I do a lot of myth-busting around here, and it’s usually conventional wisdom that crumbles in the face of scientific evidence. But this time I’m actually siding with conventional wisdom, and busting a myth that’s common in the alternative health community. I addressed this topic in-depth on a recent podcast, but it’s such a common question that I decided to write an article on it for easy reference.
The claim is based on the “acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis,” which I addressed extensively in my ‘Acid-Alkaline Myth’ series a couple months ago. (Check out part two as well.)
For those who missed the articles, this hypothesis states that foods high in phosphate leave an ‘acid ash’ after digestion, thereby lowering serum pH. The body supposedly compensates for this and restores normal blood pH by stealing alkaline minerals (such as calcium) from the bones, thus decreasing bone density.
Dairy products and bone health: one thing conventional wisdom gets right.
Because of their phosphate content, milk and other dairy products are usually considered ‘acid-producing’ foods under this hypothesis. Thus, proponents claim that even though dairy contains calcium and other nutrients that can be used to build bone, dairy’s acidifying effect on the body outweighs its calcium content and results in a net loss of bone density.
Although I’ve already written about the hypothesis as a whole, I want to specifically address the claims regarding dairy for a few reasons. First, because my readership is acutely aware of how many times conventional wisdom has led us astray, I think we’re all more likely to believe a hypothesis that directly opposes mainstream health claims. In this case, dairy is so heavily advertised as a panacea for healthy bones that it would seem only natural for those claims to be dead wrong. You’ll see that (for once) this is not the case!
Additionally, I came across a 2011 study that specifically addresses the dairy-acid balance-osteoporosis connection. They came to some interesting conclusions that I want to share with you all, and hopefully we can put this issue to rest.
Dairy, Acid Balance, and Osteoporosis: The Real Scoop
In this study, “Milk and acid-base balance: proposed hypothesis vs. scientific evidence,” the authors review both the acid-ash hypothesis as a whole and the specific claim that dairy contributes to osteoporosis. After reviewing the scientific evidence (or lack thereof), they reach the same conclusions that I have: the studies available simply do not support this hypothesis.
First, they emphasize that urine pH is not indicative of systemic pH. In fact, except in cases of serious renal insufficiency, diet does not affect serum pH at all. If it did, we’d be in a lot of trouble! The pH of our blood is maintained in a very tight range, and if it deviates significantly, we will die very quickly. No doubt we can really mess up our health by eating the wrong things, but thankfully our minute-to-minute survival doesn’t hinge on whether we can correctly balance the acidity or alkalinity of the foods we eat.
Further, the bones don’t even come into play in the regulation of our serum pH; that’s our kidneys’ job. Any ‘acid ash’ that is left behind by the foods we eat can be easily dealt with and eliminated in the urine. This is why your urine changes pH depending on what you eat. It’s just a sign that your kidneys are doing their job!
In short, their conclusions simply reiterate the points I made in my Acid-Alkaline series, and demonstrate that the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis has no scientific backing. But perhaps the most interesting thing about this particular study on milk is the authors’ assertion that dairy isn’t even acid-forming in the first place!
So not only is the hypothesis itself wrong; the application of the hypothesis is wrong too, at least in the case of dairy. Even if the acid ash hypothesis of osteoporosis were viable, there would still be no mechanism by which dairy would contribute to osteoporosis.
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Dairy Probably Is Good for Your Bones After All
The majority of the evidence indicates that conventional wisdom may actually be right about dairy. Clinical studies have found that drinking milk leads to a positive calcium balance, indicating that more calcium was absorbed than was excreted. (1) Other studies show that phosphate in general – not just from milk – increases calcium retention and improves bone health. (2) Increased dairy consumption is also consistently associated with lower rates of osteoporosis and better bone health. We all know to take observational studies with a grain of salt, but when clinical data backs up their conclusions, they’re significantly more convincing.
