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The Milk Cure 2012Raw Milk Fast
Last year, Paula Jager, owner of Crossfit Jaguar in Tampa Florida, wrote a series of riveting posts about her 15 day raw milk fast. This series on The Milk Cure sparked much interest from readers from around the world who became interested in reviving this age old remedy for improving vitality, bodily cleansing and even reversal of serious illness as practiced in the early 1900's by the Mayo Foundation, a forerunner of the famed Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota.
At the end of Paula's raw milk fast last year, she said that she was so pleased with the results (she had the best bloodwork of her life at the conclusion of the fast) that she vowed to do a raw milk fast every year around the beginning of Spring.
A few days ago, Paula told me that she planned to start her annual raw milk fast very soon. What's more, this year she asked me to do it with her.
My immediate and knee jerk response was, "Uh, fasts don't really work for me. I don't want to lose any weight either, so I think I'll pass."
Paula, being her persistent and tenacious self, continued to work to convince me.
Yeah, you guys think I'm such a hard nose, but the truth is, on most things I'm very much go with the flow. That cooperative middle child thing, you know?
Paula assured me that I needn't lose any weight on the fast unless I tried to. Raw milk from pastured cows is a complete food, a perfectly balanced elixir of highly digestible, nutrient dense fats, protein, and carbohydrates. If you consume an adequate amount of ounces and calories for your body weight each day, no weight loss should occur.
She also assured me that she experienced no hunger or cravings during her fast last year, once again, a strong testament to the complete nature of pastured raw milk, known as "white blood" to physicians that have used it therapeutically.
Still unconvinced, I talked to my husband about it hoping to get a bit of moral support for my decision not to do the raw milk fast with Paula this year.
I got no help from hubby.
As soon as I told him the story, he says, "Hey, what a great idea! I'll do it too!"
At that point, I started to get a teeny weeny bit excited about the fast. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if hubby joined in too. My biggest concern was cooking all this delicious, traditional food day in and day out for the kids and not eating any myself.
Talk about torture!
But, if what Paula told me is true, I shouldn't feel hungry at all.
At that point, I was willing to give it a go.
Then, it hit me. Why don't we do this together as a group for anyone who wants to join in? I know that a bunch of readers would like to do a raw milk fast based on emails I've received about it over the past year, so let's do it as a 10 day raw milk challenge!
The Milk Cure 2012 (Raw Milk Fast)
Here's how The Milk Cure 2012 will work …
Paula and I will start our raw milk fast on March 1, 2012.
Any of you who wish to join us should plan to start on that date as well.
The fast will go for 10 days and will conclude at midnight on March 10, 2012.
The only thing you are to consume on this fast is pastured raw milk. Water of course is fine too, but no other food or liquids but raw milk.
The reason I'm putting this post up a full week before the fast starts is to give those of you who are going to join us a chance to prepare and stock up on your raw milk. You may even need to freeze some if necessary if you don't have access to weekly pickups.
You will need anywhere from 2-5 quarts of raw milk per day per person depending on your current height and weight. If you are trying to lose weight, then drink less. If you don't want to lose any weight, drink as much as you need to stay satisfied at all times.
Paula drank 3 – 3 1/2 quarts per day last year. She is 5'3″ and 117 lbs. Please read her 15 day diary from last year to prepare if you plan to join the challenge. What worked for Paula was a pint of raw milk every 2 hours or so which translates to approximately 2,000 calories per day (if your raw milk comes from jersey cows with tons of cream). If you drink raw milk from holstein cows, you probably should think about adding some additional raw cream to each glass. A cup or so every hour or even a few ounces every 30 minutes works fine too – just adjust the amount and timeframe as it works best for you.
Also, please read about The Milk Cure and how it was used to cure very sick patients at the Mayo Foundation by clicking here.
I plan to drink closer to a gallon a day. I am just shy of 5'7″ and 124 lbs. I do not want to lose any weight so am shooting for 2,500-3,000 calories per day.
Feel free to stop the fast at any time if you choose to join in and discover that it isn't working for you. I told Paula that if I start to lose weight after a few days, I plan to drop out. I lost 8 lbs on GAPS 2 years ago and although GAPS did me a world of good, I don't want to go there again. My digestion is really good right now and I don't have any health issues that I am addressing at the moment, so if this rocks the boat for me too much, I plan to drop out.
Why You Might Want to Fast With Us
I am attempting this raw milk fast as a seasonal cleansing but also to support Vernon Hershberger, a Wisconsin raw milk farmer being continuously harassed by the WI Department of Agriculture and who may even be thrown in jail for the "crime" of producing nutritious food for people who desperately want it.
You might choose to join in to lose some weight. Perhaps you have some digestive or other health issues you want to turn the corner on and start to heal from.
Perhaps you might want to do it for spiritual reasons. Fasting is encouraged by many spiritual disciplines and that may appeal to you.
Whatever reasons you choose to join in are yours and yours alone. You can choose to share them with the rest of us or not.
Each day during the fast, I will post an update on how Paula, my husband and I are doing. My hope is that any of you who are joining in will update all of us with your progress in the comments section.
The goal for this 10 day journey is to have available to the world a written diary of the experiences and observations of hundreds of people of various backgrounds and health challenges while on a raw milk fast.
Will this happen? I don't know.
Maybe it will just be Paula and me and my husband.
I do hope at least a few of you will join us though!
* If you do join in, please be sure to check with your doctor first before undertaking this fast particularly if you are doing it to help resolve any health issues.
Also, do not attempt this fast with pasteurized or even low temp pasteurized milk.
Milk becomes a completely different food once it's pasteurized and many vital nutrients and enzymes are either totally lost or significantly reduced. Pasteurized milk is not a complete food like raw milk is.
Please indicate in the comments section below if you plan to join us starting on March 1 for The Milk Cure 2012! If you want to add your reasons for joining us, that would be cool too but not necessary.
My first update post will be on March 2, 2012 so there will be a one day lag as we write down our observations from the previous day and I post those for everyone to read.
Are you ready? Who's in?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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Comments (330)
Does anyone know what the calorie count would be if the cream was pulled off of the raw Jersey milk? I am very heavy and want to drop about 45 pounds. I am involved in a cow share and love the milk but I do use the cream for my coffee & making butter. We are just getting green fields again I am so excited, beautiful yellow-ish milk is just around the corner. I learned a lot reading this old thread, thank you!
I don't know about the kefir but would guess so!!! no clue on grains – kefir is something i want to get into more but have not – although i do love it.
BTW, my total lost for the 7 days was 11 lbs. my skin was CLEAR. once i started adding food I got my pimples back (60 and pimples – hate it).
Can this be done with whole raw milk kefir? Also are there benefits in eating the grains?
OK, seem to be doing this alone this year, lol…… Started with nothing but raw goat milk, water, green tea and lemons for tea and water. Had been eating terrible so KNEW i had a lot of bloat to get rid of. Started 1/1/14. Lost 4.5 lbs the first day, today is the second day and lost a little under 1.5 lb. I am feeling less bloated but skin has not started to change yet – committed to a week, I will report in in case anyone is interested in the details.
It is not 1/5 and I have lost 8.2 lbs. I had to go out to a business luncheon yesterday to a Thai restaurant, so I picked a veggie soup, some seaweed salad and some steamed veggies – and only ate 1/2 of the last two. I had maybe 4 cups of tea, the rest water.
I am sure if I hadn't eaten the Thai I would have lost more (.2 lb for the day).
