got milk? .... what kind?

Soluna is 1 years old and in many parents and pediatricians calendars, it's time for cow's milk! Living in the Berkeley/Oakland area and being connected to non-mainstream mama circles through yoga and ColorfulMamas, it's interesting what baby-raising norms get questioned, challenged, and deconstructed.

Ben and I were raised as milk drinkers. Benji still sits down almost every night with a glass of milk and cookies. I, on the other hand, love milk and cereal every morning. We often get through a gallon of milk a week (with just the two of us)! We grew up with our carton of milk or chocolate milk on our lunch tray and sexy got milk? mustache adds. Until becoming a mom I had never even thought for a second that milk was anything but healthy mojo. But here are a few facts to make you wonder:

Milk consumption is the #1 cause of iron-deficiency in infants today according to the American Association of pediatrics.

Almost 90 percent of African Americans and most Latinos, Asians and Southern Europeans don't have the genes necessary to digest lactose.

60% of ear infections in kids under 6 years of age are milk-induced.

There is a $450 million a year industry creating lactose intolerance products.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University to Harvard University are starting to link consumption of milk to prostate cancer, asthma, osteoporosis, and other health complications.

The Bovine Growth Hormone used in the US increases the cow's likelyhood to have pus in its udders because the hormone leads to mastities, a udder infection.

Hmmm... makes you wonder. My question is: How much is the milk industry in this country is worth?

Some Suggested Readings
Don't Drink Your Milk, Frank Oski, M.D. and Chairman of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University
"White Poison", Shanti Rangwani of Colorlines Magazine
Recommendation from Dr. Sear
"Why we should think Twice about Milk", from the Blog WAVE of the Future

The Colorlines Article is particularly interesting because it talks about how milk may be okay for white people, but has many side effects for people of color. Since those affected are people of color, mainstream media has yet to pick up on the idea that milk might not be for everyone. Hiro, are you really not lactose intolerant? ahahha...

Anyhow, I do believe in balance and I don't think it's time to pull the plug on milk in this household. We will just limit our intake as parents and share milk every once in a while with Soluna. Dr. Sears suggests to make sure that calcium and fats are in any baby's diet so we'll definitely be feeding her cheese, yogurt and breastmilk!