By Dr. Mercola
Rates of allergy and asthma have been on the rise in the
industrialized world for the past 50 years. It's now so
widespread that up to 50 percent of schoolchildren are sensitive
to one or more common allergens.1
There are many contributing factors to the rise of allergic
diseases, but it's becoming increasingly clear that dietary
factors may play a role – for better or for worse.
One food that's shown a protective role against such
diseases is one that is, unfortunately, typically demonized by
health agencies and the media: raw milk.
Raw Milk Drinkers Have Lower Rates of Childhood Allergies and
Asthma
School-aged children who drank raw milk were 41 percent less
likely to develop asthma and about 50 percent less likely to
develop hay fever than children who drank store-bought
(pasteurized) milk, according to one study that used data from
more than 8,000 children.2
While public health agencies are quick to say that there are
no nutritional differences between raw and pasteurized milk,
this study suggests otherwise. The researchers believed that the
beneficial effect may have been due to whey proteins, including
bovine serum albumin (BSA) and alpha-lactalbumin, in the raw
milk, which were destroyed by the heating process in the
pasteurized milk.
While the study didn't find an association between any health
outcomes and the bacterial contents of the milk, it
did demonstrate noted differences between raw and
pasteurized varieties. The researchers explained:
"The results of this large epidemiologic study add to
the increasing body of evidence identifying consumption of
farm [raw] milk (early in life) to be associated with a
reduced risk of childhood asthma and allergies independently
of concomitant farm exposures.
The results indicate that the effect is due to the
consumption of unheated farm milk. For the first time,
associations between objectively measured milk constituents
and asthma and atopy could be demonstrated.
...The study allowed validation of parental reports
of raw milk consumption against objective measurements of
milk heating status and showed very good agreement.
Obviously, parental reports of the raw status of the
milk are reliable and not biased by social desirability, as
previously speculated.
Under the hygiene hypothesis and given the role of
microbial diversity in house dust to explain farm-related
reduction of asthma risk, one might assume that a higher
microbial load of unboiled farm milk might be responsible
for the protective farm milk effect.
Milk is an excellent growth medium, allowing rapid
proliferation of microbes. Indeed, the present results
showed much higher counts of viable microbes in raw farm
milk samples compared with heated farm milk and pasteurized
and highly heated shop milk samples, as has been reported by
others".
Whey Protein in Raw Milk May Make Some Cases of Asthma Better
According to
Mark McAfee, the founder of Organic Pastures Dairy and, more
importantly, one of the leaders in the raw milk movement,
increasing numbers of doctors are now starting to prescribe raw
organic dairy for children with asthma, recurrent ear infections
or chronic inflammation, rather than just telling them to quit
dairy altogether.
This is because they recognize that in most cases it's not
the dairy itself—the problem is pasteurized dairy.
Raw grass-fed milk can even be tolerated by most who are
lactose intolerant and contains whey proteins that may actually
improve cases of asthma. McAfee explained:
"...[T]wo huge studies were done in Europe – the
PARSIFAL study done in 2006, studying 15,000 kids, and the
GABRIELA study [referenced above] done in Basel,
Switzerland.
Peer reviewed, internationally published, wonderful
documentation showing that whey protein in raw milk
stabilizes mast cells and actually makes asthma get a lot
better, and in some cases, completely gone.
What we have is this polarity, these polar opposites
between pasteurized milk, which has lots of dead bacteria …
which actually trigger inflammation in your body because
your body doesn't recognize these waste products...
Your body then reacts by mast cells breaking open,
histamines being released, and things like asthma and
inflammation flaring like crazy; mucus being laid down,
which causes ear infections. Raw milk does exactly the
opposite...
[T]he milk is alive [with beneficial] bacteria and
your body recognizes it… [These beneficial bacteria]
colonize and become part of your immune system."
Why Drink Your Milk Raw?
There's more to raw milk than its impact on asthma and
allergies. High-quality raw milk has a mountain of health
benefits that pasteurized milk lacks. For example, raw milk is:
- Loaded with healthy bacteria that are good for your
gastrointestinal tract
- Full of more than 60 digestive enzymes, growth factors,
and immunoglobulins (antibodies)
- Rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which fights
cancer and boosts metabolism
- Rich in beneficial raw fats, amino acids, and proteins
in a highly bioavailable form, all 100 percent digestible
- Loaded with vitamins (A, B, C, D, E, and K) in highly
bioavailable forms, and a very balanced blend of minerals
(calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron) whose absorption is
enhanced by live lactobacilli
It is not uncommon for people who switch from drinking
pasteurized to raw milk to experience improvement or complete
resolution of troubling health issues—everything from allergies
to digestive problems to eczema. When milk is pasteurized, fats
are oxidized, proteins denatured and most enzymes are completely
destroyed, resulting in a 'food' that may be more harmful than
beneficial to our health.