My skin has cleared up and I am not feeling as bloated.
2 more days – if all goes well I'll go through the week.
Anyone else doing this this year?
Update: tomorrow is my last full day on the Milk Cure 2014. As of this morning (day 6) I have lost 8.6 lbs – So i have 2 more weigh in days (day 8 am will be weighing for the week before). I feel less bloated and my movements are easier. I am getting a cold (thanks, grand kids!) so don't feel my best. Skin is completely clear. Will update you at the END.
I hope things went well for you! I am going to do one soon.. thanks for posting what you did! 😀
OK – I am planning on doing a goat milk fast for at least 7 days AND PREFERABLY 14 starting 1/1/14. anyone else in?
This is an old thread so I hope it gets a response. Dairy causes me problems unless it is goat milk and cultured or fermented (kefir, cultured buttermilk, soured cream, etc). I assume the milk fast would work as well with these products since your not really adding anything but are making the nutrients more available to the body. Am I correct in assuming as long as it is a raw whole milk product the effects would be the same.
All I can do is state my personal experience – I do very very well on raw goat milk. I find cows milk doesn't have any effects really – not good, not bad – but i feel great on the RGM and my allergies are much improved.
I do well on kefir, yogurt, etc with cows milk though – i feel better.
I find a lot of light skinned Scandinavians say the same thing – I have Danish and Dutch in me and a lot of English – but again, I hear the DOING WELL on DAIRY thing a lot from them.
anyway – try it! see how you feel. everyone's different
Tim Lundeen
The original report from 1929 used Guernsey milk, which is primarily A2. Most US milk is A1. I suspect that a milk protocol would be much healthier with A2/Guernsey milk…
Also, in 1929, the milk very likely had lower estrogen content. Today, cows are milked until just before the calve, and at the end of the pregnancy the estrogen content rises dramatically.
So hope it is all working, if you can find milk closer to 1929 it might be better.
Is this fast only recommended in the spring?
I am game!!!!!! I look forward to doing this fast with raw goat milk.
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does the milk diet work with frozen raw milk?
Would love to participate in a 2013 group raw milk fast! Any planned for this year? Hope so!
Joanie – you are so great to keep me posted. Please tell me how your digestion is, how your body feels. Do you feel strong, rejuvenated, better for doing this cleanse? How does your hair and skin feel? Healthy? Thank you for the post! Blessings to you…
Robin – I felt great. will do it again.
my hair was a little moister but my skin cleared up completely. digestion was great – sleep was good. 7 days, lost 8.5 lbs – NO WAY i could drink my allotted 12 glasses a day to maintain my weight – was lucky to get in 9.
by day 6 though, wanted to CHEW so unsure now long i could do long-term.
but will definitely do again.
Remember, I did raw GOAT MILK though………………
I am impressed Joanie! I am proud of you. I am not feeling so brave, and I don't want to loose any weight at all. Maybe I might try when the weather gets warmer. Keep going and keep us all posted!
Robin – today is the last day – made it all the 7 days i had committed to (tonight's the last night) – not hungry, but looking forward to chewing – will report in on weight in AM but as of this morning it was 7.
I would just figure out how many calories you need to not lose weight and make sure to drink at least that much. if you sip all day you should be fine…..
Well, i am going it alone – I am on day 5 of only raw goats milk, herbal tea and water. My face has cleared up completely. My skin is much softer. My BMs are normal – not rock hard like MY normal – a little less in volume, but i was expecting loose and frequent – I would call them NORMAL (for once). I don't pee more than usual. I am not hungry – if i am, i drink a glass of milk. I figured at 168 calories per 8 oz i could have 11 glasses per day and still lose weight. I have only been able to squeeze in 9 – milk is too filling.
I have lost 6.5 lbs in really 4 days – it is the morning of the 5th day as i write this.
my goal was 7 days – will see if i continue past that.
but will report in the morning of day 8.
I am sold!
Robin, I am planning on using Raw goats milk also – my system does much better on it and i like the taste better.
Hi Sara,
Can you tell me if Raw Goat's milk works the same as Raw Cow's milk? There is no Raw Cow's milk in my area, but Raw Goat's milk.
Thank you,
are you going to do the challenge in 2013? UPDATE US please.
Chris Ruiz
I'm down!!!
Cold milk will dampen digestive fire, according to Ayurveda. It will produce toxins in the system. If you try this, I recommend it be warm milk with spices like cardamom and cinnamon. 2 weeks seems like a very long time. What a shock to the system! I have learned the hard way, never make drastic abrupt changes to our diets.
tsnim arale
hey……l have been trying to loss weight for quite some times arund ma middle part can drinking camel milk help me to improve it…..l need help
I have been making my kids chocolate milk with raw milk, stevia, and cocoa powder. I wonder if I could do a raw chocolate milk fast? Any reason this might not be a good idea? And yes, I need to lose 20 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With the amount of cream in that raw milk you get which looks like half the gallon, has your farmer ever had his milk tested for butterfat %?
I am curious as to how much fat is actually in my milk and I get about the same amount of cream.
If I was to ladle out a cup of cream for another use would that be considered heavy cream or light cream?
I have read so many different reports of the calorie content of Jersey and Guerney milks.
Could you shed some light on the issue please?
I hope the best for everyone on the raw milk diet, I just want to let people know my mother consumed raw milk and came down with Guillain-Barre syndrome from a bacteria called campylobacter jejuni which we found to be in the raw milk. I truly am not here to tell people what to do I just hope people do as much research as they can on something this controversial, always look at both arguments and please know where your milk is coming from, be your own advocate and be safe.
Thank you, Kevin
I don't know HOW I missed this! I would have loved to jump in with my experience. I actually did do a milk cure for 21 days. (I planned on 24, but it was time to stop) One thing I remember was absolutely NO HUNGER…NO CRAVINGS. I cooked and never sampled (hard to do as I am a 'taster' when I cook), I do remember feeling better, but didn't lose much weight. (I did not do it to lose weight, although I need to) I was really hoping to improve my health. I was 64 at the time. I did keep notes, but haven't been able to find them. The above info is just what stuck in my mind.
I am on day 5 and i am getting the results you did. i have NO HUNGER – if i start to get hungry i have a glass of milk. no cravings. i would LIKE something salty about now, but that's it. and a am a sweets ADDICT. i am 59 1/2. My skin is awesome now after only 4 whole days. i have lost 6.5 lbs. nice to know someone "older" did it too……
I just started drinking raw goats milk 2 weeks ago, and I love it! I had to cut my nails 3 times since. I was wondering if you have heard of anyone having succes with Ulcrative Colitis on a raw milk fast?
Not with UC but my husband has Crohn's. They're all in the bowel…so I will tell you that my husband's guts were healed by drinking a couple glasses of unpasteurized goat milk and 2 acidophilous tablets a day (he WON'T eat yogurt).
Sarah, I just started my milk fast yesterday with the best intentions. Got lots of milk, prepared myself for good detox, but… I couldn't last a day. Not because I was hungry, which I was afraid of, but because I felt so bad. I drank two cups in the morning and then again 2 more around 10.30am. I had terrible bloating, diarhea, headaches, stomach ache and felt dizzy. I guess it means I have dairy sensitivity? I never felt this way after drinking milk, but it was never my only food. What are your thoughts on this? I would hate to say goodbye to milk, butter and my milk kefir, but I struggle with asthma and always wondered if allergy may be the cause, even though I tested negative. Help!
