Milk Is Not Good For You - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages In fact, being critical of milk in the United States is akin to attacking motherhood, baseball, or even apple pie. However, this is exactly what this paper seeks to do. Basing on research, on milk, from various journals and using the study results of various experienced doctors, one is best advised to avoid completely milk and milk products. While everyone likes a good, cold ice cream, the effects that it has on one’s health should influence decision-making (DuPuis 22). This paper will seek to explore the documented ill effects of milk and provide reasons for the avoidance of milk at all costs. In the medieval times, in England, parents would fasten the feet of rabbits around the necks of their babies to ward off illness. The doctors also believed that spitting on the wounds of a patient worked since saliva supposedly had healing properties. In fact, history is filled with many health beliefs that are not founded on fact and, to the detriment of society; the myth on milk is a common myth that is the most tenacious (Casabona & Epifanio 33). Milk and milk products are more than a simple drink; they are a cultural phenomenon, which is traceable through the last thousands of years. The myth on milk’s unending benefits is still resonating loud and clear with the average child in the United States consuming at least 104 quarts of milk and milk products (Casabona & Epifanio 33). This myth on milk has spread across the globe, and it has been based on the belief that this drink, rich in calcium and protein is fundamental in support of good overall health and, particularly, the health of bones at all ages (Tremblay & Gilbert 96). This confusion with regards to the benefits of milk, imaginary or not, can be understood as stemming from the fact that milk contains around 300 mg of calcium per cup. However, scientific studies indicate that there are detrimental assortments of health effects, which can be linked directly to the consumption of milk. The most surprising of these links is that taking milk, in particular milk that has been pasteurized, does not lead to absorption of the present calcium. In fact, making matters even worse, drinking pasteurized milk leads to loss of calcium from the bones, which is ironical (Tremblay & Gilbert 96). Calcium loss from bones happens in several ways. The most serious happens because milk, like all proteins from animals, leads to a drop in blood pH that, in turn, leads to a biological correction (Walker et al 1011). This is because, while calcium is a good neutralizer of acid and the biggest calcium store in the mammalian body is the bones, the calcium that is required by the bones in order to stay healthy is needed to correct the acidification caused by milk. When this calcium is removed from mammalian bones, even after neutralization is through, it leaves the blood through the urine and leads to a net result of a calcium deficit in the body. It is for this reason that countries with low milk consumption like Japan have relatively lower incidences of fractures afflicting their population. The sad truth, however, is that the majority of healthcare practitioners tend to ignore facts such as these that are proven. This leads to doctors prescribing lots of milk for patients who suffer from osteoporosis, which leads to a worsening of the population’ ...Download file to see next pagesRead More