☆ The Life of a Cow (Infographic) ☆

Time and time again I hear people defend drinking milk. These are the most frequently said things:

"Milk is good for you." 

"It doesn't hurt the cow, it's not cruel."

"Cows need milking." 

Let me tell you, (time and time again) it IS cruel, in fact, I would sooner eat meat than ever consume dairy again on the level of cruelty involved. Cows do Not need to be milked. And Milk is terribly bad for you.

Today, I will spare you a long ramble and jump right into this little Infographic. ;)

(Please note, this inforgaphic is thanks to PETA--whatever you think about PETA you can put aside for a moment, they are not the topic of debate today. ;p)

Please realize what consuming dairy does to the lives of cows. Please make an ethical change. If you want to know more about the dairy industry I have several posts, ranging from lighter to fully-detailed (links below in that order). 

9 Reasons Why Milk Sucks 

This Mother's Day, Remember the Cows on Dairy Farms. 

Dark Secrets of the Meat & Dairy Industries... (scroll down to the dairy part if you want to skip the meat part) 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

☆ 9 Reasons why Milk Sucks! ☆

Ditching the dairy is usually the hardest part about going vegan, hence why there are so many vegetarians and not enough vegans. But, really, if you are going to be vegetarian there is no reason why you shouldn't be vegan, unless you want to be a hypocrite (oh no I didn't just say that! *gasp* ;p). If you'd like to know why, and need the extra motivation to ditch the dairy, here are several reasons why… 

Milk is for Baby Cows!

The simplest, most basic point; Milk is for Baby Cows! Milk from cows was never meant for human bodies, it was meant for their own young, just as humans and every other animal produces milk for their young. But the dairy industry separates a mother cow from her baby at birth so that humans can have her milk instead. 

Cows do Not need Milking

Cows, just like every other animal, produce the right amount of milk for their young. They do not produce a huge excess of milk as people are led to believe, and they do Not need milking. The only reason cows produce so much milk on dairy farms is because they are pumped full of hormones and are intensively milked to produce ten times what they normally would, which, I'm sure you can imagine, is extremely hard on their bodies--and not at all natural.   

No Enzymes to Digest Milk

Milk is meant to make baby bodies grow quickly and healthily, but after a certain age our bodies stop producing the enzymes that digest dairy. Which is why most people are intolerant to dairy products. Our bodies do this because we are no longer meant to drink it, our bodies no longer need it. Our bodies are not meant to drink milk, plain and simple. Milk is for babies, not humans. 

You wouldn't drink the Milk from any other animal.

Drinking milk from another human being is way way way more natural than drinking it from cows, but chances are it totally grosses you out.  If you wouldn't drink the milk from another human, or from a gorilla, your dog, or any other animal then you shouldn't be drinking it from cows. If drinking the milk from any other animal grosses you out then you shouldn't feel any differently about drinking dairy because there is absolutely zero difference. 

Dairy = Calcium Loss! 

Despite the huge misconceptions of the billion-dollar advertising campaigns the dairy industry shoves in our faces every day, dairy is absolutely terribly bad for you. Your body will only absorb half the calcium and the other half gets left behind as deposits that build in your body and result in osteoporosis. Yes, you heard right, milk doesn't prevent osteoporosis, it creates it, because osteoporosis is caused by calcium Loss, not Deficiency. 

Dairy is Baaaad for you! 

This isn't news, it's common knowledge amongst the medical fields that dairy is bad for you. Dairy consumption has been linked to acne, anemia, arthritis, ADD, ADHD, fibromyalgia, headaches, heartburn, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, poor immune function, allergies, colic, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, autism, Crohn's disease, breast & prostate cancers, and ovarian cancer. Nasty Dioxin is also often found in dairy products, not to mention all the pesticides, hormones, chemicals, and pus and blood found in milk. Gross! 

Morphine! 

Morphine is naturally occurring in cow's milk so that their young are encouraged to drink it--but this has a much different effect on cows than humans. In dairy products, particularly cheese, this morphine is concentrated, which is why it's so darn addictive. Once you get over the druggy addiction, it's easy! 

Support Dairy, support Veal

Somehow people like to turn a blind eye to this truth, but if you consume dairy then you directly support the veal industry. Dairy cows have their young taken away from them so that humans can consume their milk instead. Those baby cows never get the nutrition they need so end up weak and their flesh tender so they are sold off as veal. So, again, I ask the question; how can vegetarians just be vegetarians and still support the killing of baby animals? 

