A Peruvian lawnmower.
The debate is starting early for The Great Health Debate…
There’s been a lot of buzz about who should be in the event and who shouldn’t.
In the last few days, I’ve been called names, disrespected and praised for putting on this entire event.
I knew the program would be interesting, but I had no idea that there would be heated discussion before it started!
Anyway, I’ll be addressing my reasoning for choosing certain experts and who else will be presenting next week, so stay tuned. (I will say in advance, that name calling doesn’t usually work in anyone’s favor… LOL!)
For those of you who haven’t signed up yet, registration is going on up until February 6th.
So be sure to get your spot reserved now, it’s online and it’s free!
Here’s where to go…
http://www.thegreathealthdebate.com
Now on to the newsletter:
I’m going to wrap up the debate on cow’s dairy today and answer just a couple more questions, then let it rest for a while.
Before I do, I want to thank all of you for your comments and thoughts that came across the comment board and by email.
Let’s get going…
1. “Cow’s milk is made for baby cow’s, that’s that. I don’t know how you can see it any other way…”
As much as this statement seems to make sense, it’s just not logically accurate.
I wish it were, because it’d be so much easier to figure this whole food thing out, but it’s not, so we’re left to sort it out.
Here’s why this statement isn’t quite up to snuff…
While it is true that milk is made for baby cow’s, that doesn’t mean another animal can’t eat it.
Mice are not made for cats, but they eat them.
Antelope are not made for cheetahs. (Or are they?)
Those are examples of carnivores, I understand, but what about plant eaters or omnivores?
You could argue that potatoes are not meant for us either, since they are the root of a plant – the main operating system of that organism. (The Jain people of India will not eat potatoes for this very reason.)
If the potato plant had a voice, I’m sure it would scream bloody murder before you picked it, just like an animal would fight its own death – I’m sure you’ve read the “Secret Life of Plants.”
Life, in its many forms, is usually someone else’s food. Whether it’s the fruit of a tree, leaves off a plant or the flesh of an animal.
As much as that messes with our spiritual beliefs that in eating no harm shall be done, it’s a reality we see all throughout nature.
We obviously can be conscious and eat lower on the food chain (more or all vegetables) and that lessens our karmic impact as well as toxic load, but it still does require sacrifice and death.
So, to argue that cow’s milk is for baby cows assumes that nature is fair in every sense when providing food to its creatures.
While in some cases it’s true, it’s not by any means the definitive argument many people think.
2. “What about fermented cow’s milk, is this OK?”
I’m not sure what “OK” really means in terms of this question.
Does OK mean once a month, or every day?
When you’re dealing with fermented cow’s milk you will eliminate many of the issues caused by lactose, but still run the risk of getting A-1 casein which is much more difficult to digest and can irritate the gut.
So in this case, I’d be cautious. If you want to consider fermented goat or sheep products, see my comments in the next question.
3. “Kev, looks like you’re joining the anti-dairy propaganda camp…”
Yes, for me I am very close to anti-cow’s dairy. (I say very close, because I don’t think anyone can be completely sure about anything – everything is guesswork to some degree!)
But, that doesn’t mean that I’m against all dairy nor does it mean that I don’t think you should drink or eat dairy either.
I have no interest in telling you what you should or should not do, unless you ask me specifically for my opinion.
The beauty of being on a health journey is that you can fill your mind up with many different strategies and then choose which ones you want to use to see if something works for you.
For me, my main interest is sharing my own experiences and the experiences of others – doctors, patients, authors – to help you become an expert in your own personal health.
What you do with all of that, is up to you.
In terms of other types of dairy…
I’m much more undecided about goat or sheep yogurt and kefir. There was a time when goat’s yogurt and kefir helped me regain my energy, so I cannot in many ways speak poorly about it.
It contains easier-to-digest casein as well as little to no lactose since the bacteria digest it in the fermentation process. This clearly why some people can eat yogurt without any digestive issues, even though milk gives them serious digestive unrest.
