The Milk Debate

There seems to be a lot of controversy over whether milk is good or bad for you. Doctors and nutritionist have conflicting ideas and beliefs, but if you base the answer on unbiased research and plain logic, the answer is clear.

Milk is loaded with nutrition.
Milk has Vitamins A, B12, C, D. It's a great source for protein and calcium. Wow!

Milk is loaded with hormones.
Cows are given estrogen to to help produce more milk faster. These hormones are passed on through the milk. Imagine, as women, we already have enough of our own estrogen and now your giving a female hormone to men. Does that sound right?

Milk is loaded with antibiotics.
Cows are given antibiotics to fight illness. The conditions they are kept in are not ideal and illness loves it. These antibiotics are also passed on to us, weakening our immune system.

Milk has cholesterol.
It may have good fats but it also has bad fats and cholesterol. We all know that's bad.

Milk has lactose.
Our bodies were not meant to digest lactose. Those of us who can have adapted to it, it's not the norm.

Milk makes our bodies mad.
Our bodies consider milk an allergen, something that's attacking it. So to protect itself, our bodies create antibodies to fight it. Antibodies, as much as they like to help, cause inflammation within the body.

Milk breaks down bones.
I know doctors and nutritionist say milk keeps teeth and bones healthy, but if you look at statistics, the nations with the higher dairy intake actually have higher osteoporosis cases. North America's misconception about calcium is that it's something you need to load up on to have strong teeth and bones. Really, it's not about how much calcium you take in but how much you keep in. The North American diet is extremely acidic. For example we are huge coffee and soda drinkers. The acidity of these beverages cause our body to leech the calcium from our bones to lower the acidity in our blood. If we were to reduce the amount of acidic food we eat, our body wouldn't need to do this as often as it does.

NOW, let's take a look at this logically.

FACT: We are the only species to drink milk from another species.
FACT: We are the only species that continue to drink milk after infancy.
FACT: Being able to digest lactose is an adaptation, not something our bodies are meant to do.
FACT: Our body creates antibodies when we consume milk.
FACT: All milk from any species is meant for one thing: to nourish and fatten.

Facts that can not be disproved, show we shouldn't drink milk. Think about it. We all get grossed out at the idea of drinking human milk as an adult. What makes milk from another animal's tit any better? An animal with out the ability to practice proper hygiene, who is injected with hormones and antibodies, who bleeds puss and blood into the milk....

Grossed out yet? 

The truth about milk is there for anyone to see.

What about the doctors and/or nutritionists who still say "Drink Milk" and swear by it?
Realize that more money in the last few decades have gone towards all kinds of research besides nutrition. Now there are new methods for how to care for the umbilical cord stump, new medication for illnesses, new treatments for cancer. We laugh at the things people used to do because at the time, they were the latest and greatest methods. Only now, research is being done in regards to nutrition. So a lot of the information being taught to health care professionals (if even any) is old and out of date.

Well, there's some food for thought.

I'm Going Raw

Everyone knows that being vegan does not equal healthy. As a matter of fact, since becoming vegan, the amount of processed foods that I consume have more than tripled. Why? Because I need an alternative for this and an alternative for that. I eat "chicken" burgers and veggie dogs and a lot of other chemically engineered meats.

In my veganish journey, I have lost sight of my original intentions. My motivation went from health to surviving veganism. I love meat and especially eggs and cheese. I've spent the last couple of years searching for their equal vegan counterparts, exposing myself to more chemicals and toxins than ever before.

I've allowed myself to get full on bread and rice instead of fruits and vegetables. I eat loads of potatoes in every way possible. I slather my Earth Balance butter and Vegenaise on everything I can. I live off of pasta with marinara sauce. It's my go-to meal. Where is the healthy part of my diet? I feel as if I have failed myself and my baby. It pains me to think I have exposed her to so many contaminants while she was in the womb, and I can only imagine what I've done to my body.