I'm not going to list the name, but when I was visiting my daughter in Austell Georgia last week, I found a wonderful place in hereby Powder Springs. Loads of fresh veggies, farm fresh eggs, and milk for your pets.
I'm a little late but I'm heading to get raw milk here today in Tampa to do this milk fast as well. I think it will do wonders for me. Thanks for posting it!
Any issues that you've heard of regarding blood sugar issues? I always eat eggs for breakfast because if I don't I don't feel very good. I drink milk later in the day but not usually for breakfast.
Another question: Would it still benefit one if the milk fast was only once a week or possibly just 2 days?
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I was diagnosed with lactose/casein intolerance decades ago and have not had any dairy since then. Can someone like me drink raw milk?
I have been off gluten two years and off grains one month. My chronic problems with IBS, chrohns, colitis, celiac are much improved. However, still suffer several times a month with severe headache, migraine, neck and shoulder pain.
It has taken so long to heal that I would not want to have a set back.
Thank you for this site!
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I may follow in your footsteps. I read your blog post a while ago, but didn't have a good source of raw milk that met my standards, so i couldn't join in with you. Now I have a great source. I'll go back and read all your posts and links and then try this. I've had chronic fatigue for 7 years and a few other symptoms, and I haven't been able to work or to do much at all. I'm interested in a cleansing fast, and this has so much positive history for helping chronic diseases, that I have to try it.
Thank you for all the helpful information! If I continue with the fast, I'll write again with results.
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I've never liked the taste of milk since I was a child. Is it ok to blend a banana to improve the flavor? I don't want to gain weight, I would like to lose the fat around the middle. I'm 5'3″ 117 lbs. Thank you!
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What amount per day would you recommend for loosing weight for a 6'1″ man? My husband has been trying to loose weight for some time and nothing is working because he says he is STARVING all the time. Wondering if this raw milk diet will work for him. Thanks!
Wendy Haught
My 19-year-old daughter and I are joining, and I am posting about it on my blog. We want to lose weight and improve our digestion. I am also hoping to improve my dry skin.
Megan Bell
I'm joining! I decided yesterday afternoon! Talk about last minute planning. I made the 2.5 hr round trip to my nearest highest quality raw milk farm to stock up late last night. I'm super excited to be doing this with all of you! I'm eager to hear how everyone does!
I'm new to your site, but am so interested and also feeling lost. I'm tempted to do this fast, but am unsure where to start….I live in a suburb of Philadelphia and know of a little health food store that has raw milk, but it's super expensive. Does anyone know somewhere near west Philadelphia to get large quantities of raw milk? I'm really struggling with my relationship with food right now. I feel like I live to eat and I'm dying to be able to get my cravings under control! I feel like a crazy person right now.
Megan Bell
Go here http://www.westonaprice.org/local-chapters/find-a-local-chapter to find your closest WAPF chapter leader. He or she can help you get started!
Lancaster Dairy against the wall in Reading Terminal Market has the cheapest raw milk.
Emily Robinson
I'm in! I can't wait to see the health benefits!
I will be giving this a try. My family has been drinking raw milk for six months now. I am looking to lose a few pounds that I gained after knee surgery and also to just get back to basic real food after the 10 days. I am expecting to not feel great while my body gets rid of toxins but hope it won't be too bad. Thanks for including us.
I am very happy to partake in this fast. I have been wanting to fast for sometime but wasn't sure if I should or not. I recently had a Dr appt and blood work done and my Dr approved so I'm ready. I have been doing the WAP diet for sometime now and have had great results with weight loss and energy. I was 225 and now 195 and at 5'5 would love to lose a lot more. Wish everyone the best.:)
Is there still any benefit if you do the milk fast all day and then eat a small dinner? I have alot of events coming up this next 2 weeks and trying to balance it all correctly. I will say that I fasted the other day for 24 hours and I was not hungry but very tired.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Hi Elise, do whatever you would like to do … this is for each of us to determine the best approach as individuals.
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Just in time! I'm wanting to lose about 5-8lbs and hoping this will help get me down at least 5! It won't be the cheapest fast, but probably cheaper than juicing! I'll try to comment every day to report in on whether or not I have any cravings, etc.
Joyce S.
I am in, too! I am HOOKED but good on sugar and flour and desperate to find a way out. It has been a 40 year battle and I have gained and lost over 1,000 pounds (not an exaggeration) with my yo-yo dieting. I am at about 200lbs now and at 55 years old I am starting to see that I am teetering on the brink of some very serious health issues if I don't get this ship turned around. I feel ready to start even though we are still in winter here in northern Idaho and the cows are on hay. I figure that if the Mayo Clinic used this as a treatment they must have done it in the winter as well as summer, right? Anyway, today I found that the small dairy that supplies our food coop with milk will let me buy the two day old milk that doesn't sell for $5/gallon and affordability was my only hurdle so it seems like this is meant to be. I will take it one day at a time and go as long as I can. I am thankful for the group encouragement.
I hesitate to add another comment since there are So many! LOL
I am going to start tomorrow in earnest to do this raw milk fast. I am going to try to go with 2 quarts per day as I have goals to lose weight as well. I look forward to doing this and am anxious to hear others experiences and successes. Thanks for inviting us to join you Sarah!
hi! I will be doing the fast with you! I'm hoping to get rid of the dry patch of skin on my scalp, The cows I get my milk from are not on pasture right now, but I'm going to start anyway because my scalp is so itchy! Thinking of adding some coconut oil since my milk is a mixture of jersey and holstein.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Don't detox while breastfeeding … it will get in your breastmilk! Wait until you are done.
A couple of questions/thoughts… I'm assuming I still should be taking CLO/BO and do you foresee any issues if I start the fast on the 1st and participate in the Gasparilla 1/2 Marathon on Sunday – March 4th?
I've been told that I shouldn't even drink milk a few days before the race because of potty issues. I'm pretty sure that would only apply to processed milk.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I personally would not be on the milk cure and do a 1/2 marathon. I think this would strain the body way too much. This is a time for rest and rejuvenation folks! Don't overdo.
Rachel Grunder
Hey Sarah!
I decided I couldn't wait to start the fast – my allergies have been bothering me terribly and I just had to see if this fast would help at all.
I have started a blog to track each day on this journey.
It is http://www.myrawmilkfast.blogspot.com
I will also add my most memorable moments for each day here.
For today…I was amazed that my allergies almost completely disappeared! For the last few weeks they have bothered me terribly on and off. My oldest son, youngest son and myself usually always react on the same days. Well, today my oldest and youngest were having reactions pretty badly at times and I did not have any reactions to speak of. Also, I have to say I felt great and had lots of energy for most of the day!! I am amazed at how well the first day went. Thanks for encouraging us to do this!
Rachel G.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
W-O-W!!!!!!! Can't wait to hear more!
That's exciting Rachel! So glad you're joining us.
Linda Forrester
Oh my gosh I think i have just found me some raw wonderful milk ! Cannot wait! I am buying a share of a cow which makes me happy just to think that! I can't start the milk fast on March 1 but will jump in when I can! I just cannot wait !
I'm in! I need to lose about 35 pounds. My main problem is that I don't eat enough nutritionally and am a sugar addict. I'm hoping this will help with both.
I would like to try the raw milk fast too. I have been planning to do a cleanse, to jumpstart weight loss. I have about 100 lbs to lose. I have adrenal fatigue. This sounds like just the thing I need.
