What does "Healthy Living for Healthy Families" mean to you?

HLFHF member - Gina posted this...

"Some of my favorite holistic healing websites-sharing with all of you- add to the list for all the share........ 

Healthy living for healthy families- what that means to me

• NO vaccines
• no antibiotics
• no prescription drugs
• no cortisone topicals
• no pesticides
• no herbicides
• no GMO foods
• no acid based PH foods
• No cow-dairy
• no sugar
• no salt
• no coffee
• no alcohol
• plant based diet
• no aspartame
• Green energy like solar
• hybrid/electric vehicles
• wind power
• recycle
• make it yourself
• grow it yourself
• do it yourself

Been living this way for decades now- How about you?

1- www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com
2-www.mercola.com
3-www.naturalnews.com
4-www.curezone.com
5-www.holisticonline.com
6-www.sickofdoctors.com
7-www.healthy.net"

~~~~~~~~

What does it mean to me?

As a Nourishing Traditions, whole foods, mom of five one being a vax inj child as well as one with severe handicaps I agree with a lot of what she said.  The only things I do differently are these:  

• I do enjoy raw milk kefir.  I get raw milk from a friend and fellow organic farmer near our place and create wonderful things from it - yogurt, kefir, cultured butter, cultured buttermilk, raw cultured cheeses... notice what is going on here?  EVERYTHING is cultured!  It all has gut healing properties that go beyond the normal run of the mill garbage yogurts that you find in the stores... the stuff that is filled with dyes, preservatives and Nasty sugars including the worst of the worst HFCS.  I was first introduced to Nourishing Traditions about 7 years ago when dealing with how we were going to treat our 3rd childs issues.  After having been completely dairy-free since 2001 (after our 2nd was born and dealing with the ASD symptoms of our 1st) we went into another direction.  With Jacob's Mitochondrial disorder we needed to find nutrient dense foods and we found that in raw milk.  I also started doing some natural fermentation.  WOW!  I mean who knew that letting a gallon of raw milk sit out on the counter and separate into curds and whey could save a childs life?!  And that is exactly what it did!  So, now, while we do utilize raw milk in a bowl of granola every now and then... for the most part the 5 gals of milk we get each week is turned into cultured products that we enjoy as a part of our daily routine to improve our digestion and increase our ability to stave off disease..... Healthy Guts = Healthy Family!
• Salts are an integral part of our human system.  We NEED salt... NOT the bleached, denatured salts that we find in so many processed - ready boxed foods... or hidden in canned goods etc.  That stuff is pretty much evil.  No, instead we utilize natural salts such as Redmond's Real Salt and Celtic Sea Salt.  These natural salts that our bodies NEED.  We are mammals after all and just like the deer, sheep, cow, etc out and about that seeks out a salt to lick at we need to ingest salt to live and provide balance in our systems.  I'm not saying "pour it on" - no, not at all... and in some cases foods contain natural amounts of sodium.  However, we do need to supplement it in small portions.  
• WE are ALL about No GMO All Organic.... if you are in need of seeds to grow your own look to Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in Mansfield MO.  It was started by a 17 year old entrepreneurial home schooled young man - that was 1998!  Gere Gettle gets his heirloom seeds TESTED to ensure that NONE are GMO contaminated.  We know him personally from his festivals as we took part in them for many years... we have begged off in the last couple of years due to having two babies back to back.
• Permaculture
• Whole Foods Plant Based Diet utilizing small portions of humanely/organically - wild caught/raised meats and RAW fermented dairy.  One of our favorite meats is a roast that WE turn into Corned Beef.  The recipe is included in Sally Fallons Nourishing Traditions.
• We Juice in the morning - fruit only - to jump start our systems.  Fruit is best consumed on an empty stomach... it goes right into the digestive system and is readily utilized by our bodies without being bogged down and fermenting in our tummies causing bloating and gas.  Carrot/Celery juiced in the afternoon helps cleanse toxins from the body and gives one the energy to get through the late part of the day that typically finds you sluggish and in want of a burst of energy.  A New Way of Eating from the Fit for Life Kitchen is a great place to go for recipes and information on the many benefits of Juicing.
