<p id="">President Donald Trump on Thursday pardoned a former Army officer who was court-martialed for disobeying COVID-19 mandates under the Biden administration.</p><p id="">The US Army discharged Lt. Mark Bashaw (ret.) in 2022 after he refused to wear masks, work remotely, take the experimental mRNA shots, or submit to regular COVID-19 testing. Bashaw was subjected to a court martial, where a military judge found him guilty. That earned him a criminal record, which has been now been expunged by Trump’s pardon.</p><p id="">“I just received a Presidential Pardon from President Donald J. Trump. I am humbled, grateful, and ready to continue fighting for truth and justice in this great nation. Thank you, Mr. President @realDonaldTrump and to your incredible team,” Bashaw posted to X on Thursday, adding: “Time for accountability! #TheFlipSide.”</p><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇺🇸 I just received a Presidential Pardon from President Donald J. Trump. I am humbled, grateful, and ready to continue fighting for truth and justice in this great nation.<br><br>Thank you, Mr. President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and to your incredible team, WRWY🙏<br><br>Special shout out to… <a href="https://t.co/wxiM3u1YF6">pic.twitter.com/wxiM3u1YF6</a></p>&mdash; Mark Charles Bashaw (@MCBashaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/MCBashaw/status/1927897946693194154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p id="">Bashaw was the first service member to be court-martialed for non-compliance with COVID-19 mandates—or as he put it, because he “refused to participate with the lies.” Eugene Vindman, who was the lead prosecutor against Bashaw, declared victory at the time.</p><p id="">“Proud of the prosecution team at Aberdeen Proving Ground,” Vindman crowed. “Secured a first in the nation conviction at court-martial of a lieutenant who failed to obey lawful orders re COVID mitigation measures. Guilty on all 3 counts. #orderanddiscipline.”</p><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Proud of the prosecution team at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Secured a first in the nation conviction at court-martial of a lieutenant who failed to obey lawful orders re COVID mitigation measures. Guilty on all 3 counts. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/orderanddiscipline?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#orderanddiscipline</a></p>&mdash; Eugene Vindman (@YVindman) <a href="https://twitter.com/YVindman/status/1520167715507478529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Trump DoD invites unvaccinated soliders back</h2><p id="">Bashaw was one of over 8,000 service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 shot. Only 43 of those service members re-enlisted under the Biden administration, contributing to the US Armed Forces' shrinkage to their <a href="https://www.thegoldreport.com/news/us-military-active-duty-corps-to-drop-to-smallest-size-since-wwii-says-pentagon" id="">smallest</a> size since World War II. The mandate may also be why the number of service members and veterans who would recommend joining the military <a href="https://www.mfan.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Exec.-Summary-MFAN-Programming-Survey-Results-ExecutiveSummary-F.pdf" id="">dropped</a> significantly between 2019 and 2021.</p><p id="">Not only were unvaccinated soldiers discharged, but they were also forced to <a href="https://frontline.news/post/unvaccinated-soldiers-forced-to-repay-signing-bonuses-to-biden-administration" id="">repay</a> their signing bonuses. One service member had to sell 60 of his vacation days to repay most of his $7,000 signing bonus to the US Army after he was fired for refusing the COVID injections.</p><p id="">Recruitment has begun surging again under the Trump administration, however. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has invited unvaccinated service members to re-enlist, promising them backpay and an apology from the US government. <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5322881-trump-pardons-covid-refusal-military-officer/" id="">According</a> to <em id="">The Hill, </em>only about 100 of the discharged unvaccinated service members re-enlisted so far, and it is unclear if Bashaw will seek to rejoin.</p><p id="">‍</p>

Trump pardons former officer court-martialed for disobeying COVID-19 mandates

'Time for accountability!'