Rachel Grunder
Hey Sarah,
I am in…out the door to see you to order some more milk!
Going on the fast to see how my allergies do. At the moment they are going crazy and need some relief. Also want my basal temp to normalize since it is always low.
I'm so excited about doing this with you! I really feel like I need to fast, but cannot take time from work right now. This will be a wonderful test to see how this compares for me to doing a water fast.
Jenny Stufflebeam
I am excited to join you! I have read "Milk Diet" and wanted to get started "sometime", so this is just the perfect thing to kick me into gear.
I talked with my local milk farmer and she said she can provide. Yeah! I may have to include goat milk to get all I need, but that's not a problem for me.
Thank you for including us in the fast!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I'm starting to get excited! Only a couple days away now.
I have an AMAZING testimonial post to go up tomorrow with regard to The Milk Cure. Can't wait to post this for you all.
Sandra Clark
How very serendipitous, I was already planning on starting this next week. Unfortunately, I can't start it on the 1st since my farm order for this week already went out. But I pledge to start (and blog about it regularly) March 8th. I'm planning on a 7 day fast, but might up it to 14 depending on how I am feeling.
I am looking to lose weight. I've been exercising like crazy this past month and haven't seen much momentum. I have been planning on going grain free anyways and this will give me a great kickstart.
I've retreated to "on the fence" re: this.
I have more will power than anyone I know, but I really do like to eat, and I've never tried anything like this. I'd need to order a LOT of milk this week — i think I'd do 3-4 qts per day, so I'd be ordering many gallons of milk.
1. I don't have room in our fridge for it.
2. If I try and fail, I will have wasted quite a bit of money and, more importantly, wasted quite a bit of milk, which I can't stand to do. I cry over spilt raw milk as well as wasted raw milk!
Anybody want to try to talk me back into this? is there an estimate of how many here are actually do this?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
We are keeping extra milk in a large cooler with ice in the garage since we will overflow our fridge as well. You will be using up the milk so fast there isn't much risk of it souring before you use it even if it doesn't stay below 40F in the cooler.
Kenny, those are excuses:) No one loves to eat more than I do. It is not like a regular fast, milk is a whole food. You should have no cravings and no hunger. You will need a lot of milk, I purchased 6 gallons for the week. I am 117 and 5'3″, I plan on 3 to 3 1/2 qts per day. Make room in your fridge, I did. "Try and fail", change your attitude to Do and Succeed.
It's only 10 days, you're supposed to be my workout buddy on this fast.
Sounds very interesting. We have green grass here in Louisiana, however, my cow isn't due to freshen until mid April. I guess I will have to wait.
On another note, I noticed a few people mentioned having Asthma. I have a very close friend whose husband had severe Asthma and was having to use an inhaler numerous times a day. I gave her some kefir grains to make kefir for her husband and even though she made the kefir using pasteurized milk (she doesn't have access to raw milk where she lives), he has not had to use his inhaler since he started drinking it. When I told my doctor about she said that it made since because Asthma is a gut issue and when he got his gut under control, his Asthma cleared up. Just thought I'd share in case someone wants to research kefir for Asthma.
rebecca huff
I am in! I will be doing the bed rest thing as much as possible– since the issues I want to 'cure' are heart related—- I have also just started Earthing and am experiencing great results!
Sarah, are you using any of the Earthing Products? If so, I hope you do an article on it! I purchased their starter kit, with the mat and the half-sheet, and have noticed significant improvement in my varicose veins, edema, and heart arrythmia in just the 3 days since I received the order!
Thanks for all the encouragement toward good health! Rebecca
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Wow, that's awesome Rebecca. I've been kind of on the fence about earthing .. not entirely convinced yet. I want to hear more about your experience.
Louise B
I'm in too! Stocked up on raw milk today. Planning to take my FCLO too and maybe add some home-made kefir from time to time. Gonna take it day by day as I'm concerned about losing too much weight, although i'm guessing this shouldn't happen if i consume the right amount of milk/calories. My 20 month old went straight from breast milk to raw milk and probably still gets most of his calories from it rather than food – he's a perfectly stocky, sturdy, healthy, energetic little boy so it's obviously nourishing him well enough. Just a shame that here in the Southern Hemisphere it's autumn not spring, but I figure the raw milk fast will be a good precursor to starting GAPS and all the bone broth stews it entails, which are so much nicer in winter!
I WANT TO BE IN, i PLAN TO START WITH 3 DAYS AND SEE HOW i DO
Theresa B
I'm in! I've discovered my local grocery store has half gallons of raw milk for $5. The phone and email address for the nearby dairy is on the label so maybe I'll see if I can get it cheaper directly. Would be fun to take a family field trip there!
Heather B
I am day three of my raw milk fast and I am having a lot of charlie horses today. I was wondering if that was normal and what it was from.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Might want to take a magnesium salts bath.
I would like to do this–I live in CA and can easily buy raw milk at our local health food store, but I KNOW my husband will be unhappy with it. I have tried so many diet "fixes" with varying results these last few years and this will just be another one, in his mind. I don't want to expect too much from it–that is where I've run into trouble in the past, but I do have digestive issues–lots of nausea, irregular bowel movements, etc. and a lovely little pouch of fat on my stomach despite being thin (5′ 8″ and 133 lbs.) that I would like to get rid of. Sarah and/or Paula, do you think a raw milk fast would significantly improve either of these issues?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
GAPS would be best for you Michele. Fixing intractable digestive issues takes more than a 10 day raw milk fast. That being said, the fast might provide temporary relief as you rest and gently cleanse your digestive system which is what a raw milk fast is all about in essence.
Renaissance Mama via Facebook
This sounds wonderful! I LOVE raw milk and am really interested to see how my body responds to a raw milk fast.
Megan Fox
I'm in! My farmers are even meeting me between deliveries so I can stock up their wonderful milk! Thanks for the motivation to start this Spring season off right.
Bit of Honey Farm LLC
Check out my facebook page for other raw milk advice. I live in Volusia County ,Florida and have fresh and creamy raw jersey milk for pet consumption only per Florida law.
I love raw milk and I love my jersey girls.. I plan on trying this and will post how I am feeling to my facebook page. I do need more energy. Milking and caring for cows is alot of work but I LOVE it…
Wish I could join in. In Canada, I can get milk shipped from another province. A cowshare costs about $330 for 4 litres/week (about a US gallon at $27.50/4 litres) for 12 weeks. This is for raw grassfed milk only. No cream is available. The cost to increase the cowshares owned would be prohibitive. How long do cows feed on spring grass? Probably only a month? I wouldn't be able to have just spring grassfed raw milk for a diet even if I saved my one jug of milk for 10 weeks. Wish I had access to inexpensive raw milk. Will be following your results out of interest though in the hopes that one day it will become more affordable.
OK! I am totally interested but I JUST read a post you had on the GAPS diet as well. What would the difference be? (I know the difference in the "rules" I just mean as far as outcome.) Its weird. I have always had a stomach pain till I came totally off of milk and then I started raw little by little and soooooo far….. NOTHING! whoo-hoo! I have hypoglycemia that gets bad VERY fast so I have to make sure that I plan NOTHING during this time I guess!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
GAPS is a specific diet for healing the gut wall and reversing any autoimmune illness.
