Full Day, Full Broken Heart: How Dairy's Presence in our Dietary Guidelines is Institutionalized Racism
6.1.2020
Our country is on fire for good reason, our planet is on fire for naught.
I’ve mentioned in several . previous . posts . that Dr. Milton Mills has been sounding the alarm (SINCE THE 90s!) that we need to change our US Dietary Guidelines because they are harming folks of African, Asian, and Native American descent; and disregarding the science/proof behind this harm (and continuing to erroneously state that dairy is necessary) is institutionalized racism.
Given that racism is currently/finally/continuously front and center in our discussions and we have no time to waste in regards to environmental and nutritional harm, I’m going to spotlight Dr Mills’ important message again.
Continue for: Dr Milton Mills and why pushing cow breastmilk as a dietary guideline is institutionalized racism, he’s also going to explain that it is a myth and a misunderstanding of our biology to call ourselves “carnivores” (<— we are not biologically set up to be carnivores and we operate optimally when we avoid animal products), and a family thriving with plant-based whole-foods (best diet for the planet, best diet for your body, and the cheapest diet of them all).
Live Kindly, Feast Kindly, Grow Forward
Plant-Based Whole-Food Kiddo Breakfast: blueberry oatmeal, cashew cream, and peanut butter.
One of my favorite fighting-the-good-fight souls is Dr. Milton Mills. He has been pushing back on our racist dietary guidelines since the 90s. Why racist? Because we have known for DECADES that “adult lactase deficiency is common with a worldwide occurrence of near 70%.”
“Estimates for lactose intolerance vary by ethnicity. African American and Asian ethnicities see a 75% - 95% lactose intolerance rate, while northern Europeans have a lower rate at 18% - 26% lactose intolerance. “
Additionally, he points out“If you actually look at the way our digestive system is constructed, we have the anatomy and the physiology of a strict plant-eater or herbivore. We don’t have any adaptations in our digestive system or our physiology that is adapted to eating or consuming animal flesh. And that’s why we can’t consume animal flesh without the aid of technology.”
Here’s some more on that:
Humans have short, soft fingernails and small “canine” teeth. In contrast, carnivores all have sharp claws and large canine teeth that are capable of tearing flesh.
Carnivores’ jaws move only up and down, requiring them to tear chunks of flesh from their prey and swallow them whole. Humans and other herbivores can move their jaws up and down and from side to side, allowing them to grind up fruit and vegetables with their back teeth. Like other herbivores’ teeth, humans’ back molars are flat for grinding fibrous plant foods.
Dr. Richard Leakey, a renowned anthropologist, summarizes, “You can’t tear flesh by hand, you can’t tear hide by hand. Our anterior teeth are not suited for tearing flesh or hide. We don’t have large canine teeth, and we wouldn’t have been able to deal with food sources that require those large canines.”
Animals who hunt have short intestinal tracts and colons that allow meat to pass through their bodies relatively quickly, before it can rot and cause illness. Humans’ intestinal tracts are much longer than those of carnivores of comparable size. Longer intestines allow the body more time to break down fiber and absorb the nutrients from plant-based foods, but they make it dangerous for humans to eat meat. The bacteria in meat have extra time to multiply during the long trip through the digestive system, increasing the risk of food poisoning. Meat actually begins to rot while it makes its way through human intestines, which increases the risk of developing colon cancer.
Dr. Mills is one of many physicians who advocate for the power of a plant-based diet to prevent chronic disease and other health issues. He has previously served as the Associate Director of Preventive Medicine and as a member of the National Advisory Board for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). He has also written on a number of diet-related health topics for the organization, including a paper on how the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans fail to acknowledge the health crises facing the African American community.
Dr Mills started seeing the affects of this in his patients and started sounding the alarm. Back in 1999 he published the following papers with Dr. Neal Barnard:
If reading in-depth, nutritional/societal focused papers isn’t your thing, here are three great videos:
“Doctor Explains Why Pro-Dairy USDA Dietary Guidelines Are Racist”
“Dr. Milton Mills Responds To Joe Rogan & Other 'What The Health' Claims”
If podcasts are your thing, here’s a great one on Switch4Good where they discuss:
Health risks of consuming dairy, including acne, digestive problems, osteoporosis, and certain cancers.
Lactose intolerance and people of color.
