Dairy can be a hot button issue whether you stay away from it completely, or you can’t imagine a life without cheese. Both sides feel very passionate about their stance.  For me, I realized over time that dairy was causing me problems. How did I know that? I realized that after eating dairy, I was clearing my throat constantly and had episodes of bloating. I thought I might possibly be lactose intolerant until I dug deeper.

You see, milk contains casein which is the main protein in milk. Casein, when broken down, can cause a lot of mucus build up in the body. Here’s a bit of trivia for you: casein is used in wood glue and is a favorite in paint because it helps the paint to adhere to surfaces.  Are you getting the picture?  Now, when milk is pasteurized, (heated to 190 degrees in hopes of killing any bacteria), this casein becomes a rather sticky substance which adheres to the lining in the body, including the intestines. Make sense? Wonder why our digestion can rebel when we consume dairy?

After extensive research, I knew that pasteurized milk would not be an option for me and I switched to raw dairy products. I started out using raw goat milk since it was readily available in California at the time and it is also is the closest composition to human Mother’s milk. I loved it and so did my body.  When I moved to Virginia there was no way to get it unless it was mail ordered, freeze-dried goat’s milk. So I modified and found that if I stuck to using whole cream in my coffee, since it is only fat and has no milk solids, I didn’t have the mucous and bloating. I also had raw goat cheese and did great with that as well.

 A few years ago I became best friends with raw milk from grass fed cows on Elim Springs farm. (If you want some information on how I am able to obtain this milk in my state you can comment below and I will get back to you on that. Every state law is different concerning the purchase of raw milk). If you have not tasted raw milk you are sincerely missing out. The flavor is so amazing and it is incredibly nutrient dense. It is an unadulterated, whole food full of amino acids, antimicrobials, vitamins, and minerals all in their most natural forms. It is a very complete food that is known to reduce allergies, improve skin health and also build up immunity. 

I currently make homemade yogurt and ricotta cheese and I use raw or full-fat milk in my recipes. It is delicious! I also scoop the cream off of the top and use that in my coffee. My next project is homemade mozzarella which hopefully will come this fall.

I want to take a moment here to say, don’t be afraid of full-fat dairy!   When you use a low-fat dairy option the sugar levels are much higher and can affect your overall blood sugar levels. You will not fail when you choose whole foods over those that have been manipulated into something they should not be.

The whole point of sharing my journey with you is so that you can see how I tasted and tested different types of dairy to see what my body liked and what caused problems.  I realized that I did not have to do without dairy completely.  We are so accustomed to living with an unhealthy gut, bloating, constipation, gas pain etc.  I decided a long time ago that this was not the way I wanted to live.   No food is worth not feeling my best.   It does take a little time and it is a journey, but the attention you pay yourself will be worth it.

Just listen!!!  Your body will tell you exactly what it needs!!