<h2 id="">Instagram censors ‘dangerous’ philosopher</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Instagram considered the Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius ‘dangerous.’ <a href="https://t.co/g5GMqVPOjJ">pic.twitter.com/g5GMqVPOjJ</a></p>&mdash; Pavel Durov (@durov) <a href="https://twitter.com/durov/status/1926381625316642906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Gaza: The new climate change</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">They&#39;ve been lying about this for a long, long, long time. <a href="https://t.co/aoMo0zFhHO">https://t.co/aoMo0zFhHO</a></p>&mdash; Max 📟 (@MaxNordau) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxNordau/status/1925964002691076490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">An LGBTQ mob blocks a mother and baby from attending a Christian rally</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: LGBTQ+ mob surrounds a mom with her baby to block her from attending a Christian rally in Seattle <a href="https://t.co/5szt1LNuxr">pic.twitter.com/5szt1LNuxr</a></p>&mdash; End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1927552063241928720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Remember when the media started trusting Big Pharma again?</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In the summer of 2020 Stephen Colbert aired a sketch warning people to be skeptical of vaccines and Big Pharma. <br><br>Eleven months later when Biden was President, Colbert was dancing for the vaccine.<br><br>Colbert is one of the most partisan, shameless shills that America has ever seen. <a href="https://t.co/sbuI5Ug3HC">pic.twitter.com/sbuI5Ug3HC</a></p>&mdash; MAZE (@mazemoore) <a href="https://twitter.com/mazemoore/status/1927882460953555378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Hawaii governor signs the country’s first climate tax</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Democrat Governor of Hawaii, Josh Green, has officially signed the first climate change tax in the U.S. into law.<br><br>Labeled a “green fee,” the tax will target tourists on Hawaii Island, requiring them to contribute for their carbon footprint.<br><br>Cruise ship passengers will also be… <a href="https://t.co/wpX2pTN60Q">pic.twitter.com/wpX2pTN60Q</a></p>&mdash; Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShadowofEzra/status/1928152427858968636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Chicago mayor celebrates ‘Africa Day’ on Memorial Day</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here’s Mayor Brandon Johnson celebrating “Africa Day” instead of Memorial Day.<br><br>Can we deport him to Africa if he loves it so much?<a href="https://t.co/LPJcKHKPFq">pic.twitter.com/LPJcKHKPFq</a></p>&mdash; Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/1927060057067323441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">The Democrats choose an influencer to attract young men</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Democrats have deployed Influencer Olivia Julianna to attract young male voters. <a href="https://t.co/W8yOKDefyN">pic.twitter.com/W8yOKDefyN</a></p>&mdash; Oli London (@OliLondonTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/OliLondonTV/status/1928154553037246801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Should Canada become America's 51st state?</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I’ll be honest, I don’t want Canada as a 51st State<br><br>They have a population size (41M) comparable to California (39M), except even more liberal<br><br>They didn’t grow up learning about the Revolutionary War, free speech, owning guns, and liberty<br><br>It would lead to 2 safe Democrat…</p>&mdash; DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) <a href="https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/1927763473909370980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Michelle Obama: Creating life is the least important thing about women</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">According to Michelle Obama, the “least important thing” about a woman’s reproductive system is that “it produces life.”<a href="https://t.co/zxbqklcFXX">pic.twitter.com/zxbqklcFXX</a></p>&mdash; Dinesh D&#39;Souza (@DineshDSouza) <a href="https://twitter.com/DineshDSouza/status/1928077195852832865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Dr. Paul Offit falsely claims healthy children died of COVID-19</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center and a member of the FDA vaccine advisory committee, commented on the revised COVID vaccine recommendations: <br><br>&quot;It&#39;s a bad recommendation. You know that by 6 months of age, all children will be vulnerable to a virus that&#39;s… <a href="https://t.co/nS22RqtqGq">pic.twitter.com/nS22RqtqGq</a></p>&mdash; Trending Politics (@tpbreaking) <a href="https://twitter.com/tpbreaking/status/1927415077902110744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p id="">‍</p>