Dairy is Rape, Heart-breaking, and Cruel

I want you to take a moment to consider the sacred bond between a mother and child, the unconditional love that nothing else can match. Now, can you imagine your child being ripped from your arms within a day of birth. Then imagine being raped, giving birth again, and have the process repeat itself over and over again. Make no mistake, mother cows get extremely upset when their young are taken from them, they kick stall walls in rage and frustration and literally cry with grief. They feel exactly as humans do.  

Touching the surface of what happens to dairy cows… To produce milk, mother cows must have a baby--like every other animal--in order to lactate. Therefore, dairy cows are artificially impregnated with a machine every year (simply put: raped) and are kept pregnant their entire lives which is extremely hard on their bodies. They are hooked up to machines where they are intensively milked several times a day. And their babies are taken away from them within a day so that milk can go to you instead. 

Like I said, this is really just touching the surface of the cruelty involved as I didn't want to get too much into the cruelty in this post. If you'd like to know more please check my other in-depth post article here: http://www.reloveplanet.com/2009/07/dark-secrets-of-meat-dairy-industries.html

Vegan = Love!  Make the Switch! 

Any kind of change can be made positively. I try to share information in a light-hearted and positive way because that's what being vegan is truly about-- Love! And extending that love beyond ourselves and on to animal lives. :)

Ditching dairy isn't as hard as you'd think it is either, it's just a matter of getting into new habits. Once you get over the addiction bump and get into those new habits it's really not so hard, in fact, I thoroughly enjoy it. Plus, there's a weight off your conscious and you get to feel good about your decision and know that you are not responsible for the unnecessary suffering of another animal. Most people also feel a million times better with their health after cutting out dairy products-- say hello to happy tummy, healthy skin, vitality and energy! ;)

There are far more (and healthier) sources to get calcium from as well (in case you're still concerned) such as leafy greens like spinach, collards, mustard greens, and kale, as well as broccoli and most other veggies, chickpeas, and soy products. Even nuts and grains and fruit have calcium, just not as much as those good leafy greens.

Being vegan has never been easier either, with soooo many delicious dairy alternatives to replace all your old ones. I write about them all the time right here at ReLove Plan.et with recommendations. Exploring your local grocery store is also exciting, as alternatives are becoming more and more available with a ton of options as well. 

[myself and a happy rescue cow at Farm Sanctuary]

So make a cow happy, make yourself happy, make your life happy, and ditch the dairy! ;) 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

Making the Connection: You Are What You Eat.

It is ridiculous that our eating habits have become what they are. Most of us eat food almost completely void of Nutritional value. Most of us no longer prepare our own food from scratch. And even worse, most of us don't even know what it is we are eating at all.

All the while, we wonder why we are unhealthy. We wonder why we can't have or maintain a healthy body weight. We wonder why we're tired all the time. Why we get sick all the time. Why our stomachs never feel quite right. Why we have pimples. Why we have headaches. And we'll place the blame everywhere we can possibly think of before looking at our dinner plates. But that is the answer right there; FOOD!

Again, most of us can hardly really say what we eat is even Food anymore, it's any wonder we can actually even function.

That aside, if your diet resembles any of the following, it may be time to rethink your eating habits...

Do you eat white bread and/or other white flour products? White rice? White sugar? All of these have been stripped of their nutrition in a highly unnatural refining process. 

Do you drink coffee every day? Or worse, several cups a day? 

Do you eat pre-packaged meals and foods? How about fast foods? Potato chips and candy? Consume dairy and meat every single day? Drink alcohol every weekend? 

Do you get fiver servings of fruits and veggies every day? Do you drink 8 glasses of water a day? 

It's time to wake up and make the connection; You are what you Eat! Filling your body with all this crap will catch up with you. It already is but most of you won't admit it. It will also suck away your energy and leave you unhappy, moody, and feeling "blah". 

If you say you can't change you diet or that it's too hard, suck it up princess. How do you even know if you won't try? 

You don't have to starve yourself. You don't have to sacrifice yummy tasting food. You don;t even have to give up treats. You just have to switch your diet around, get adventurous, try new things, and give your taste buds a chance to return to normal. Give those taste buds the time to let go of addictive msg and other food additives that trick your brain into believing all that junk tastes good. Because once you stop eating that stuff, you will soon realize that it really doesn't taste good at all!

