“It’s true that cow’s milk does contain calcium, which is necessary for strong bones, but that’s not the whole picture. Although milk offers calcium, it causes the body to release even more of it. It’s like someone giving you $1,000 but driving away in your car! So no matter how much you’re getting, you’re actually losing” -The Kind Diet
I’m sure we all think drinking milk is something we need to do. It’s what they advertise…it’s what they recommend. There are billion dollar industries behind this. Did you know that you can get more calcium from leafy greens, sea vegetables, sesame seeds and beans (and it is more readily absorbed into the body)? Also, soy milk is fortified with calcium.
Cows only lactate when they are pregnant. So, these cows that should have a life span of 25 years are only living for 7-9 years. They can get mastitis, infections and are crowded in small spaces. When they are no longer producing milk, they are sent off to slaughter.
Their babies are also taken away from them with much separation anxiety. Male calves are not needed for milk so they are stripped from their mothers, then pumped full of fat so they can be slaughtered for veal shortly after. So if you consume dairy products, you are also supporting the veal industry. 
Mother cows on dairy farms can often be seen searching and calling for their calves long after they have been separated. Author Oliver Sacks, M.D., wrote of a visit that he and cattle expert Dr. Temple Grandin made to a dairy farm and of the great tumult of bellowing that they heard when they arrived: “‘They must have separated the calves from the cows this morning,’ Temple said, and, indeed, this was what had happened. We saw one cow outside the stockade, roaming, looking for her calf, and bellowing. ‘That’s not a happy cow,’ Temple said. ‘That’s one sad, unhappy, upset cow. She wants her baby. Bellowing for it, hunting for it. She’ll forget for a while, then start again. It’s like grieving, mourning—not much written about it. People don’t like to allow them thoughts or feelings.’”
-Excerpt from www.goveg.com
Milk is also full of hormones. Cows are pumped with hormones so they will produce more milk. These hormones go into the milk. Some think this may be the cause of early puberty and hormone irregularity. Dairy is also linked to cancer.
“The medical world acknowledges that some of the biggest factors in breast cancer are fat, animal protein and excess estrogen…Did you know that in countries where dairy is not consumed the incidence of breast caner is so low it is almost non-existent? Once women from those countries begin eating Western diets, however, their breast caner rates increase eight-fold” -The Kind Diet.
Milk can also be related to allergies and asthmas. After giving up dairy, many people find relief with their problems.
Dairy is probably one of the hardest things to give up because it is so addicting. I admit that it can be quite a challenge...but I feel good about my choices at the end of the day. And, there are some great alternatives out there! Go try some soy milk or a Tofutti treat and see how it tastes. Soy and nut milks are also great for baking.
You can click here for a milk fact sheet that dives into more information about why milk is bad for the planet, your health and for the animals producing it http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=98
So, not only can the milk industry be cruel to animals and their offspring…the fatty milk that we consume is also causing us problems. Try to substitute something milk-free today :)
Information was collected from "The Kind Diet", "Peta.org", "Goveg.com" and "Becoming Vegan".
Yumm! :)
I was very excited to get the 
These times do not include the pre and post fasting times before and after transportation. Can you imagine a truckload of pigs in the heat and humidity we have now…going 52 hours without water! These numbers are outrageous, and they are among the longest in the industrialized world.
How much protein do you need a day? Well, I find it differs in every book, but it seems to be more related to your body weight and activity level. For me, I would need roughly 55 grams of protein a day. It’s actually pretty easy to get enough protein (very rarely do people have a protein deficiency). Here are some examples of food servings and the amount of protein they contain. Let's say protein one more time...protein!
After cleaning and measuring the strawberries out, we realized we had picked way too many. So we ended up making a strawberry cobbler as well.
We boiled our jars and our strawberry jam…for a while…maybe too long?
Overall, I think we were successful. Maybe a bit runny-but really tasty!
I also tried a new Strawberry Crisp Bar recipe. But I had to freeze most of it before I ate it all.
Have a look around the site. They have tons of rescue stories and links. They even have a program where you can adopt a farm animal (ex: a chicken is 120 dollars a year). I know what I want for Christmas :)!
Some of you may think that farm animals were simply put on this planet to feed us...but you have to ask yourself the most important question of all: Are they meant to suffer?
“From maternal separation to forced feeding of antibiotic-and pesticide-laden grains to being locked in ridiculously small quarters and being pumped so full of growth hormones that they can no longer support their own weight, their lives are pure torture. But the real price is paid in a way we rarely consider; the chicken, born with wings to flap, never flaps them. Her beak, meant for pecking the earth, is cut off. The cow, meant to roam, is confined to a stall carpeted in her own waste. Sixty five million pigs are raised in confinement factories where they never see the light of day until they are trucked to slaughter.
For the road this is what I packed in my re-usable bag:
Mmm Mmm Mmm!!! The tofu was roasted to perfection and the wrap was full of flavor. It also came with a side of creamy potato salad with herbs and dill.
Almond Breeze- Almond Milk
Becel Vegan Butter
Kashi Honey Almond Flax Cereal
Hummus