Well… I read this Thursday night and was all gung ho for the first… then I went for a glass of milk Friday morning and decided not to bother waiting So, I'm on day two, now. So far it's going great… I've got a sinus headache, but I don't think it's related I've got quite a bit of weight to lose and a history with eating disorders that gives me a ton of anxiety when it comes to diets… I also have a bad habit of "forgetting" when I've been doing good and eating those chips/drinking that soda and stirring up the cravings all over again. As impressed as I am with GAPS, it's just so complicated and time consuming and that stirs up the anxiety… but it doesn't get much simpler than "drink about a gallon of milk a day," and I always have it with me, so there's no forgetting! (I'm keeping a quart jar with me from 9a-9p and trying to polish it off every three hours) I'm driving out the the farm Monday to pick up a fridge full (milk man won't come again til the 8th) and think I'll make some yogurt, too, to increase the good bacteria.
A PP asked about the heat therapy… I don't have a tub available right now, but there are both sauna and steam room at my gym- would that be a beneficial addition?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I LOVE it. You just go for it. Wonderful.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Just take it easy … rest rest rest. I know Paula is going to work out during her fast but she is in amazing shape. Less than .1% of people are in the shape she's in. Certainly I'm not in her kind of shape, and although I'm not needing to lose any weight and exercise regularly, still I intend to rest and take it easy. Gentle sauna is fine sure, baking soda or mag salts baths would be helpful. Give your body a chance to use the excess energy NOT being used in the digestive process to actually do some good elsewhere in organ systems that might need some TLC.
My tub is pretty small and I am quite long, so baths aren't really a viable option for me, unfortunately. I may swing by for a short sauna early in the week… we'll see. As far as exercise, I'm not planning on doing any more than maybe a short walk- no one would accuse me of being in great shape, so definitely nothing strenuous.
It's the end of day 3, and I still feel great
joelie hicks
Even though I live in SD, I am confident that my raw milk is still great even w/o fresh grass. I will do the milk feast and pray for Vernon Herschberger and raw milk law changes at that time.
This is another blog I found helpful in planning my Raw Milk Cure experience
and you can read from a book on the milk diet
This is perfect! I pick up our milk this Tuesday, so I'll be all stocked up by March 1st Count me in.
how do you know cultured raw dairy (kefir or yogurt) is the same for the milk cure fast? What if something about the cure requires lactose (which is consumed during milk culturing of kefir and yogurt) ? Or some other factor is different. Have you read about someone who did the milk fast with cultured raw dairy? Just want to be sure it's worth doing, as I have to get a ton of raw milk and then culture it before I try this. I'm still healing my gut after 18mos on GAPS and hookworms, so I don't make lactase yet and cant' drink just raw milk. Thanks!!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I don't know for sure Claire, just an educated guess given that traditional peoples usually consumed fermented milk and not fresh anyway in the form of clabbered milk etc. Lactose is indeed important for a developing newborn's neurological system however, for adults who are fully developed I don't see milk sugar as a critical nurtrient. If you feel uncomfortable in any way, then don't try it. Of course, you can always do it for a day or two and see how it goes. I plan to play it by ear myself as I am a fully recovered hypoglycemic (in remission for over a decade) so have never done well on fasts, so I am tentative and will be taking it a day at a time.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
From a comment above .. Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease, by Dr. Charles Sanford Porter, M.D. indicates that use of cultured milk is fine as a variation.
Evelyn – I live in Oregon too. Who do you get your milk from? I am nervous.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Please do not post the names of any farms on this blog. Any that are posted will be deleted.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I don't mean to sound flippant but it does make me scratch my head how folks get "nervous" about raw milk and yet there are recalls galore regarding processed foods with people even dying from these food borne illnesses and folks just go right along and still buy processed foods like nothing ever happened. As far as I can see from the data, no one has died from raw milk in over 13 years (I am going on memory here .. check my post on this with the actual stats if you need to) and there are few food borne illnesses cases with it each year. It is such a low risk to drink raw milk compared to almost every other food out there. People are afraid of the wrong things.
That's for sure. I would be "nervous" about feeding my child Kraft Mac n' "Cheese" or giving them blue Gatorade.
Thank you for clarifying with the data. It helps to put my mind at ease. I am relatively new to raw milk. I would appreciate it if you would please be a little patient with my comments and not take my comments to mean that I am hostile to your ideas or that I think raw milk is inherently dangerous. I recently suffered from a month long sinus infection (due to a neck injury from a hit and run car accident) and am paranoid about getting sick again. I don't eat processed foods (including pasteurized milk or any of the stuff that you have both warned against) and have religiously followed most of the Weston A Price recommendations and suggestions (FCLA, farm fresh eggs, making stock from scratch, soaking grains etc.) for the past two years. I obviously respect and appreciate your ideas. Please do not assume that I am for gatorade and kraft just because I am a little skeptical about a recent incident of campy in an Oregon milk farm. I understand now that this is not a venue to discuss specific names of farm – I will, of course, respect that but I hope you can appreciate that one can be shaken up about trying yet another new thing especially when one has already been ill for a while, after doing so many things right.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
My family had campy last year too. Not from our raw milk but from a restaurant. Bad stuff. I can understand your trepidation. Don't do it if you don't feel comfortable. Doing something in fear is never a good option as it will undo any good the fast is providing.
Melissa Jones Humphries via Facebook
Looking forward to it….!
I'm actually starting today since I had a nuclear stress test yesterday and was injected with a radioactive dye. I want to use this immediately to help with detox and to help with weight loss and general vitality.
Julie Rosin
Sounds great, but my cows and goats won't be fresh until late this Spring. Maybe those of us that can't do it now can do it later in the Spring.'
Julie Rosin
Selby, SD
Rachael Jean Harper via Facebook
I am in. I did this raw milk fast for 12 days after reading about Paula's fast and felt great. Didn't lose a single pound but felt so good that I am ready to do it again. I like green drink fasts also as chloraphil and red blood are identical. Only difference is that red blood has iron at its center and chlorophyl has magnesium at its center. Glad to be fasting to support small dairy farmers and myself
Sarah & Paula,
it seems that you're not really following the Milk Cure therapy from realmilk.com , as they also did heat stimulation and enemas. why are you not also doing these things?
"The therapy is simple. The patients are put at rest in bed and are given at half hour intervals small quantities of milk, totalling from five to ten quarts of milk a day. Most patients are started on three or four quarts of milk a day and this is usually increased by a pint a day. Diaphoresis [copious perspiration] is stimulated by hot baths and hot packs and heat in other forms. A daily enema is given. "
Claire, no I'm not. Those patients had serious health issues and they must not have had to work for a living. I do–I am lucky to get 8 hours "bed rest" when I sleep at night. I do usually get a salts bath or 2 in on the weekend though.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I do epsom salt baths several times a week as a regular practice anyway.
I do epsom salt baths too. I am just so excited about this. The man with the milk is going to be calling me back this evening to set up delivery of my milk! Finally after being off my dairy farm for 20 years finally real milk!
If you check with Trader's pointe creamery they sell raw milk for pet consumption. I used to live in Indy and that is where we got out milk.
My husband and I are infor the fast and have also talked about GAPS for the next step in our journey to health.
Hi Sarah,
In AYURVEDA, it is recommended to always drink milk slightly warmed, like room temperature–never chilled. Chilled milk (ice cold) decreases your AGNI or digestive power and it sounds like this is intended to increase and heal digestive issues. Any thoughts?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Yes, I have heard this before. My doctor years ago (before she moved away) was an Ayurvedic MD. Warmed milk is fine .. just don't heat above 118F as nutrients are destroyed above and beyond that point. 118F is coincidentally EXACTLY the point where you would burn your finger if you stuck it in the pot.
