Why I'm giving up milk

It's his milk. Isn't it about time we left him and her alone?

I'm passing farmland in the train and everywhere I see cows and their enlarged udders and I'm thinking, 'where are all their calves?'

There should be loads of them because that's why all these cows have enlarged udders, because like human mothers they produce milk to feed their babies.

Then reality hits me in a way it never has before - and I've been a vegetarian for 25 years - the reason these mothers don't have calves with them like nature intended is because their milk is going to be bottled, put in ice cream, cheese and yoghurt and all those other things that we humans consume.

So, where are these cows' babies?

Chances are the male calves are dead, well they can't produce milk. The dairy industry is brutal and any animal that doesn't make money is deemed not to have the right to live.

The female calves will end up as dairy cows and the whole sick process will begin again, babies seperated from their mothers, so we humans can drink wholesome* milk.

And that's why I've stopped drinking milkshakes, eating cheese and yoghurt because if I don't do that I'm feeding the demand, I'm breaking the mother and child bond.
I am the reason mother cows are bellowing for their babies.

It's because of me that babies are not nourished by their mother's milk and may end up living out their short, light starved lives in veal crates.

I say not in my name., and that's why I won't drink milk or anything containing milk.

*milk has been linked with breast cancer. In China where they are mostly lactose intolerant - lactose is in milk - the rates are way below what they are in Western countries where milk consumption is the norm. 

Product Review Swedish Glace Ice Cream

That’s Swedish Glace off my shopping list as well known animal torturers Unilever buy the company.

 

 

 

Finding an ice cream type dessert that's dairy free for anyone who suffers from lactose intolerance or who is a vegan, can be tricky.

Note - although this is very like ice cream and tastes like ice cream, it is labelled as a 'rich dessert.' Only a product containing milk can be called ice cream.

I was delighted therefore to come across this amazing product in my local Holland and Barrett store.

At first glance, when you look at the packaging Swedish Glace just looks like normal ice cream. Scouring the label, I found that it was completely dairy free and contained no egg.

It's also cholestrol and gluten free, so perfect for those watching their cholestrol and who are gluten intolerant. And there's no genetically modified ingredients either, so this is a wholesome treat.

If you fancy trying a different flavour, it also comes in smooth vanilla, juicy raspberry and wild blueberry.

On first taste, this does taste like ice cream. Very chocolately ice cream. But the more you eat the more it tastes like a very rich mousse. Not that this is a nad thing. This is a very chocolatey product and its no surprise to see that crushed cocoa beans are added to the product.

One of the other good things about this product is that there is no aftertaste. After eating it you feel wonderfully refreshed.  

I would recommend Swedish Glace to anyone who is vegan or gluten intolerant or lactose intolerant. It tastes fantastic and is a welcome addition to any larder.

6 Reasons I’m going dairy free

After finding out about the cruelty that goes into milk production, I have gone dairy free. This means no more milk, no more margarine and spreads containing milk, and definitely no milk chocolate.

There are other reasons I am shunning milk –

1. Despite what we keep being told, milk is not good for you. In fact, consuming it gives you a higher risk of osteoarthritis and breast cancer. In Asian where most people don’t eat dairy, the rates of both conditions are much, much lower than in the West where dairy is a part of people’s everyday diets.
2. Have you ever woken up with phlegm? That horrible thick sludgy stuff in your throat that’s often green? Then dairy may be to blame
3. Despite consuming more milk that most other countries in the world, the USA and the UK have high rates of osteoarthritis. Much higher than Asian where dairy is not part of their diet. How can that be when we keep on being told we need milk for strong bones? Maybe there’s something in milk that isn’t good for bones.
4. We have sky high rates of breast cancer in the USA and the UK too than countries that don’t drink milk.
5. Humans are only meant to drink their own mother’s milk, not another species. Drinking milk is weird.
6. The dairy industry is a cruel one. Did you know in the UK alone, 100,000 calves (yes, that's babies are killed every year) for no other reason than they are male and don't produce milk? VIVA (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals) have a campaign right now exposing the cruelty that goes into making Cadbury's chocolate. They have a Facebook page. Read more about them their milk myths campaign here

Could milk be making you ill?

Could that bloated feeling you get after eating be down to lactose intolerance? Lactose intolerance is when the body cannot break down the sugars in cow’s milk.

Note – lactose intolerance is not to be confused with a milk allergy. A milk allergy can result in an Anaphylactic shock and can kill. If you have an extreme, adverse reaction to milk, seek immediate medical treatment.

It’s estimated that 40 percent of the world’s population retain the ability to digest lactose (the sugar that’s in milk) after childhood. Some ethnic groups are more susceptible that others. This is usually people who don’t typically have dairy (foods containing milk in their diets).

Symptoms of lactose intolerance include –

• An upset stomach
• Stomach cramps
• Wind
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea

Tip – If you think you have lactose intolerance, try removing dairy from your diet and see if you feel any better.

Remember, many things contain milk. This includes –

1. Cheese.
2. Many brands of crisps (chips in the USA), including ones you might not think of like Walkers smoky bacon.
3. Margarine.
4. Cakes, especially ones with cream.
5. Cereal bars.
6. Trifle.
7. Many dark chocolates.
8. Sauces, especially pasta sauces.

Milk has also been linked with a high rate of breast cancer and osteoarthritis in the West.