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In light of recent events involving Campylobacter being linked to a Raw Milk dairy farm in PA that I purchase from, I feel strongly compelled to write why I think this does and does not matter. I am certain that there are people who drink raw milk for it’s benefits without thinking of the potential risks. I know I did. However, my farmer was quick to tell me that it is ALWAYS possible to have raw milk be tainted with the bad bacteria no matter how clean a farm is. So, I drank with the full knowledge that someday it might make me sick, but believing that the benefits outweigh the risk.
What Causes the Bad Bacteria in Raw Milk?
Over the last year or so, I have been researching options to have my own small farm just to raise my own food. Of course, I don’t blindly assume that it’s easy. I need to know whether I can actually do it. I am still in the researching phase of this. But in the process of researching, I stumbled across a post from GNOWFGLINS which talked about the differences between cow and goat farming. In it, the article discusses how cows tend to defecate while being milked. And Campylobacter is a result of a cow’s bacteria from the poo getting into the milk.
Even pasteurized milk has the potential to have Campylobacter in it. The difference is ALL of the LIVE cultures, good and bad, are killed with high heat processes. ALL of them. However, pasteurized milk is not without it’s risks. In fact, I would argue that it is even more dangerous because the good bacteria is no longer present to counteract any bad bacteria that may still linger. Some examples to follow later.
What is Campylobacter?
By now, most of the MD, PA, WV area (and really the nation) knows that a local organic family farm that sells raw milk in PA has been blamed for causing Campylobacter bacteria in several people. I am not making light of this. It is serious, especially for people with ‘compromised’ immune systems. And I highly suggest anyone with a compromised immune system not drink raw milk unless they have first attempted the GAPS program to address healing their gut.
According to the CDC, Campylobacter is the most common bacteria for causing a combination of diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, affecting 2.4 million people each year. Most of those cases go undiagnosed. In fact, hospitals won’t even check for Campylobacter unless you state that you drink raw milk or another food politically labeled to be ‘bad’.
Symptoms usually begin 2 to 5 days after contact and can last anywhere from 2-5 days. Campylobacter is self-limiting and most people recover without any added intervention except plenty of liquids and rest.
Again, not to downplay how Campylobacter can affect some small parts of the population — in cases of compromised immune systems, you should not drink it. But for most people, the BENEFITS outweigh the RISK that could be a RARE , if ever, couple of days in bed.
Benefits of Raw Milk over Pasteurized Milk
There are many people smarter than I that have written volumes of information on the subject of raw milk. Just because it CAN make you sick on a rare occasion, does NOT mean that you SHOULD drink pasteurized milk (which by the way, can make you sick too and is VERY often under reported which I will get to in a moment). I pulled this information from the RealMilk.com website. They have documented research in scientific journals to prove their premise:
PROTECTIVE COMPONENTS: Raw milk contains numerous components that assist in:
- Killing pathogens in the milk (lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin, leukocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, antibodies, medium chain fatty acids, lysozyme, B12 binding protein, bifidus factor, beneficial bacteria);
- Preventing pathogen absorption across the intestinal wall (polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, mucins, fibronectin, glycomacropeptides, bifidus factor, beneficial bacteria);
- Strengthening the Immune System (lymphocytes, immunoglobulins, antibodies, hormones and growth factors) (Scientific American, December 1995; British J of Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10, S75-S80, S81-S89).
PASTEURIZATION is HARMFUL: Many of these anti-microbial and immune-enhancing components are greatly reduced in effectiveness by pasteurization, and completely destroyed by ultra-pasteurization (Scientific American, December 1995; British J of Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10, S75-S80, S81-S89).
DANGERS EXAGGERATED: Although raw milk, like any food, can become contaminated and cause illness, the dangers of raw milk are greatly exaggerated. In an analysis of reports on 70 outbreaks attributed to raw milk, we found many examples of reporting bias, errors and poor analysis resulting in most outbreaks having either no valid positive milk sample or no valid statistical association (ResponsetoMarlerListofStudies.pdf).
USDA/FDA STATISTICS: Based on data in a 2003 USDA/FDA report: Compared to raw milk there are 515 times more illnesses from L-mono due to deli meats and 29 times more illness from L-mono due to pasteurized milk. On a PER-SERVING BASIS, deli meats were TEN times more likely than raw milk to cause illness (Intrepretive Summary – Listeria Monocytogenes Risk Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Sept. 2003, page 17).