Government involvement in the dairy industry and dairy promotion.
NutritionFacts.org YouTube for science-backed, easily digestible, and subject-specific videos on health and the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Imagine your patients come to you with persistent sickness, and you hear that they and their children are growing progressively sicker because their country keeps telling them they NEED cow breastmilk for best health, despite the fact that there is ample evidence to prove that cow breastmilk is unneeded nutritionally, is causing great harm to those intolerant to it, and ruining our environment in the process.
Would you continue gleefully stating how much you love the breastmilk from another species (DESPITE ALL THE HARMS)?
Could you stay in standstill?
Or would you roar?
If you’re compelled to raise your voice for George Floyd, consider raising your voice for all the souls harmed by our country’s racist guidelines and join Dr. Mills in urging for change in our dietary recommendations.
I hark again and again, because despite the growing amplification of the harms (<—and I have covered dairy a LOT), I notice with a wailing heart that society keeps stumbling backward with bellows of “but it tastes good” and/or it’s “how we’ve been doing it for years!”
We also had toxic lead in our pipes for centuries, & doctors also used to smoke and promote it as healthy.
We have the ability to grow forward with new information, it’s just understandably hard to do so…especially when you’re addicted. If you don’t want to hear these facts and still believe the myth that another species’ breast milk is a health food, here is some information to consider:
Humans are supposed to be weened around 2 years of age, yet we persist with drinking the breastmilk of another animal. We’re the only species that does this, and we aren’t even choosing a mammal that has anywhere near our same body composition or lifestyle. —> The protein in cow’s breastmilk is meant to double the size of a calf in about 60 days. Humans babies are supposed to double their weight in about 5 months (and not end up the size of a cow), so by continuously feeding yourself an unneeded mammalian growth slurry you are setting yourself up for a feast of diseases.
Wait, why would it give us diseases?
First, you should know that all animal products (muscle, breastmilk, embryo) contain increased amounts of choline. “As bacteria in your gut feast on the choline, they produce a substance called trimethylamine (TMA). Your liver takes that TMA and converts it to TMAO. “
Why’s that an issue / What’s the matter with TMAO?
“The trouble with TMAO is that data show high levels contribute to a heightened risk for clot-related events such as heart attack and stroke—even after researchers take into account the presence of conventional risk factors and markers of inflammation that might skew the results. In their most recent analysis, scientists showed that high blood levels of TMAO were associated with higher rates of premature death in a group of 2235 patients with stable coronary artery disease. Those found to have higher blood levels of TMAO had a four-fold greater risk of dying from any cause over the subsequent five years.”
You can also take a look into mTOR research so you can understand that the enzyme within that breastmilk causes cancer cells to grow (because again, breastmilk is meant to GROW OUR BABIES, adults/children are not supposed to be drinking it through life, and especially not some other species’ breastmilk), and when you consume animal products (whose proteins are flush with mTOR) it begins to perpetuate the growth of cancer.
In the same vein, you should look into the research surrounding IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) and how it perpetuates cancer. How? Why?
“When we consume too much animal protein, the body increases its production of a hormone called IGF-1, (insulin-like growth factor 1). IGF-1 is one of the body’s important growth promoters during fetal and childhood growth, but later in life IGF-1 promotes the aging process. Reduced IGF-1 signaling in adulthood is associated with reduced oxidative stress, decreased inflammation, enhanced insulin sensitivity and longer lifespan.4 In contrast, IGF-1 has been shown to promote the growth, proliferation and spread of cancer cells, and elevated IGF-1 levels are linked to increased risk of several cancers. Several observational studies have suggested that high circulating IGF-1 may translate into promotion of tumor growth in colon, prostate and breast tissue.5-13”
Additionally, there’s metabolic acidosis. What’s that? It’s a negative chemical reaction that happens within your body when you try to consume another species’ protein. Why? Because those animal proteins are not meant for you, your body knows this and recognizes them as a harmful, it is trying to neutralize the threat, but by doing so the stress of this back-and-forth can cause osteoporosis.
Here’s a video that explains it perfectly and how it is causing osteoporosis and cancer. Countries with the highest milk consumption have the highest levels of osteoporosis.
