Dairy made from healthy, naturally raised animals and hasn’t undergone the industrial pasteurization process, can be an incredibly nourishing and healing part of your diet. Just like with anything, it is the quality that will determine this. Dairy has been a revered part of many of our ancestral diets for eons. But today, many people living in commercialized societies have developed an intolerance to it. Cows are the most common source of dairy products in the West, and until mentioned otherwise, cowmilk dairy is what I’m referring to.
Once the industrialization of our food began and dairy started undergoing the process of pasteurization in the late 1800’s, many people were suddenly no longer able to feel good after drinking a glass of milk or having some cheese or yogurt. The geo-politics of dairy pasteurization is fascinating. In reference to a great book called The Untold Story of Milk, Sally Fallon Morrell (a legendary author on ancestral nutrition) puts it simply, “scores of eminent scientists documented the superiority of raw milk and its myriad health benefits, only to be denigrated by propagandists for the processed food industry and their government allies. But raw milk is a movement whose time has come.”
The idea behind pasteurizing milk is to kill harmful bacteria or other microbes. However, only diseased animals that have been raised in an unsanitary manner (factory farming) are really at risk for harmful bacteria. Pasteurized milk is heated to a temperature that destroys the naturally occurring enzymes and denatures the proteins. The human body is unable to completely break down denatured proteins, resulting in undigested protein molecules that contribute to mucous formation and cellular inflammation. No good. And it is the naturally occurring enzymes that aid in the breakdown of lactose, which is the sugar found in milk that many people have a hard time tolerating. This is true for all products made from milk; cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc. Pasteurized milk also loses many of its vitamins and minerals and has an altered form of calcium that is very difficult for the human body to absorb. So when folks are drinking pasteurized milk in the name of strong bones, they are causing more harm than good because the calcium in this milk causes calcification in the veins and arteries, and contributes to the formation of kidney stones and gallstones.
Raw milk, however, and the products made from raw milk, are a gift. Dr. Ron, author of The Untold Story of Milk says “milk is the only thing purposefully designed and prepared by nature as food” and it is often referred to metaphorically to symbolize spiritual blessings. Even mentioned in the Bible; “And the Lord said, I come down to deliver my people out of the hand of the Egyptians and unto a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey.” For over 25 years Dr. Ron has prescribed raw milk from grass-fed cows to hundreds of his patients, with amazing results and never a problem. He has seen it become a mainstay of his patients diet that aids in the reversal of chronic diseases of every manner. Back in the late 1800’s, the Mayo Clinic was using raw milk to treat everything from cancer, chronic fatigue, food allergies, weight gain, skin issues, and more.
Raw dairy from sheep and goat milk also offers an excellent source of nutrition. Some people love the taste of milk made from these animals and some do not. Some folks are even able to tolerate pasteurized sheep and goat milk better than pasteurized cows milk. So depending on your preference, including dairy from these animals may be an awesome addition to your diet.
Finding raw dairy can be difficult depending on where you live because of the politics and laws behind it. But many small business health food grocers do carry it, and may carry it if requested. Occasionally I see raw dairy offered at a farmer’s market. You can also seek out local dairy farmers and get your raw milk straight from them. From that milk you can make your own cheese, yogurt, ice cream, or whatever deliciousness your heart desires. A good cheese shop will almost always carry some variety of raw cheese.
If you have been avoiding dairy for a while, you may want to start slow with your consumption to get your body used to these new enzymes. It likely won’t be long before you’re craving it and feeling great from it.