Additionally, the bacteria killed by pasteurization are not
removed, so their dead cell fragments remain in the milk to
ignite immune reactions in those who ingest them, which is one
major cause of milk allergies. Often the 'milk allergy' is not
to the milk itself, but to the post-pasteurization cell
fragments it contains.
The Truth About Raw Milk Safety Statistics
Government health agencies have been
waging a war against raw milk farmers in the US, claiming
that this whole food is a threat to public health. But drinking
raw milk produced by grass-fed cows from clean, well-run farms
is actually far LESS dangerous than drinking pasteurized milk.
In fact, not only does raw milk contain good bacteria that are
essential for a healthy digestive system, raw milk also offers
protection against disease-causing bacteria.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data3
shows there are about 412 confirmed cases of people getting ill
from pasteurized milk each year, while only about 116
illnesses a year are linked to raw milk. And research by Dr. Ted
Beals,4
MD, featured in the summer 2011 issue of Wise Traditions,
the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, shows
that you are about 35,000 times more likely to get sick from
other foods than you are from raw milk!
The Source of Your Raw Milk Matters
As with any food, where your raw milk comes from makes a
major difference in its quality and safety. In concentrated
animal feeding operations (CAFO's), large groups of animals are
kept in a small space, oftentimes without natural light or
access to the outdoors. The conditions are filthy, with animals
standing in each other's waste. Needless to say, harmful
bacteria naturally thrives in these conditions.
To combat disease (and promote unhealthy growth), the animals
are fed antibiotics, the result of which is they become living
and breathing 'bioreactors' for the generation of antibiotic
resistant bacteria. They may also receive hormones, which
increase milk production, and they're fed a diet of grains and
soy (most of which is now the genetically engineered variety)
rather than grass, which alters their gut flora and makes them
even more prone to disease.
As a result, drinking CAFO milk raw would be extremely
dangerous. It must be pasteurized for safety. On the
other hand, milk from grass-fed cows raised on smaller, clean
farms can be safely consumed without being pasteurized, provided
the farmer is committed to providing a safe, quality product.
If you're unsure of where to find raw milk, you can locate a
raw milk source near you at the
Campaign for
Real Milk Web site.5
The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund6
(FTCLDF, which helps farmers that have been raided and/or
charged with a crime, like Hershberger) also provides a
state-by-state review of raw milk laws.7
Getting your raw milk from a local organic farm is one of the
best ways to ensure you're getting high-quality milk, but even
then, if you're thinking about purchasing milk from a small
farmer, it would be very wise to visit the farm in person. Look
around and ask questions, such as:
- Does the farmer and his family drink the milk
themselves?
- How long has he been producing raw milk?
- Are the cows clean?
- What conditions are the cows raised in?
- Are there any obvious sanitation questions?
Additionally, look for the following general conditions. If a
cow is covered in filth and manure, stinks, is wet and cold and
doesn't look particularly comfortable, that could be a warning
sign that her milk is less than ideal for raw consumption, even
if it's from a small, local farm.
Low pathogenic bacteria count (i.e. does the farmer test
his milk regularly for pathogens?) |
The milk comes from cows raised naturally, in accordance
with the seasons |
The cows are not given antibiotics and growth hormones
to increase milk production |
The milk is quickly chilled after milking |
The cows are mainly grass-fed |
Cows are well cared for |
Support Your Right to Purchase Farm-Fresh Food
Right now your food freedom is on the chopping block. In
North Dakota, a bill threatens to make herdshare illegal. (A
herdshare is a private agreement between a farmer and an
individual in which the farmer is paid to take care of an
animal, cow for example, that belongs to one or more people. You
essentially pay a onetime purchase fee to "buy a share" of a
farmer's herd, which entitles you to the benefits of owning that
cow, such as a certain amount of milk each week.)
In New Mexico, a bill has been introduced that would ban the
sale of raw milk, while a proposed regulation in Illinois would
similarly restrict access to raw milk. This fight for food
freedom isn't just for those who love raw milk – it's for
everyone who wants to be able to obtain the food of their choice
from the source of their choice. So please, get involved! I urge
you to embrace the following action plan to protect your right
to choose your own foods:
- Get informed: Visit
www.farmtoconsumer.org or
click here to sign up for action alerts.
- Join the fight for your rights: The
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) is the only
organization of its kind. This 501(c)(4) nonprofit
organization provides a legal defense for farmers who are
being pursued by the government for distributing foods
directly to consumers. Your
donations, although not tax deductible, will be used to
support the litigation, legislative, and lobbying efforts of
the FTCLDF. For a summary of FTCLDF's activities in 2012,
see this link.
- Support your local farmers: Buy from
local farmers, not the industry that is working with the
government to take away your freedoms.
© Copyright 1997-2013 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.