The Humbled Homemaker: The First Years: The Second Best Milk for Babies

Have you entered this week's giveaways? Enter to win Sprout Baby Food or a beautiful Lilla Rose Flexi-Clip!

I'm so excited to have contributing writer, Brandy, of Living Water Health and Wellness, posting today! Brandy's mission is to share the message of health and wellness according to the Word of God! Be sure to stop by her blog--Living Water Health and Wellness!

By Brandy, Contributing Writer

WHAT MILK SHOULD YOUR CHILD BE DRINKING?

We have probably all been told that we should start our babies on whole cow’s milk around the time they turn 1. Most people do not question this advice because we believe we can trust our doctors. After all, milk is a rich source of calcium and vitamin D, right? Well, that all depends on where you get your milk and how it has been processed. With dairy allergies at an all-time high, and the many health complications that have risen from dairy consumption, we have to stop and ask ourselves some questions.

Is there a certain type of milk that is better than others? Is it possible that conventional, store bought cow’s milk could actually be harming our children? I believe the answer to both questions is yes …

Image by kris69

I do my best to base my wellness philosophy on the word of God and traditional wisdom. On my blog I have discussed my beliefs about dairy extensively, and for good reason. You see, there is a BIG difference between the milk God said was good for food and the milk we now find on grocery store shelves. When God gave us permission to eat animals and animal products, the atmosphere in which these animals were raised was gravely different from modern farming practices.

Image by nkzs

GOD GAVE US MILK
I know many people have opted to go dairy free, and while this may be best for some, I firmly believe that it is not the milk in and of itself that causes most of the health problems associated with it, but rather the way the milk is produced and processed. God clearly thought milk was a good thing for us to consume. After all, the Promised Land was a land flowing with milk and honey. And I often say, if fat free/low fat, pasteurized, homogenized milk was what is best for us, God would have made it come out of the cow that way.

IT’S MAN, NOT MILK THAT IS THE PROBLEM

Pasteurization has been touted as a necessary safety protocol for milk. In fact, it was not required until the industrial revolution when cows were being placed on small plots of land with no room to roam and no healthy green grass to eat. Just like us, if cows are eating things they were not created to eat, they and their milk will greatly suffer. Many dairy cows are kept in small pens, with little to no grass, and fed grains and genetically modified corn that have been doused with pesticides, fertilizers, growth hormone, and antibiotics. They sometimes do not even have access to sunshine, which we all know is important for vitamin D production.

Image by kit_carson

When cows live in these conditions, they get sick. When they are sick, they pass those bacteria and pathogens into their milk. Eating corn actually makes cows produce e coli in their stomachs. This is why pasteurization became necessary. It has nothing to do with the cows or the milk, but rather the people who are raising them.
One of the most shocking things I learned while researching the health benefits of raw milk is that when calves are fed pasteurized, homogenized milk rather than being allow to nurse from their mothers, they almost always fail to thrive, and many die within six weeks!

Image by Ale_Paiva

"Many nutrients and immune-enhancing components are destroyed by exposure to high heat and the temperatures used during pasteurization. Vitamin A is degraded, proteins and enzymes are denatured, and immunoglobulins are destroyed." (www.realmilk.com)

Not only that, but when milk is homogenized, the fats are damaged as well. Think hydrogenation. When you damage the oils, they become unhealthy. It’s the same concept with milk. Homogenization makes truly healthy fats into unhealthy substances that have no business going into our children’s bodies.

Image by lizeritx

I know many people are afraid of raw milk. The FDA has done a good job of convincing people that raw milk is a danger to their health, but the truth is, as long as the farmer you buy from raises his/her animals properly, raw dairy is incredibly safe and nutrient dense. My family and I have been consuming raw milk for over 5 years and none of us have ever gotten sick.

I drank it the whole time I was pregnant and both my boys (ages 5 and 1) have been drinking it since they started on cow’s milk. I make homemade raw yogurt and butter and our whole family is enjoying the health benefits.

Image by evah

RAW MILK CAN REVERSE DAIRY ALLERGIES

The truth is, real, raw milk is full of beneficial nutrients that are nourishing for growing children and adults alike. Many people believe they are allergic to milk, when in fact, they are simply missing the incredibly important enzyme, lactase(among others). Lactase is essential for digesting lactose, the primary sugar in milk.
Pasteurization greatly reduces the amount of lactase in milk, making it much more difficult for our digestive systems to process. Many people who believed themselves to be allergic to dairy are able to drink raw milk and recover completely from their allergies.

And parents whose babies were unable to nurse or could not tolerate conventional formulas, have had great success making their own formula from raw milk.

"Raw milk from healthy pasture-fed cows has a rich array of essential nutrients including vitamins A, D, C, all of the B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, essential fatty acids and trace minerals. Pasteurization destroys up to 50% of these nutrients." (www.sunherb.com/rawmilk) And many would argue that 50% is a very conservative estimate.

So in reality, giving our children conventionally raised cow’s milk is essentially the same thing as giving them processed food, which we know is not healthy. When you alter the design of a food that God created, it does not react in our bodies the same nor give us the nutrients it should.

Any good parent desires to give their children the best nutritional start in life that they can. I believe choosing raw milk is one of those choices. Conventional and even organic milk that has been pasteurized and homogenized can rob our children of healthy nutrients that they need in order to grow and develop the way God intended them to. I challenge you to do some more research. Find out why raw milk is so wonderfully healing to so many people and give your children the best kind of milk there is.

I could probably talk about why raw dairy is amazing for days, but since I am not able to do that here, please visit my other posts about milk:

Milk: Does It Really Do A Body Good?

Wellness Wednesday: More On Raw Milk

The Weston A. Price Foundation has done incredible research on the benefits of raw dairy. If you want to learn more than you ever thought possible, visit their page. And for a list of sources in your area for real, raw milk, please click here.

Brandy is a full-time homemaker, has been married to the love of her life for 7 years, and is the mommy of two amazing little boys. The two most important things in her life are her relationships with God and her family. She is living the abundant life with her wonderful husband and sons and is constantly learning how to walk in the fullness of the promises of God.Her mission is to share the message of health and wellness according to the Word of God and traditional wisdom! She blogs at Living Water Health and Wellness.

*Disclaimer: Neither Brandy nor I are health professionals, and any health decision you make should be after conducting your own research. My family (Erin) cannot currently afford raw milk, and it is illegal to sell it in my state.