• Instead of white processed sugar, chemically derived artificial sugar substitutes etc you will find raw honey, natural sorghum, black strap molasses, stevia, raw agave nectar (rare) and xylitol (when needed for baking or teeth care to help restore enamel and prevent decay.   We even avoid dehydrated cane juice... just too many reactions for our ASD kiddo... too obvious that it is something not to avoid.
• No Soy - any form but fermented and then in small quantities.  Aside from the non-fermented Braggs Aminos which is GMO free and we use it on a rare basis, you won't find soy in our home anymore.  I sometime question if soy wasn't the reason we ended up with Jacob?
• No Corn unless we grow it from non-GMO or we know EXACTLY that the bag of corn chips we are snacking on is GMO free... we actually found one with the coop we started - it is sold through Country Life Natural Foods.  Made by Whole Grain Milling Company out of MI.  The use a non-GMO corn to make their thick tortilla chip... GREAT crunch!  You don't have to sit and eat the whole bag to be satisfied like you do other chips.  After having these chips this week... I question ALL other tortilla chips now.  There is something wholesome and unique to these... something 'Traditional' that is missed with other mass marketed 'big box' organic chips.
• utilize Extra Virgin Coconut Oil for everything from clearing up candida, diaper rash, moisturizer, digestive health, cooking and more!

Well, I think that is it... though I'm sure I've missed something.  LOL


Your Turn!  Share what Healthy Living For Healthy Families means to you!  Look forward to your comments!

Part 1: ADHD/ADD/ASD & more ~ Feingold diet - food lists & more

The Feingold diet isn't just beneficial for those with ADHD/ADD it also assists those with ASD/Autism disorders, Tourettes, Retardation, Down's Syndrom, Enureis (bed wetting), Fluid in the ear (re-occuring ear infections), Nystagmus/Strabismus (disorders involving eye muscles) 

Two groups of foods to be eliminated:

Group 1)  foods that contain artificial colors, flavors, BHT, BHA, and other funky sounding preservative (vit E tocopherol is your friend = good one) Keep this in mind... if it takes a special degree in science to read it and know what the heck it is or where it came from.... leave it on the stores shelf.  Vanillin (artificial vanilla flav), Caramel (color or flavor), Malt flavoring need to be eliminated.  BHA/BHT even in packaging - eliminate as they leach into the food.  Foods fortified/enriched with vitamins  such as A,D,E should be avoided as the vits are often preserved with BHT/BHA (hidden ingredients).  Same thing with Annatto and beta-carotene... often used in butter and margarin to help with color.  Also used in cheese... pretty much ALL Yellow Cheese contains Annatto.

Group 2)  A number of Fruits and Veggies that contain Salicylates (naturally occuring in them - salicylate act as a natural insect deterent for them)Almonds, Apples (cider, juice, cider vinegar, etc), Apricots, ALL Berries, Cherries, Cloves, Coffee, Cucumbers/pickles, Currants, Grapes and raisins (wine, grape juice, wine vinegar, etc), Green peppers (also chilies), nectarines, oranges, peaches, plums/prunes, tangerines, all teas, tomatoes, Oil of wintergreen.Watch carefully:

• Watch all supplements and meds for artificial colors and flavors.
• BHT/BHA may be hidden/not disclosed in a  fortified cereal as it is contained in the vitamin added to it.
• Most otc meds contain aspirin (which is a salycilate) as well as colors and flavors.
• ALL conventional toothpastes - there are many available at hf stores that are Flouride Free that you can find now -  Since Flouride Free is becoming more and more popular. 
• All conventional Mouthwashes, cough drops, and lozenges.