For example, an increased dairy intake in postmenopausal Korean women was associated with a decreased risk for osteoporosis. (3) Another study found that in the US, dairy intake was a significant predictor of osteoporosis among postmenopausal women. (4) And in Polish women, higher dairy consumption during childhood and adolescence predicted better bone health as adults. (5)
Although you won’t see me sporting a milk mustache in a “Got Milk?” ad anytime soon, it does appear that dairy can be beneficial for bone health. That’s not to say it’s necessary; after all, we got along just fine without dairy for most of human history! But based on the evidence, it’s safe to say that dairy does not contribute to osteoporosis, and full-fat dairy (preferably raw) can be a beneficial addition to the diet for many people.
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As someone who has been involved in nutrition for over 30 years I can’t but scoff at the poorly sourced nature of this article. A couple of contrary studies doesn’t really stack up to the mountain of studies, conclusions and related statistics .
http://milk.elehost.com/html/osteoporosis.html
There is no net benefit to the human body from consuming dairy. And there is a definite link between the countries with the highest dairy consumption in that they all have the highest levels of bone diseases.
Hardly surprising – the gene that enables lactose tolerance is a medeival mutation from northern Europe. This explains why 75% of the world’s population are lactose intolerant. And why intolerance to lactose has no deleterious effect on bone health.
So even if you’re not grossed out by the treatment of dairy cows and their calves, even if you can handle the approved pus levels in milk, you can’t deny that on balance dairy protein and dairy calcium are toxic. 2 recent studies compared it to smoking in terms of health damage.
Forgive me Peter, but you sound almost angry about the consumption of dairy (‘grossed out’).
Looking at the subject objectively, the study you are referring to has concluded that an ESTIMATE of 75% of adults worldwide show SOME decrease in lactase activity during adulthood. That’s not the same as saying 75% of the world is lactose intolerant.
As a vegan, I’d rather people don’t consume dairy for personal reasons, but I am objective about it. I have 2 almost centarian grandmothers walking around who have drank milk in cereal every day.
Studies also show that in those countries you mention, too much preformed vitamin A may be the reason for bone fractures. There are too many factors to consider to simply label dairy as the bad guy.
Hi Chris,
What about the idea that milk products increase mucous production. Is that a stricly individual allergic reaction or is it pretty common and occurs only with pasteurized milk? Also with fermented products, pasteurized or not?
I can’t stress the importance of “raw dairy” from grass fed animals given no antibiotics or growth hormones. The commercial dairy that most consume is nothing more than another processed food. Get real everyone, that’s “real milk”. I grew up on processed food including processed dairy. I had mucus and post nasal drip almost my entire 74 years. Six years ago I switched to raw dairy and within a year I had no more nasal congestion of any kind. For the first time in my life I know what sinuses are supposed to feel like. I finally can breathe. I have the bone density of a 35 year old.
Anecdotes are no substitute for science. Raw dairy has all the contaminents of pasteurised, only with the added threat of listeria poisoning.
What are these studies that you speak of? Can you give us the sources? And have you seen the Harvard nurses study conducted over 18 years of nearly 75,000 post-menopausal women where they determined that milk does NOT reduce risk of hip fractures? (http://m.ajcn.nutrition.org/content/77/2/504.short)
Me thinks you may be funded by the dairy industry! If not, you should have no problem sharing your sources.
The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis (the U.S., India, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland) are also the highest dairy consumers.
If dairy had a protective benefit, we ought to be able to see that rather than the opposite.
http://www.notmilk.com/calbones.txt
I think the study is interesting, but it misleads the reader into thinking that dairy is good for you. From a TCM perspective, dairy is cold and very phlegm-inducing. It hinders the spleen and impedes one’s ability to digest and process food properly.
While it may be a myth that milk decreases bone density, I don’t think that means it’s good for you.
