Careful which ‘Organic “ milk product you buy!!!

Many of the “cheaper” organic milks have bGH or rBGH in them which is an additive that I believe is extremely dangerous to all humans and pets (dogs/cats) and can still be listed as "Organic!"

Bovine growth hormone, or bovine somatotropin (also called bGH, rbGH, or bST), is given to cows to make them mature faster and produce more milk. The hormone is produced by cows' pituitary gland and an extra amino acid is attached before it's injected into dairy cows. Any of the above listed products should be avoided in your milk, yogurt cottage, cheese consumption and needs to be labeled as such.

rBGH, is a highly potent genetically engineered version of BGH, the natural bovine growth hormone manufactured by Monsanto.

rBGH is sold to dairy farmers under the trade name Posilac. Injection of this hormone forces cows to increase their milk production by about 10%. Why we need this is a mystery, as currently, there is national surplus of milk production. Monsanto has stated that about one third of dairy cows in the nation are in large herds where the hormone is now used. rBGH factory farms now pose a major threat to the viability of small organic dairy farms, and fattens Monsanto’s pockets without any benefits to consumers.

Monsanto, strongly supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), still insists that hormonal milk is indistinguishable from natural milk, and that it is safe. This is blatantly false according to Samuel S. Epstein, M.D. Professor emeritus Environmental & Occupational Medicine University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, Chairman, Cancer Prevention Coalition.

Dr. Epstein further states that: 

Ø rBGH makes cows sick. Monsanto has been forced to admit to about 20 toxic effects, including mastitis, on its Posilac drug label.

Ø rBGH milk is often contaminated with pus, due to mastitis commonly induced by rBGH, and also with antibiotics used to treat the mastitis. This poses risks of nationwide antibiotic resistance to life threatening infections.

Ø rBGH milk is chemically, and nutritionally different than natural milk. These differences include increased levels of milk fat, posing cardiovascular risks.

Ø Milk from cows injected with rBGH is contaminated with the hormone, traces of which are absorbed through the gut into the blood, and provoke foreign antibodies.

Ø rBGH milk is supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), which is readily absorbed through the gut. These levels are further increased following pasteurization.

Ø In numerous published scientific studies over the last two decades, excess levels of IGF-1 have been incriminated as causes of breast, colon, and prostate cancers. IGF-1 blocks natural defense mechanisms, technically known as apoptosis, against the growth of early submicroscopic cancers.

Clearly then, these additives need to be avoided.

The FDA and bGH manufacturers have resisted public demand that milk containing bGH be labeled as such. In fact, they have also opposed labeling milk as “bGH-free.” Your best defense is to look for manufacturers that label “rbGH-free." 

As an advocate for healthy eating/living, we should all demand these products be eliminated from our grocery shelves and stop supporting companies who use them.

The bigger question then is:  who knows what long term effects these chemicals will have on our aging, disease progression and development?