All the RAve - the RAnts of RA

Exactly, what does it mean to be "Organic?" We are bombarded with the message. Organic food is better for you, after all, it costs more but are you really getting your monies worth? The term "Organic", is often so broad as to render it meaningless.

Wikipedia states that:

Organic food is produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives.

The Definition of Pasturization
The heating of every particle of milk or milk product to a specific temperature for a specified period of time without allowing recontamination of that milk or milk product during the heat treatment process.

Purpose There are two distinct purposes for the process of milk pasteurization:

• Public Health Aspect - to make milk and milk products safe for human consumption by destroying all bacteria that may be harmful to health (pathogens)
• Keeping Quality Aspect - to improve the keeping quality of milk and milk products. Pasteurization can destroy some undesirable enzymes and many spoilage bacteria. Shelf life can be 7, 10, 14 or up to 16 days

They fail to mention that not only are harmful bacteria destroyed, but beneficial ones are as well. When you are given antibiotics they work to kill the growing bacteria, which causes illness. It takes the body awhile to recover to full strength because of the weakened state. Taking liquid acidophilus will replenish the necessary bacteria to gain health more quickly.

Milk labeled organic still confuses me. All the life-giving forces are obliterated by the extreme heating processing, rendering the milk non-organic (unnatural). Unless the milk is labeled "raw," it's been homogenized and pasteurized. It's like saying I'm going to eat a raw apple. No one talks that way. An apple is an apple and milk is simply milk. If the milk is truly organic than why must we call it "raw?" Because we are being sold pseudo organic milk, which is not really "organic."

I had a doctor once; he attempted to prescribe antibiotics for an ear infection he had developed. Oh my gosh! I'll never forget his response, "I can give him an antibiotic and your sons ear infection will be gone in 8-days, or you can take him home and keep him comfortable and his ear infection will be gone in 9- or 10-days."

This was all I needed to hear. I think that was the easiest decision I've ever made. It was a no-brainer. If I didn't have to give him antibiotics, I wasn't about to. Just as the doctor predicted, his infection was gone - on its own. But instead of just keeping him comfortable, I boosted his immune system with foods and drinks loaded with vitamins and minerals. All symptoms of an earache were gone after only five-days. I was sold. I knew that doctor had to be onto something.

That one instance really opened my mind. I began to challenge everything I "knew" to be true.

I am just about ready to file my report on our newly purchased Q-Link. If you've never heard of the Q-Link, don't feel alone. It's a little known secret that until recently was known only to big shot golfers. Some say they only give a placebo affect, others swear by them. I'll be sharing my findings shortly.

Labels: organic, raw milk

The dairy association seems bent of getting out their message that everyone needs milk. The number of commercials extolling the benefits of milk are seemingly endless. After contemplating the growing number of choices available in dairy case at my local grocer, it appears the message is being heard loud and clear.

The choices seem limitless; from organic milk, low-fat milk, kefir milk, soymilk, goats milk and more. How's a mother to choose?

Growing up near Shelby, Ohio I remember getting our milk fresh from the farm, in glass gallon jars, and skimming off the cream to make our own butter. I never gave a second thought in those days wondering where my milk came from.

Since my son came into the world, it's been a different story. I'm constantly considering where our food and drink comes from in an attempt to provide him with healthy choices. Parents have a great deal to worry and the list gets longer each day. The more I learn, the more I come to realize just how little I know.

In fact, just last year I stumbled across information on raw milk. Never having heard the term, of course I was interested and took the time to investigate it. Little did I know that I had grown up drinking what is now referred to as "raw milk". We certainly didn't call it that when I was young; it was simply "milk".

After learning more about raw milk many things became clear to me. For instance, when our family moved to Citrus Heights, I became painfully aware of the effects of asthma. Since no one in my family had a history of asthma, I had to learn how to live with it. I discovered that a growing percentage of people especially children develop asthma, who live in the California Valley.

The treatment for asthma starts with inhalers and normally graduates to breathing treatments. In most cases the use of inhalers becomes a lifelong ordeal. Knowing I did not want to end up tied to an inhaler my entire life; I avoided using it as much as possible and moved out of the valley as soon as we could. Of course, I kept reading.

After moving to the mountains fortunately my asthma cleared right up all on it's own. I haven't used an inhaler in about five years. I'm thankful I didn't become dependent on an inhaler.

Many parents don't have the option of moving their children to the mountains and out of the valley. But there is an alternative.

In his article entitled, "Keeping Your House Clean Puts Asthma Sufferers at Risk," Dr. Mercola had this recommendation:

Replacing commercial milk with raw milk from grass-fed cows is also usually well tolerated and highly health promoting. There is simply no reason to ever drink or consume regular pasteurized milk products. They almost invariably will cause the asthma to worsen. The only acceptable milk products would be raw unpasteurized milk. That may seem impossible to get but there are two ways one can obtain it.

In another article titled, "Why You Don't Want to Drink Pasteurized Milk," Dr. Mercola had this to say:

There is no substitute for clean, raw milk as a food, so far as children are concerned. Science has not yet succeeded in providing, in the pasteurized variety, those essential qualities that are the only real foundation for a healthy child.

Unfortunately, many grossly distorted statements are current regarding our milk supply. If we are to believe the protagonists of the Pasteurization-of-all-milk-at-all costs Party, raw milk is as good, or rather as bad, as rat poison--although as the Minister of Agriculture recently stated, "the human race existed long before Pasteur was heard of."

On Organic Pastures (where I get my milk) website I found...

Natural organic raw milk has in it vitally important living things. These include the following: beneficial bacteria, enzymes (including lipase, protease, and other), lactase forming bacteria, and many enzyme based pathogen-killing systems. The common practice of pasteurization inactivates or dramatically reduces the effects of these important active (living) elements. As a result, you may be lactose intolerant when drinking pasteurized milk, but not lactose intolerant when you drink raw milk. This is because lactase enzymes are being formed when you digest raw milk. That is why we say; "only living milk brings life."

They go on answer an all-important question...

What happens to bacteria in pasteurized milk after pasteurization?

After pasteurization, bacteria found naturally in milk are killed. During the high temperature heating process, cell bodies of these bacteria are ruptured and their contents are spilled, releasing histamines. This causes many milk drinkers to suffer allergic reactions. Almost all of these same consumers can drink raw milk and not have allergies. The high levels of bacteria permitted in milk intended for pasteurization are still found in pasteurized milk; they are just dead and not removed by the process.

You will find a great deal of information and some very good reasons to provide only raw milk products for your family to drink on the Organic Pastures website.

If you haven't heard of drinking raw milk or if someone in your family suffers from allergies, asthma, lactose intolerance, you owe it to your family members to get more information on the benefits of raw milk.

My husband and I who both suffer from lactose intolerance have both discovered that we don't have any problem drinking raw milk and it tastes so much better than that fake stuff they are peddling on television.

Try some raw milk, then drop me a note and let me know what you think.

Additional Information:

• Real Milk
• Benefits of Raw Milk
• The Health Benefits of Raw Milk
• The Virtues of Raw Milk
• The Weston A. Price Foundation
• Raw Milk - Tell Us Your Story!
• Raw USA Certified
• Where Can I Find Real (Raw) Milk
• Asthma explained by common allergy to milk and dairy products
• Raw-milk Revolution Goes Under The Microscope Again

Labels: organic, raw milk