Raw Milk: the Misunderstood Super Food

Let’s talk about raw milk.

Our family has made the decision to consume (gasp) unpasteurized raw milk! That's right, we are the weirdos! We have had lots of interest (both positive and negative) in this choice and so we decided to write down some thoughts on this controversial subject.

There are several deadly pathogens that can grow in dirty and improperly handled milk which is why if you are going to consume raw milk, you should be familiar with the process by which a dairy gets its milk.

We would not buy just any raw milk. We went to the dairy first, took a tour, spoke to representatives, made phone calls, wrote emails, did research, talked to people, and finally made the decision to buy raw milk from the Windsor Dairy.

Don’t let yourself be convinced that raw milk is bad based simply on conventional wisdom or what you “think” you know. Unless you are a bovine biologist, you probably know very little about milk. Don’t dismiss something potentially beneficial simply because it “seems” to be bad. Use your abilities to investigate. Look into it. Open your mind.

Raw Milk

“Raw” milk is whole fat milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized.

Originally developed from a sterilization technique used on beer and wine, pasteurization is a heating process designed to destroy all bacteria and enzyme activity in milk.

Homogenization is a process in which whole milk is forced through small orifices under very high pressure breaking the fat globules into much smaller particles and preventing the cream from rising to the top.

Both the high heat and the intense pressure of these two processes alter the color, flavor, and nutritional value of the end product.

For most people the idea of consuming unpasteurized milk is as foreign and dangerous as terrorism. In American culture the danger of unclean and diseased raw milk is an axiom we take for granted, we just don’t consume it, and never would.

But think back to a bygone era not that long ago when milk came from cows, cows that our grandparents may have milked. Milk that was not super-heated to purge all of its infinite disease but simply placed in bottles and drank.

What happened to raw milk as a staple? How did the consumption of raw milk become such a stigma in our culture?

The seeds were planted in our minds when we were first told about the Windsor Dairy, a natural and organic dairy that sells cow shares to the public in exchange for the right to purchase raw milk. Raw milk, it turns out, is illegal to consume in Colorado by anyone other than the owner of the cow. You can’t just go to Whole Foods and buy it (in Colorado.)

I need to clarify my version of consumable raw milk, the kind made available by the Windsor Dairy. When we talk about consuming raw milk, it’s not just “raw”, it’s also grass fed and organic.

According to nutrition consultant Randolph Jonsson, consumable, safe, raw milk is determined by the way in which the cows are treated, what their diet includes, and how the milk is processed (or rather, not processed.) Clean raw milk is “ideally cow's milk taken straight from animals fed only organic, green grass, rapidly cooled to somewhere around 36-38 degrees F., and bottled. That's it. No processing, just filtration, and cooling.”

Grass Fed and Organic

The key here is grass. Cows need to eat grass, not grains. This diet is extremely rare in the dairy industry, but vital to the safety and benefits of raw milk. Studies have shown that feeding starchy grains such as corn to dairy cows can affect the acidity of the cow's stomach environment and change fat and nutrient levels.

The reason that dairys feed their cows corn is because its very cheap and it causes the cows to produce large amounts of milk very quickly. A corn fed cow can produce up to fifteen gallons of milk a day compared to a grass fed cow which can only produce about two gallons a day.

Representatives from the Windsor Dairy including owner and bovine veterinarian Meg Cattell explained that cows fed corn and other grains can produce considerably more milk than a grass fed cow. However, each batch of milk produced contains the same amount of vitamins and nutrients whether it’s divided into fifteen gallons or two gallons. In other words, grass fed cows produce less milk than their corn-fed contemporaries, but the nutritional value of the grass-fed milk is considerably more concentrated.

Another downside to the hyper-production of milk by corn-fed dairy cows is that their utters are unnaturally stretched causing them to become infected easily, requiring the introduction of antibiotics and a high rate of “somatic” cells, or pus in the milk.

Over the millennia of cattle husbandry, a cows physiology has developed to eat grass, not corn. Simply stated, when cows eat corn their digestive system reacts by producing high amounts of acid, an environment that encourages the growth of deadly e.Coli bacteria. Without the presence of this acid, e.Coli dies off within a few days and cannot grow in the digestive tract of a grass fed cow.

Organic cows are free range and are not given any type of growth hormone or antibiotic. The cows at the Windsor Dairy are only fed organic, native grasses and never given any kind of corn or other grains.