When I had started off being vegan, I took the time and diligence it needed to create healthy balanced meals. I was healthy and energetic. I was too afraid to try the processed vegan foods so I stuck to what I knew. Now, I am tired and moody. I feel guilty with my laziness to assemble a half decent meal.

My wake up call came while watching Hungry for Change, a documentary about the North American diet. We fall victim to the marketing and tricks of the billion dollar food and dieting industry. Vegans are just as vulnerable as the rest. Diet Cola is vegan isn't it?

After I finish my delicious marinara sauce from Costco, I am going raw. I will stock my fridge with colourful fruits and vegetables and am going to start detoxifying and juicing. Once my body is back on track, I will never touch another canned or jarred food again. If I eat a treat, it's because I've cooked foods from the "garden" and embellished it with herbs for seasoning. This is a vow I am making to myself. I am excited and scared but damned determined. I want to feel healthy and beautiful again.

I apologize to my child and my body. From this day forward I will make it up to her and to myself. The next few months, I will update you of my progress and what I'm doing.

Please, watch the documentary. Take the pledge with me and lets get healthy together.

With Love,

PescaVegan Mama

Family and their Questioning & Misconceptions

I'm sure there are many green dieters who have faced the barrage of questions, comments, insults, and doubts from family members regarding their choice. I know I have. Every time, I calmly explain to them my reasons (that are based on facts) and still, they ask the same questions the next day.

As annoying as it is, you need to understand how foreign the concept is to most people. I was once asked if I could eat peanuts because they weren't sure if it was vegan! I still get asked by family members if I want eggs, chicken soup (because it doesn't have chicken...it was taken out), yogurt (because "it's not actually milk"). To me, and I'm sure it's the same for most, it's a simple concept. If it's an animal or came from one, I don't eat it. Of course, if you follow my blog, you'll know I still do eat seafood, but that's the only exception.

How to Manage Comments & Questions:

1. Be Patient: instead of getting angry, get passionate. You know why you changed and the reasons were great enough to make you cut out huge parts of your diet. Stay passionate and share.
   
2. Take it as an Opportunity to Educate: We were all raised with the misconception of a balanced, healthy diet. Take the opportunity to share what you've learned.
   
3. Don't Take it Personal: they're not attacking you. THEY feel like the ones being attacked and are being defensive, not offensive. Once  you understand that, their comments may seem a little less accusatory.
   
4. Know When to Stop: I have  a bad habit of not shutting up. You need to learn when words will fall on deaf ears and let it be. Just nod and do what you do. Silence doesn't mean you agree. Just agree to disagree.
   
5. Explain Your Shared Right: when all else fails, explain the your shared rights to eat as you please without reprimand. We all have the right to eat as we please, and as long as we are not harming anyone, we should be able to do so with little grief. 

Other funny misconceptions:

Gluten Free = Vegan

Organic = Vegan

Click HERE for a funny conversation I had with a family member.

Back from Another Trip to LI

Hello, everyone!

I just got back last night from my trip to Long Island. The drive down was horrible but the way back was great then tolerable.

For once there was no hurricane or hurricane aftermath :D

Christmas was wonderful.

The weather was better...much better than here.

No baby wearing fun this time. Click here --->   ;)  to see why I even mentioned that.

Less drama about my diet this time.

Yet again I was faced with the opportunity to explain why I can't eat cheese. Here's how the conversation went.

Unnamed Person: Here try this, I didn't put the evaporated milk yet.

Me: (had seen her putting cheese in it) But is there cheese?

UP: Yes, but no milk. See...(shows me the can) I didn't put it in yet.

Me: But I can't eat cheese either.

UP: Cheese is bad to?!?!

Me: Well it's dairy.

UP: But it's not milk.

Me: (mentally rolling my eyes) But cheese is made out of milk.

UP: Ohhhh. Ok....(still has an uncertain, confused look on face)

And my baby was an angel during the trip to and back!

Stay posted for my blog on how to deal with antagonizing questions from family.