By Liz Donnelly, the Family Fitness Guru

In Part I, I discussed the legal aspects of consuming and selling raw dairy products. In this article, let me list some benefits of raw milk here along with some startling facts about pasteurized milk.

Natural feed (grass), open air = happy cows

1. Raw milk has the probiotics (live cultures) that will help your intestinal tract. (In pasteurization, these friendly bacteria are killed.)  This is especially beneficial if you’ve been on antibiotics that strip your body of its friendly bacteria.  Healthy intestines mean that your body can absorb its nutrients and expel its waste properly.

2. Raw milk contains enzymes like lipase, that further aid in digestion.  Lipase specifically helps your body absorb Vitamins A & D as well as break down fats (many body builders will take lipase supplements to break down fats).  How much better is it to get specific nutrients from whole foods instead of supplements?  The answer is a lot, but we’ll save that for another article.

3. Since 1999, of the 120,000,000 servings of raw dairy sold by Organic Pastures in California not one confirmed pathogenic outbreak was reported.  Furthermore, 1300 tests are performed to insure that there are no harmful bacteria on the milk or in the cow manure.

4. Raw dairy also has conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which protects against cancer and aids in body fat loss. http://www.eatwild.com/cla.html

5. Raw milk also contains Vitamins B-6 and B-12 (B-12 is very hard to come by for vegetarians).

6.  Raw milk has been used successfully to treat food allergies.  According to a Weston A. Price Foundation study in Michigan, 85% of those with lactose intolerance can drink raw milk without a problem.

7.  The Mayo clinic in the early 1900s used the “Milk Cure” to treat cancer, weight loss, kidney disease, skin problems and much more (http://www.realmilk.com/milcure.html).  In fact, they used to have a certification program for doctors to use raw milk as a method for healing.

There are lots more!  Visit www.realmilk.com, The Weston A. Price Foundation and the Farmer-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund.

Might I also add that as of the writing, my financial situation has tightened.  Nonetheless, I go to the lengths I need to in order to feed my children and myself well (I’m a single mom, so I’m not excluding a spouse here).  I have recently entered into a share agreement so that I can access raw dairy that comes from free-range cows, who are not administered rGBH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone that could get passed to my children and me), nor are they given antibiotic treatments with any regularity because the cattle don’t get sick as often as those on typical corporate dairy mega-farms.

This cow is unnaturally lactating as result of rGBH. Perhaps that is the start of a tumor or goiter on its neck. From WestonAPrice.org.

Modern dairy farm. (Where is the grass and fresh air?)

These cows are given open pastures to feed. They don’t receive the following “fake” food that is so often used in mega-farm practices:

• Soy (last time I checked, this was not a natural food for cows.  Also it’s an allergen for many.)
• Genetically Modified (GMO) grains (we still don’t know what effect GMOs have on our bodies or the environment and for a highly controversial video go to:
• Citrus peel cake
• Hormones and antibiotics (gotta squeeze every last drop of milk if your going to pasteurize because you have to sell at a low, low price)
• Pellets from ethanol - Yum! (linked to massive e.Coli outbreaks)

Here are more additives to pasteurized milk:

• Milk solids (usually from yaks and water buffalo - dried & pressurized, it “cracks” the cholesterol and may be a contributor to heart disease)
• Artificial Vitamins D2 and D3, which actually inhibit calcium absorption as per the Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2006 (Does this poor form of Vitamin D truly answer the recent Vitamin D guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics for children?)

I recently bought into a share agreement.  That’s my way of accessing raw milk for my family.  You should have seen the paperwork I had to complete because the Ohio Department of Agriculture is ready to pounce on any farmer that sells raw dairy (remember to sell it is not illegal - so what’s the problem?).  What this means for me is that I pay someone to tend my cow, of which I am partial owner, and I can therefore access the milk from that animal.

Sadly, most Americans have never experienced raw milk.  To me, raw milk is a very healing kind of nourishment.  If most states are like Ohio, then you don’t find it at your local grocery store.  It’s a shame that we consumers are made to go to great lengths to acquire something that should be available just like alcohol and tobacco products are.  Why can’t we have a simple choice?  Why all the controversy over raw milk?

Liz Donnelly is a proud member of National Association of Professional Women, International Youth Fitness Association, Lakewood Early Childhood PTA and Junior Women’s Club of Lakewood and mother of three. She is the Owner, Fitness Trainer and IYCA-certified Youth Fitness Specialist for Training by Liz, LLC. She also runs a blog on family fitness at www.FamilyFitnessGuru.com. For comment or to request speaking engagements contact info@familyfitnessguru.com.

Copyright 2009 by Training By Liz, LLC.  This article is not to be reprinted in any format without the express permission of Liz Donnelly or Training By Liz, LLC.