Nowadays, these foods are not a regular part of my diet, but who knows if I’ll need it again.
I hesitate to recommend it, but at the same time I can’t say it’s not valuable. The Hunza people used this food as a staple and many people believe they were one of the longest lived cultures ever to be on this earth. (If that’s the case, it can’t be that bad, can it?)
Hippocrates did say “let food be thy medicine.”
What if certain animal foods like this could be medicine – to be used theraputically to rebuild, just like their initial purpose to build an organism in its first years of life?
I don’t, and won’t know all the answers, but it’s something to think about.
One of the best ways to combat all this back and forth is to monitor your blood tests, you overall energy levels and keep exercising. These activities will give you insight into what’s happening to your body and allow you to make changes to your diet accordingly.
It’s the closest way to find your individual truth that I can come up with. The question is, “are you doing it?”
Your thoughts?
Tomorrow, I’ll have the 7 Things I Learned This Week, so stay tuned!
Be sure to sign up, for free, for the Great Health Debate now…
http://www.thegreathealthdebate.com
It’s going to be an educational and revealing event for sure!
Live Awesome!
Kev
3:40 pm on January 21st, 2011
I agree being healthy is a journey, and we are all different, and my family has taught me a simple truth, as to why they all live to their 90′s and sometimes older…my grandfather now 86, and he still holds to it… we need to exercise in some way every day, and eat balanced healthy, but don’t stress over it… a lot of people have made certain health rules a god only to be proved wrong a year later, and shoving rules down everyones throat, thank God you guys don’t!
We are all unique, and my family has always said to worry too much over how perfect your food must be is going to also kill you…stress is the killer, we all know the basic principles to eat healthy, we just do not follow them until we get sick, then we go over board to make up for it… go figure…
3:59 pm on January 21st, 2011
Love the Peruvian lawnmower…I so want one but think that my HOA might have a problem with it
Registered for the Health Debate and can not wait. I was looking at the couples that will be debating and am VERY excited about David Wolfe and Daniel Vitalis…should be interesting.
Thank you for your insight with dairy. As someone who is new to raw and is slowly changing my diet, I have learned a lot for your newletter along with the community posts!
4:10 pm on January 21st, 2011
Read a lot about nutrition, cooking, health, etc..Dr. ann marie colbin, a whole foods advocate made the argument that made sense to me, after mammals are weaned they no longer ingest milk and yet continue to grow, some quite large skeletons, elephants, giraffes, and don’t suffer from calcium loss? Seemed to make sense to me!
4:15 pm on January 21st, 2011
Thanks Kev, for posting a bioLOGICAL reason not to ingest dairy.
BOTH inhumane treatment of dairy cows and the affects on our health, is logic enough for me not to consume.
4:33 pm on January 21st, 2011
The type of cow is also a factor. I’m fortunate to have a local raw milk dairy near me, and they claim their milk cow breeds are quite beneficial. (I think they are non A-1 cows, although I don’t have their breed info in my files…)
I personally LOVE (real “grain”) kefir made from this milk. I started off small, and have moved up to a quart per day of cow milk kefir over time. I muscle test it daily to make sure I’m not taking in too much, and so far, so good. I drink very little uncultured milk, though.
I am glad to see you mention that plants would fight against being killed if they could. It’s just a fact of this world that we have to consume life to further our own body’s life force.
Keep up the good bloggin!
Cameron
5:02 pm on January 21st, 2011
I have consumed raw milk and raw milk products that I make myself for many years…. like my whole life and consider myself very lucky.
The raw milk made into kefir (both cow and goat)helped me to grow new bone after a serious injury. Also made my own butter and still make my own not aged cheese every year…………
Also drink wheat grass juice, carrot juice and many other vegetable juices….
The other non plant product that I use is honey… the land of milk and honey is a fitting description of the promised land….
Yet both milk and honey need the plant products to be made by the milkers and the honey producers…..
There is enough milk to be shared with the milkers babies and us folks too and sometimes there is still milk left over so I make cheese…..
