As many of us may observe, there is a health trend where people are moving towards veganism (being vegan is different from being a vegetarian as a vegan does not consume any animal derived products- e.g. milk, eggs, honey).
I am halfway on-board the bandwagon (knowing being vegan is healthier but yet at the same time not being able to give up my butter, cheese and milk).
I love to drink milk. Love the creamy texture. Nothing beats the feeling of warm comforting liquid flowing down my throat.
I have always known milk was not too good for me. Because more often than not, when I drink milk, I will end up having loose bowels, and start coughing phlegm. However, I did not know how bad it was until I came across an article in Healing with Whole Food by Paul Pitchford.
Side track a little- This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in finding out how what you consume affects your body, and using food as thy medicine. It combines Western, TCM and Ayurvedic field of studies, and I like that it also has some spiritual elements to it.
So what did I read?
Here's the excerpt from Paul Pitchford's book, page 19.
What is homogenized
milk?
Homogenized cow’s milk transforms healthy butterfat into
microscopic spheres of fats containing xanthine oxidase (XO) which is one of
the most powerful digestive enzymes there is. The spheres are small enough to
pass intact right through the stomach and intestine walls without first being
digested.
Thus this extremely powerful protein knife, XO, floats
throughout the body in the blood and lymph systems. When the XO breaks free
from its fat envelope, it attacks the inner wall of whatever vessel it is in.
This creates a wound. The wound triggers the arrival of patching plaster to
seal off that wound. The patching plaster is cholesterol. Hardening of the
arteries, heart diseases, chest pain, heart attack is the result. (Healing with
Whole Food, Paul Pitchford, pg 19)
So what does that mean?
Simply put, homogenized milk contains XO which is a powerful digestive enzymes aka PROTEIN KNIFE which due to its small size is able to enter our blood and lymph systems. It attacks our vessels, causing wounds, and cholesterol is used to patch it up. Causing hardening of arteries. With the constricting of arteries, ailments such as heart diseases start to develop. A really scary thought indeed.
This is how I envision it looking like.
Yikes~!
So we just have to avoid homogenized milk?
Yes that would be the ideal case. It is easier said than done however, as most commercial milk have been homogenized. Even those 'fresh milk' you see in the chilled section.
Homogenized milk is any sort of milk that has been
mechanically treated to ensure that it has a smooth, even consistency. The
homogenization process typically involves high temperatures, agitation, and
filtration, all aimed at breaking down milk’s naturally occurring fat
molecules. Once broken, these molecules stay suspended in the milk and resist
separation.
Raw milk usually
separates into 2 layers.
Homogenization allows milk manufacturers to:
- Combine cream and milk so that it does not separate
- Combine milk from different cows (as milk from different cows may not mix well together)
- Filter out fats and lengthens milk’s shelf life
Is homogenization the
same as pasteurization?
Some people may confused homogenization to be the same as pasteurization. However, it is different. Pasteurization involves heating milk at very high
temperature, then rapidly cooled in order to kill off microbial growth. It is
considered by many to be essential in ensuring that the milk is safe for people
to drink.
This post is not meant to dissuade you from consuming milk, but to help you become a more savvy consumer. For myself, I find myself reading labels more and looking out for milk that is noit homogenized. A good place to start could be this website- it has a list of places to get milk that is 'healthier'.
To live our best lives, we need to ensure that we are physically fit and bouncing with energy. Taking better care of our physical body is our responsibility and I believe is the Number 1 self-love thing we can do for ourselves.
With Love,
Yu Ting
