how's that raw milk DIEt working

[ThePhoneGoddess]

I drink nearly a half a gallon of raw jersey milk every day. The decision to drink it or give it to your children is a personal one and no one should try to force anyone to do it.

The dairy products they are talking about are 'bathtub' products, meaning they were made by random people in their homes, and there is no way to measure or control the amount of contamination they are subjected to. That's why those particular products are so dangerous.

My milk comes from a small herd of jersey cows in Washington on a small family farm. I know, I've been there to visit. The cows are treated like pets---they all have names---they roam freely on pasture and are not fed offal from other industries, the way factory dairy cows are. The milking equipment is all stainless steel and cleaned scrupulously. The milk is tested weekly and the bacterial counts are available for anyone who wants them to see. The dairy is specifically licensed by the state of Washington to retail raw milk to the public, so it is very regulated. Of course I pay quite a bit more for it---$9.50 a gallon, to be exact---but in my particular case, I've found that is helps my health issues immensely. Also, since I've started drinking it, my skin has taken on a visibly clearer, smoother, tighter sheen, and my hair and nails are growing in faster, thicker and stronger than they ever did before.

I was lactose intolerant before I discovered raw milk; dairy products gave me terrible bloating, stomach cramps and bowel issues. I digest the raw stuff easily without a hint of a problem.

Pasteurization was implemented in the early 20th century to deal with irresponsible dairy farming methods used in large profit-oriented farms (as opposed to small family farms) that often contaminated the milk. The milk was then shipped, unrefrigerated, long distances to cities. By the time it reached the consumer, it was often quite unsafe and it contributed to numerous infant deaths, which is why pasteurization was considered such a wonderful solution to the problem. Until the 1940's, the majority of people in western society drank it unpasteurized. In huge swaths of rural Europe people still drink it fresh and unpasteurized every day.

As I said, no one should try to force or guilt trip anyone into consuming it if they don't want to. But I also believe that I have the right to seek it out and purchase it if that's what I want.

[Vagabond]

(BTW...I've heard that goats milk is much better for people to drink but I haven't looked into it)

There's a reason why people don't drink goat's milk....BLECH!

I was raised on goat's milk fresh from my Grandma's farm. I liked it, but then I really didn't know any better. Now, I can't stand all the other 'milks' out there - 2%, 1%, skim, soy - it all just tastes like water to me.

[BlaqueKatt]

But I also believe that I have the right to seek it out and purchase it if that's what I want.

And if you get TB from the cow it becomes a public health problem-as it is very contagious. So your choice to drink raw milk could very easily affect not only me but everyone around you.

Tuberculosis in a cattle herd can often go undetected since the early stages of infection do not produce clinical signs. In later stages, signs are lethargy, weakness, anorexia, pneumonia, fever, and chronic moist cough. Most cases of bovine TB in the US are detected by veterinary meat inspectors from apparently healthy cattle, and the animal is then traced back to the source herd. Usually contracted in Cattle from contact with infected wild animals(deer, elk and the like-so if there is no barrier between the cattle and local deer chance of infection is very high-this usually occurs more often on small "family farms")

[gremcint]

In regards to the people Raps mentioned and the people the op mentioned (not phonegoddess) I wonder if these people have ever heard of something called the "placebo effect"

The results may well be very real but the way these people talk you kind of have to wonder.

[Fryk]

Uch, Goat's milk and soy milk. My sister had an allergy to cow's milk, too, and we all had to drink those in 'solidarity' with her. I have NEVER been able to drink soy milk without gagging with each sip. Goat's milk, well, it's nowhere near as bad to me, but it smelled weird. But soy... I have vivid memories of not being allowed to leave the dinner table without finishing mine, and just sitting at the table in tears until it was time for bed.

[jackfaire]

Powdered milk was EEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVIIIIIIIILLLLLL!!!!!!

[AdminAssistant]

A bit off-topic, but I've never understood how people can drink plain, white, cow milk. Gross. Chocolate milk? Okay. Chocolate soy milk? Even better. But plain cow milk? ewwwwwww. I'm glad we were allowed to drink decaf tea at dinner.

