Ginger, I just wanted to thank you personally for your professional
responses on Lactnet.  While I decidedly lean to the anti vs. the pro side
of the argument I firmly believe we need to hear both sides.

I can see that there is much to said for the pragmatic approach of "milk:
its here, its easy, its available, this particular nutritionally compromised
kid will eat it or components of it and this child's parents will serve it
and this particular child's immediate nutritional needs will be met".

What I think we need to keep in mind is the overall promotion of cow's milk
as an ideal food.  For the general population it should be presented at best
as a convenient way to get multiple nutrients that can also be obtained in
many other forms.  If it is promoted as an ideal food the "masses" don't
learn any other way to get these nutrients.  So many people think milk is
essential instead of just convenient.

I picture milk as having no particular place in the food triangle but rather
as being available as a part of multiple areas - kind of like beans and
legumes and meat are part of the protein area, well milk could be too.  Then
we would need a calcium area where collards, sardines, milk, etc. could all
be a PART, and a Vit D area where sunshine joins in with fortified foods as
one of many ways to get this nutrient.  Oh, and a water section.

Carla

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