Hi sarah, I live in orlando,fl and was wonderingr if you might know of any where I can find raw milk in this area?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Contact the Orlando Chapter Leader for the WAPF. westonaprice.org (click on Local Chapters)
I'll attempt to do this as well, but will wait for the spring here.
My worry is that I still have to prepare meals for my family. Do you have any tips for this when you yourself are fasting?
I'm in!
Gregory Oehley via Facebook
I always drink my raw milk fast! 😀
Andrea A
Count me in. I'm starting 2 days early though because I'll be leaving the country on March 9. I'm so excited. I wanted to do this last year too but, didn't feel my body was ready. I went to my applied kinesiologist today and my body has said yes . Yay!
I'll give this a try. As stated, if one has a problem, just drop out. But I think 10 days is do-able. It will be fun to read how others are doing on it. I need to lose a little bit of weight, about 10lbs. so this might just be the jump start that will work for me. Let's go!!!! Exciting
I'm in! Raw milk is finally available at my local market and it is sooo good. I'm excited to give this a shot!
I'm going to give it a shot. I may not be able to start until March 3, as our delivery comes on Saturdays and it's too late for this week.
My concern is that I'm really active on the tennis court on a lot of days. If it affects my ability to exercise, I might not be able to keep it up.
I REALLY like to eat so this is going to be a major challenge for me.
Kenny, please keep me posted on how it goes with the tennis. I am keeping my weightlifting and sprints in this year; interested to see what happens as I toned it down last year for no other reason than a little rest for the body overall.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I intend to be a complete couch potato during my fast. LOL
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Maybe I'll surprise myself and walk the 100 yards to the mailbox one day.
Sarah, I forgot to tell you. . . we're doing a workout right before our "milk lunch" to include prowler sprints:)
I've retreated to "on the fence" re: this.
I have more will power than anyone I know, but I really do like to eat, and I've never tried anything like this. I'd need to order a LOT of milk this week – i think I'd do 3-4 qts per day, so I'd be ordering many gallons of milk.
1. I don't have room in our fridge for it.
2. If I try and fail, I will have wasted quite a bit of money and, more importantly, wasted quite a bit of milk, which I can't stand to do. I cry over spilt raw milk as well as wasted raw milk!
Anybody want to try to talk me back into this? is there an estimate of how many here are actually do this?
Rebecca Romans via Facebook
Still snow and cold here in the north for another month or three, and no milk 'til the cows start grazing on that amazing spring grass. I've read some of the history on this as well, 'tis intriguing.
I want to do this–I have never done a fast and don't have that much will power. What are the benefits of doing a 3 or 5 day fast in case I decide to cave into solid food (or wine)? Also, can I drink as much water as I want? I want to lose weight and plan on doing approx 1500 cal/day so I am guessing about 10 cups of raw milk per day.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I've never done a fast for more than a day either, Heather. I am a bit tentative about this also. Not sure how it will work for me but I am trusting in Paula
I'm still nursing our almost 2-year-old but plan to do this as soon as he is done! I'm slightly jealous I can't do it right now. lol Can't wait to read how everyone does/feels each day.
How do you feel about raw milk from Jersey cows that are fed hay, silage, and grain? It is all that is available to me.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
The Milk Cure was historically done with raw milk from cows on grass. Not sure how I feel about that. If it's the best you can find, then it is what it is.
Sarah has it down with her way of life and eating.
You other women crack me up, with "I don't want to gain weight" You worry to much about gaining weight. If you eat and drink the right foods and you gain weight. It will be in the form of solid weight, not water weight. That is what I call Healthy weight. Too thin is not healthy either and if your thin, but have a little pouch then your still not eating right. It does not take much to maintain a healthy weight. And yes you don't have to kill your self in the gym or do long cardio sessions.
I do not agree Jeff. Hormones play an overriding part during menopause especially when your endocrine system is not right. These things must be in line for the metabolism to do its job correctly. If not. You will not budge an ounce no matter what you eat, do not eat or how much time you spend in the gym.
Cathy Linson
Just increased my raw milk order for next week. I have been thinking about doing a raw milk cleanse as I am reading Matt Stone"s ebooks on the 180 degree health website. I am overweight and trying to loose some. I have increased my metabolism by changing my diet, basal temp used to be 95 now it is 98.1. Now I want to cleanse the toxins. I was deciding this morning when to start, then I saw your blog. It's good to have company.
I have done the fast in the past with success and would like to do it again but have concerns since I am now dealing with a sluggish metabolism. Do you think I could do the milk diet with a higher milk/cream ratio to keep the sugar calories low. I notice that I stay full for a long time when I drink cream (such as in my coffee). I can only afford 1500 calories per day. Your thoughts?
Ok, I really want to do this, however, I'm in Canada, so there is zero grass right now. What are your thoughts on doing a milk cure when the cows are not on fresh grass? I was planning on doing it in the spring when the grass started growing again (which isn't until April/May here).
I'd love to do it with a group of people though, how fun would that be?!!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Yes, the group aspect is very appealing and may encourage a few to join in who otherwise would not or at least try it later.
I've decided to wait until the cows are on pasture since that makes more sense to me, in terms of using the best quality milk.
I look forward to reading everyone's posts on how they're doing during the fast! I'm glad you're setting this up – it will be interesting to hear everyone's experiences. Very exciting.
I'm in Ontario too, and am going to wait until May 1st to do this. Rachel – and the other person from Ontario who commented somewhere above – we should arrange our own group!
Stefanie Steele
I think I am in! I am interested in loosing weight with this so how do I know how much milk to drink? I figure if I am going to fast then I can use that time to loose some of the extra poundage I have.
Stefanie Steele
And my mom is going to join me!!! However we are going to start on the 5th.
Count me in for NEXT YEAR. Currently breast feeding.
sara r.
I would love to do this (after the pregnancy (38 weeks now) and after EBF this next baby, but there is NO WAY that I could get that much raw milk. My cowshare is only for a gallon a week, and cowshares are the only legal way to get raw milk around here. How is it possible to get so much raw milk?!
Save some each time you get your gallon and freeze it. Sarah tells how to do that and it's also discussed in a couple of the comments here. I'm finally catching up on reading some of them!
sara r.
That is a good idea, but I only have one freezer and no other way to add a freezer since we rent and space is very limited. Most of the space in the freezer already goes to broth and local meat! I will try to figure out some other way, though! I hadn't thought about freezing, so I might try to find someone else's freezer to borrow Or, try to talk my farmer into giving me more for a short period of time.
I'm kind of bummed that I have to wait another year, actually! I love love raw milk and I think I'd have no problem drinking it for that long.
Could small amounts of cod liver oil or raw liver be consumed during the fast? Should all veggies be avoided too? I incubate my yoghurt using our oven light for 24 hours. Is that too much heat? Should a combination of milk and yoghurt be consumed if we plan to mix it up? Should one wait to shake off a cold or sniffles before starting this fast i.e., should we be perfectly healthy before starting this fast? Thanks.
I don't think being perfectly healthy is necessary. After all, if you read the link to the 1929 article (referenced in Sarah's blog post above, about midway through) you'll see raw milk was used as the Mayo Clinic "cure" for all kinds of illnesses when medical people still had their wits about them and some common sense, too.
