There is such a huge misconception that milk does the body good. People look at milk as a source of calcium. There are many alternative options that provide a higher healthier content of calcium. There have been numerous studies and research that state milk actually causes more osteoporosis and bone health problems. Below are a few interesting articles and facts about milk and how it is not the ideal way to get calcium into the diet.

 What's in milk?

*Bovine Growth Hormones are given to cows to make them provide more than 10 times the amount of milk they would normally produce. This causes their udders to be very enlarged and extended. Inside the udders, they develop mastitis which are large pus-filled boils. These boils burst and contaminate the milk in the udders. Pasteurizing does not kill the pus cells. The dairy industry has "acceptable" levels of pus cells defined for each state.

*Every dairy farm has mountains of cow feces everywhere. Wind blows this stuff which sticks very well to those udders and teats. Cleaning of those teats before milking leaves a lot to be desired, therefore feces do contaminate the milk.

*The poor animals are pumped with overdoses of antibiotics to keep them alive. These antibiotics are frequently given by the farmers and workers themselves instead of qualified vets. These antibiotics end up in the milk that you drink.


Calcium rich foods:
Dark Leafy Greens

• Cooked turnip greens (450 mg)
• Cooked bok choy (330 mg)
• Cooked collards (300)
• Cooked kale (200 mg)

Cooked Beans

• Navy beans (140 mg)
• Soybeans (130 mg)
• Pinto beans (100 mg)
• Garbanzo beans (95 mg)
• Lima and black beans (60 mg)

Sea vegetables

• Nori (1200 mg)
• Kombu (2100 mg)
• Wakame (3500 mg)

Nuts and Seeds

• Almonds (750 mg)
• Hazelnuts (450 mg)
• Walnuts (280 mg)
• Sesame seeds, whole, unhulled (2100 mg)
• Sunflower seeds (260 mg)

Tofu made with calicum sulfate (1721 mg)

If getting enough calcium is a concern for you, you may want to supplement with TrueCal

More articles and information below:

http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/Milk___It_Does_A_Body_Bad_a491.html
http://www.thedailysupplement.com/got-pus/
http://www.vivavegie.org/vvi/vva/vvi23/milkpcrm.html

Osteoporosis is the thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time. Osteoporosis occurs when the body fails to form enough new bone, when too much old bone is reabsorbed by the body, or both.

Calcium and phosphate are two minerals that are essential for normal bone formation. Throughout youth, your body uses these minerals to produce bones. If you do not get enough calcium, or if your body does not absorb enough calcium from the diet, bone production and bone tissues may suffer.

The leading causes of osteoporosis are a drop in estrogen in women at the time of menopause and a drop in testosterone in men. Women over age 50 and men over age 70 have a higher risk for osteoporosis.

Other causes include:

·  Chronic rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, eating disorders
·  Taking corticosteroid medications (prednisone, methylprednisolone) every day for more than 3 months, or taking some antiseizure drugs
·  Vitamin D deficiency
·  Absence of menstrual periods (amenorrhea) for long periods of time
·  Drinking a large amount of alcohol
·  Family history of osteoporosis
·  Low body weight
·  Smoking
· Too little calcium in the diet

Nutrition

Keep Hydrated
Alkaline diet rich in vegetables and fruit (vegetarian diet associated with lower risk of Osteoporosis)
Encourage rich calcium diet: broccoli, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, squash, chickpea etc
Healthy oils rich in omega 3- Flax Oil is good for salads                                    
Fish, eggs, beans and fermented soy, tofu as other protein sources is recommended.

Foods to avoid are:
Reduce saturated fat from animals in your diet and avoid fried foods.  
Avoid all milk and other dairy produce.  You may be alright with goats or sheep’s yogurt. 
Simple and refined carbohydrates. 
Avoid the nightshade family of vegetables (peppers, aubergine or eggplant, tomatoes and white potatoes – also tobacco).  The solanine found in these foods can cause pain in the muscles to susceptible people. 
Avoid table salt
Eliminate soft drink, alcohol and smoking 