Chris’s article refuting the claim that dairy causes osteoporosis unfortunately relies on one research review that fails to take into consideration the difference between acidemia in the blood serum and acidosis in the other body tissues. Ironically, Chris correctly pointed out this difference when he said, “The pH of our blood is maintained in a very tight range,” while also noting, “No doubt we can really mess up our health by eating the wrong things.” The confusion comes from not recognizing the link between acidemia and acidosis. Cow milk which is high in phosphorus, sulfur, and calcium, causes acidosis in the body TISSUES as the acid products formed from phosphorus and sulfur accumulate. However, as Chris correctly pointed out, acidosis is avoided in the BLOOD as the kidneys excrete excess phosphorus, due to a hormone called FGF-23. But Chris is wrong when he says “the bones don’t even come into play in the regulation of our serum pH.” It is well known that the parathyroid glands release calcium from bone into the blood serum when phosphorus intake gets too high, regardless of the amount of calcium already consumed in cow milk. This mechanism explains the mountain of evidence linking dairy intake with osteoporosis in the Western diet. By contrast, acidosis and bone loss is avoided in infants by feeding human milk which is naturally six times lower in phosphorus than cow milk. For more information, see: http://www.bodyfatguide.com/HowDairyProductsCauseOsteoporosis.htm
You state that milk is high in is high in phosphorus, sulfur, and calcium. You mention that the parathyroid glands release calcium from bone into the blood serum when phosphorus intake gets too high, regardless of the amount of calcium already consumed in cow milk. Why is that? I would have thought that in the same way fruit contains fibre to ensure its fructose is not so damaging, the calcium in milk is there to offset the phosphorus content – to provide balance?
While this is interesting, I’m curious why it is that humans are the only species to consume milk beyond the age of 6 months, and not even from our own species.
I agree.
The only way to truly learn the truth, is by carefully studying the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Who knows, maybe this “Chris Kresser” is a representative (or being heavily funded) of the Dairy Industry. Not my intention to presume overmuch, but still…
“Increased dairy consumption is also consistently associated with lower rates of osteoporosis and better bone health.”
– How come the countries with the highest consumption of dairy products, have the highest rate of Osteoporosis? In Norway, where I live, it is commonplace, people dying left and right, that is. Due to their foolhardy intake of dairy products.
Is the body not (physiologically, as well anatomically) 100% herbivorous, or am I mistaken?
Muscle Atrophy in the elderly, is not unheard of as well, ’tis in fact notorious.
Surely, this cannot be a mere case of happenstance…
What ever could be the culprit of this pandemic?
Buddhist Monks living in rural parts of China, being on a vegetarian diet with little to no dairy, seem to be doing well. For example…
Studies showing milk doesn’t make bones stronger.
1. Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. Am J Publ Health. 1997;87:992-997.
2. Cumming RG, Klineberg RJ. Case-control study of risk factors for hip fractures in the elderly. Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139:493-503.
And this interesting material:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium-full-story/
It doesn’t state that milk causes osteoporosis, but it states:
Lactose Intolerance
Many people have some degree of lactose intolerance. For them, eating or drinking dairy products causes problems like cramping, bloating, gas, and diarrhea. These symptoms can range from mild to severe. Certain groups are much more likely to have lactose intolerance. For example, 90 percent of Asians, 70 percent of blacks and Native Americans, and 50 percent of Hispanics are lactose intolerant, compared to only about 15 percent of people of Northern European descent.
High Saturated Fat Content
Many dairy products are high in saturated fats, and a high saturated fat intake is a risk factor for heart disease. And while it’s true that most dairy products are now available in fat-reduced or nonfat options, the saturated fat that’s removed from dairy products is inevitably consumed by someone, often in the form of premium ice cream, butter, or baked goods.
Possible Increased Risk of Ovarian Cancer
High levels of galactose, a sugar released by the digestion of lactose in milk, have been studied as possibly damaging to the ovaries and leading to ovarian cancer.