I'll be joining you and would love to have a jump start on losing weight. How much raw milk should I drink…..I'm 5'5″….moderately active?
Start with 2, 1/2 quarts. If you don't lose at least a pound per week, reduce gradually until you start dropping. What is your bodyweight?
That's just a baseline. Yep, start with about 1500 and see what happens–do keep you your activity. Please keep us posted through this blog.
Also….I'm 61 years old
I'll definitely keep you posted and increase my activity level I'm in Palm Beach FL on vacation and won't be able to start until March 4th when I return to PA….so my 10 days will not coincide with Sarah's.
Persephone Raynes
Throwing this out to anyone who might have a resource for me – I would LOVE to do this, but I live in Indianapolis, and the only way I've found to get raw milk so far is to be part of a herd share – which is not something I can afford right now, being as I'm only one person. (No spouse or family to feed.)
Does anyone know a way to get safe raw milk in or near Indianapolis so I can try this?
Thanks in advance,
I live about 3 hours north of Indy and the herd shares really aren't expensive. I'm not sure what their might be around you but maybe ask at local health food stores for ideas. Or drive out to the country, find some amish people and ask them.
Trader's Point Creamery sells pet milk, also at their winter market there is an Amish family that sells it. Hope that helps!!
I think I'm in. Although it is not quite spring here in PA the raw milk and cream I get from my local, 13 min away, Amish Farmer is the best quality I have seen. I am starting to see a bit of green around here now so I will be interested to see what our spring milk and cream are like. By the way, my gallon of cream costs me $17. I don't know if that is a good price but it is incredible in my morning coffee. =)
I buy my cream for $10 a quart that makes it $40 a gallon! Which means I don't buy it too often.
=/ Sorry to hear that but I have to admit it makes me happy to know I'm getting such a great price.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
This just hit my email box from Melanie who asked me to post it. WOW, what a testimonial to the healing power of raw milk!
"i have been very ill for 4 years and dropped to less than 70 lbs while losing most of my strength and having debilitating pain. after much research, including on your site, i decided to do a raw milk fast. amazingly, i am on day 97. i have gained 25 lbs and am slowly regaining strength. i would like to post if this might be helpful to others. "
sadhu vedant muni
in our beloved country INDIA there is no availability of pure milk.milk is not here. we are getting synthetic milk.synthetic milk is harmful for health.production and demand varies . we are not getting pure and healthy milk. taking the milk is dangerous in our country, milk based products like curd, ghee KHOA are dangerous for health. it is very common in our country
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Sadhu, I am so very sorry for your situation and not being able to access quality milk at all. I so love my Indian readers – you are such lovers of quality dairy. I am so praying you will have access sometime in the future.
When I heard about Vernon Hershberger, I was going to do a raw milk fast and then wondered if it would be ok to do it for an extended time. I do CrossFit like Paula as well as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Both VERY demanding on the body. I think I will give this a go for two weeks and see how I feel. I've been wanting to do a cleanse of sorts and this may be the way to do it. Thanks Sarah and Paula (esp for all the TMI info from Paula) LOL.
Hi Rick, Please keep me posted on your progress. Last year I scaled back on my exercise but this year I am going to continue full force with my CrossFit training. A coach of mine and an outstanding athlete–young man of 35 did a fast for 7 days last year and had no negative effects on his performance at all. He trains very intensely about 6 days a week.
When I read Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease, by Dr. Charles Sanford Porter, M.D., he recommended doing the diet for several weeks for severe cases of illness, but that was with bed rest. I see no reason why you could not do the diet for a couple weeks with all the exercise, provided that you are healthy to start with, which you must be if you are already doing so much demanding training.
Will do, this is Day one for me. It is almost lunch and I feel great. Did a tough wod this morning and I was missing my backyard bird eggs fried in raw butter… but 3 pints of milk filled me up. I workout over at CrossFit Rebels in Clearwater.
I would totally do it if I had access to more milk! Good luck!
Anabella Kliewer via Facebook
I am excited about doing this fast with you. We have been drinking raw milk for a few months now and we can feel the difference in our bodies. We love it!
You mentioned freezing raw milk in your post. I didn't know that was possible. We have to drive about 1 1/2 hours to get raw milk so freezing would be great. Can you tell me more? Is the texture and quality still the same once thawed? What kind of container can you freeze it in?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
The higher the quality of raw milk, the better and smoother it thaws i am told by grassbased farmer extraordinaire Tim Wightman. My milk freezes and thaws nicely. Sometimes very tiny bits but not many. I do much prefer it fresh though but sometimes freezing is necessary.
Anita Messenger via Facebook
Does anyone here know about a study that the Mayo clinic did in the early 1900's with raw milk diet for curing diseases? A few years ago I read something about this…that they were curing all sorts of things with the patients on just raw milk. ?? Funny how it was just about that same time that the gov. started pushing for pasturized milk…makes you wonder.
Sarah has a link to the study in her blog above.
So quick question. I am toying with the idea of this fast since i just found my local dairy CSA. I am nursing my 11 month old daughter almost exclusively, we giver whatever we eat so far. Would it be okay to fast while nursing?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I am not sure about that, Megan. I don't think I would do it if I were you.
I did the milk fast for two weeks while I was nursing. My milk was never better, but I had to drink a 4-5 quarts/ day. Then a dairy in our area shut down so it was too complicated to continue, but I felt great while I did. I'll do it again next year!
Geez, I just got this in my email and already there are 109 comments, so I don't know if Sarah will even see this or not, but my husband wants to try this and is wondering if buttermilk could also be used for at least 1 serving each day? I have no idea so I said I would ask. I don't have time to read all 109 comments, so if this has already been asked, I apologize.
Also, I'm on the fence about whether or not I want to try it at the same time as him or wait until he's done. That would be a lot of milk between the two of us and our supply is limited. But if I do decide, at some point, to do it I'm wondering if a glass or warmed (not hot) milk with some honey would still be ok before bed? I've been doing this for the past month and it really does seem to help me sleep because I think it must help with hormones or something. I went into real, active menopause about five years ago and haven't had a decent nights sleep since, until I started the milk and honey thing.
Thanks for any info.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Add some raw buttermilk in if you would like, that would be ok I am thinking.
Is it feasible to do this for a shorter amount of time? or is there a reason for the 10 day duration?
jason and lisa
if i had to guess i would say it's the same with any fast.. you have to do it long enough for the body to purge the "junk" and cleanse itself.. otherwise it wouldn't be much more than just drinking a glass between meals.. as always though, the more fresh milk you can drink the better..
hope this helps,
-jason and lisa-
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Of course. Just take it a day at a time. That is what I will be doing also.
Mary Kate Reilly-Gabriel via Facebook
I hope this will help me with my asthma. That is what I am praying for.
Erika Dachauer
I went from using my Xopenex inhaler 3-4 times a day to not using it all. I take 2Tbsp. of raw Apple Cider Vinegar (I like Bragg's) a day. You can mix it with 8 oz. water and a teaspoon of raw local honey to sweeten it a bit if needed or just do the shot. Works like a charm, although if I stop taking the ACV, my asthma comes back eventually…..which is one of the reasons I'm considering doing the milk fast with you all…..need to think on it some more before commiting though.
