I just wanted to add to the discussion that cow's milk in the USA is more
than likely to have recombinant bovine growth hormone (r-BGH) in it.  Unless
your milk says organic, what you are drinking is in all liklihood a
genetically engineered product.  In the state I reside, Florida, all cow's
milk unless organic has r-BGH in it. Therefore the cow's milk that people are
drinking now is not the same product that was drunk years ago.  Does this
contribute to more health problems?  I don't know but it sure seems likely.

The soybean is one of the crops that is most likely to be genetically
engineered in the USA. (I believe I read that 3/4 of the soybeans grown in
the USA are ge'd) Therefore, any soy product that does not state organic has
a high probability of being genetically engineered.  Does this cause some of
the health problems?  Maybe--we don't know.

The other issue I see with both these products is that people overconsume
them.  Cow's milk and cow's milk products are in everything--processed meats,
in chocolate--milk chocolate, breads, chips.  They're in foods you would have
never believed until you start reading labels.   So most people's bodies are
being bombarded with dairy unless they are careful about the foods they eat.
I know people who eat soy products.  Some of them were eating a pound of tofu
at a meal.  That is a concentrated and highly processed food.  Eating that
much is really way too much.  Soy milk--anyone out there ever try and make
it?  Highly processed--if you make it yourself its an all day event
(yes--years ago before you could buy this product I made it--once--and said
never again).

I tend to believe that the human body wasn't meant to eat highly processed
foods.  And I think the biotech industry's claim that the recombinant product
is identical to the real/native product is a foolhardy belief.  What we eat
is very important to our health.  We know that breastmilk "made" fresh at
every serving is the perfect food for the health of the infant.  And all
infant formula (not labeled organic) in the USA is genetically engineered.  I
am amazed at the acceptance of this.  And I am amazed that breastfeeding
advocates don't use this fact to drive home the importance of breastfeeding.
I guess I am also amazed that people aren't at the doorstep of the FDA asking
for explanations as to why our infants have become the guinea pigs of the
food industry (considering that only about 2% of women exclusively breastfeed
in the first 6 months).
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

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