 Tips for getting your calcium from non-dairy sources

• Greens, herbs and spices can easily be added to soups, casseroles, or stir-fries. Greens that are especially good are: kale, collard greens, and parsley. Also good: turnip greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, beet greens, broccoli, and cabbage. Spice up these and other dishes with garlic, basil, thyme, oregano, and rosemary to add more nutrients.
• Eat dark green leafy salads with your meals. Try romaine hearts, arugula, butter lettuce, watercress, or red leaf lettuce (avoid iceberg lettuce as it has very little nutrient value). You can also add herbs to the salads or the dressings for flavor and nutrients – dill and basil taste especially good in salads.
• Add extra servings of veggies to your meals, i.e. asparagus, fresh green peas, broccoli, cabbage, okra, bok choy.
• Top salads or make a sandwich with canned fish or crustaceans with bones, such as sardines, pink salmon, and shrimp.
• Use beans/legumes as part of your meals. They are wonderful in stews, chili, soup, or as the protein part of a meal. Kinds to try: tofu, tempeh, black-eyed peas, black beans, and other dried beans. You can also snack on edamame.
• Start your day with oats. Steel cut oats or rolled oats make a wonderfully comforting and filling breakfast. For an added punch include cinnamon
• Snack on nuts and seeds such as almonds and sesame seeds. You can also add these to your morning oatmeal.
• Drink tea. Try green tea, which you can substitute for coffee, as well as herbal teas and infusions, such as oat straw, nettle, and red clover.
• Order or prepare sandwiches on whole grain wheat bread.

Supplements
TrueD
TrueRelief
TrueCal
TrueBasicA/O
TrueBasic for Men / Women

• Bone Formula containing: Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Trace minerals
• Fish oil- 1-2 grams EPA/DHA

Lifestyle

Regular exercise can reduce the likelihood of bone fractures in people with osteoporosis. Some of the recommended exercises include:

·   Weight-bearing exercises -- walking, jogging, playing tennis, dancing
·   Resistance exercises -- free weights, weight machines, stretch bands
·   Balance exercises -- tai chi, yoga
·   Riding a stationary bicycle
·   Using rowing machines
·   Sunshine= vitamin D

Avoid any exercise that presents a risk of falling, or high-impact exercises that may cause fractures.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a degenerative autoimmune disease in which the joints are attacked by an abnormal immune response and slowly destroyed. The joint-related symptoms of RA are different from those of Osteo Arthritis (OA) in that they are generally symmetrical. Specific symptoms (pain, swelling, redness, warmth) may begin to appear in joints of the hands, wrists, knees, and feet. These symptoms include pain that is aggravated by movement. Stiffness is also common, with morning stiffness that lasts longer than one hour occurring frequently. Infrequently, the joints may also be warm to the touch. Motion may be limited by inflammation of the joints.

A definitive diagnosis of RA is usually made by identifying the characteristic symptoms of the disease. The disease is usually obvious within one to two years of its onset. To diagnose the disease, four of the following seven criteria are required:

• Morning stiffness lasting one hour before improvement
• Swelling and joint effusion in at least three different joints out of 14 specifically identified joints
• Swelling of wrist or finger joints specifically
• Symmetric swelling involving the same joint on both sides of the body
• Rheumatoid nodules
• Rheumatoid factors in the blood
• Typical changes seen in x-rays, including erosions or decalcification in involved joints.

Nutrition
People with arthritis need to consume a diet rich in natural anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, and joint-supporting nutrients while avoiding pro-inflammatory foods that are high in sugar and saturated and trans-fatty acids. Some people also find relief by avoiding foods that contain gluten, such as wheat, rye, oats, and barley. Antigluten antibodies have been found in many people with RA.

Increase water and keep hydrated. Organic fruits and vegetables have more flavor,
higher nutritional content and less toxins for the liver to breakdown and eliminate
Healthy oils-most nutritious oil in a cold state is Extra Virgin Olive Oil and recommended safest for cooking is Coconut Oil which does not change to a killer fat during the heating process. Flax Oil is good for salads                                 

 
Reduced amounts of beef, pork and chicken, adding fish, eggs, beans, quinoa and tofu as other protein sources is recommended.  

Foods to avoid are:
-Reduce saturated fat from animals in your diet and avoid fried foods.  
-Avoid all milk and other dairy produce.  You may be alright with goats or sheeps yoghurt. 
-Avoid red meat.
-Avoid the nightshade family of vegetables (peppers, aubergine or eggplant, tomatoes and white potatoes – also tobacco).  The solanine found in these foods can cause pain in the muscles to susceptible people.  
-Avoid table salt

Supplements
TrueJoint Support
TrueD
TrueCal


Lifestyle
Exercise is not very effective with RA because of the underlying nature of the disease. Many people with RA find that regular resting periods for their joints helps to relieve symptoms.

Lots of healthy sun exposure = Vitamin D

Rest, and reduce stress