If videos or the research articles highlighted above aren’t your thing, let me explain:
When animal products enter your system, they cause an acid reaction (your body is trying to kill them, because it DOESN’T WANT THEM IN IT) and this reaction is metabolic acidosis. To neutralize the acid, your body utilizes its most readily available acid buffer (calcium) and pulls it from your bones which leads to osteoporosis. You flush this all out in your urine, which leads to a direct correlation between prostate cancer and casein (cow breastmilk protein) consumption.
These animal proteins also linked to other cancers, asthma, hormonal diseases, kidney failure, and diabetes.
Hormonal diseases? But I get the kind of milk that is RGH free, so I’m good…right?
This is a great interview with Dr. Neal Barnard explaining it all in depth, but in short: estrogen is a handy little hormone that we naturally produce, and it likes to signal cells to multiply and divide. When we add high-in-estrogen-cow-breastmilk into our systems it throws our body out of balance leading to: early menstruation, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, and the prostate cancer mentioned above.
Wait! How do they cause diabetes? Your body can’t process those animal fats, so they build-up and create toxic fatty breakdown products and free radicals that block the insulin-signaling process, close the 'glucose gate,' and make blood sugar levels rise.
What do our kidneys have to do with this? Again (and again, and AGAIN), your body isn’t meant to process those animal fats, so your kidneys go into overdrive trying to filter out the contaminants. Just like your endothelial cells are affected moments after you consume animal products (harming your whole cardiovascular system and leading to heart disease and dementia), your kidneys are put in the same lurch. Animal products cause “an impairment of kidney blood flow, inflammation, subsequent leakage of protein in the urine, and a rapid decrease in kidney function.”
Did you know of the environmental impacts tied to cow-breastmilk consumption? It’s right up there with the affects of raising animals to consume their flesh:
Did you know that even Canada removed dairy from its food pyramid and we have doctors here in the United States trying to do the same thing, or to at least post warnings that it is linked to cancer? Did you know that 70% of humans are lactose intolerant and that the numbers are higher in those of Asian and African descent? Did you know there are doctors out there —like Dr. Milton Mills— sounding the alarm that the American Dietary guidelines pushing milk are institutionalized racism?
So given what we have above, we have the following klaxon howls warning you away from dairy:
Most importantly: it has a vast environmental impact (as in participating in the extinction of millions of species) and is driving us over a climate cliff that will affect every bit of our kin and every other species on this planet.
Second: you don’t need it nutritionally, in fact it is harming you and promoting it as a national health food is institutionalized racism.
Third: it isn’t compassionate. You are cruelly taking the milk away from another species’ baby (<—repeatedly impregnating a mother and taking away her baby so you can have that baby’s milk), and unless you’re getting it from some kind-and-regeneratively raised farm (and that’s more pricey than most folks can afford) you’re getting it from an animal who suffered all its life to breastfeed you through adulthood, and regardless of where you bought it from it is still filling you with disease and ruining the environment.
If you like the taste of cow breastmilk so much you don’t care about any of the above damage and could care less about how dairy production is harming the earth (and the animals suffering to give it to you), that is your choice to make.
It is my empathetic choice to keep verbally shaking you awake to the realities; because (again): ***ignorance is bliss until you have been informed, and then it is just willful disregard. ***
If you’re like us and the above information slapped you right up side the head: here is a great pediatrician podcast describing in light-hearted/yet-earnest mechanistic detail the many ailments kids have that tie back to dairy (<—have a constipated kiddo? Constipated yourself? Speckled with acne and/or eczema? You may want to give her a listen), here are a feast of plant-based calcium sources that are as kind as they are healthy; and here are the simple directions to make a cashew cream, spicy/tasty cashew queso, cashew cream cake, chocolate mint nice cream, fudgy brownies, a simple oatmilk recipe (great and SO CHEAP for baking), and how we make creamy tasting mashed potatoes.
Plant-Based Whole-Food Lunch: red curry with green beans, peas, and carrots over quinoa.
Freshly popping poppies
We spent the afternoon in the yard, standing around our fire pit, and filling the air with discussions with Ian’s mother and one of our favorite souls on this earth. We made sure to do so from a vast distance, but this man has been missed with such an ache that Q leaped and beamed when I said he’d would be joining us around the fire. Why? This man happens to be a bestfriend and treasured soul to three generations of Cappellos: equally loved by Q, myself, and Q’s grandmother. When you ask Q what he misses throughout these remain-in-place times it has repeatedly been: “DAVID!”