The honey is real from real plants and the bees get to keep their fair share for their consumption……..
We consider both the milk and the honey to be vegetarian food just as food from plants….
Way back in the 1800′s and through the 1940′s there was a ‘milk’ diet for the ill… it saved my father’s life when he was young. And when my mother was small the milk and root vegetables such as turnips and carrots were cooked and had milk added to them and their cooking water and that was soup and that was their food many many many times during the cold winters…… They would also have cabbage and milk soup… My mom is still alive and able to drive herself and so is my father — in their 90′s and able to be independent……
so think what you want about milk, but in the raw form, it has saved many lives, not just in my family but in many families and the milk ‘cure’ where folks consumed nothing but the fresh raw milk (at least a gallon a day) and nothing else, saved the lives of countless others from many diseases including that of riding the body of too much mucous…
Surprised about this long history of milk… no one should be…….
pasteurized milk with all the subtractions and additions to it……. well, that is a horse of a different color……..
5:52 pm on January 21st, 2011
I watched a Mystery Diagnosis show the other day where a teenage girl almost died. They ultimately determined that she had a rare disease where her body could not process the fat in her body effectively. She manages the disease now with medication and a diet that consists of 70% carbohydrates. My point is, everybody is different. What works effectively for one person may not work for another. I believe raw milk from properly cared for grass fed Guernsey Cows may be perfectly fine for some and problematic for others. Factory processed store bought milk you can just skip.
6:26 pm on January 21st, 2011
kevin, you’re awesome and i’m looking forward to this debate!!!!
6:34 pm on January 21st, 2011
From infancy to adulthood, my diet has consisted mostly of vegetables, with no eggs or dairy or anything that tasted sweet – It was simply my preference for the longest time. Once in a blue moon I would have cooked fish, and once every few years, maybe a little bit of cooked meat.
Then, beginning a decade ago, I began experiencing a multitude of health issues especially in relation to food & chemical sensitivities. My doctor told me I have the highest quantity of allergies she had ever come across in her 20 years of practice. Unfortunately, none of the treatments or supplements from the doctors and nutritionists made a difference.
I decided to go down the small list of “okay to eat” foods on my allergy tests ONE BY ONE, so I would know which one works or not work for me.
I started drinking raw cow’s milk several times in a week about two months ago, and to my great surprise, it has consistently given me improved energy, reduced nervousness or irritability, and improved quality of sleep.
The tightening I felt in my bronchial tubes in the past year has gone, my entire body feels warmer even when I am just sitting, and all the acne on my face, neck and back have cleared up.
This is something I totally did not expect, but since raw cow’s milk has made discernible & measurable improvements in me, I cannot deny the facts either.
Now whether these improvements will last, I don’t know. Nor do I feel “obliged” to stick to a raw milk diet based on the improvements it has brought me. I think I’ll finally, try to make a habit of paying attention to what my body tells me, knowing that may well change over time…
6:48 pm on January 21st, 2011
Kevin,
You have stated in the past that you will do the research into a subject. If you are willing to take action on your statement, then I highly recommend that you read several books which contain well documented research.
The first, by Dr. Weston A Price, “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration”. He studied eating habits of indigenous people and found that raw milk was a very important part of their diet. Pastured raw milk is essential for dental health as well as building strong bones in the body. I have been drinking raw milk for years. I’m 71 years young and the most recent bone density test showed that my results were in the range of a 35 year old.
The physician even asked me: “What are you doing?”
A classic that you might consider reading is “The Untold Story of Milk” by
Ron Schmid, ND. And yet another excellent resourse is The Milk Book by Dr. William Campbell Douglass.
Just released is a very valuable book, Cure Tooth Decay, which focuses on the importace of raw milk and nutrient dense food for dental health by Rami Nigel. You might want to interview Rami. He has first hand experience because of his daughter, whose front tooth crumbled at about 2 yrs old. This
led him to start researching and ran into the work of Weston A Price.