OUTBREAKS DUE TO PASTEURIZED MILK: Due to high-volume distribution and its comparative lack of anti-microbial components, pasteurized milk when contaminated has caused numerous widespread and serious outbreaks of illness, including a 1984-5 outbreak afflicting almost 200,000 people. In 2007, three people died in Massachusetts from illness caused by contaminated pasteurized milk (Real Milk PowerPoint, slide 30).
FORTY-YEAR-OLD SCIENCE AND ANCIENT HISTORY: Claims that raw milk is unsafe are based on 40-year-old science and century-old experiences from distillery dairy “factory farms” in rapidly urbanizing nineteenth century America.
MODERN ADVANTAGES: Compared to 30-50 years ago, dairy farmers today can take advantage of many advancements that contribute to a dramatically safer product including pasture grazing, herd testing, effective cleaning systems, refrigeration and easier, significantly less expensive, more accessible and more sophisticated milk and herd disease testing techniques.
UNIQUE FOOD: Raw milk is the ONLY food that has extensive built-in safety mechanisms and numerous components to create a healthy immune system.Pasteurized Milk Illness in PA Last Summer
Pasteurized Milk Made People SICK Last Summer in PA
So far you have gotten a lot of facts from me. But what you are about to hear is a little bit of anger. Because this incident at my raw milk farm is being so overblown by the media, yet cases of pasteurized milk contamination goes UN-REPORTED! It is infuriating.
Last summer there was an outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica. which is similar to Campylobacter. At least 12 people were made SICK by PASTEURIZED MILK. See here: 2011-PAHAN-0221-10-31-ADV
I don’t remember hearing about THIS in the news report? Why? And Why did they start REPORTS about contamination before it was proven at the Raw Milk farm that I purchase from? EVEN BEFORE the TESTS were IN! YET, the only time I knew about the Pasteurized Milk contamination report was when I was researching the PA Health department page AFTER the events had been confirmed!! No big overblown scare here! No ambulance chaser lawyers knocking on the doors of litigation over pasteurized milk being blamed for the illness it caused!
All Foods Have Potential to Make You Sick!
This is MEDIA BIAS — Plain and simple. It is meant to scare you away from drinking real milk — RAW MILK. EVERY SINGLE FOOD THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY CAN MAKE YOU SICK! EVERY.SINGLE.ONE!!
- REMEMBER the Spinach Scare?
- REMEMBER the Tomato Scare?
- REMEMBER the contaminated turkey? (granted it’s Cargill – CAFO meat, but still this is purported to be ‘safe’ to eat by our ‘trusty’ government)
- REMEMBER the Cantaloupe Scare?
Honestly, these days I am MORE afraid of the things that are killing me SLOWLY that no one notices, than the things that make me physically ill immediately. Your body is sick because it is DOING it’s JOB! It is purging the illness naturally! It is fighting the bacteria that is not supposed to be there. However, your body was not made to fight the the unnatural processes and chemicals that are added to our modern day convenience foods.
Some things that have been called ‘food’ are not nourishing at all and these have long-term consequences that have yet to be acknowledged by mainstream medical professionals. This is why this blog exists. We exist to speak the truth where it is not being proclaimed in the mainstream media or medical world.
Now, you are free to choose what you want to believe. But I will continue to purchase raw milk or I won’t drink milk at all!! BTW, if you have been blessed by your farmer and the hard work they are doing, be sure to tell them! They shoulder a lot of responsibility to feed us. I posted a thank you to mine here.
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Great post!! I agree…..
Thanks Denise! I hope others do as well. Raw milk is not the demon that politically correct health gurus people deem it to be.
I agree! And I’m picking up more raw milk today.