Probable Increased Risk of Prostate Cancer
A diet high in calcium has been implicated as a probable risk factor for prostate cancer. In a Harvard study of male health professionals, men who drank two or more glasses of milk a day were almost twice as likely to develop advanced prostate cancer as those who didn’t drink milk at all.
***
So in any case dairy products come out as unsuitable for human being, unless it’s a 0-3 year old child feeding on milk of a human. Not of a cow, anatomically different animal weighing at least 5 times larger than normal human.
After many years of high dairy consumption and inhaled asthma steroids I ended up with advanced osteoporosis and 3 broken teeth/root canals and counting. Dairy did nothing to protect my bones from the inhaled steroids, and I believe dairy actually caused calcium excretion in the urine from too much total protein. AND after stopping dairy I was able to get off the steroid. It turns out I had a HIDDEN dairy intolerance which is quite common!!!
After many years of high dairy consumption and no inhaled asthma steroids I have not got osteoporosis, have not broken a single bone, not had any fillings in my teeth, and in fact, I have never had any problems with my teeth at all. I believe dairy consumption has made me invincible!… do you see what I did there? Maybe this can make you realise how stupid this comment sounds.
I think the PH analysis is flawed by relying on serum levels.
For example I serum test pretty normal for magnesium but when I apply topical magnesium in the form of dissolved Magnesium Chloride then I can really tell I have a magnesium deficiency because my muscles and posture are transformed and other healing process are greatly helped.
The PH of the blood is interesting but shouldn’t the prime concern be tissue PH and benefit.
It might be the PH diets are beneficial for other reasons than PH like phytonutrients etc. Hard to reconcile the limited science with the observation that PH diets do greatly reduce muscle tension and improve general health. In my case anyway.
Chris – I’m just curious if they controlled for the presence of K2 in the diet? I thought I was beginning to understand the role of D3 & K2 and that they were both necessary for the body to put the calcium in the right place in the body, otherwise the calcium would be deposited in places like arteries (hardening of the arteries) or soft tissue in the joints (arthritis pain.) That with the D3 & K2 the body can do a whole lot of good with just a little calcium, regardless of the source.
Chris,
Everytime I go to an organic store and see RAW milk in the fridge (or even RAW kefir), it says clearly that its not for consumption, and seems to be used for bathing purposes.
It seems that raw milk is dangerous based on the bacteria in there. How come you recommend it still?
Babies only drink milk.
Their bones only get stronger.
We didn’t need this article to tells us that 🙂
And then they are weaned! The milk producers – cows, goats, sheep – only feed it to their offspring in infancy.
Matt, with such a logic, you should eat nothing. For example, honey is for bees, seeds are for the reproduction and spread of flowering plants, etc,
Congratulation, great article indeed. I´am of the same opinion like you and attach some posts presented on my FB page on this subject.
https://www.facebook.com/MichalPijakMDPersonalizedPaleoNutrition
DON´T BELIEVE STUPID CLAIMS THAT ALKALINE FOODS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH
Surprisingly, all those stupid alkaline diets overlook the important role of foods in urine pH.
If you are healthy, there’s no reason to make special effort to “balance out” acidic foods or take alkaline supplements with the aim to change the pH of your body fluid. However,the type of foods have great influence on urine pH. Healthy urine should be slightly acidic.
Consumption of alkaline foods leads to permanetly alkaline urine which increases the risk of precipitation of calcium phosphate salts and decreases antibacterial activity of the urine.
On the other hand, consumption of acidic foods results in very low urine pH, which increases antibacterial activity of the urine but increases the risk of precipitation of urate salts in some persons, such as those with metabolic syndrom.
In addition, all patients with crystaluria or kidney stones should avoid foods with high content of soluble oxalates. One of the best food for patients with hypercalciuria including both phosphate and oxalate stones is dairy, especially fermented products. Acidogenic dairy foods decrease urine pH, decrease intestinal absorbtion of toxic soluble oxalate salts due to chelating effect of calcium, provide high amount of phosphates, calcium and magnesium,( which increases the solubility of calcium in the urine) and promote colonisation of gut with oxalate degrading bacteria – oxalobacter formigenes.