Do you know the nutrients available in raw milk? Most people don’t. Take a look:
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/what_is_in_raw_milk.html
When you have finished reviewing these books and research, you will not be able to deny that raw milk is one of the most important foods for humans to consume.
Raw milk is one of the most complete foods available to man/woman. And raw milk kefir is one of the best ways to get daily probiotics which are essential for digestive and immune health.
I see you have Sally Fallon on the Debate panel which shows that you are open to hearing the other side. Sally is the founder of the Weston A Price Foundation which teaches and endorses the work of Dr Weston A
Price. Dr Price’s research and work has profound implications for the benefits of raw milk as well as other raw dairy, pastured beef and nutrient dense food.
I pray that you will evaluate the information that I have cited and get off the anti-cow side of the milk controversy.
6:55 pm on January 21st, 2011
I second that! You ARE AWESOME and I look forward to listening to everyone and what they are going to “debate”! Cheers to you for getting it all organized!!!! Thank YOU!
7:24 pm on January 21st, 2011
Kev, the reason I have heard, and it makes sense to me, is that cow’s milk is intended to grow a huge cow, and with over weight already being a huge problem, I don’t think anybody wants to be that big. LOL.
Margi.
7:55 pm on January 21st, 2011
Thank you Maria for recommending all of those great resources to Kevin. Those are AMAZING books. I highly recommend them too. Fat-soluble activators are needed for robust health and whole, raw, grass-fed dairy happens to be a great source of these. There are other sources too and all cultures find some way to get a plentiful supply of these vital nutrients. These nutrients are only found in certain animal foods…
8:49 pm on January 21st, 2011
Hmmm, my brother died back in 1972 after drinking raw goat’s milk – my mom was on the latest health food kick – we did all the Ann Wigmore wheatgrass & alfalfa sprouts & she gave my brother some raw goat’s milk. He got a stomach ache & died in the middle of the night at the Wisconsin Dells – there was one hospital – one doctor who was delivering a baby – did not figure my brother would die in the meantime – the autopsy showed 3 unidentifiable viral infections – there was no pre-existing condition. I can’t prove cause and effect – I’m just saying, drink it at your own risk.
9:12 pm on January 21st, 2011
The Great Health Debate is an idea long overdue. Let’s get the facts and opinions all out on the table so we can make educated decisions in our diets and lifestyles. Thank you for having the courage to put this event together.
There are a few people I would like to see involved in such an event: Frederic Patenaude, Roger Haeske, and Storm & Jingee Talifero.
Looking forward to the debate!
9:17 pm on January 21st, 2011
I’m actually leaving what most people would consider to be paradise – and one of the main reasons is to have access to raw milk again!
9:34 pm on January 21st, 2011
If people don’t want to give up something they will find a different way to continue eating it. So if they find out dairy is bad, they won’t just give it up. Instead they will start asking questions like, is fermented better, is raw better, etc. I have seen people do this with all sorts of bad foods.
Personally I always used to feel nauseaous every time I drank milk, so stopped drinking it at an early age. It’s obviously not good for me. So why waste my time checked out fermented, raw, etc.
If you ate a brussel sprout (which may people hate), would you think about eating it raw, fermenting it, roasting it, etc as a way to find a version you liked? No you wouldn’t.
People only do this with foods they are addicted to or foods they have been brainwashed into thinking are essential.
10:20 pm on January 21st, 2011
I hope you remain openminded. Thank you for such openmindedness.
I don’t remember…Is Doug Graham on the list?
I’d also like to see someone like Aajonus Vonderplanitz.