Sterile

Someone suggested to me recently that if I wanted the purest and fresheshest raw milk I should get a cow of my own. I would have to heartily disagree. I don’t know anything about cows. I also don’t have the ability to test milk for impurities. To get the best milk you need the best dairy staffed by people who believe in the philosophy of the product. Milk can be dangerous if not handled properly and that task is best left up to experts.

When milk production began to become a business, not just a farm staple, the world was a much dirtier place. Milk was stored in wooden barrels at room temperature and was collected by workers that didn’t understand sanitation. The probiotic properties of milk combined with these dangerous collection methods created a recipe for disaster. Food borne illnesses began to propagate and sicken people leading to the push to require pasteurization.

The sanitation standards are low in a big dairy because the milk is always headed for pasteurization. In today’s standard dairy, cows stand in close quarters in their own feces instead of in the pasture. Their corn-fed swollen utters drag in the feces and are stepped on creating infections. Cows are milked three times a day causing strains to their already swollen and strained utters. This combination can put a great deal of dangerous bacteria into the milk.

The Windsor Dairy utilizes a sophisticated system to maintain the highest sterility standards. Cows are not kept in small pens but are allowed into pastures meaning that they do not stand in their own feces. During the milking process, the cows are first hosed off with water to remove any feces that may have splattered onto their utters. Next, the utters are cleaned with iodine. The milk is then sucked into a large stainless-steel vat where the milk is tested for disease and infection and also has it’s somatic cells counted to insure that there is not a large amount of pus in the milk. The cows utters are then cleaned with iodine again and the cows return to the pasture to continue to eat grass.

Pasteurization and Homogenization

Clean, raw, grass-fed milk is loaded with powerful nutrients that are not easily found anywhere else. This type of milk contains concentrated healthy fats that have been shown to be powerful antioxidents and contain both antibiotic enzymes and probiotic properties. Raw milk has been shown to actually remove fat from your body and also contains natural hormones that cause muscle development.

Pastuerization kills all of these beneficial enzymes, alters the flavor of the milk, and causes milk to sour over time. Good bacteria rich raw milk doesn’t sour, it just thickens over time until it becomes a solid, just like yogurt.

One of the worst types of bacteria that can be found in milk is Crone’s Disease (Mad Cow) which is NOT destroyed in the pasteurization process.

The Westin Price Foundation says that pasteurization “destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin content, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamins C, B12, and B6, kills beneficial bacteria, promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems in children, osteoporosis, arthritis, and heart disease.”

Milk contains larger cholesterol heavy molecules in the form of cream which naturally pass through the human body. Through the process of homogenization, these molecules are broken down to give milk a more uniform look. These smaller molecules then are absorbed by the body instead of being rejected and have been linked to the skyrocketing rate of heart disease in the US.

Raw milk is not homogenized and is therefore much better for your heart.

Conclusion and Links

The bottom line for us is that clean, raw milk from grass-fed cows is vital to our health and the health of our children. However, don’t take our word for it or that of anyone else. Do your own research. Don’t make a decision based on a TV show or what you think you know. Go to a dairy, ask questions, do some research before you decide the facts based on conventional wisdom.


http://www.windsordairy.com/
http://www.westonaprice.org/
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/

Simply Stated: I Lost 90 Pounds by Eating Organics

Mirrors don’t lie, at least not in good light. The lighting is bright and revealing and I turn casually from side to side, and for the first time in a while I feel oddly contented, or at least somewhat less anxious, maybe less frumpy.

The reflection reveals a cute black button-up shirt I bought before I was pregnant that has suddenly been liberated from the back of the closet where it was until recently entrenched with its too-small counterparts. Suddenly it’s comfortable and flattering, unlike the last time it was on me when it was small and awkward, unable to be buttoned or pulled over my arms.

I feel like I am looking into a fun-house mirror at a thinner distortion of myself and I can’t help but wonder what happened. The figure looking back at me is ninety pounds lighter than it was just six months ago.

Not an hour later I meet up with a friend I haven't seen in a while who gives me the once over, a reaction that used to sting my over active self consciousness, and she beams with excitement, first telling me I look great, than asking how I did it. It’s a reaction and a question I have heard more than a few times lately, and it’s a great feeling.