• Perfumes, sprays, deoderizers, disinfectants, and insecticides. (we have loads of ideas and lists in our docs for home made cleaners etc that are not only easy to make, but will save you a lot of money!)
• Chewing gum (contain BHT, flavors, colors, etc.)
• Finger Paints, Play Dough, etc

"Eliminating entirely both Group I and Group II from the diet at the very beginning of the program offers the greatest assurance of a successful response.

Keep a precise diet diary of all foods, beverages, and medications, which can be checked in the event of an accidental error.  Also note behavioral changes.

A successful response depends upon 100 percent compliance.  The slightest infraction may lead to failure; a single bite or a single drink can cause an undesired response that may persist for seventy -two hours or more.  An infraction on Sunday and then again on Wednesday can keep a child in a persistent state of disturbed behavior throughout the week.

There are no tests to determine wheather a child will show an unfavorable behavioral response to any item in either group I or group II.  Allergy skin tests are not applicable to this problem.

Occasionally a child will show an intolerance to an item not on the list.  When this is suspected, the food should be eliminated.

We see the greatest success when teh entire family adheres to the diet.  A child cannot be expected to stay strictly on a diet when tempted by forbidden items around the house, in the cupboards, and in the refrigerator.  This program should present no special hardship to the other family members, since the elimination of the nonessential additives is frequently beneficial both to children and to adults of all ages.  In addition, the all-out effort by all family members serves as an added incentive for the child."  The Feingold Cookbook for Hyperactive Children and others with problems associated with food additives adn salicylates, Dr Ben F. Feingold and Helene S. Feingold.

After 4-6 weeks, if a good response has been seen, you may try to add back in salicylate foods.  Add them back one at a time to test it to see if there is a reaction.  You can do something like this:  on Sunday feed an apple.  If no reaction add apples throughout the week.  Watch for a salicylate build up response.  Sometimes one can tolerate a bite here or there, but after a week of eating it they start having symptoms.  In babies and small children you may see a response in about 36 hours.  Aged 2-5 maybe 3-5 days.  Ages 6-12 ~ 10-14 days.  And 12 to adults up to 30 days.  Doing this type of elimination diet does require patience.Other foods/items not included in the two groups above that can also effect behavior and concentration.  For various reasons I highly recommend eliminating them as well.

• MSG
• Sodium nitrite/nitrate
• Calcium propionate
• sodium benzoate
• chocolate 
• Pasteurized dairy (milk, cheese, butter, cream cheese, anything that contains  whey - commercially most whey containing products were derived from pasteurized milk ~ you may find that your hf store carries a variety of products that you can use... such as raw milk cheese, and kefir or yogurt made from non-pasteurized milk.  Seek out someone that has a goat or jersey cow that they milk to get your milk from when you re-introduce dairy.  For us, we have found that while we had a terrible time with pasteurized milk, Raw milk not only saw NO adverse behavior changes, it helped HEAL our guts.)
• Pork (is the hardest for us to digest... sits, rots in the gut.  I didn't believe we would see a reaction to this so continued to use it for a year after we started on the plan.  I was amazed when I finally gave it up completely to see the benefits in ALL of us.  We were no longer bogged down, depressed, sluggish, etc and the one we had started the plan for in the first place was no longer constipated.  I figure the guy that told me to stop eating pork actually didknow what he was talking about afterall!  LOL)
• Wheat, corn, soy... not only are they major sources of food allergies (mostly un-Dx as the "allergy" or sensitivity shows itself as a mood/behavioral issue instead of the hives or other accepted allergy response) but they are also the crops that are highly GMO
• GMO ~ avoid like the plague!  Buy heirloom seeds to plant your gardens with.  Avoid hybrids too.  I have had several friends report to me about people that they know almost dying due to GMO corn, soy, etc...  extended hospital stays, auto immune disorders coming about because of eating GMO... this is a serious epidemic.  To avoid GMO... buy organic as organic can not use GMO.  NO Corn Chips unless they are NON-GMO.  Be very mindful of this protocol.
