09/14/06 Milk and Dairy Products in Elementary Schools

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Att. Miljenko Ernoic, deputy Distric-prefect
Kratka 1/I
42000 Varazdin

September 14, 2006

Dear Mr. Ernoic,

Subject: MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS - A NEW INITIATIVE

I write to you with regard to your appearance in the show "Kaziprst" (Index finger), which was broadcasted on Radio Sjeverozapad on June 13, 2006 at 10 A.M. where you spoke about the plan of daily offering milk products of animal origin in schools in the Varazdin region. We would like to draw your attention to some scientific arguments which are not well known due to the domination of the dairy industry. Scientific evidence indicates negative effects of milk products of animal origin on the human body and its connection to several degenerative diseases, and which are directly related to some degenerative diseases like: migraine, ear infection, allergy, asthma, fever, breast cancer.

Until the 1980's, milk was considered a vital element of diet and was displayed as naturally perfect food. Milk is undoubtedly such a thing, for its purpose is to feed the offspring of its own kind and as such it has to be a perfect and complete meal. But fact is that the human being is the only species that drinks milk from other species and it does so in the adult age, which doesn't leave us without negative consequences. Cow's milk is, by its ingredients, adapted to the need of the calf and it is different from the human milk. The dairy industry, motivated by profit, has been making sure that from an early age children are showered by commercial messages which talk about the importance of milk. These messages are still very familiar to all of us. But, a few of the well-known pediatricians, like Dr. Charks Attwood and Benjamin Spock, have pointed out the problems which are caused by the consumption of dairy products. The Physicians Comittee for Responsible Medicine, reporting on a study of 142 children with diabetes, points out that all children of this research group had a high level of anti-bodies to cow's milk protein. The doctors of this Comittee, whose mission is preventive medicine, speak out for a non-dairy diet.

From the dairy industry we hear all the time facts like cow's milk is the best source of calcium, which is inconsistent with the newest scientific research. Cow's milk does contain calcium, as well as additional vitamin D, but the process of adapting cow's milk reduces the percentage of calcium in it. Besides this, calcium in the milk is attached to casein, a sticky substance which blocks the absorption of calcium and other nutrients into our bodies. The level of casein in animal milk is 30 times higher than the level of casein in human milk. And, in the end, for the body, to receive and absorb calcium it is necessary to receive the same amount of magnesium from vegetable origin.

We would like to point out that all the scientists agree with the fact that increasing bone mineral density (BMD) is caused strictly by body activity. Professional literature claims that the best sources of calcium are raw sesame seeds, green leafy vegetables and dry fruits (i.e. figs, dates, plums).

Assuming that you are not too familiar with the above mentioned topics, we send you various documents which speak about the effect of animal milk to the human body and would like to invite you to take a look at some of the newer results of scientific reserach on this subject. Information is available at the following web pages: www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr, ww.vegekit.com, www.strongbones.org, and others. A lot of useful information also can be found in Vegan- The New Ethics of Eating by Erik Marcus.

Respecting your good intention and invested hard work, we would request you to consider a substitute for animal's milk, and that schools for the children offer healthy and tasty meals and milk products of vegetable origin, such as soya pudding, yoghurt, and other products made of organically grown (e.g. rye, rice...) plants which are available on the Croatian market. Unfortunately, their price, despite cheaper production, is higher than the price of dairy and animal products which is one of the consequences of the fact that milk products of non-animal sources are not subsidized by the state.

And, in the end, respecting the fact that interpretation and evaluation of information are a personal responsibility, special care has to be given to the information that could affect the health of children. It is our responsibility to treat such information with special care, even if this requires that we step out of the classical way of thinking, and no matter the effect, even possible increase or decrease of profit of the dairy industry.

With respect,

Dario Novacko,
the president of Animal Friends Varazdin branch

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