Thanks for writing this, Jen! I’ve been following the developments on the campylobacter news with sadness … As a raw milk drinker and advocate (as of May 2011), I can say with certainty that it’s one of nature’s most nutritious foods. It has helped in healing my husband’s IBS after a really bad stomach infection that left him completely lactose intolerant. That’s the reason I found raw milk in the first place — because I was searching for a natural ‘cure’ for his intolerance and a source of natural probiotics that can help heal his gut. Glad to say that many months later, his digestion is normal now. And I have raw milk to thank for that! As you say in your post, any food has the potential of getting contaminated — and raw milk is no exception. I just hope it doesn’t continue being unfairly singled out as it has been. I want to keep enjoying my glass of fresh raw milk from grass-fed cows! ~Heba
Oh, Heba it has fixed my health too! I don’t drink it everyday, but I know when I NEED to drink it. My body tells me.
Thanks for commenting on the transformation of your husband! It is really miraculous what living food can do to heal!
This is a great post and so well researched! I wish everyone could read it (I plan to send it to everyone I know!). I completely agree with you about it’s health benefits and the fact that pasteurization is really no safer. Louis Pasteur even said before he died that it’s not the germs that are the problem, it’s the terrain (where those germs land in your gut), admitting that his process was wrong. I don’t know, too, if you saw this story about the reporters who were fired after finding out the link between rGBH and cancer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL1pKlnhvg0)? We will continue to drink our raw milk!
Thanks Bethany. I will check that out! It doesn’t surprise me in the least though. We are all being deceived — on purpose. The best thing we can do is go back to traditional cultures and research. We aren’t getting the truth in science anymore for certain!
Thanks so much for posting this link, Bethany. Just appalling….
I purchase 3-4 gallons of raw milk per week from the Shank farm and will definitely buy from them again once they continue sales. It breaks my heart that they are going through this when they work so diligently to keep everything clean and untouched.
Even despite this – I know my farmer and I trust my farmer. No – not every one on that farm is perfect and accidents/issues can and will happen, but they are so transparent about their operation and about any potential issues that I truly believe what they sell is infinitely much better than anything processed and sold from a big ag business.
Thanks for addressing this with *real* facts!
Linda, Thanks for your comments! I feel the exact same way! Would you mind posting those thoughts on a special appreciation post that we made for Family Cow? Here’s the link: http://www.realfoodfreaks.com/2012/02/01/we-heart-your-family-cow/
You Rock! I just saw it. Thanks!
Thank you for this article. I have been drinking raw milk now for about 1 year with no problem but after reading this article I am alittle more concerned and would like to know the opinions of some very experienced raw milk drinkers. Lol! I “Do” have a compromised immune system from a kidney transplant I had 14 yrs ago. I take anti rejection meds everyday. I really don’t know if I should take a chance however it appears that pasteurized milk isn’t any safer. Please give me advice!
Teresa, I am not a ‘medical’ professional. I wish I could tell you what to do, but I legally can not. However, my husband works in the field of Nephrology and he is going to look up some info for you today. He has two ways of thinking on this issue, but it’s likely going to come down to what you are comfortable with. I will have him reply to you later.
Thank You so much for the quick response. I want the health benefits of the raw but not at the risk of dying. With a compromised immune system, bacteria can invade really quickly–i know because I had a kidney infection that went septsis in 24 hrs. Any insight would be appreciated and please tell your husband –thanks so much..
Teresa, I just read your response to my hubby. He is reluctant to tell you anything one way or another because you are not his patient. However, your sepsis from a bacterial infection has already indicated your sensitivity. There are many factors, and it is best to talk to your transplant DR.
Thank you Jen! Of course, I know what the dr would say. Maybe I should not drink milk because the pasteurized milk can make you sick too. Then again, any food with bacteria can. Oh I just go back and forth. I really appreciate your insight. I feel so much better eating whole real food- I really enjoy making everything myself (yogurt, bread, kefir). It is challenging! Love your blog!
Teresa it is unfortunate and I hate that this is all I can tell you. I don’t know your situation or how you react to illness and that is what matters. You have to make those decisions for yourself and decide if it is worth it for the benefits you receive.
I know what raw milk does for me. I don’t drink it everyday, but only about once or twice a week. If I had to go without raw I wouldn’t drink milk at all, but would instead eat many lacto-fermented foods and try to get the other nutrients from seafood, liver and other organ meats, eggs (especially yolks), and cod liver oil. Good luck and let me know what you decide. I am curious. BTW – my hubs is still looking into info for me. If I have some articles that I can pass along, I will.
What a great post! The way the media jumps on everything causes so many problems these days. We have 2 goats due to kid in a month or so and I don’t have any plans to pasteurize their milk.
