-based foods is rich in calcium and suffers none of the ill effects of consuming dairy. I often get 150% of my daily calcium requirements just by eating enough food to fill me up. Some amazing sources of calcium in my diet are kale, bok choy (the Chinese vegetable), and broccoli. If those aren’t enough options for you, try almonds, navy beans, oranges, raisins, sesame seeds, spinach, or soybeans.

80 calories of spinach has 35% of my daily calcium needs. Meanwhile 80 calories of whole milk has only 15% of my calcium. The calcium from milk is harder to absorb than calcium from vegetables like bok choy! As an avid weight lifter and runner I can often eat 2500 calories in a day, but even with all my extra calories, I’d never meet my basic nutrient requirements if I were consuming dairy on a regular basis.

The Casual Vegan