Why My Family Drinks Raw Milk

Wow- It's hard to believe that it's been nearly six months since I made all these dietary changes!  I need to give it a name.  How about "The Change" ?  So, six months since The Change.   People like to talk to me about the changes I've made (well, sometimes.  As long as they're the ones bringing it up :)  But anyway, I love to talk about it. Sometimes I find that I remember what I should be doing, but I forget WHY and can't explain it.

One of the latest questions I faltered on was "Why do you drink raw milk?  What's so great about it?"  I told the story of how when I was weaning my youngest, I had switched her to regular whole, pasteurized milk from the grocery store.  She immediately started having a bad reaction, and a terrible diaper rash, like her skin was burned.  I had heard that raw milk was gentler, and bought some for her.  The rash immediately went away!  I also toyed with the idea of going to raw milk when I thought my oldest daughter might have a milk allergy.  But as for other health properties?  I decided to brush up on my raw milk info & explain why we drink raw milk.

I found an interesting article on rockrivertimes.com that gets into the debate between raw & pasteurized milk.  It mentions some of the main benefits of drinking raw milk:

Studies at the Price Foundation show humans grow bigger and more dense bones when consuming raw milk. They say there is more efficient use and better absorption of vitamins and minerals, that children on raw milk don’t get anemic and that there is an improvement in children’s behavior. They also claim there is better overall growth and fewer cases of tuberculosis.

Price research showed raw milk is designed to create an immune system that uses beneficial bacteria in our intestines and that those beneficial bacteria are killed during pasteurization. Other benefits cited by raw milk users include protection against allergies, ear infections and skin rashes, and the prevention or elimination of asthma.

Fewer and fewer people can consume milk each year because of the increase of those who are lactose intolerant. Raw milk proponents say 82 percent of those who are lactose intolerant can drink raw milk.

I have to admit I do still get a little nervous that I might get some illness from raw milk.  But I feel the health benefits are worth the risk.  And I feel that my milk sources are dependable and follow proper raw milk safety practices.

So there you go.