• eggs... avoid factory farmed - get from free range or tractored chicken... you can find these directly from the farmer at farmers markets or even at one of the multitudes of owner/operator healthy foods stores popping up all over the US these days, Health food stores will often buy from local farmers to resell in the store.  It is becomming a lot easier to find good eggs.
• bye bye Corn syrup, HFCS, white sugar, artificial sweeteners - ie Splenda and aspertame.  If you need to use 'sugar' try to go with alternative forms first.  Depending on what it is you have a lot to choose from:  Stevia, xylitol (prefer birch derived, but non-gmo corn derived is ok) - also has many other benefits I have listed in another document, honey, maple syrup, molasses, and then if you absolutely have to have it... dehydrated cane juice - this is raw, natural sugar that has not undergone all the processing - it is brown/tan as it has not yet been bleached.
• no more Iodonized salt ~ instead choose Celtic sea salt and Redmond's Real Salt.  These have not been bleached and contain vital nutrients and minerals that benefit everyone.  Even those that are told to restrict salt intake for various reasons.
• eliminatewhite rice - use lg brown instead
• bye white fluffy bread - find a gluten free bread or make wraps or gf bread on your own.  Our fav transitional bread was cornstarch bread made with organic corn starch.  I now make mainly wraps, but also make coconut flour bread.  Sorguhm flour works great!
• white potatoes - you don't have to eliminate completely, just reduce and watch for a reaction.  Alternate between using potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat groats and other organic and non-glutenous grains.  This is a list of gf grains/flours ~  http://www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_grains.php

Now that we've covered the things to be eliminated we can discuss the things that you CAN eat! :Dfruits/juices:  passion fruit, kiwi, paw paw, fig, cherries, rhubarb, guava, papaya, cantaloupe, mango, grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, banana, grapefruit, pear...  (Dates are on the no-no list, however, we have never seen a reaction with them... I say let them be one of the things you try to add back in... whole madjool dates were one of the great finds when we needed something sweet early on.  We continue to buy them today... now getting 10-15 pounds at a time through our food coop.  DO NOT buy chopped dates... there is all kinds of stuff on them that you don't want in you.)

veggies:  sweet potato, carrot, beans, peas, cauliflower, leek, lentil, lettuces, cabbage (green and red), celery, asparagus, onion, FRESH mushrooms (not canned), pumpkin, olives, beets, heirloom corn on the cob,  brussels sprouts, dried beans and peas.  Let potatoes in... just keep them limited because they convert over to sugars readily... if you grow your own potatoes this is not so much an issue... as the starches have not  had the time to convert to sugars.  This happens during storage and shipping.  When we have grown our own potatoes we note a HUGE difference in the flavor, starchiness, etc of our home grown just dug potatoes.  They are the BEST!  Don't have to limit them to avoid the hypoglycemic response.  That bell curve can get you every time!

nuts/seeds:  cashews, pecans, natural peanut butter, peanuts, poppy seeds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, brazil nut,

other:  Garlic, parsley, chives, vinegar (not cider or wine), fermented soy sauce, saffron, fennel, carob, cocoa, chamomile tea, instant coffee.  

Hypoglycemia~  the often misdiagnosed problem

A lot of times we think that a child is hyperactive and we Dx ADHD... what could really be going on is Hypoglycemia.  This happens when we eat something that converts to sugars readily such as a starchy potato, white rice, and of course sugar.  Our bodies then register this sugar rush and the reaction occures as we are on the uphill of the bell curve.  As we come down we may become drowsy or even wish to take a nap... in the case of a child s/he may fall asleep at their desk during school or in the high chair during/after a meal.  You may note this type of response after eating pasta and bread, ice cream, even oatmeal and especially breakfast cereals that combine the worst of the worst... pasteurized milk, sugar, and wheat/corn or other grain along with colors, sugars, dyes, flavors, etc.I will continue to add to this document or create others using the principles set forth by Dr. Block... she is amazing!  Until then I encourage you to check out a  few links and add these books to your home library.