Mary Kay in Ohio
10:58 pm on January 21st, 2011
Milk contains hormones, growth factors (IgG, etc), and immune factors designed to stimulate a calves’ growth and immune system development, so naturally raw milk might feel helpful in situations where one wants a temporary boost for some reason, such as in order to rebuild oneself, or for a certain period of time in modest amounts to help strengthen teeth, bones and muscle. It is a form of stimulant in some sense, although it doesn’t feel like one because it is also high in calcium, which has a calming effect. Consuming it on a regular basis may boost your energy and metabolism, and make you feel better temporarily, but I believe it’s not needed on an ongoing basis and it’s not going to maximize lifespan, at least not for someone who can get the full range of nutrients from even healthier, less stimulating choices (without the hormones and growth factors that we don’t really need, especially not on a regular basis). Hormones and growth factors accelerate the aging process, they don’t slow it down; you can still live to be a healthy 90, probably, but if you’re shooting for 100-120, then slowing the aging process is the way to go – and that is hard to do in a nutritionally complete manner that doesn’t leave us deficient and run down in some way, but I believe it is possible, and a diet with as high a percentage of raw vegan food as possible is key, as is calming the mind by techniques such as meditating and learning to relax and slow down.
I recommend making a nut milk or milk shake that that consists of a mix of coconut butter (or oil), almond butter (or almonds), black and white sesame seeds (or raw tahini), and some walnuts. The coconut butter provides saturated fat that helps fuel the body’s natural hormone production; the sesame seeds are high in calcium and other minerals; and the almonds have protein, minerals, and healthy fats; and the walnuts have Omega 3 fatty acids for our brain (which can be present in small quantities in organic grass-fed cow or goat’s milk as well). There’s also a powder called Hydrilla verticcillata, a fresh water plant that’s marketed as “green calcium” because it is so high in calcium; sometimes I add that to my vegan milk mixture as will, and the calcium provides that relaxing effect that milk provides (especially together with the almonds and coconut oil, which are also calming). Adding some lecithin makes it extra creamy and yummy and also enhances the nutritional value because lecithin not only helps break down fat and reduce bad cholesterol but also contains phosphatidylcholine (choline), a useful nutrient for the brain that is good for the memory and concentration (although the liver can produce it on its own). And add a little sweetener such as carob powder, mesquite powder, agave, maple syrup or honey. With this combination, you’ll probably never crave milk again. To make it even more nutritionally complete, add pumpkin seeds (for their zinc) and brazil nuts (for their selenium); both zinc and selenium can be hard to come by on a vegan diet, and we need them for our sexual health, hormone levels, and immune system.
11:02 pm on January 21st, 2011
To Maria @ Post #10 (unless is changes order as posts are known to do)
I assure you Kevin has not only read the works you reference but has THOROUGHLY studied the argument they present. He has previously referenced same info in various comments/posts/shows.
He is NOT a newcomer to this “debate.”
11:53 pm on January 21st, 2011
What about the argument that cow’s milk, whether raw or not, contains hormones that are meant for the calf to grow. I don’t believe those hormones were not meant to be in the human body.
11:54 pm on January 21st, 2011
What about the argument that cow’s milk, whether raw or not, contains hormones that are meant for the calf to grow. I don’t believe those hormones were meant to be in the human body.
5:11 am on January 22nd, 2011
I’m not saying everyone should drink raw milk but before you jump on the anti milk bandwagon, check out the facts on raw milk and it’s use in medicine. Raw milk was used at the Mayo Clinic at one time to treat various illnesses, Max Gerson used cultured raw milk in his original wellness/cancer treatments, Ayurvedic Doctors use raw milk to balance certain patients. Check out these websites
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/raw_milk_health_benefits.html
http://www.realmilk.com
It is poor logic to assume that just because raw milk is not readily available in nature other than for newborns that it is unhealthy. Look at all the health supplements coming from raw milk, colostrum, whey protein, immunoglobulins, CLA etc.
5:20 am on January 22nd, 2011
“Cow’s milk is made for baby cow’s, that’s that. I don’t know how you can see it any other way
True but remember that when you are sick, you are in a baby like state and need more nutrients and growth/repair factors. Many decades ago, patients were put on a raw milk diet and did very well.
Not everyone needs milk. In ayurvedic medicine, raw milk would be recommended for a Vatta dosha but not a Kapha dosha. If someone is frail with poor bone density/muscle tone than some “cow like growth” can certainly be beneficial.