DON´T BELIEVE IDIOTIC ACID-ASH HYPOTHESIS: LOW, BUT NOT HIGH URINE pH IS A SIGN OF GOOD HEALTH AND HEALTHY DIET
Low urine pH and acid excretion do not predict bone fractures or the loss of bone mineral density: a prospective cohort study.
Fenton TR, Eliasziw M, Tough SC, Lyon AW, Brown JP, Hanley DA.
BACKGROUND: The acid-ash hypothesis, the alkaline diet, and related products are marketed to the general public. Websites, lay literature, and direct mail marketing encourage people to measure their urine pH to assess their health status and their risk of osteoporosis.The objectives of this study were to determine whether 1) low urine pH, or 2) acid excretion in urine [sulfate + chloride + 1.8x phosphate + organic acids] minus [sodium + potassium + 2x calcium + 2x magnesium mEq] in fasting morning urine predict: a) fragility fractures; and b) five-year change of bone mineral density (BMD) in adults.
METHODS: Design: Cohort study: the prospective population-based Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine associations between acid excretion (urine pH and urine acid excretion) in fasting morning with the incidence of fractures (6804 person years). Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations between acid excretion with changes in BMD over 5-years at three sites: lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip (n = 651). Potential confounders controlled included: age, gender, family history of osteoporosis, physical activity, smoking, calcium intake, vitamin D status, estrogen status, medications, renal function, urine creatinine, body mass index, and change of body mass index.
RESULTS: There were no associations between either urine pH or acid excretion and either the incidence of fractures or change of BMD after adjustment for confounders.
CONCLUSION: Urine pH and urine acid excretion do not predict osteoporosis risk.
DON´T BELIEVE IDIOTIC ACID-ASH HYPOTHESIS: LOW, BUT NOT HIGH URINE pH IS A SIGN OF GOOD HEALTH AND HEALTHY DIET
Low urine pH and acid excretion do not predict bone fractures or the loss of bone mineral density: a prospective cohort study.
Fenton TR, Eliasziw M, Tough SC, Lyon AW, Brown JP, Hanley DA.
BACKGROUND: The acid-ash hypothesis, the alkaline diet, and related products are marketed to the general public. Websites, lay literature, and direct mail marketing encourage people to measure their urine pH to assess their health status and their risk of osteoporosis.The objectives of this study were to determine whether 1) low urine pH, or 2) acid excretion in urine [sulfate + chloride + 1.8x phosphate + organic acids] minus [sodium + potassium + 2x calcium + 2x magnesium mEq] in fasting morning urine predict: a) fragility fractures; and b) five-year change of bone mineral density (BMD) in adults.
METHODS: Design: Cohort study: the prospective population-based Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine associations between acid excretion (urine pH and urine acid excretion) in fasting morning with the incidence of fractures (6804 person years). Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations between acid excretion with changes in BMD over 5-years at three sites: lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip (n = 651). Potential confounders controlled included: age, gender, family history of osteoporosis, physical activity, smoking, calcium intake, vitamin D status, estrogen status, medications, renal function, urine creatinine, body mass index, and change of body mass index.
RESULTS: There were no associations between either urine pH or acid excretion and either the incidence of fractures or change of BMD after adjustment for confounders.
CONCLUSION: Urine pH and urine acid excretion do not predict osteoporosis risk.
PHOSPHATE DECREASES URINE CALCIUM AND INCREASES CALCIUM BALANCE: A META-ANALYSIS OF THE IDIOTIC OSTEOPOROSIS ACID-ASH DIET HYPOTHESIS PROMOTED BY VEGANS AND PALEOROMANTIC MORONS
Fenton TR, et al.
