by Adam Paul

Created on: January 02, 2007   Last Updated: July 14, 2011

Wash your hands, wash your food, and sanitize everything. Buy germ killing tissues, slather yourself in anti-bacterial lotion and please make sure you wipe off the door handles and phone receivers. This is the mantra for today's society.

People today, unlike in the past believe that bacteria is evil, all germs must be eliminated. If you catch a cold you should be locked away like they did to our unlucky European brethren during the Bubonic Plague.

Do you eat yogurt, drink the occasional beer or glass of wine? How about drink raw un-pasteurized, untreated milk right from the cow? Aside from the raw milk I'm sure everyone gladly enjoys the rest. What is funny, it's all derived from the busy working nature of bacteria. What about the raw milk that's legally and commercially available in many states? Isn't that really bad for you? The simple answer is no and if it was bad you would not be able to buy it un-pasturized. The honest truth is that it is actually much better for you than traditional milk.

Back in 1862 the French Scientist Louis Pasteur in an attempt to curb milk from souring developed a way of killing the bacteria that caused it. Unfortunately, in killing that bacteria he also managed to kill all the other useful bacteria and make milk pretty much useless, other than vitamin D and Calcium.

It wasn't until around 1890 that mass pasteurization of milk took place. The school of thought since then has been and still hold true today.if there is bacteria, it must be bad and eliminated. This idea is not entirely true
If you choose to get a flue shot like millions of Americans each year, the doctor injects you with the actual flu so that your body can develop the proper defense.

The same theory holds for being exposed to daily germs and bacteria. If you are never exposed to any germs or bacteria your body has no defense at all. However if you allowed yourself to be exposed to small samples of common germs your body will be able to ward off any germ that tries to make you ill. What about the bacteria in milk? I read somewhere that it can cause Crohn's disease a nasty disease that that can make you a frequent patron of the local restroom, potentially resulting in severe dehydration and even death if untreated.

The answer is yes, occasionally the responsible bacteria is present in milk but the chances of getting it in your raw milk are just as great as finding it your local grocery stores milk isle. You see, the venerable pasteurization process only kills what is

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