6:24 am on January 22nd, 2011
I just have to comment on that you mentioned “Secret Life of Plants”, I can’t understand how almost everyone who have read that book missed one important part.
I think you might find this interesting.
Plants are very different from us in many ways but one of them is their amazing ability to be extremely unselfish. They seem to be the only organisms that are somehow not as concerned about their self interests as other living things.
They do get sad when they are mistreated, like with huge monoculture and such compared to small scale organic farming. Which is very interesting, and gets even more so when thought about from a nutritious perspective.
But they do not feel pain, as the book described, plants seem to shut themselves off when they get physical damage, so they aren’t even aware of being picked up from the ground, snapped, cut, tugged at etc.
As you have met some shamans, I’m sure you aren’t that surprised when I say that shamans know this and many can even communicate with plants. Plants like shamans a lot, and can even say to them: “pick me! pick me!” often it’s the plants who tell them directly which one to use for what remedy or ritual.
So I don’t really agree with you when you said that a potato plant would scream bloody murderer!
It would perhaps rather be happy that it was chosen to become nourishment.
To some degree, we can mistreat and abuse them, they do want our respect but they do not mind being eaten.
So yes, I do fully believe that eating plants is more compassionate than eating animals or animal products (who are btw eating a lot of plants so by not eating animals you are also saving a whole lot of plants too!)
Cheers!
7:00 am on January 22nd, 2011
Every time you drink raw milk, you’re playing russion roullette. My mother’s best friend, and a dear friend of the family, almost died of salmonella poisoning from drinking raw milk. She was also led to believe that raw milk was good for her, and she always ate as healthfully as possible…until she almost died and realized what caused her to become so sick.
I gave up all dairy products for health reasons 5 years ago. I tested positive for casein “sensitvity”, which I suspected as I became mucousy, stuffy, and congested shortly after eating. My doctor said to also avoid sheep and goat milk because those also contained casein even though in smaller amounts.
I must also say without a doubt dairy products are highly addictive. Even though I knew dairy was making me sick, it was hard to give up. Several weeks after I knew I was casein sensitive I kept “sneaking” in some cheese because I craved it – even though I was full. I later found out that dairy products contain opioids – which are highly addictive (same stuff that’s in opium). Once I realized this I treated dairy as a drug, and finally weened myself off it. Today I’m mucous free, and feeling awesome!
Milk products are also very acidic to the body and they leach calcium from the bones. It’s not suprising that the countries that consume the most dairy also have the highest rates of osteoporosis….
8:27 am on January 22nd, 2011
Wow, I really liked this blog post. And tend to agree with it. And I hope this praise will offset at least one name calling you had to endure
.
I “discovered” you and your site recently, and while after subscribing I started to get scared by the product pushing, and I almost unsubscribed, in the end I didn’t. Articles like this one made me realize that I can get valuable information regarding health from you, and I’m beginning to trust you
.
6:41 pm on January 22nd, 2011
So how do we humans know what to eat, what not to eat,what to drink,what not to drink! talk about putting stress on one self, there has to be a easier way to stay healthy. Kevin and Annmarie are doing a great job in the health world,so please make this easy so everyone can be healthy.
9:51 pm on January 22nd, 2011
Kev: Thanks to you I have finally come to believe that there is not one thing that is absolutely good for everyone. What is healing for one person, can make another person ill. I would have never believed that before, but based on your responses, it is very true. Thanks for allowing people to speak which reveals truth. I can now feel good about reaching for things that are uniquely good to me. I am learning to watch and learn to listen to my body as to how it feels. This alone will make me healthy. My teenagers are learning the same thing. We are all learning to listen to our bodies and ask “Did something I eat or do cause this?” Thanks for your hard work…it is most appreciated.
5:02 pm on January 14th, 2012
Well, I’m going trough OLD emails and even though your on to other topics in 2012, I’m curious if the research about A1 and A2 protein will shift thoughts about the digestability of cow’s milk, like what Jordin Rubin is offering through Beyond Organics.