Why I Choose Raw Milk for My Family: Raw Milk as a Medicine

"Raw milk cures many diseases." J.E. Crew Ph.D., one of the founders of the Mayo Foundation, Jan 1929

Raw milk has, for centuries, been used as a medicinal food.  Raw milk therapies were facilitated by Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, from whom we receive the Hippocratic oath for medical doctors today, as well as Arabian, Roman, German and Egyptian physicians in times past.  Within the last couple centuries, much documentation and evidence shows how successful raw milk therapies have been to doctors in the U.S and other developed countries for a number of ailments.  The amount of information out there showing raw milk as a healing substance is overwhelming.  Below I have introduced a number of published works by well thought of medical professions and associations, a list of ailments that were successfully treated with raw milk as well as some more information about some of the raw milk treatments themselves and briefly some current studies showing beneficial results from consuming wholesome raw milk.

Published works about and some medical professionals who used Raw Milk as a successful healing substance.

The Milk Cure, Dr. Inozemtseff, Russia 1857
On the Milk Cure, Dr. G.L. Carrick, physician to the British Embassy
On the Milk Cure; translation to English, Philip Karell MD
"The Curative Influence of an Exclusive Milk Diet" 1876, American A.S. Donkin, London Lancet
Weir Mitchell MD, American physician

Professor and Doctor of Public Health, James Tyson, published articles in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in 1884 addressing raw milk treatment and the successful recovery of patients with kidney stones, obesity, Bright's disease, and gastric disturbances.  Also wrote about the successful use of raw milk in the treatment and prevention of worms in humans (Lancet p1142 May 8, 1937)

Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease - Charles Sanford Porter MD 1905.  Porter reports to have successfully cured or greatly improved the situation of over 18,000 patients over 37 years.  His book went through several publishing's and is still available today, so there really is no way to tell just how many he has helped.
(Here is his published work available free online)
(Here is a brief overview of his therapy and a personal success story)

The Milk Diet: How to Use the Milk Diet Scientifically at Home by Bernarr Macfadden, 1923 (maybe one of the most popular, this link will bring you to a site where you can get more info about the milk diet therapy and his entire book to view for free!)

J.E. Crewe, artice "Raw Milk Cures Many Diseases" 1929

Francis Pottenger Article "Clinical Evidences of the Value of Raw Milk" 1940's

Raw Milk Diet as a Treatment for Illness - Basics (click for more info)

Ailments Successfully Treated by the Raw Milk Treatment

• asthma, hay fever, allergies, hives,
• bladder inflammation, fluid retention, UTI's, gallstones, kidney stones
• constipation, hemorrhoids, chronic diarrhea, colitis, gastric disturbances, gastric ulcers, IBS, poor digestion, "conditions of faulty nutrition"
• Bright's disease (a broad range of kidney diseases), liver diseases and disorders
• gout, goiter, normalization of blood pressure, psoriasis, skin troubles
• malaria, TB, ringing in ears, blood clots, cystitis
• Neuralgia (pain extending along one or more nerves), brain and nerve disorders, dysentery, migraine, fatigue and insomnia
• impotence, enlargement of the prostate
• periodontal disease and tooth decay
• diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis and other arthritic conditions arteriosclerosis, obesity, heart disease
• "raw milk is very effective in preventing scurvy and protecting against flu, diphtheria and pneumonia" - American Journal of Diseases of Children Nov 1917
• "a substance present in raw cream (butterfat portion of milk) prevents joint stiffness and the pain of arthritis" Annual Review of Biochemistry 18:435, 1944 (termed the Wulzen factor)

Today - Consuming Raw Milk for Lactose Intolerance, Asthma, and Allergies

Lactose Intolerance

• A Michigan observational study in 2007 found that 85% of people believed to be 'lactose intolerant' were able to consume raw milk with no ill effects.
• A small survey conducted by Ted Beals M.D. in 2008 found that more than 80% of those people diagnosed with lactose intolerance suffered no symptoms when they began consuming raw milk.
• Those unable to tolerate pasteurized dairy may do just fine on raw dairy because of the lactase, the enzyme necessary for digesting lactose, the milk sugar, is synthesized from the beneficial bacteria naturally found in raw milk and killed by heat treatments.  This enzyme not only assists in the digestion of lactose but - along with other enzymes present - may increase the production and activity of lactase int eh body itself, or "alter" the gut flora (bacteria) in a way that may help with the digestion of lactose sugar more effectively in other ways.

Asthma and Allergies

• PARSIFAL - 2006, consisting of just short of 15,000 children across 5 European countries
• GABRIELA - 2008, consisting of more than 8,000 children across 3 European countries
• both suggest raw milk is beneficial in the prevention and treatment of asthma and allergies
• these findings may be because of higher total bacteria, lactoferrin, IgG antibodies, and whey proteins found in raw milk (more information about these components here)
• the 'denatured' whey proteins present in raw milk are crucial in that it allows our cells to synthesize glutathione, necessary for lung health.
• The antibodies present in the unheat-treated milk may provide immunity to local allergens.

* Very Interesting

Three articles titled "The Evidence Around Raw Milk" published by the IGMC (International Milk Genomics Consortium) in SPLASH of the University of California Davis in October of 2012 stated:

• "there is strong evidence that (raw milk) benefits young children" as well as "the world needs studies testing whether large numbers of grown ups suffering from asthma, hay fever and similar medical problems see their allergies dampen down after drinking raw milk for a prolonged period"

Unfortunately these statements were revoked within a few days by John F. Sheehan, US FDA's director of Plant and Dairy Food Safety.  The articles now carry a different tone against raw milk.  How sad! - even academic freedom is being controlled.

Sources not cited above
1
2. Schmid, Ronald F. The Untold Story of Milk: The History, Politics and Science of Nature's Perfect Food : Raw Milk from Pasture-fed Cows. Washington, DC: NewTrends Pub., 2009. Print.
3