This week on X

Here are this week’s top ten tweets on X, according to The Gold Report’s analysts

<p id="">By Dr. Joseph Mercola, Children’s Health Defense</p><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><p><strong>Story at a glance:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Plant-based milks significantly reduce essential nutrients in toddlers’ diets, even when fortified; research shows calcium, vitamin B2 and B12 levels drop by around 50% when replacing cow&#8217;s milk in toddlers&#8217; diets.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Most pediatric guidelines strongly advise against using plant-based beverages as milk replacements for children under 2 years old due to nutritional inadequacy and other health risks.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Soy milk contains phytoestrogens that alter DNA expression and antinutrients that reduce protein absorption, making it particularly concerning for developing children.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Plant-based milks are ultraprocessed foods that contain additives like gums and emulsifiers, whereas grass-fed cow&#8217;s milk provides unique nutrients linked to reduced disease risks.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Raw, grass-fed milk offers living enzymes, beneficial bacteria and immune-supporting compounds that ultraprocessed plant drinks do not provide for growing toddlers.</li>
</ul>
<p>More and more parents are choosing plant-based drinks for their toddlers, often because they think they&#8217;re making a healthier or more sustainable choice. Whether it&#8217;s almond, oat or soy, these alternatives are showing up in sippy cups across the U.S. — and often replacing cow&#8217;s milk entirely.</p>
<p>But just because something is labeled &#8220;plant-based&#8221; or &#8220;dairy-free&#8221; doesn&#8217;t mean it&#8217;s nutritionally complete, healthy or developmentally appropriate for young children.</p>
<p>This is especially important during the vulnerable window between 12 and 24 months, when a child&#8217;s brain, bones and body are growing at a rapid pace. Every bite and sip matters. And when key nutrients are missing, it quietly undermines that growth in ways most parents don&#8217;t see coming.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;ve ever questioned whether a plant-based drink is a safe swap for milk — or if you&#8217;re already relying on one without knowing the full impact — you&#8217;re not alone. That&#8217;s exactly what researchers have started to investigate, and the findings are eye-opening.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s take a closer look at what happens when plant-based drinks replace cow&#8217;s milk in toddlers&#8217; diets.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kDnrHmluf2s?si=bhb_KFYG1vg2-K3B" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Most plant-based drinks fail to meet toddlers&#8217; nutritional needs</strong></p>
<p>A German study published in the <a href="https://jhpn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41043-025-00836-z">Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition</a> set out to understand what happens when you swap cow&#8217;s milk for plant-based alternatives in children&#8217;s diets.</p>
<p>Researchers substituted only the daily serving of cow&#8217;s milk with common plant-based options like soy, oat and almond drinks, while keeping the rest of the diet unchanged.</p>
<p>Their goal was to measure the nutritional fallout from this single swap:</p>
<p><strong>The study included common store-bought drinks and child-specific formulas</strong></p>
<p>Six drinks were analyzed: basic soy, oat and almond drinks; fortified versions of soy and almond drinks; and two products marketed specifically for toddlers. This included a soy-based &#8220;growing-up&#8221; drink and a dietetic soy formula for infants with milk intolerance.</p>
<p>These represented typical items found in German markets and closely mirrored what parents actually purchase for young children.</p>
<p><strong>Most plant-based drinks caused a sharp drop in important nutrients</strong></p>
<p>Daily intake of calcium, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12 and iodine fell by around 50% when non-fortified plant-based drinks were used. That means swapping out cow&#8217;s milk cut these important nutrients in half, even in an otherwise well-balanced meal plan.</p>
<p><strong>Nutrient bioavailability is a problem in many plant-based drinks </strong></p>
<p>Even when drinks are fortified, the minerals and vitamins added are often less bioavailable than those found naturally in milk. That means your body absorbs less of what&#8217;s listed on the label. So, even if numbers on the label seem high, the actual amount your child&#8217;s body uses is often far lower.</p>
