My Personal Opinion On Dairy Foods

I have noticed that there seems to be a lot of discussion lately regarding dairy foods.  A lot of people are following the Paleo movement quite religiously, and refusing all dairy food sources.  Now, I really respect the paleo folks, because they are hard-core when it comes to their commitment to health and wellness, and they are often on the cutting edge of information when it comes to food and lifestyle as "medicine".  However, I think each person's individual makeup should determine what foods are best for them, and not an across the board blueprint for the whole human population.  As we all know, the human body can produce the enzyme to digest the carbohydrate in milk, or lactose.  The lactase enzyme is what allows your body to drink cow's milk and be able to digest it completely, and therefore absorb the nutrients in it.  Now, if you are lactose intolerant, or no longer produce enough or any lactase enzyme like me, then it definitely makes sense to not drink milk.  There are definite health disadvantages to consuming a food you cannot properly digest.  However, there are many people who can digest milk and dairy products just fine.  So, for someone like me, the Paleo crowd's advice makes sense.  It would not be good for me to drink milk.  But for alot of people who can drink it, and choose not to, they are really putting themselves at risk for dental caries and bone loss as they age.  Because before people were drinking cow's milk (prior to about 7,000 years ago), people still KNEW they had to eat calcium rich foods, often in the form of softened fish bones, fish heads, or bone broths.  So, our bodies need calcium, period.

Here is an excerpt from "Nourishing Traditions", by Sally Falon, page 42, regarding calcium:

"Not only vital for strong bones and teeth, calcium is also needed for the heart and nervous system and for muscles growth and contraction.  Good calcium status prevents acid-alkaline imbalances in the blood.  The best sources of usable calcium are dairy products...Sufficient vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption as is a proper  potassium/calcium ratio in the blood."

If you click on the highlighted nutrients word above, it will bring you to a site that shows you the 16 nutrients in milk, and what those nutrients do for your body.  For those of us who are lactose intolerant, there are still other options, such as cheddar cheese and other cheeses that do not contain any carbohydrates, which would indicate a small amount of lactose.  I do eat cheese, and I also supplement my calcium needs through other sources.  But, make no mistake about it, dairy is the number one best source of calcium for you.  So, DRINK MILK!