Good for you Sarah!! I’d love to hear about your adventures. Is this your first time?
Excellent posting!! Thank you for addressing this newsworthy issue! I will share it on my business facebook page.
This is a truly awesome post, one of the best I’ve seen. may I post a link on my blog to this post? It says everything I’ve been wanting to say about raw milk, and haven’t had a chance to.
I truly do not understand why people freak out when you mention you drink raw milk. *sigh*
Sure Fin, thanks for asking, I’d love to share the info with anyone who will listen. Post away. And thank you for your kind words.
Excellent post! Exactly how I feel about raw milk. The risks are HUGELY exaggerated and the benefits greatly underestimated. I’ve been drinking raw milk from pastured cows every day for six years now and never once been sick from it. I also eat raw egg yolks from pastured organic fed chickens nearly every day and have only rarely been briefly sick for a few hours from it. It is a calculated risk where I believe the benefits far outweigh the risks. Just like driving a car
Before I changed my diet, I would get sick once or twice a month from eating out at restaurants. I don’t eat out near as often now, but I seem to be much more resistant to these restaurant bugs now and I attribute that immunity to drinking raw milk and homemade kefir. I have also not had a cold or the flu in over two years and used to get three or four colds every year all my life until I changed my diet six years ago. I suspect part of this improvement is from raw dairy and part from taking a teaspoon of traditionally made and minimally processed fermented cod liver oil every day. I’m not going to quit to find out if my suspicions are true
Same here Bryan. Raw milk has done nothing but help me. And I know when I haven’t had it recently because my body always tells me. Good for you! Sounds like you are doing all the right things! I don’t take CLO, my excuse is that i already eat plenty of liver – almost daily. We’ll see.
Excellent post. I look forward to getting raw goat milk again from my farm share now that the goats are kidding.
Becca, I would love to like goats milk, but i just can’t get into it. Some people tell me they can find it where it tastes like cow milk, but i have yet to find one. I know it is so much better for you than cows milk.
[...] http://www.realfoodfreaks.com/2012/02/03/i-still-believe-in-raw-milk/ [...]
Jen, thanks so much for this awesome post! I am so grateful for the writers out there who can compile the research in such clear and articulate ways. I feel like I used to be able to do that – and then I had kids! Now, I’m so much more ‘experiential’ in my writing style. But I love to read the research as much as I have time for.
Thanks too, for your comment on my blog post – I’ll get back to you soon. Have to finish a project and get to bed. TTYS. Cheers.
Great post, I’m a big fan of raw milk since we got our cow Bella and realised the cover-up that was going on (as you described), ironically we got the cow because my husband likes cows, not because I knew anything about raw milk at the time! I have to correct you about cows defecating when milked. Bella only does this occasionally, when she is pissed off with us for some reason (especially if her calf is called out, or we take too long), or if we are milking her earlier than normal and she hasn’t had a chance to prepare! Normally we don’t have any problem. I wrote a post about preventing contamination, the main things we do is keep our milking equipment clean, wash Bella’s teats before milking and discard the first few squirts of milk. We have been drinking milk from Bella since May last year, with no problems so far. I really believe that the positive factors in the milk (which are helped by feeding Bella an appropriate diet of grass, and supplementary minerals, no chemicals and minimal grain, to make sure that she is totally healthy) do protect the milk from contamination. I feel lucky every day I get to drink raw milk and regularly give Bella “thank you” hugs. I hope you get to have a farm one day too, it really is worth the hard work.
Liz, In your case with one cow I believe that you are correct. You can train a cow not to defecate while milking (or allow it to go before). The article in GNOWFGLINS talks about this briefly and what they did to counteract this. However, larger milk producers that provide for the public can not train a cow not to poo while milking. Ideally, we should all have a cow and know what is happening to our milk firsthand, but we know this is not possible for most people for various reasons. I am going to check out your post on preventing contamination. I am very interested in this for my future cow.
Love your posts they are so thoroughly researched and you provide a wealth on information on the subject of raw milk- it prevents this too.. http://naturalmothersnetwork.com/natural-health/drinking-raw-milk-could-help-prevent-asthma/
If you want an email reminder each week click here http://eepurl.com/i-8pr Rebecca x