<p><strong>Parents need better tools to assess these swaps </strong></p>
<p>Researchers warned that parents can&#8217;t accurately assess the impact of swapping cow&#8217;s milk for plant-based alternatives. Most drinks look healthy on the surface and include marketing claims like &#8220;dairy-free&#8221; or &#8220;source of calcium,&#8221; but few truly match <a href="https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/10/08/dairy-gut-health.aspx">milk&#8217;s nutritional profile</a>.</p>
<p>Even a small change in a toddler&#8217;s daily diet has ripple effects on their long-term growth, bone health, immune function and brain development.</p>
<p>For clarity, this study didn&#8217;t involve physically swapping milk for plant-based drinks and then checking nutrient levels in children. Instead, it used a theoretical model based on the Optimized Mixed Diet, which is a guideline diet for children in Germany.</p>
<p>The researchers created scenarios where they replaced all fluid cow&#8217;s milk (219 grams per day) in the Optimized Mixed Diet’s seven-day menu with different plant-based drinks (soy, oat, almond, fortified or non-fortified). They then calculated the nutrient intake for that seven-day menu to see the immediate effect of the swap.</p>
<p>In other words, this wasn&#8217;t a real-world experiment measuring levels in children over time — it was a nutritional analysis of what would happen to nutrient intake if milk were fully replaced in the diet, based on the nutrient content of the drinks.</p>
<p><strong>Doctors urge parents to rethink plant-based drinks for toddlers</strong></p>
<p>A 2021 commentary published in JAMA Pediatrics reviewed recommendations on <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9039802/">plant-based beverage intake</a> for infants and young children and found widespread agreement among health authorities: most plant-based drinks are not suitable substitutes for cow&#8217;s milk in children younger than age 2.</p>
<p><strong>Most pediatric guidelines advise against plant drinks for toddlers</strong></p>
<p>Across high-income countries, including the U.S., Canada and Australia, official dietary guidance strongly advises parents not to use plant-based beverages as replacements for milk in kids under age 2.</p>
<p><strong>Frequent or total replacement of milk with plant-based drinks is a red flag for nutrient deficiencies</strong></p>
<p>Doctors were urged to ask parents directly how often plant-based drinks are used and whether they fully replace cow&#8217;s milk. This is because frequent substitution raises the risk of serious nutritional gaps.</p>
<p><strong>Dozens of real-world cases showed serious consequences from plant-based diets in infants </strong></p>
<p>A report cited in the commentary examined 30 case studies of infants and toddlers, ranging from 4 to 22 months old, who were fed plant-based drinks, either by themselves or along with foods like fruits and vegetables.</p>
<p>All of the children developed serious nutrition-related illnesses, including rickets (caused by soft, weakened bones), scurvy (a result of vitamin C deficiency), protein deficiency or metabolic alkalosis, a dangerous <a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender_category/health-conditions/">condition</a> that disrupts the body&#8217;s acid-base balance and impairs breathing and organ function.</p>
<p><strong>Soy contains antinutrients </strong></p>
<p>Although soy drinks have the highest protein content among plant-based options, soy&#8217;s bioavailability — or how much protein the body actually uses — is reduced by plant-based antinutrients.</p>
<p><strong>Why soy formula is one of the worst choices for your baby</strong></p>
<p>If you&#8217;re relying on <a href="https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/03/15/soy-infant-formula.aspx">soy infant formula</a> as a dairy-free alternative, you need to know what that decision means for your baby&#8217;s long-term health.</p>
<p>Soy infant formula is often promoted as a safe option for lactose-intolerant individuals or vegan households, but research says otherwise.</p>
<p><strong>Soy formula changes the way DNA works in babies</strong></p>
<p>A study published in the journal <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170828194908/https:/ehp.niehs.nih.gov/EHP428/">Environmental Health Perspectives</a> looked at girls who were fed soy formula. Researchers found differences in DNA tags, specifically in vaginal cells, compared to girls who were fed cow&#8217;s milk formula.</p>