How did I do it? The answer is extraordinarily simple: I ate exclusively natural, organic, and real foods. I quit counting calories, counting points, eating fat-free things, sugar-free things, stopped eating tiny pre-portioned meals. I started reading labels instead. I quit buying chemicals, preservatives, processed items, and began to get back to a real pastoral diet, the kind of diet our bodies were designed to ingest. No more high-fructose corn syrup. If the ingredients listed included items I couldn't pronounce or items that sounded like a chemistry lab, I didn't buy them.

How does all of this careful food selection and organic eating translate into a weight loss? First of all, natural nutrients found in organic produce, dairy, and meats help your body function more efficiently. Chemical compounds are foreign to human physiology. The body has a difficult time processing preservatives and other unnecessary compounds such as artificial flavors and colors and ends up storing them as fats. When your body does not have to deal with these substances, digestion is more efficient increasing metabolism. High metabolism equals weight loss.

You will also feel more energy from natural unfiltered nutrients which will give you energy to get moving instead of feeling tired and bloated after eating. With the extra energy you will feel motivated to exercise and burn off even more fat. You will also sleep better, another key in both physical and mental well being. You will also get sick less because the nutrients found in organic, chemical free foods provide more energy which helps your body fight off toxicity and infection.

All of the advantages of eating organic and natural foods also can motivate you to continue on this path. Once you feel the difference and start seeing the results, it becomes an addiction.

There is no question that buying organic is more expensive. We get by on an average ,single income, and with a family of four, money is usually tight anyway without adding expensive organic foods. We have committed to making it work, and in many ways have saved money. We buy bulk, we buy from food co-op's, we buy from farms, and we cook all of our own food. We also commit to eating everthing we buy. It's really not that much more expensive if you plan it out.

The birth of our youngest son coincided with the opening of a Sprouts Farmers Market, a sort of smaller Whole Foods. We started shopping there right away and found it to be an easy source of natural foods. (We define the term "natural" as containing no preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, or other chemicals. These products typically do not contain "substitutes" such as high-fructose corn syrup or emulsifiers. In the case of meats this also indicates "free-range" as opposed to caged.) We also found plenty of organic foods.

One of our first major changes was from regular skim milk to whole organic milk, a suggestion made by our pediatrician for the benefit of our toddler. At first we were a little put off by the price difference – we went from $2.50 to $6 a gallon – but we decided that keeping growth hormones and antibiotics out of our children’s diet was worth the cost. (We have since graduated to “raw” milk, a concept that is a bit unsettling for some people, but one we feel is a foundation for the health of ourselves and our boys. I will discuss raw milk in more depth later but for more information, click here.)

Consequently, we started looking at other "kid’s foods" and discovered that most contained high-fructose corn syrup and countless mysterious chemicals including artificial flavors. (For more info on the problems associated with high-fructose corn syrup, click here.) There are several natural kids’ snacks available, but we had to look pretty hard. Even the ones that appear to be natural almost always have artificial flavors, particularly fruit snacks.

Oddly enough we found that you can buy “Natural Cheetos.” Seriously. They are made of organic materials and contain no preservatives. They look kind of funny because they are not bright orange, but more of an off white, but they taste really good.

Anyway, this pickiness with kids snacks lead us to start looking at the ingredients in the food WE were eating. Look at the ingredients in a dinner roll and it’s pretty frightening: chemicals, metals, abbreviations. What was all of this stuff and why were we eating it?

We began to look at the health benefits of raw fruits and vegetables which sparked an interest in produce. The problem with produce is that it is generally heavily coated in toxic pesticides. Eating pesticide is a gruesome prospect, but it had never occurred to us that we did it all the time until I saw a list in the doctor’s office of which produce items were the worst and why you should buy organic to avoid these deadly chemicals.

The local farmers market had lots of certified organic vendors so we went and picked out some ugly, dirty veggies and fruit that turned out to better than any we had eaten in years. Another reason to eat organic: the flavors of organic foods are much more intense.

We also got away from foods that were labeled “light” and “fat-free.” Most of these items are made of inferior chemical compounds that taste similar to the “regular” item. Also, most contain high amounts of other chemicals such as Splenda or Aspartame. We prefer items that are “full fat” and contain natural raw sugar to mysterious chemical concocted in a laboratory.

