Whitewash, By Joseph Keon: A Review
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In this book-length indictment of the use of cow’s milk for human consumption, Keon leaves no stone unturned. Exhaustively, he offers us information on why cow’s milk is not good for humans, either children or adults; on contamination of milk products; on how the calcium in milk does not do a body good, in fact it weakens bones; on the association of dairy products with a myriad of human diseases; on the environmental effects of dairy farming (and a brief synopsis of the agonies of being a milk cow); and finally, on how to give up dairy products and lead a healthier life.
There is much good here, and I recommend this book. However, be careful with how you use the information. Keon is generally careful about making connections between dairy consumption and human health, for example, by saying milk “may” cause this or that disease or have an effect on it, when he is not certain that studies have made the connection conclusive. At times, though, the sources he cites are not credible. For example, he makes connections between dairy consumption, vaccines, and autism, citing various studies by Andrew Wakefield that have since been discredited. He should have known of this discrediting and either found other, better sources (I am not aware there are any) or mentioned the cloud hanging over Dr. Wakefield.
He also sometimes uses second- or third-hand information. For example, a reference to a Consumer Reports statement comes from an article in a newspaper rather than directly from Consumer Reports.
To his credit, most sources are direct. Also to his credit, Keon does an admirable job describing the mechanisms by which our bodies handle different food products or contaminants. To me the descriptions sounded believable. However, Keon is not a doctor or scientist. He is a “wellness expert, nutrition and fitness expert”. Frankly, these are not titles that inspire confidence in me. There are no governmental standards for what a nutritionist or fitness expert must learn, and the various “wellness experts” around town are all self-described. This does not mean that a non-professional cannot write a good book about milk. He’s clearly knowledgable and understands a great deal about the human body, but the few issues raised above suggest to me that he would have done well to coordinate the writing of this book with a medical doctor or appropriate scientist.
The book contains a wealth of supplementary information, from the cited sources to a separate “recommended reading” section. For this reason alone it rates a place on any health-conscious person’s reference shelf.
Based on your caveats, I can’t see how you can recommend this book. Are you just incapable of not recommending vegan propaganda in hopes it will persuade someone? Books with untenable health claims in favor of veganism or against animal products harms the credibility of vegans and animal rights activists. We shouldn’t be trying to trick people into giving up dairy.
Colinski, I don’t see how you could read the post above and conclude that she is “incapable of not recommending vegan propaganda” unless you have extremely poor reading comprehension. She explicitly wrote:
Please read more carefully before making sweeping, inaccurate assumptions about one of the Soapbox authors.
Hi Colinski,
I can understand your concern about promoting “untenable health claims”. I have read other books that I will never recommend because I am as concerned as you are about only telling the truth. I felt that this book was not in that category. My main concern was that the author is not a scientist and therefore not necessarily able to determine the value of all of his information.He was careful not to make any unfounded claims, but I would have liked to see somebody else – perhaps somebody like John McDougall, M.D. – verify the quality of the studies cited and review Keon’s descriptions of how our bodies work.
All of the sources are cited at the back so can be checked, and most are studies reported in medical journals. Therefore, anyone who wants can verify the statements within.
I hope that all interested in the subject of human health and nutrition will take a look at my book, Whitewash. The motivation for writing this book was simple: informed consent. It is not my intention to “scare” people, but only to make them aware of scientific findings that the FDA and USDA and numerous other sources of public health information have yet to make readily available to the public. I encourage you to visit the book’s website, http://www.whitewashthebook.com, where you can read the foreword by John Robbins. I hold a Ph.D. in nutrition, and yet I understand the desire expressed herein that there be a medical doctor’s endorsement of the material. This is why the book was read by John McDougall, M.D., and other medical doctors, whose endorsements of the material appear on the website and in the book itself. This includes Jay N. Gordon, MD, FAAP, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, UCLA Medical School, Former Senior Fellow in Pediatric Nutrition, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Institute; William Harris, M.D, author of The Scientific Basis of Vegetarianism; and Neal Barnard, M.D., President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I hope this is helpful to you.
I was very happy to see the response by Joseph Keon. Thank you for the information!
And in thinking more about it…I don’t feel an M.D. is any more qualified to speak on the topic of nutrition and the body than someone who holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition. Medical Doctors have very little training in nutrition and it’s only recently that the study of nutrition been recognized as an important aspect of training for an M.D. Astounding isn’t it?? Credibility of information is inherent in the information itself not in who speaks it. If you doubt something – do the research. I am grateful that people like Joseph Keon have taken the time to compile useful information – so I don’t HAVE to do the research!!
I recently read Whitewash and found that the majority of the sources cited, like: Lancet, The American Journal of Epidemiology, Journal of the American Medical Association (to name a few) -were both reputable and authoritative. To Colinski I would ask why (s)he views these health claims as “untenable”?