As far as the whole "raw milk" thing goes....um, yeah. No. I mean, if you want to expose yourself to salmonella, e.coli, and cow TB, more power to you. But placing others at increased risk for those diseases isn't right. It's like sending an unvaccinated child to school.

[Tanasi]

Within the past year it was illegal from a federal law to sell raw unpasturized milk. Since then raw milk can only be sold with a Dr.s Rx.

[Skelly]

A bit off-topic, but I've never understood how people can drink plain, white, cow milk. Gross. Chocolate milk? Okay. Chocolate soy milk? Even better. But plain cow milk? ewwwwwww. I'm glad we were allowed to drink decaf tea at dinner.

As far as the whole "raw milk" thing goes....um, yeah. No. I mean, if you want to expose yourself to salmonella, e.coli, and cow TB, more power to you. But placing others at increased risk for those diseases isn't right. It's like sending an unvaccinated child to school.

No accounting for tastes I guess, but I lurvs me some plain, ice-cold, white cow milk. My family used to buy it straight from the farmer when I was young, I have no idea if they pasteurised it there or if it got done at the dairy, but I'm quite sure we didn't get ill from it .

[AdminAssistant]

No accounting for tastes I guess, but I lurvs me some plain, ice-cold, white cow milk.

BLECH. I only grudgingly use it for cereal, hot chocolate, and to make cookies. I'm also very very picky about expiration dates. If it's on or past the date, down the drain it goes. If it smells even a little bit off, I toss it out.

[Skelly]

BLECH. I only grudgingly use it for cereal, hot chocolate, and to make cookies. I'm also very very picky about expiration dates. If it's on or past the date, down the drain it goes. If it smells even a little bit off, I toss it out.

Same here. Atleast I try to, but I sure don't drink or eat anything that's past it's expiration date (unless it's been deep-frozen since I bought it). I did drink half a bottle of cider once though that was (waaaaaay) past it's date. It tasted a bit funny so the rest ended in the drain...

[LewisLegion]

PhoneGoddess...which farm is this? *interest is piqued*

[Kimmik]

Those of us that grew up on fresh from the cow milk tend not to have a problem with it. Listieria is the main reason that most places baned the sale of un-pasturized milk.

Sort of how we are killing ourselves slowly with all the antibacteria products and the like. How ever I dont mind pasturization. All that is, is warming the milk to a certain temp to make sure all the nasties are dead. I like the pasturized milk that I get... it is not homogenized *all the crap added to it*

Pasturization does nothing more then clean the milk of containments.. I love me some basic moo juice.. mmmm thick and creamy.

[lordlundar]

The fact that about 10-15 people I know kept telling me to start drinking raw milk because raw milk "was so much healthier" and pasteurizing it "took all the nutrients out"

Technically they're right. Rapid pasteurization techniques produce a milk that is nutrient inferior than raw milk and, biological contaminants aside, raw milk is healthier.

That said, slow pasteurization techniques do not destroy most nutrients and produces a much higher quality (and much higher nutrient content) milk that is just as safe as rapid pasteurized milk, healthier to drink, and those who do drink it say it tastes better too.

Now, most of the pasteurized milk you buy is rapid pasteurized. I know what you're asking: "but if it's inferior, why is it the (almost) only game in town?"

Because it's cheaper to make. Slow pasteurization takes considerably more amount of time to "clean up" a particular volume of milk (several minutes at a lower pressure and relatively low heat) than rapid pasteurization (a handful of seconds at high pressure and heat), which means it takes more time or more equipment to "clean up" the same volume of milk. The processing plant gets 3 options and gets to pick 2: Fast, cheap, or quality. So, most plants choose to sacrifice the quality and artificially infuse nutrients after the process.

If you want the best quality, your best bet is to find out how to slow pasteurize at home, buy the raw milk (which isn't actually truly raw, but that's for another post) and pasteurize it yourself, though you do still take some chances as their no regulation or lab you can go by.

[BlaqueKatt]

though you do still take some chances as their no regulation or lab you can go by.

And being as how I happen to work in a lab where I work with food-bourne pathogens daily-going to work is enough of a risk-and due to my job there are quite a few foods I now avoid, and quite a few restaurants as well.