<p>These DNA tags are like tiny switches that tell genes whether to be active or inactive. In this study, the tag affected a gene that responds to the hormone estrogen. This is a significant concern because <a href="https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/03/25/estrogen.aspx">hormones like estrogen</a> are important for how girls&#8217; bodies develop, especially their reproductive systems.</p>
<p><strong>So, why is soy such a problem? </strong></p>
<p>Soy milk and soy formula contain significantly more phytoestrogens — plant compounds that mimic estrogen in the body — than cow&#8217;s milk or breast milk. No developing child should be exposed to that level of hormonal disruption.</p>
<p><strong>Plant-based milk is just another ultraprocessed food</strong></p>
<p>It&#8217;s also important to realize that <a href="https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/02/15/plant-based-milk-vs-cows-milk.aspx">plant-based drinks</a> are ultraprocessed foods, meaning they&#8217;ve been heavily modified from their original form and typically contain additives like gums, emulsifiers, synthetic vitamins and artificial flavorings.</p>
<p>While many people switch to plant-based drinks thinking they&#8217;re more natural, the processing involved strips away beneficial compounds and introduces additives your child doesn&#8217;t need.</p>
<p><strong>Eating ultraprocessed plant foods increases your disease risk </strong></p>
<p>A study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(24)00115-7/fulltext">The Lancet Regional Health Europe</a> followed 126,842 people and examined the health impact of different types of plant-based foods.</p>
<p>While every 10% increase in whole, unprocessed plant foods, like fruits and vegetables, lowered <a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/ultra-processed-foods-linked-serious-health-issues-cola/">cardiovascular disease</a> risk by 7% and heart disease-related death by 13%, plant-based <a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/ultra-processed-foods-speed-aging-addictive-rtk/">ultraprocessed foods</a> had the opposite effect.</p>
<p>Each 10% increase in these foods was linked to a 5% higher risk of heart disease and a 12% increase in the risk of dying from it.</p>
<p><strong>Cow&#8217;s milk is a minimally processed whole food with real health benefits </strong></p>
<p>Unlike ultraprocessed plant drinks, milk from grass-fed cows is naturally rich in essential nutrients and requires minimal processing — especially when it&#8217;s raw.</p>
<p><a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/bill-whole-milk-schools-science/">Whole milk</a> contains healthy fats, protein, calcium and fat-soluble vitamins in a form your child&#8217;s body can actually use. It&#8217;s a complete food, not a lab-engineered imitation.</p>
<p>When you compare ingredient labels, it becomes obvious which product is closer to what nature intended.</p>
<p><strong>Whole-fat dairy delivers rare nutrients that support total-body health</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/02/22/dairy-products-colon-cancer.aspx">Whole dairy products</a> from grass-fed cows are a primary source of odd-chain saturated fatty acids. These unique fats are not produced by your body and must be obtained through food.</p>
<p><strong>Unique dairy fats are linked to lower risks of chronic diseases</strong></p>
<p>Higher blood levels of <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/7/355">odd-chain saturated fatty acids</a> have been associated with reduced risks of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, fatty liver, inflammation and even overall mortality.</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t get these benefits from almond, soy or oat drinks.</p>
<p><strong>Raw, grass-fed milk boosts gut and immune health naturally</strong></p>
<p>When sourced from organic, pasture-raised cows, raw milk also offers living enzymes, beneficial bacteria and immune-supporting compounds that support digestion and help protect against illness.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s something no ultraprocessed product delivers. Just be sure to choose milk from farmers who don&#8217;t use iodine-based disinfectants to avoid <a href="https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/03/09/excess-iodine-thyroid-health.aspx">excess iodine</a> in your child&#8217;s diet.</p>
<p><strong>What to do if your toddler is drinking plant-based milk</strong></p>
<p>If you&#8217;ve been giving your toddler plant-based drinks thinking they&#8217;re just as good as — or better than — cow&#8217;s milk, you&#8217;re not alone. It&#8217;s a common choice, especially if you&#8217;re avoiding dairy yourself or assuming organic almond or oat milk is safer.</p>
<p>But as you&#8217;ve seen in the research, most of these drinks don&#8217;t supply the nutrients your child needs to grow strong and stay healthy. The good news? It&#8217;s easy to fix this starting today by making a few changes.</p>
<p><strong>Stop using plant-based drinks as milk replacements </strong></p>