websites:  http://www.feingold.org/programdetails.html

http://www.blockcenter.com/

http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/

http://www.westonaprice.org/

Books:  The Feingold Cookbook for Hyperactie Childen by Dr Feingold

No More Ritalin - Treating ADHD without drugs - protect your child against ritalin abuse with the safe alternative therapy that works!  by Dr. Mary Ann Block

No More ADHD - 10 steps to help improve your child's attention adn behavior without drugs! by Dr. Block

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

The next topic:  Supplements ~ things to get that will help with concentration and normalize behavior.

UTI ~ Kidney Infection cures

I have never suffered from a kidney infection or kidney stones, but a few friends had some advice on how they, family, or friends got rid of theirs.

~"I overcame a kidney infection in 3-4 days. I was getting a fever and it hurt and was tender, though no blood or anything else was visible in the urin with the naked eye. Here's what I did: 

1. Plenty of water 

2. Green and Blueberry Tea 

3. Spoons of natural unheated, untreated honey (cold, not in tea) 

4. UTI Clear (3 times day) 

5. D-mannose (half teaspoon every 3-4 hours) 

6. Potassium Citrate or Calcium citrate (3 times a day and before sleep) 1-3 grams - make sure it contains no aspartate 

7. Goldenseal root (2 times a day) 

8. Uva Ursi (3 times a day - do not use long term) 

9. Natural 100% Cranberry juice 16 oz a day (not sweetened nor from concentrate)

10. Lentil soup with a lot of fresh chopped parsley (the more the better) and chopped cilantro, 1 onion, several crushed cloves of garlic, Curry powder and olive oil and a few other seasonings. All this almost dwarfs the lentils. 1 cup of lentils and 4 cups water with all this. 

The bill for all of the above will be about $120 or so. 

I avoided: 

1. All animal protein including milk, yogurt, cheese.. 

2. Eating too much, except the soup 

3. Anything containing SUGAR (this is important as bacteria in the UTI and Kidney's grow on sugar) 

Kidney infections are serious and I was prepared to go to the doctor if this didn't help and do antibiotics. Matter of fact, that was my initial plan. But After reading and from person experience, my intuition said to try without antibiotics first and it worked, probably just as fast and without the antibiotics and the problems that arise in using them.

Hope this helps someone. This treatment should also work for lower UTI infections. Make sure the Calcium citrate or Potassium citrate contain no aspartate. Good luck!"

~2Tbl lemon juice in 8 oz warm/room temp water 3-4 x's per day. Also cleanses liver and kidneys

~1/2 tsp baking soda in 8 oz water 3-4 times a day

~ Triple Strength Cranberry Concentrate Soft Gels twice a day 

~ Mix: 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar & 1 teaspoon of raw honey & 8oz of warm water, drink all of it within a minute and do this 3-4 times a day 

~ Garlic cloves (can cut into slivers - coat in honey then swallow). If you buy a supplement make sure it's not odor controlled. Take 5-6 garlic cloves a day for 4-5 days.

~ mix about 1/4 cranberry juice & 3/4 water together and drink constantly throughout the day 

~ 1/4 cup dried cranberries each day as preventative maint.

~ "I took d-mannose 1 tesp. three times a day, colloidal silver twice a day, and triple strength cranberry capsules with the d-mannose. Today I just returned from the doctor and there is no sign of an infection! This is great news as I have polycystic kidneys and and very prone to infection. I also did cut down on all dairy products and drank lots of water."

~pineapple ~ lots

~"I started taking cranberry 1680 mg...2 softgels three times a day with lots of water. I have also been taking garlic, and enchinacea (which are natural antibiotics) within 6-8 hours after I began the cranberry I could literally feel the infection flushing through my bladder, and out of my body!!! this is like the 2nd kidney infection I have ever had in 32 years. I am not sure which had most effect or if all three combined."

