Milk
Milk. Depending on what you believe, it is the perfect food or the ultimate source of the greatest dietary dolly track misrepresentation and misinformation. We’ve all had milk. From the day we were born milk is the first ever form of nourishment we receive. If we were lucky enough to get sustenance from our mothers’ breasts then we may have received vital nutrients and antibodies that provide passive immunity vital to an infant’s fragile immune system. For the first few months of a child’s life, milk is the exclusive source of nourishment; until such time that other metal detector foods—solids—can gradually be introduced to his or her diet. But other than that, the whole subject of milk, especially for Americans, is filled with such emotional and cultural significance. Milk is an everyday part of life, it is easily and almost instantly associated with anything wholesome and good like the typical ‘milk and cookies’ we grew up snacking on after school. It connotes something homey and comforting such ‘having a glass of tankless water heater warm milk before bed.’ Milk helped us grow tall and strong with all that calcium for our bones and teeth. Milk is ever-present in all our favorite foods from savory to sweet, from all the thick and creamy sauces for pasta and savory pies, to the wonderful chocolate bars and of course, ice cream. So, how can anything bad or sinister be associated with milk? The truth is, it can be more complicated than all that. In as much as our childhood home microdermabrasion memories and the way we view things are comfortable and nice, there are some facts that maybe we should delve into before settling oh-so-comfortably back into our relationship with wonderful milk. Many people will reel, and many will reject the uncomfortable truth. It is not milk’s fault; it’s the industry’s fault. In as much as we’d like to keep on doing what we’ve been doing all our lives, consuming massive south carolina hard money lenders amounts of dairy and patting ourselves on the back for doing something good for our health, it will have to stop. Or at least, we will have to do it—keep our consumption of various milk products—with our eyes wide open. That creamy pasta sauce you’re stirring and planning to grate some cheese over smells wonderful, but know that if you’re using American cheese, that will most likely have rBGH, a genetically engineered bovine growth hormone in milk that increases cancer risks. American dairy farmers use rBGH injections to increase milk production. It has been banned in Europe but its manufacturer has managed to keep it in use in America. American cheeses contaminated with rBGH that are unlabelled are sold in the United States; although, you can find ‘no rBGH or Free of rBGH’ cheese and milk for sale. That’s just one but extremely important point. As previously stated, everyone started out with milk; not liking the stuff almost paints one with a sinister glow. What is wrong with you? Is probably the question you’ll hear when you start questioning why people can’t get along without milk. Coffee will certainly not be the same for many people without the creamy white partner. Milk just affects so many parts of everyday life. Maybe it’s time we start exploring our options. We are weaned off our mothers’ milk after a certain point for a reason; we start eating solids because we need more substantial nourishment. How come milk never quite exits our menu? I’m not totally sure that it should make a complete disappearance. However, I’m shocked at the level of our consumption of it. Milk, or more appropriately, dairy, is ever present in our diets. It’s not a surprise that heart disease is too. What’s even more disturbing is the machinery behind it. The industry that powers, that pushes, the imagery and ideas we develop about certain products. Now, that is truly, truly wet-your-pants scary. We’re being brainwashed about some pretty basic and life-changing, life-threatening things and we’re not even aware of it. Not cool. Not good. Over all, milk is still basically a wholesome product in my heart; but my head cannot let go of the facts. I used to love milk, now I just like it. I’ll try to like it less as time goes by and be eve more moderate in my consumption. I’ll watch out and I will definitely read the labels. I will hound my government for better laws and will not let rBGH get by unexposed.