Source: Clinical Nutrition, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada. [email protected]
BACKGROUND: The acid-ash hypothesis posits that increased excretion of “acidic” ions derived from the diet, such as phosphate, contributes to net acidic ion excretion, urine calcium excretion, demineralization of bone, and osteoporosis. The public is advised by various media to follow an alkaline diet to lower their acidic ion intakes. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to quantify the contribution of phosphate to bone loss in healthy adult subjects; specifically,
a) to assess the effect of supplemental dietary phosphate on urine calcium, calcium balance, and markers of bone metabolism; and to assess whether these affects are altered by the
b) level of calcium intake,
c) the degree of protonation of the phosphate.
METHODS: Literature was identified through computerized searches regarding phosphate with surrogate and/or direct markers of bone health, and was assessed for methodological quality. Multiple linear regression analyses, weighted for sample size, were used to combine the study results. Tests of interaction included stratification by calcium intake and degree of protonation of the phosphate supplement.
RESULTS: Twelve studies including 30 intervention arms manipulated 269 subjects’ phosphate intakes. Three studies reported net acid excretion. All of the meta-analyses demonstrated significant decreases in urine calcium excretion in response to phosphate supplements whether the calcium intake was high or low, regardless of the degree of protonation of the phosphate supplement. None of the meta-analyses revealed lower calcium balance in response to increased phosphate intakes, whether the calcium intake was high or low, or the composition of the phosphate supplement.
CONCLUSION: All of the findings from this meta-analysis were contrary to the acid ash hypothesis.
1. Higher phosphate intakes were associated with decreased urine calcium and increased calcium retention.
2. This meta-analysis did not find evidence that phosphate intake contributes to demineralization of bone or to bone calcium excretion in the urine.
3. Dietary advice that dairy products, meats, and grains are detrimental to bone health due to “acidic” phosphate content needs reassessment.
4. There is no evidence that higher phosphate intakes are detrimental to bone health.
PERSONALLY I THINK, THAT THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE AGAINST FLAWED CORDAIN´S THEORY THAT MILK-MEDIATED mTORC1-SIGNALING MAY PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE INITIATION AND PROGRESSION OF CANCER . Read more about this theory: http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/9/1/74
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND CANCER: A GREAT SUMMARY O EVIDENCE AGAINST FLAWED CORDAIN´S THEORY THAT MILK-MEDIATED mTORC1-SIGNALING PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE INITIATION AND PROGRESSION OF CANER
Lampe JW. J Am Coll Nutr. 2011 Oct;30(5 Suppl 1):464S-70S.
Oral BCAA supplementation is associated with reduced incidence of HCC in patients with cirrhosis and seems to prevent liver-related events in patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21829025
Milk Consumption and Bladder Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Published Epidemiological Studies
In conclusion, results of this meta-analysis suggested a potential protective effect of milk for bladder cancer, and this relationship varied widely across geographical regions and specific dairy products. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and elucidate the likely biological mechanisms.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01635581.2011.614716#.UiRQED9JRbs
Interesting. I am a recovering … I don’t what exactly.
Science definitely isn’t the area of my expertise so I have to rely on the opinions of others. Although I didn’t buy into this alkaline theory entirely, I have tried to be more alkaline for the last 3 years. I do have low density and I was always acidic. This worked fine, until I stop looking at the bottle of potassium (which I bought some two years ago) a started to take one pill a day. This was some 4 months ago. Some six weeks ago, I had a bad cold, with bad coughing and everything else, a week later another cold, some day later I was on the verge of yet another cold, and for the last several days, I’ve been sneezing and coughing. It looks like I have a permanent cold. Last week, I had a medical check up which showed that my blood pressure dropped significantly, the lab tests showed that my potassium reached the upper level of the range and my PH is 7. I decided to diagnose myself and concluded that I need more salt than potassium and spend my days licking salt, just like some animals do. If anyone is interested in the remaining potassium pills, I can send them.