~"I had reoccuring kidney infections after having my third child. I did the antibiotics ... 3 rounds.. they kept coming back. The only cure was COLLOIDAL SILVER. You have to drink all water and the cranberry always helps too. Symptoms were gone in 1 day and silver was taken for 2 weeks. No return of symptoms!"

~ lots of garlic and extra water

Gestational Diabetes, Diabetes ~ Hypo- and Hyper- Glycemia

This is just the beginning of the info on this topic...

When I was working through gd I would eat a couple of eggs for breakfast with shrooms, onions, cheese. Then a snack of fruit about 10/10:30. Salad with maybe some tuna or small helping of chicken, then fruit or yoghurt for mid day snack. For dinner another low carb salad, small helping of red meat or chicken (we don't do pork... it is really hard for the body to digest and tends to rot in the gut before it can be eliminated.) NO wheat/gluten... too many carbs. Sweet Potatoes instead of regular as often as possible... putting cinnamon on them and real butter. Instead of milk based yoghurts/kefir... use coconut kefir... coconut products rock! They have nearly no carbs in comparison to cows milk products. Hemp milk may be an option for you as well. The first time with gb I produced a 9 pound baby the second time I had a 8#4oz baby... previously the largest babe I had was 7#12oz (our first of five).

I am typically hypoglycemic so I still have a hard time believing that I was actually 'diabetic' so much as that i was having a reaction to sugars as usual. 

You will NOT test out as gd unless you are eating a 'regular' type of diet that is full of sugars etc... That is prob why you haven't tested as gd in the past. I had to literally go off my regular food plan for testing (I was told to) so that they could get an accurate reading. LOL I only did it for a couple of days, tested, then went back to my mainstay. Bob and I think it is all a farce. LOL

15 carbohydrates = 1carb point. A banana is 2 carb points so no bananas for me or only 1/2 a banana at a time.

2 pts for breakfast, 2 pts for am snack, 4 pts for luch, 2 pts for pm snack, 4 pts for dinner, 2 pts for after dinner snack.

Their plan actually had me eating far more food than I typically ate!

This website may help you 'plan' a vegan meal that can fit your lifestyle... I would highly suggest getting in a little fish and chicken whenever you can... they really helped me even out my glucose levels and kept my carb points in line thus baby weight gain. [http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/carb-counting/]

10 FUN Facts about Spirulina:

The Most Amazing SuperFOOD! Great for Alkalizing, Cell Rebuilding and Overall Energy!

by Rachels Wellness on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 5:34am

Add a SuperFood like Spirulina to your Life and you will help to rebuild your cells, alkalize your body, improve digestion and metabolism, and if you are depleted it will give you tons of energy!

Are you ready to feel your best? Enjoy Spirulina mixed in yogurt, coconut milk, kefir or make your own Green Goddess Drink by adding 1 tsp of Spirulina to water and add some lemon or lime.

Spirulina FUN Facts:

1. Spirulina has twice the B-12 content and 2 to 6 times the iron content of liver.

2. It has 10 times more beta-carotene than carrots.

3. One 3-gram serving provides more antioxidant activity than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables.

4. Comparing phytonutrient levels, Spirulina is 31 times more potent than blueberries and 60 times more potent than spinach!

5. Spirulina has is the highest protein content of any natural food — about 70%.

6. It is also the world’s most digestible natural source of high quality protein, far surpassing the protein bioavailability of beef.

7. The absorption of each ounce of protein in spirulina is four times greater than the same ounce of protein in beef.

8. The protein found in this algae superfood is complete, containing all eight essential amino acids, unlike beans and other plant-based foods that typically lack some of the essential amino acids.

9. It is especially rich in vitamin E, vitamin C, beta carotene and B complex, including B-12 (not found in plant foods), and chlorophyll.