<p>Avoid using plant-based drinks in place of real milk. This is especially important during the growth window between 12 and 24 months.</p>
<p>Most of these drinks lack the calcium, B12 and B2 toddlers need — and they don&#8217;t absorb nutrients from plants as easily as from milk.</p>
<p>Plus, soy milk adds another layer of risk due to <a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender_category/toxic-exposures/">exposure</a> to estrogenic compounds that affect reproductive development.</p>
<p><strong>Avoid using soy, oat, almond or other plant-based drinks as a base for infant formula </strong></p>
<p>If you&#8217;re formula-feeding or supplementing, I do not recommend using commercial infant formula — especially not soy-based. Absolutely nothing compares to breast milk in terms of nutrition, so if you are a new mother and still lactating, breastfeeding is the best choice for both you and your child. However, I understand that not all moms can breastfeed.</p>
<p>In this case, I recommend making your own infant formula using <a href="https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/09/16/us-meddles-infant-formula-regulations-worldwide.aspx">this recipe</a> based on nutrient-rich animal foods like raw grass-fed cow&#8217;s milk, organic raw cream and grass-fed beef gelatin. For children who are unable to tolerate milk proteins, I recommend trying this <a href="https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/03/15/soy-infant-formula.aspx">hypoallergenic meat-based formula</a> instead.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;ve already been giving plant-based drinks daily, don&#8217;t panic. The body responds quickly to good nutrition. The sooner you make the switch, the more support you give your child&#8217;s bones, brain and immune system during the years they need it most.</p>
<p><strong>FAQs about plant-based milk for toddlers</strong></p>
<p><strong>Q:</strong> Are plant-based <a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/ultra-processed-toddler-milk-money/">milks safe for toddlers</a> as a replacement for cow&#8217;s milk?</p>
<p><strong>A:</strong> No. Most plant-based drinks fail to provide the essential nutrients found in cow&#8217;s milk. These include calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin B2, and iodine, all of which are needed for proper growth, brain development and immune function during early childhood.</p>
<p><strong>Q:</strong> What makes soy infant formula risky?</p>
<p><strong>A:</strong> Soy formula exposes infants to high levels of phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that mimic estrogen. Research has shown that girls fed soy formula have altered DNA tags in estrogen-sensitive genes, which could interfere with reproductive development. Soy also contains antinutrients that reduce the body&#8217;s ability to absorb protein and minerals.</p>
<p><strong>Q:</strong> What&#8217;s the problem with plant-based milks being ultraprocessed?</p>
<p><strong>A:</strong> Ultraprocessed foods are heavily altered and often loaded with gums, emulsifiers and synthetic nutrients. A study found that plant-based ultraprocessed foods were linked to a 5% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 12% increase in death from heart disease. In contrast, unprocessed whole foods, like raw, full-fat milk, lower disease risk and support total-body health.</p>
<p><strong>Q:</strong> How does raw, grass-fed milk support gut and immune health in toddlers?</p>
<p><strong>A:</strong> <a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/raw-milk-under-attack-bird-flu-fearmongering-cola/">Raw milk from grass-fed cows</a> contains natural enzymes, beneficial bacteria and immune-boosting compounds that are destroyed during pasteurization. These elements support healthy digestion, nutrient absorption and immune function. It&#8217;s a living food, unlike plant-based drinks that rely on synthetic additives to mimic nutrition. Choosing raw milk from farms that avoid iodine-based disinfectants also prevents unnecessary iodine overload in your child&#8217;s diet.</p>
<p><strong>Q:</strong> What&#8217;s a better alternative for my toddler?</p>
<p><strong>A:</strong> If breastfeeding is not an option, homemade infant formula made from raw grass-fed milk, raw cream, beef gelatin and other whole ingredients is a far better choice than any store-bought soy or plant-based formula. If your toddler cannot tolerate cow&#8217;s milk, a meat-based hypoallergenic formula is a safer and more nutrient-dense option.</p>