It’s a good point to cite that the calcium humans are getting during the Paleolithic era are good enough to sustain the body, considering they are subject to harder and laborious work than we are today.
It’s great that there’s a huge Calcium content in dairy products but the question really is do you really need that much? I’d say sticking to http://bit.ly/primalpaleo diet gives our body all the nutrients we really need.
I applaud you Chris for raising this subject. And for daring to ‘step out of line ! Dairy has become a ‘dirty word’ in the alternative health community, and to shun it has become almost the norm.
We are told that the countries with the greatest dairy consumption have the highest rates of osteoporosis. Conveniently omitted is that these countries also have the highest consumption of refined carbohydrates and processed food. Why pick on the dairy ?
And studies are produced to demonstrate the harms of dairy, but they’re meaningless because they’re
all based on industrially produced milk, pasteurised, standardised, homogenised, defatted etc. A far cry from the real milk I drank as a child, fresh from our own cow. Infections were not passed on in the milk because care was taken with cleanliness.
I was raised in a dairying culture. My ancestors as far back as I can trace, all had raw dairy (there being no such thing as pasteurisation till the 20th century). They all had good bones.
Many people posting on here will also be descended from cultures that kept dairy animals. Why would something that has sustained us for millenia be suddenly so harmful ?? Only because of the way it’s now produced and processed.
Good comment. Yes, I am one of those from these long, very long, fully documented milk (milk and honey) traditions.
Estelle,
I WANT to agree with you. Mostly because I love dairy. But I disagree with your argument that it has become “suddenly so harmful” after it has”sustained us for millenia” – many would argue the same about grains, particularly wheat, and I would have to say that we’ve only suffered for our reliance on it for the past 10 or 12 thousand years. I’m not sure that simply consuming something for thousands of years makes something safe or healthy, as people have relied on many things for survival throughout history that simply became traditional to eat – not because they were actually good for us – but because we had been doing so for so long.
I still think many can tolerate milk very well, and even thrive on it as long as it’s raw, and those who have should continue consuming it. Grains, however, are a different story.
Totally agree. If you don’t believe in Adam and Eve, you may believe that humans have lived without grains, sugar, and milk for 2.5 million years.
However Chris also points out that just because the ancestors never had it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t, and he also states, as you do, that there is something to be said for raw organic milk from heritage pasture raised animals. I would then ferment that.
Coming at this from a gout perspective, all the info I found on the web says that dairy is a “neutral” food when it comes to the acid-alkaline debate. Yeah, the milk in it is acidic-forming, but the calcium in it is alkaline, so it offsets the acid.
I was looking for a way to solve Hubby’s got problem without sending him into meat withdrawals (which he got–got horrendous cravings for it while on a “low purine” diet). As an alternative to this diet, I found the acid-alkaline stuff, and learned that some foods actually CHANGE their pH after passing through stomach acid: lemons are one.
After making changes to our diet by including these acid-to-alkaline foods, I keep his gout largely at bay. I say “largely” because he still gets occasional attacks brought on by barometric pressure–nothing I can do about that, except maybe buy a hyperbaric chamber for him to crawl into.
I had previously tried using calcium carbonate supplements (it too changes your pH), but found it gave Hubby athlete’s foot–a sign of TOO MUCH alkalinity. Up to that point, he’d never had athlete’s foot before. I switched to using these convertible-pH foods, and he’s as fine as I can get him.
calcium CITRATE and foods that contain citrate are good for breaking up kidney and gall stones, may also be useful for gout considering gout is uric acid crystals, same substance in some kidney stones. Also how much liquid is he drinking? Not enough fluids also contribute to kidney stones, may be a relation with gout
Lemons contain citrate, so maybe that’s why lemons helped? (and not because of the acid-alkaline thing, which I don’t really like haha).
I would think that it makes a difference whether the milk is raw or pasteurized, too, a fact that is virtually always disallowed.