We topped it off by cutting out corn-fed ground beef and switching to organic ground turkey. We love this stuff and obviously it is very light compared to beef.

Basically, we don’t eat out any more, we cook with all organic and natural foods and I have shed the pounds because of it. I am fitting into clothes I haven’t worn for years. My body feels better and I feel confident that my children are eating wholesome food and not being exposed to as many poisons as before. It’s been a smart decision, and its been a wonderful life change.





References:

Westin A. Price Foundation
Windsor Dairy
healthymenumailer.com

What is the difference between a $50 organic turkey and a $6 King Soopers turkey?

What could be crazier than spending $53 on a twenty pound organic turkey, you might ask, especially when King Sooper’s is offering Thanksgiving turkeys for $6.

I got one: how about feeding your children cloned, genetically altered, growth hormone saturated, severely abused, discount turkey meat? Does that seem any less crazy?

Maybe it seems crazy to spend almost ten times as much money on a turkey that has not been subjected to dark, packed, cages but instead has spent quality time basking in the open air, allowed to freely peck and scratch. Turkeys that haven’t wallowed in their own feces, unable to walk very far without taking breaks because of their genetically altered enormous breast that can’t be held up by weak bones, tendons, and muscles that can’t keep up with the growth rate.

Perhaps we have been duped into paying extra for a turkey that has not been cloned in a laboratory or been made to eat the ground up remains of other turkeys that succumbed to harsh squalor of the “turkey house.”

I am not really sure which is crazier. And I really don’t care all that much.

We chose a turkey that was organically raised right here in Northern Colorado, a turkey that was allowed access to the outside world where it was able to find a better source of protein (bugs) than the remains of those that died around them. Yes, turkey farmers collect all of the young turkeys that couldn’t suffer the repulsive conditions and actually grind them up to feed them to the other turkeys for protein, a concept that was made illegal for cattle ranchers after studies showed that creating cannibal cows propagated the spread of Mad Cow Disease.

Our turkey was properly allowed to mature at a natural rate over three plus years as dictated by the USDA guidelines for organic turkeys, unlike the King Soopers turkey which was cloned, “genetically modified”, and administered growth hormones to allow it to be harvested after just one year.

Our $53 turkey was fed only organic feed (free of turkey remains) and was allowed to eat insects for protein while the $6 turkey went from test-tube to a dark crowded caged environment to being subjected to unspeakable cruelty at the hands of those who responsible for their care. Then after being injected and coated with chemical preservatives, the $6 is frozen and shipped from a distant processing plant right to you and your family’s table.

If you are not convinced and you have a strong stomach, check out this link to the PETA website. Be warned, it’s much more disturbing to see the abuse than it is talk about it, this site is graphic.

The difference for us is that we are committed to idea that we shall not sacrifice the health and well being of our children just to save money. We will not be exposing them to hormones, cloned and altered genetics or any types of antibiotics. No sulfites, no preservatives. Our boy's health and our own health are our biggest priority.

If all that means is spending some extra money, we are more than happy.

If you decide to go organic, free range, and preferably but very difficult to find - soy free, here are some good guidlines:

How Much to Buy?

The general rule of thumb is to order one pound per person — this ensures plenty of leftovers for turkey sandwiches, pot pie, soups and stews.

FREE RANGE

What it means: Producers must demonstrate to the USDA that their turkeys, chickens, etc. have been allowed sufficient access to the outside.

Why it's better: Exercise enhances the development of the muscular flesh, resulting in a more tender and tasty bird. Turkeys treated humanely are happier, too.

FRESH

What it means: To be sold as "fresh" turkeys must be stored at temperature no lower than 26 degrees F.

Why it's better: Fresh turkeys are more tender and juicy with richer flavor and firmer texture unlike their frozen counterparts.

USDA NATURAL

What it means: Turkeys that are minimally processed and contain no artificial flavors, colors, chemical preservatives or any other artificial or synthetic ingredients.

Why it's better: Natural turkeys are naturally tender and juicy and do not need to be injected with water or stock, which often results in a mushy texture and off flavor.

NO ANTIBIOTICS OR HORMONES

What it means: Raised without antibiotics or added hormones

Why it's better: Natural turkeys are raised the old-fashioned way, allowing rich flavor and firm, tender meat to develop. This slow-growing method eliminates the need for antibiotics or hormones.