by Nancy Hreha

Created on: May 16, 2009

The debate over cow's milk vs soy milk is incomplete if we don't consider the fact that our milk products have been pasteurized to the point that they bear less resemblance to the product in it's natural state. The real debate here should first be the benefits of raw milk vs pasturized milk products. The milk we drink today is not as nature intended. As is too common a story, we have once again, altered nature's plan to create a "new and better" product, only to find out that our human biology was set up to interact with nature in ways we are only beginning to understand. Our efforts to improve on nature have so frequently proved to only create new problems (they just may not pop up instantly) that one would think we might have learned from all the mistakes. Perhaps we are beginning to. Living in a state where it is illegal to sell raw milk, thereby leaving no decision to the consumer, I can share observations of the robust health, growth and overall vigor of children raised on cow's milk direct from the farm. Farm kids are exposed to all kinds of naturally occurring elements as part of daily living, yet studies show they suffer less of the illnesses plaguing their city peers. One possibility is better digestion, through a more natural diet, resulting in better long term health. Part of that formula is related to this debate.

There is currently much study and discussion about pasturization and the detrimental of diminishing enzimes and bacterial necessary for good health. Scientists are also taking a second look at raw milk benefits. Many a strapping farmer was raised on the raw milk product raised on the farm. The enzymes and bacteria destroyed in the processing of the milk we buy on the shelf is now being identified as essential ingredients in human digestion and overall good health.

In general, our propensity to re invent the wheel under the banner of doing better for our children has us over sanitizing, disconnecting and sheltering our kids from the natural world they are part of. The result: childhood allergies, illness, obesity, and links to mental health disorders are on the rise. in our unending quest for improving on nature, we are actually causing more long term damage.

Until we're discussing raw milk vs soy, the debate is slanted. The real issue here is allowing producers to bring raw milk to the market so we can properly assess the benefits and then debate the preference.

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