Should cow's milk be part of a healthy diet?

Cow's milk and dairy products are pushed hard in this country. Dairy products have their own very prominent stripe on the food pyramid (with no dairy-free calcium foods given), commercials like "Got Milk?" are widely recognized, my peditrian asks my kids every visit if they are drinking their milk. Most people I talk to -- including and especially registered dietiticans -- think daily portions of milk are necessary to good health. But is milk really that healthy? Check out this article from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

McDonalds advertising on report cards!

Last week, elementary school students in Seminole County, Florida received their report cards in envelopes adorned with Ronald McDonald promising a free Happy Meal to students in kindergarten through fifth grade with good grades, behavior, or attendance.

Targeting children directly with the message that doing well in school should be rewarded by a Happy Meal undermines parents’ efforts to encourage healthy eating. If parents want to reward their kids for getting good grades, they should be able to decide what is appropriate. They don't need any help from a corporation whose real concern is its bottom line.

Visit http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/621/t/4886/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21959 and tell McDonald's to stop advertising on report cards.