He’s lived through many decades of this country’s stumbling, he’s one of the kindest souls you could ever have the blessed grace to meet, yet to this day he still has to endure folks hollering “FAGGOT!” at him as he goes out to get his mail.
This country riles my heart to pure flame, which is why I am so laser focused on finding positivity and forward movement through the chaos and cruelty.
Strawberry, blueberry bread with a dollop of cashew cream on a platter our beloved David gifted Q.
There’s delicious food, body-healthy food, environmentally-friendly food, and racially KIND food in the plant-based whole-food realm.
What is holding you back?
Plant-Based Whole-Food Family Feast: red lentils, sauteed kale, sauteed mushrooms, roasted brussel sprouts, and fresh sorrel Q gathered from the garden.
Cappello Bread (whole-food): whole oats, teff, flax meal.
We continued on our Christopher Guest trajectory and re-watched Waiting For Guffman with Q. So far “A Mighty Wind” remains his favorite.
Then Q and I headed up for nightly reading. He gets 2-3 picture books a night, then some Dune, then I dig into my own reading and often do so out loud so he absorbs it as he drifts off.
Wrapped the day with a heart howling with pain/shame, and the purpose-driven flame to rise early and illuminate again.
What’s the most impactful thing you can do as an individual to help your kin, community, millions of species, and planet? Transition as plant-based as possible.🌎♥️
Why? Plant-Based foods are environmentally imperative 🌎. They also promote ideal health💪 (which takes stress off our overburdened health care system), are inexpensive🙌, delicious🤤, & compassionate. 💕
Why imperative, though? 🤔We’re approaching (& have crossed) climate tipping points that will doom our kin & millions of other species. 😱📣Reducing/eliminating animal products is the *most impactful thing an individual can do* to prevent worse. 🌎🔥
Why? Animal Agriculture creates more emissions than the entire transportation sector combined, it’s tied to water waste/loss/pollution (<-- freshwater is our most precious resource💧), land loss/deforestation (<-- exacerbates climate change by reducing our ability to sequester carbon🔥🌎), ocean acidification (<-- FYI 50-85% of earth’s oxygen originates from oceanic plankton🌊) & vast species loss/extinction/suffering💔📣🌎
Plus, consuming animal products is tied to increased risk of cardiovascular disease❤️🩹, diabetes👎, cancer👎, and chronic disease👎; whereas Plant-Based feasting is linked to preventing/reversing some of our most common diseases (<— like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer); plus it promotes ideal health & robust strength (ie Olympians, Weightlifters, Endurance Athletes are thriving via PBWFs too). 🎉🙌♥️
What organizations are promoting plant-based diets for best health and environmental stability? National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic, Yale, the United Nations, Harvard School of Health, American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, The American Academy of Pediatrics, National Kidney Foundation, even the Parkinson’s Foundation.
We’re all overwhelmed in one way or another, but for the sake of our kin (and the millions of species we share this planet with) we need to start pivoting forward. As someone who once rarely ate green things & used to eat animal products at every meal, I can assure you that is possible, affordable, enjoyable, & purposeful to pivot Plant-Based. In fact, our whole family is now healthier/stronger than ever. 🙌♥️
Anecdotally, our son had failure-to-thrive, was also plagued with perpetual ear-infections/sinus-infections, and had an omnipresent runny nose. What was he eating? Grass-fed milk, organic/antibiotic-free/grass-fed/local meats, eggs from organic-fed/well-loved chickens from a neighbor, every meal came with vegetables, and we limited junkfood. He was healed via a plant-based diet: he’s launched out of that diagnosis and the last time he had a sinus-infection (or was sick at all) was in 2019 when he had some cheese at a school Christmas party. Before shifting to PBWF’s he was sick every month, and how he’s a robust, vital, thriving kiddo. 🙌🎉♥️
If you think any of the above sounds over-reached/absurd/impossible, please go read the links above. I understand the inclination to hackle-raise (<—because I was once totally there) but the science is clear: any step we make forward is imperative (<—and again “STEPS” is the focus. Don’t leap, just start making steps!). It’s as simple as starting with one meal a week and growing from there.💕
We have the ability (deliciously, healthfully, kindly, inexpensively) to *preserve/protect* the planet we share with millions of species & our kin. How are we going to use that power today?✌️🤟🖖