10. It is also rich in essential fatty acids, carotenoids and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and zinc.

Get Green! Don't wait another minute.

Contact me for more information..

Rachel Feldman CHHC, AADP

Certified Holistic Health Coach, Lifestyle Coach, Reiki Healer

www.racheslwellness.com

Health Benefits of Raw Milk

Health Benefits of Raw Milk

www.raw-milk-facts.com

 Few people are aware that clean, raw milk from grass-fed cows was actually used as a medicine in the early part of the last century. From the time of Hippocrates to until just after World War II, this “white blood” nourished and healed millions.

Clean raw milk from pastured cows is a complete and properly balanced food which you could live on exclusively if you had to.

What’s in it that makes it so great? Let’s look at the ingredients to see what makes it such a powerful food.

Proteins: Our bodies use amino acids as building blocks for protein. Depending on who you ask, we need 20-22 of them for this task. Eight are considered essential, in that we have to get them from our food. The remaining 12-14 we can make from the first eight in the chemical factories of our bodies.

Raw cow’s milk has all 20 of the standard amino acids. About 80% of the proteins in milk are caseins; reasonably heat stable but easy to digest. The remaining 20% fall into the class of whey proteins, many of which have important physiological effects (bioactivity). Also easy to digest, but very heat sensitive, these include key enzymes (specialized proteins) and enzyme inhibitors, immunoglobulins (antibodies), metal-binding proteins, vitamin binding proteins and several growth factors.

Lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein, has numerous beneficial properties including improved absorption and assimilation of iron, anti-cancer properties and anti-microbial action against several species of bacteria responsible for dental cavities. Recent studies also reveal that it has powerful antiviral properties as well.

Two other players in raw milk’s antibiotic protein/enzyme arsenal are lysozyme and lactoperoxidase. Lysozyme can actually break apart cell walls of certain undesirable bacteria, while lactoperoxidase teams up with other substances to help knock out unwanted microbes.

The immunoglobulins, an extremely complex class of milk proteins known as antibodies, provide resistance to many viruses, bacteria and bacterial toxins and may help reduce the severity of asthma symptoms. Studies have shown significant loss of these important disease fighters when milk is heated to normal processing temperatures.

Carbohydrates: Lactose, or milk sugar, is the primary carbohydrate in cow’s milk. Made from one molecule each of the simple sugars glucose and galactose, it’s known as a disaccharide. People with lactose intolerance for one reason or another (age, genetics, etc.), no longer make the enzyme lactase and so can’t digest milk sugar. This leads to some unsavory symptoms, which, needless to say, the victims find rather unpleasant at best. Raw milk, unlike pasteurized, has it’s milk sugar enzyme, lactase, undamaged, and so, may allow people who traditionally have avoided milk to give it another try.

Lactose provides milk’s natural complement of Lactobacilli bacteria with the raw material from which to make lactic acid (the sour taste in fermented dairy products). Besides having known inhibitory effects on harmful species of bacteria, lactic acid boosts the absorption of calcium, phosphorus and iron, and has been shown to make milk proteins more digestible.

Fats: Approximately two thirds of the fat in milk is saturated. Saturated fats play a number of key roles in our bodies: from construction of cell walls and key hormones to providing energy storage and padding for delicate organs, to providing a vehicle for carrying important fat-soluble vitamins 

All fats cause our stomach lining to secrete a hormone (CCK) which, aside from boosting production and secretion of digestive enzymes, let’s us know we’ve eaten enough. With that trigger removed, non-fat dairy products and other fat-free foods can potentially help contribute to over-eating.

Consider that, for thousands of years before the introduction of the hydrogenation process (pumping hydrogen gas through oils to make them solids) and the use of canola oil (from genetically modified rapeseed), corn, cottonseed, safflower and soy oils, dietary fats were largely saturated and often animal based. Healthy cultures all over the world thrived on the use of butter, lard, tallows, poultry fats, fish oils, tropical oils such as coconut and palm, and cold pressed olive oil.