So make the connection. If you want to be happy, healthy, and have your energy back, then change your diet. Remember, a happy tummy is a happy mind and self. 

You are what you eat. 

Wake up and smell...steer clear of the coffee. ;)

Peace & Love,

xo

~Bianca 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

☆ This Mother's Day, Remember the Cows on Dairy Farms... ☆

Yes, that's right, you're about to hear another Vegan spiel ~_^. But before you non-vegans huff and disregard this post, hear it out, especially if you're a mother.

I've been meaning to write about this again for some time, especially with the ridiculous amounts of extra ads I've been seeing everywhere lately for Milk products. >.< If you want the truth and want to do something special this Mother's Day, then read on...

There is quite possibly nothing in the world more sacred than the bond between a Mother and her child. There is some sort of instant connection and an unconditional love that nothing else can match. 

Now Mothers...Imagine your child being ripped from your arms within a day of birth. Then imagine being raped, giving birth again, and have the process repeat itself over and over again. This may seem a bit blunt and harsh, and it is, but it is also only a small glimpse into the life of a Dairy Cow. And before you automatically go into the "well they're just animals" argument; they're not just animals. And they are certainly no different than your cat or dog. Cows are intelligent, emotional, and social creatures. They nurture friendship and even bear grudges. Their bonds to their offspring are equally as strong as yours to your child. When their young are taken from them, they kick stall walls in rage and frustration and literally cry with grief. How heart-breaking is that?! :( 

If you're concerned about the nutritional bullshit your made to believe, time to wake up! It is common knowledge among the medical research field that dairy is bad for you. The Dairy industry has deep Billion-dollar pockets that spew millions into marketing their products. The latest ads are so shameful that they made my jaw drop: chocolate milk is good for you. Even better for you than apple juice, apparently. If you believe this, sorry to be blunt, but you're a moron! Of course it depends on what apple juice we're talking about here, but come on! Seriously!? Oh yeah, and FYI, chocolate milk is perfect for hiding all the blood and puss that pasteurization couldn't. 

The consumption of Dairy products leads to Osteoporosis due to Calcium loss. Yeah, that's right you heard me; Calcium LOSS, not deficiency. Animal proteins decrease the absorbency of certain nutrients by about 50%, calcium and iron included, leading it to build up on the arterial walls as atherosclerotic plaque. On top of that, dairy consumption has also been linked to acne, anemia, arthritis, ADD, ADHD, fibromyalgia, headaches, heartburn, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, poor immune function, allergies, colic, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, autism, Crohn's disease, breast & prostate cancers, and ovarian cancer. And remember that nasty Dioxin? Well it's often found in dairy products, not to mention all the pesticides, hormones, chemicals, and pus and blood found in milk. Gross! Calcium and all those other nutrients claimed to be found in milk are much better sourced from Vegetables. 

Still not convinced? Cows are not magical creatures that lactate continually. They are like all mammals and only lactate when pregnant. So they are kept pregnant their entire short, miserable lives. They are artificially inseminated by what the industry terms as a "rape rack" or by the farmer's arm. No tender loving here. They are milked by horrible machines where their sensitive udders are attached with metal clamps. They are forcefully milked to produce ten times more milk than they normally would. Their living conditions are equally horrible and so is their death after they have been "dried up", abused, and tortured for several miserable years. And don't kid yourself, consuming Dairy also supports the Veal industry! Where do you think those baby cows come from? Dairy cows! The female calves share the same fate as their mothers. 

This really is putting it all quite mildly, the horrors of the dairy industry easily equal, and are argueably worse, than that of the meat industry. If you want more information watch this video (http://www.chooseveg.com/animal-cruelty.asp) or check out my longer blogpost regarding the Horrors of the Meat & Dairy Industry if you can't stomach the video (I was literally in tears over it!):

http://altereco-blog.blogspot.com/2009/07/dark-secrets-of-meat-dairy-industries.html

So celebrate all Mothers this Mother's Day, including those poor Cows! Stop consuming Dairy products and do your body and cows a world of good. There are so many alternative products available now that there really is no good excuse. Plus, dairy is nasty, and once you quit consuming it, it will actually taste gross! No joke! 

Don't be responsible for stealing baby cows away from their mothers. Be a good Mama and share the love! ♥ 

Happy Mother's Day!

xo

~Bianca 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.