Dairy consumption is entrenched in our culture. We've been taught calcium is vital and the prime source comes from... well cows... in the form of cheese, yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, etc. I was a big fan of dairy. Growing up, my mom always had plenty of cheese in the fridge, Jarlsberg, Swiss and Cheddar. We would eat it plain by the chunk, hacked off by a butcher knife. One of my favorite treats was homemade pimento cheese, served up on wheat bread. We drank skim milk with every meal and later as a dieting dancer, I lived on low-fat yogurt.
Those were the good old days before I heard that dairy creates an environment in your body that turns on cancer growth, especially breast and prostrate. It also creates inflammation and a host of other problems. I enjoyed my cheese and ignored it for a while, but the news soon found me again. You can google dairy + cancer and see a lot of controversial discussions, or take a look at the Dr. McDougal and the China Study, profiled in Forks Over Knives, a must-see film. It's hard to get accurate information and it's plausible the dairy industry is so immense that I'm sure they thwart any efforts to prove that dairy is a danger. Who can blame them?
As for calcium, according to Forks Over Knives, consumption of dairy protein casein (which is in higher concentrations in low and nonfat dairy sources) creates an acidic state in our body. Calcium is drawn from the bones to neutralize it. In English this means we are consuming calcium only to then leech it from our bones. Oh hooray! There are greater rates of hip fractures and osteoporosis in countries where dairy consumption is highest, though other factors my be involved. I was diagnosed with Osteopenia in my 30s, so certainly all that dairy did not help me. I have a family history of breast cancer so a year ago, I drastically reduced dairy consumption.
When all is said and done, we need to consider that no other animal ingests milk into adulthood, nor consumes the milk of another animal. Cow's milk is full of casomorphins intended to grow a 70 lb. calf into a 1000 lb. cow in a year. These casomorphins are addictive, which is why cheese, especially, is so hard to give up. The hormones in cow's milk are equivalent to the hormones an adolescent female produces while growing breasts, and yet we are taking them in our entire lives, stimulating our cells unnaturally, and potentially, contributing to cancer growth. Obviously if you must eat dairy, organic is better but cows are still artificially inseminated to insure gestation to produce vast amounts of milk. Take a look at the following sites to see what's done to cows to get them to produce milk, and you'll find it's not a pretty story. Ironically their calves are not fed cow's milk since it's reserved for us!
http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_hot_calcium.html
What to do? Gradually decrease dairly consumption, and leave it for a special treat - like pizza night or a light sprinkle on your bean burrito. Coming from a cheese maniac, I know it's tough! If you have kids, leave the cheese sticks and gogurts on the shelves - yes this is very radical. My kids too, lived on dairy. Give them nuts and fruit, carrots and bean/nut dips instead. Larabars are the best whole food "granola bar" options or make your own - see Lisa! Find an alternative milk you like - almond, coconut, rice, soy. Coconut and soy creamers abound for your coffee. Use ground cashews/almonds in soups, dips and desserts to provide a creamy sensation. Reserve ice cream for special occasions.
Alternative cheeses are on the shelves - I haven't found something I love yet.
I've discovered how to make a vegan cheese sauce, it came with an enchilada recipe in an old vegetarian cookbook. It makes alot and lasts at least a week in the fridge. It comes out like melted velveeta, use in casseroles, lasagna, mexican dishes, on potatoes, in quesadillas for the kids, on pasta, etc., or as a dip for tortilla chips.
Vegan cheese sauce - Melty Nutritional Yeast Cheese
1/2 c. nutritional yeast flakes (bulk area in Wegmans)
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder or garlic salt if you like a little extra salt
2 c. water
1/4 cup margerine (I use like earth balance)
1 tsp. wet mustard
Mix dry ingred. in a saucepan. Whisk in water, Cook on med. heat, whisking until it thickens and bubbles. Cook 30 seconds, then remove from heat, whip in margarine and mustard. It will thicken as it cools but will thin when heated, or add water to thin. I also put a little paprika in mine, esp. if using over pasta or experiment with some other seasonings. I am sure you can make this into a nacho cheese dip with a little effort, like combine with a can of rotelli tomatoes.
Variation: for richer, stretchier sauce for pizza, substitute for the flour: 1/4 cup cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. flour, instead of margarine, whip in 1/2 c. of oil after it cooks and add as much as 1 c. of water at the end, or as needed to make a thick, smooth sauce that pours easily. Pour it on pizza and for the last few minutes of baking, put pizza under broiler for a few minutes to form a stretchy, golden brown speckled skin.
I have not tried pizza version, you certainly won't save any fat or calories with all that oil!!
Unexpected Benefits: weight maintenance or loss. It is very hard to be overweight when you give up dairy. Think of the 1000 lb. cow!
Good luck - I know you will need it if you like your cheese!