<p><em>Originally published by <a href="https://www.mercola.com/">Mercola</a>.</em></p></div><p id=""><a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/authors/dr-joseph-mercola/" id=""><strong id="">Dr. Joseph Mercola</strong></a></p><p id="">Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of Mercola.com. This article was <a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/plant-based-milks-wreak-havoc-toddlers-health-cola/">previously published by The Defender</a> — Children’s Health Defense’s News &amp; Views Website under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Please consider<a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/about-us/sign-up/" id=""> subscribing to The Defender</a> or<a href="https://childrenshealthdefense.org/about-us/donate/" id=""> donating to Children’s Health Defense</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

How Plant-Based Milks Wreak Havoc on Toddlers’ Health

Marketed as “safe and nutritious,” but they significantly reduce essential nutrients in toddlers’ diets 

<p id="">San Francisco will begin passing students with failing grades to promote “equality,” <em id="">The Voice of San Francisco </em>has <a href="https://thevoicesf.org/grading-for-equity-coming-to-san-francisco-high-schools-this-fall/" id="">reported</a>.</p><p id="">Superintendent of Schools Maria Su intends to announce a “Grading for Equity” plan where students who score as low as 41 on an exam will receive a C, and a score of 21 will receive a passing D. Currently, students must score at least a 61 to earn a D grade. Homework and weekly exams will no longer be counted towards students’ final semester grades. Schools will only count a final exam, which can be taken multiple times. Tardiness will not affect grades.</p><p id="">The new system will become available to over 10,000 students across 14 schools in the fall. Teachers are not required to implement the Grading for Equity system, but may if they wish. The new program would have gone unnoticed without the hawkish eye of a certain school board member. Superintendent Su did not seek approval from the San Francisco Board of Education for the drastic changes and tried to sneak it in by burying it in the school board’s 25-page agenda. Parents were not consulted.</p><h2 id="">Time for homeschool?</h2><p id=""><em id="">The Voice of San Francisco </em>reports that parents are already mulling whether to return to public schools this fall. Those who don’t might apply to private schools or join the increasingly popular homeschooling trend.</p><p id="">Homeschooling remains the fastest-growing form of education in the United States. In 2023, at least 3.7 million children received a home education, a major increase from 1.5 million in 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p id="">An <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/2023/homeschooling-growth-data-by-district/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f003?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter" id="">analysis</a> from the <em id="">Washington Post</em> looked at 60% of the school-aged population in 7,000 school districts across 32 states and Washington, D.C., and found that homeschooling defies political, geographical, and economic borders.&nbsp;</p><p id="">For example, while Republican Florida has the largest homeschool population with 154,000 homeschooled children, Democratic New York is showing the fastest growth with nearly 52,000 children homeschooled, more than double the number in 2017. New York City boroughs Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx saw the highest growth rates, with the homeschool population in some districts surging over 300% in the last six years.</p><p id="">Home education is gaining popularity even in areas with high academic achievement. In 2022, over 60,000 children were homeschooled in districts that ranked in the country’s top fifth for scholastic aptitude.</p><h2 id="">Homeschoolers see improved academic performance</h2><p id="">Studies <a href="https://frontline.news/post/homeschoolers-top-government-schooled-children-in-everything" id="">show</a> homeschoolers outperform their state-educated counterparts in nearly all areas. Standardized tests reveal that homeschoolers, on average, score over 30 percentage points higher than public schoolers in core studies such as reading, language, and math. SAT results show that homeschooled children score higher than state-educated children by as many as 70 points in critical reading and 48 points in writing. They are also more likely to achieve higher GPAs in college.</p><p id="">Minority children who homeschool also show higher results than their counterparts in government schools. Black homeschooled students, for example, have been shown to outscore black public-schooled students by 23–42 percentage points. According to government figures, 41% of homeschoolers are Black, Asian, Hispanic, and other minorities.</p><p id="">Most homeschoolers also report being excited about life and satisfied with their work, compared to a minority of public schoolers.</p><p id="">‍</p>

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