Just like you, I was raised to believe that milk and dairy were not only good for us, but one of the 4 food groups! How shocking to find out, that milk even in it's raw, organic state, is the wrong composition for humans. Cow milk is the perfect composition, for, well, baby cows... Then, on top of that concept, is all the the things that are done to milk to make is dangerous to human health, not to mention hormones used, and pesticides on the feed. In the end, the milk becomes a chemical cocktail, and a product that directly causes diseases, i.e. eczema, migraines, IBS, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and auto immune disorders, just to name a few. Milk does a body...HARM.
I read the book "Nourishing Traditions" years ago. It is an excellent book- reflecting back to an era when food was actually food, and cows were pasture fed, and there weren't pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics used in raising animals that would be intended for human consumption.
Unfortunately, even then, the raw milk wasn't HEALTHY, unless it was from an A2 cow.
Just to be clear, I love dairy products, like butter, sour cream, ice cream, but NEVER liked the taste of milk. (Thank goodness, as I never knew it was harmful to me, but my body must have.) I grew up having dairy in the house, just like everyone I knew, and like the majority of households today.
What I didn't know about dairy, with this industrial farming, is that cows, and their meat and milk, aren't what was what my grandparents consumed, or what they consume in Europe, or on Amish farms. Our conventional meat and dairy is a whole different food, that is no longer comparable to days gone by, or compared to other countries, who care about the health of their people. Not to mention, how animals are treated, certainly not the way that was intended, also changes the quality of the meat/milk.
Just for a moment, think about what quality product would you get, from a depressed, mistreated, confined, sick, hormone pumped, animal, that is fed not what it's body was made to eat. How do you think that would effect the milk, or the meat of this animal? It would effect it dramatically. Remember the old adage, "you are what you eat"? Well, you are, even in terms of the energy of the animal or plant... Wrap your brain around that one y'all.
Having said all of that, there are sources of what would be considered "healthy dairy". Yep, I said it. I still will call milk, "devil's juice", but I will revise it, to say, "conventional A1 dairy is the devil's juice".
What is recommended here, is organic, raw, type A2, cultured dairy products. What I understand, is that other cultures, in other countries, and even in our own history, is that milk from cows was cultured, into Kefir, or into yogurt. They are teaming with probiotics, that are so very healthy. When cow milk is cultured, it helps to predigest the cow milk proteins in the milk, making it more digestible, and making it's nutrients more bioavaiable.
Lots of new information about A1 and A2 beta casein milks. Most cows in our country, are A1 beta casein cows. This means that their milk is the dangerous kind, linked to every disease known to man. A2 milk is a healthier choice, but is very rare, and hard to find in our country. A2 milk is from Guernsey cows, African cows, Asian cows, goats and sheep. I have been unable to find type A2 dairy in our country, except online- and very expensive.
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Organic, pasture-fed, raw dairy, has it's nutrients in tact, enzymes in tact, and it's omega 3 fatty acids in tact. Once you pasteurize, even this type of dairy, it changes it's chemical stucture. Where-in lies the big problem of finding dairy, that might be okay to even consume!!
I am scared from my experience with dairy, as I am allergic to dairy, as is my husband, and my daughter. What I know for sure, is that conventional dairy, is what ruined it for us! Now even when I use raw, organic, cultured dairy, from an Amish farm, or imported from Europe, I still react poorly to it. My body still recognizes it as a toxin, or an enemy. Thank you Dairy Counsel for ruining dairy for me and my family! I caution all of you as well, many of you are likely allergic to dairy products, and may or may not know it. A blood test, like RAST, or ELISE testing can likely help to diagnose. Scratch testing at an allergist is not accurate in testing for food allergies.
We have become very adept at being a dairy free family, as seen in my recipes at this site. However, if you can find a HIGH QUALITY A2 milk, dairy supplier, and are NOT ALLERGIC to dairy, by all means, include it in your diet. Animal fat isn't the enemy, like we've all be taught. Try organic pasture fed butters and cheeses, or buy European products. They don't label "organic", or "raw", but if they label is void of the word "pasteurized" it is raw. Our country is just freakish about having to pasteurize everything, and European countries are often just making butter and cheeses as they always have: raw.
So, I do not recommend conventional dairy, and avoid at any cost. That includes organic, pasteurized dairy. I am cautious to recommend milk, even in it's perfect, raw state. What I do recommend, if you can find it, is: organic, pasture-fed, raw, cultured, type A2 dairy, they way people have used it for hundreds, if not thousands of years. I believe it is in the culturing that changes the composition of the cow milk, to be well tolerated, and even nourishing! However, finding it, is like finding a needle in a haystack... I have found raw, organic cheeses, imported from Denmark, Switzeralnd, and Italy, at Sam's Club, and Costco! When I induldge, or CHEAT, I have to use a product by bioAllers, called Dairy Allergies. It is a miracle, homeopathic antidote, that prevents me from becoming ill after consuming dairy. I do keep it in my purse at all times, in case I accidentally consume dairy without knowing it!
I have has success finding imported raw goat's milk cheese, and sheep's milk cheeses, and consume them as they are type A2 milk!
I have also did much research on dental caries- and have since added back in to my daughter's diets, organic cultured pasture fed butter. This type of butter, is vitamin rich fat, healing for bones and teeth. Being organic means it's void of toxins, (as fat stores toxins), and the culturing helps to predigest any dangerous proteins or lactose that might remain in the butter. (Do not consume butter on a healing diet.)
Conventional milk is poison, as seen on national t.v., on Hardcopy!
Dr. Mark Hyman, with 6 reasons to avoid conventional dairy products!
See all of the powerful, informational articles at the websites seen below!
So many articles here, that speak to the dangers of cows milk and dairy products! Please take the time to check out this site, Not Milk .