Now consider that prior to 1900, very few people died from heart disease. The introduction of hydrogenated cottonseed oil in 1911 helped begin the move away from healthy animal fats, and toward the slow, downward trend in cardiovascular health from which millions continue to suffer today.

CLA, short for conjugated linoleic acid and abundant in milk from grass-fed cows, is a polyunsaturated Omega-6 fatty acid with promising health benefits. CLA raises metabolic rate, helps remove abdominal fat, boosts muscle growth, reduces resistance to insulin, strengthens the immune system and lowers food allergy reactions. Grass-fed raw milk has 3-5 times the amount found in the milk from feed lot cows.

Vitamins: Volumes have been written about the two groups of vitamins, water and fat soluble, and their contribution to health. Whole raw milk has them all. Whether regulating your metabolism or helping the biochemical reactions that free energy from the food you eat, they’re all present and ready to go to work for you.

Nothing needs to be added to raw milk to make it whole or better. No vitamins. No minerals. No enriching. It’s a complete food. Heated milk must have destroyed components added back in—especially the important fat soluble vitamins A and D.

Minerals: Raw milk contains a broad selection of completely available minerals ranging from calcium and phosphorus down to trace elements.

A sampling of the health benefits of calcium, a ‘macronutrient’ abundant in raw milk includes: reduction in cancers, particularly of the colon; higher bone mineral density in people of every age, lower risk of osteoporosis and fractures in older adults; lowered risk of kidney stones; formation of strong teeth and reduction of dental cavities, to name a few.

An interesting feature of minerals as nutrients is the delicate balance they require with other minerals to function properly. For instance, calcium needs a proper ratio of two other macronutrients, phosphorus and magnesium, to be properly utilized by our bodies. Guess what? The entire array of minerals in raw milk is in proper balance to one another thus optimizing their benefits.

Enzymes: The most significant health benefit derived from food enzymes is the burden they take off our body. When we eat a food that contains enzymes devoted to its own digestion, it’s that much less work for our pancreas.

The amylase, lactase, lipase and phosphatase in raw milk, break down starch, lactose (milk sugar), fat (triglycerides) and phosphate compounds respectively, making milk more digestible and freeing up key minerals. Other enzymes, like catalase, lysozyme and lactoperoxidase help protect milk from unwanted bacterial infection.

Cholesterol: Milk contains about 3mg of cholesterol per gram—a decent amount. Our bodies make most of what we need, that amount fluctuating by what we get from our food.

Cholesterol is a protective/repair substance. A waxy plant steroid (often lumped in with the fats), our body uses it as a form of water-proofing, and as a building block for key hormones.

It’s natural, normal and essential to find it in our brain, liver, nerves, blood, bile, indeed, every cell wall.

Seriously consider educating yourself fully on this critical food issue. It could, quite literally, save your life.

Beneficial Bacteria: Through the process of fermentation, several strains of bacteria naturally present or added later (Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc and Pediococcus, to name a few) can transform milk into an even more digestible food.

With high levels of lactic acid, numerous enzymes and increased vitamin content, ‘soured’ or fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir (made with bacteria and yeast) provide a plethora of health benefits. Being acid lovers, these helpful little critters make it safely through the stomach’s acid environment to reach the intestines where they begin to work their magic.

Some of them make enzymes that help break proteins apart—a real benefit for people with weakened digestion whether it be from age, pharmaceutical side-effects or illness.

Other strains get to work on fats by making lipases that chop triglycerides into useable chunks. Still others take on the milk sugar, lactose, and, using enzymes like beta-galactosidase, glycolase and lactic dehydrogenase make lactic acid out of it.

Raw milk is a living food with remarkable self-protective properties. Perhaps it is time to explore all the benefits of raw milk and begin living a healthy lifestyle. Explore what worked for countless generations before ours, and put it to work for yourself today.