I think it’s great that Keon commented on these posts. If you would like a few snapshots of the book’s content check out my youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLmjev9IC7o
I think the reviewer needs to reacquaint and update himself in regards to Dr. Wakefield. While Dr Wakefield was torn apart personally and professionally, his work was not discredited. Smoke and mirrors were used as arguments against his research, but the end result has not changed. Nor has the health outcome of the patients. PLEASE make sure you have read Dr. Wakefield’s work and not the regurgitation and manipulations of it that are in the press. Many who testified against him admit that they NEVER READ HIS WORK and several said that they believe in his work, but could not afford the professional consequences of standing with him. Shameful. Please be sure that you understand what you are repeating.
Based on my research Joe Keon, understands and know exactly what he is repeating. Well done.
Susan, Andrew Wakefield’s demise at the hands of the press was a sad sight given that it was the press that blew up the whole MMR scare saga.
However, in scientific circles, his studies were never good cause to suspect MMR vaccinations were linked to autism, *never*. Those conclusions were the invalid and sensationalist babble of the press. Wakefield should have distanced himself from that noise though.
Since Wakefield’s paper, there have been more direct and more useful studies as to the question of MMR vaccine safety. Wikipedia has a great page on the MMR controversy which lists these studies.
There were problems with the research Wakefield did, for example the analysis of samples for measles virus RNA was replicated after an investigation of the laboratory, and the method was found to be totally flawed, contaminated, and unable of detecting anything.
There is also concern about the funding and recruitment for the study, since it was all tied up with a court case on behalf of parents who wanted evidence for their litigation.
Again it’s sad to see the press get off scott-free and Wakefield to be demonised, but all the evidence suggests dishonest conduct and he is having a better time nowadays getting paid more to tell worried American parents what they want to believe, and not having to proove it.
Why was this brought up again?
For Mr. Keon:
If cow’s milk really is so useless (or worse) as to warrant the statements, “There is no good reason in any credible literature to drink cow’s milk” and “Cow’s milk in the diet makes it harder for a person trying to lose weight to succeed”, then why do the Weight Watcher’s diet plans (for losing weight and for lifelong nutrition), which are top-rated by a significant portion of the most highly respected nutrition experts in the world (not just the U.S.), include so much cow’s milk and other products based on it?
Jim in St. Paul
Jim, For starters, Weight Watchers doesn’t tell people what foods to eat, they only assign nutritional values to food and encourage eating more fruits and veggies. They have nondairy options and you can do their program as a vegan.
The answer why dairy is included in so many US food guides is cultural. It’s just that simple.
Hm-m-m-m-m …
EV,
I think at least one of us is missing some important facts.
I agree with your point tho I would not say it’s _the_ reason.
I still trust (tho my level of trust is steadily diminishing) that reputable organizations don’t publish stuff without _some_ care in ensuring its validity, if only to reduce their exposure to lawsuits, ridicule, and other stuff bad for them.
Let’s see if Mr. Keon replies, and meanwhile I’ll try to get a response from WW by asking them the reverse of my Q above.
Any other ideas to help get at The Truth?
Jim
I agree with yore point
My last post and this one are via iPod and it won’t let me see the entire text before I Publish. Please ignore last line of last post. Tnx. Jim
Jim,
I doubt Mr. Keon will respond. This is just one of many websites that have published reviews of his book. This is not his website. If you wish to ask him a question I suggest you actually contact him.
Don’t be so sure, Eccentric! Given that he did respond to this post earlier. But in any case, I do think the book makes a case against cow’s milk that is hard to deny. The documentation is there to follow as well.
As for reputable organizations checking validity – the positive milk story has been so oversold that organizations as well as persons tend not to think about it, not to question it. This book is one of the few that challenges the “conventional wisdom”.
All sides of health or unhealth spectrum can argue fuss and fight for eternity..some are nice arguments other are downright mean attack.. which show ‘ignorance of the health issue’. But then everyone is entitled to free expression! That’s still the freedom of speech law.
One fact that people miss is: by age 2-4 all ‘mammals’ & humans – loose the enzyme to digest ‘milk’ (caseine etc do the study on this Prof. Walter Veith lecture on milk= link below ) that’s is the natural process of weaning.. So then drinking milk after the weaning process begins the process of ‘diseases’ for us.
Imagine? All animals without picking fights just naturally intelligently do the ‘wean’ process and us humanoids are so stupid and attach ourselves to a surrogate ‘tit’ and live on it till old age and then replace the ‘tit’ with http://yourenglishlessons.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/the-4-stages-of-life-baby-bottle-coke-bottle-as-a-1.jpg
* check this out….Udderly Amazing / Life at Its Best – Walter Veith – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF44vrpz0ts
80 min – Sep 21, 2011 – Uploaded by OfficialADTVChannel
http://amazingdiscoveries.tv/media/169/304-udderly-amazing/ http:// amazingdiscoveries.org/
and no ‘milk’ does not supply us with calcium ! milk is so pH acid that it leaches out calcium from bones. teeth to neutralize the acidity… study that subject also and don’t argue fuss and fight! please?
To Health