LETTERS: ALTERNATIVES FOR HEALTH

To the editor:

Now that National Dairy Month is over, perhaps it's time to re-examine the facts. It is important to keep in mind that a lot of money is spent to convince us that we need milk and dairy products to remain healthy.

Here are some facts: 90 percent of black and Asian adults, 60 percent of Hispanic adults and 20 percent of Caucasian adults suffer from lactose intolerance. Consumption of milk and dairy products has been linked to chronic illnesses such as arthritis, asthma, sinus problems, migraine headaches as well as a variety of other ailments.

Encouraging people to drink milk to prevent osteoporosis is ludicrous. Numerous studies have shown excess animal protein in the diet leads to calcium loss in the bones. This is why osteoporosis is very common in societies that consume large amounts of milk and dairy products, yet is nearly unheard of in societies which consume little or no animal products.

We must teach the truth about proper nutrition. From a biological standpoint, the human body has no need for animal products. They are, in fact, a burden on the system. The human body is perfectly capable of obtaining enough calcium and protein through proper diet. In addition to leafy green vegetables, calcium is also found in almonds, asparagus, blackstrap molasses, brewer's yeast, broccoli, cabbage, carob, collard greens, dulse (sea vegetable), figs, filberts, kale, kelp, oats, parsley, prunes, sesame seeds and whey. As you can see, the list is considerably larger than what the National Dairy Council would have us believe as mentioned in its chart of calcium-rich foods.

It's time that we look beyond the outdated and biased information as presented to us by groups whose main interests are profit-motivated.

No matter how much money is spent to convince us otherwise, cow's milk is for cows, not humans.

MIKE BROWN

Cape Girardeau