Erica, Do you have any info you could share about using ACV to treat Asthma; I'm sick of having asthma and want to treat it naturally. thanks, Joyce
Erika Dachauer
Honestly Joyce, I was just looking around EarthClinic.com and typed in asthma and just started reading….I was desperate because I was out of my prescription Xopenex inhaler and I thought, what the heck, why not try what they're saying worked for them!?! I didn't hold out any hope whatsoever and lo and behold, the next day I didn't need an inhaler, and I didn't need it to go to bed that night, and the next day I didn't need it either and started wondering if it was a fluke….I started taking it every day and as long as I took it once a day, I was fine. I know it didn't cure it completely because when I ran out of the ACV and didn't go buy any, I was about a week without it and I started needing to use my inhaler again at night to go to bed. Not back to 3 or 4 times a day though. I think I'm going to have to do something a bit more drastic in order to really cure my asthma…..maybe GAPS? I don't think I have the stick to it to do that though. Good luck!
Renee Wheeler via Facebook
Thank you Sarah, I'll check it out
I would love to also participate in this. I've looked and looked for raw milk sources, but here in Louisiana it is illegal. I also know that SOMEBODY has to sell it. Does anyone have a source. I'm in southeast Louisiana above New Orleans.
I live in the Beaumont area and would love to know where to get raw milk. Thanks for any help you can offer. Grass fed beef is also something I am interested in, or organic veggies.
If you really want to get the benefits of "pastured" raw milk, don't you think you should wait another month or so until the cows are eating rapidly growing green grass instead of just eating hay and scrounging for a bit of green that may be popping up out in the pasture?. I suppose where you are living it might be rapidly growing right now, but here in central Midwest, that isn't until the middle of April. I plan on trying a milk fast at that time.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
The cows are eating rapidly growing spring grass already in the South with the early spring we are having. You should see how yellow the butter is and how beige the cream!
I second this! Actually, our butter has been pretty close to orange. Even the milk is a little yellow!
Tiffany (As For My House)
What an AMAZING idea! I am so, so with you in spirit.
Sadly, in Mississippi, we have NO raw cows milk available. If you go TO a goat farm, you can buy raw goat milk, at a horrible price. Even the Weston Price leaders around the state had no suggestions. *sigh*
I wonder if driving across to Alabama or Louisiana I might find anything… Anyone know??
Tiffany (As For My House)
Wow, apparently Alabama and Louisiana are worse. What's wrong with the South?!
Gigi O'Brien Robles via Facebook
Would love to do it, but there is no raw milk available in New Jersey.
Erika Dachauer
We used to live in New Brunswick, NJ and needed raw goat milk for my newborn who I couldn't nurse. We drove to Pennsylvania and bought 26 half gallons at a time to freeze for him. The name of the farm was Hendricks Farms & Dairy in Telford,PA. They also have raw cow milk, cheeses and grass fed organic meats, eggs, etc… look 'em up!
Erin Angelats
I am in. I love my raw milk and have been avoiding GAPS because I would have to give it up for a while. What are your feelings about using the kefir we make from our raw milk? I love the tang….
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Raw kefir is fine as long as there is not heating above 118F involved.
how do you know cultured raw dairy is the same for the milk cure fast? What if something about the cure requires lactose (which is consumed during milk culturing of kefir and yogurt) ? Or some other factor is different. Have you read about someone who did the milk fast with cultured raw dairy?
Thanks for your help.
I have read Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease, by Dr. Charles Sanford Porter, M.D. He discusses minor variations of a standard protocol that he used with great success for 41 years in his practice, and many include the use of cultured milk in the place of some of the regular milk. He also says that if you can find clostral milk, that is even better for healing.
Sarah, I was intrigued by Paula's posts last year. I don't have any specific cure I'm personally looking for, but I do expect to feel better overall. I eat a traditional foods diet, but I think I probably have some thyroid issues and a low metabolism, and not that much energy, so I expect it can only do good for me. After reading the aforementioned book this summer, I decided that I would like to attempt the milk diet this spring. I will be doing it after you, though, because the grass here in Wisconsin is not ready. Actually, I am so glad you mentioned that you are doing this partly in support of Vernon. He is my farmer, and I am so concerned about what is happening between him and the government recently.
Looking forward to reading your updates!
Lisa Z
I would love to take part, but being in a snow-covered part of the world (southern Canada), I do have a concern. Our cows are eating hay at this time of the year, and won't have a steady supply of grass until at least May. Will the dry grass/fresh grass have an effect on the quality of their milk? At this point, I think I will pass on the March 1 date and try the fast in May, so that I can get the most nutritious raw milk for my cleanse.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I would wait … the milk here in the South (with the early spring we are having) is very very beige with tons of cream as the cows are feeding on rapidly growing spring grass at the moment. When you do this you really do want the most nutrient dense milk possible.
Oh, I can't even afford enough raw milk to do the fast with you, but I sure wish I could. No weight issues or health concerns at the moment. Still it might make me less tire or more focused. I really am angry at the way the FDA is raiding clean raw milk farms when the whole reason store-bought milk is pasteurized to begin with is due to being produced on dirty factory farm.
I am in ,I have about 200lbs to loose and have to start somewhere. I am a 41 year old single mother of 4 (5-14 yrs) and I work in the public school system. I am on 1.5 pills of ERFA thyroid a day. Although my bloodwork in the fall was all within normal, and my BP is high normal I am sure I am premetabolic and I would like to conquor my demons that have manifested in a lifetime of being the chubby toddler, fat kid, the "aww such a pretty face…shame" girl, and finally the huge woman. We have been drinking raw milk for almost 2 years now and need to up the health notch. I will share these 2 things about raw milk. 2 years ago I had cellulitis in my leg, from my ankle right up to just below my knee, after waiting for 6 hours in a hospital and then receiving 1 hour of IV anti-biotics the pain was akin to labour in my lower leg. I sat in the middle of the night in agony, then I remembered my g.granma putting butter on a wound…I remembered I had some milk that was a bit off in the fridge. So I poured some milk in a bin and put my leg over the top and draped a soaking cloth over my shin, i resoaked the cloth constantly…within the hour the burning ,pulsating infection had calmed enough for me to sleep. I wish I had thought of that before the infection had gotten that bad. Also, just a few weeks ago I burned my palm when I was starting the woodstove in my mums house. I had accidently held a log with live coals in my hand ( dont ask??) anyway it hurt like hell, and I need my hands! Mum had no aloevera so I was paniced what to put on other than a clean wet cloth…then I remembered my g.grandma…I had just made some raw not salted butter for my mum so I took a butterknife a smeared and large dollop over my burn, then rolled a cold soaked facecloth and held it in my hand. Again, under an hour the BURN had stopped, I kept rewetting the coldcloth, but the butter had hardened on my palm …there was not even a blister formed, that night there was no pain and at the end of the week the skin peeled off and there was barely a mark! We are working on soon having our own Jersey gal we can depend on
Okay Sarah, I'm in! Of course, I am just starting my whole family on GAPS, so don't know how this will work… And I think I will have to include a morning tea, but that's it.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Oh yay! Maureen .. so glad you are joining us!! After reading David Gumpert's blog from today, my fast is becoming more a solidarity thing with Vernon than anything else. There was a reason Paula and I decided on March 1 it seems!
Elisabeth Carrozza Wilkins via Facebook
Wish we could buy it here.
HHE Fan
have you checked: http://www.realmilk.com? they have locations listed where you can find it.
Interesting. How about sheep milk? That's what I am able to easily find raw here in Greece/Athens.
I use it mostly for raw kefir but have also drunk about a quart during the year to see how it feels.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Raw sheep milk???? You are sooo lucky. Of course you can use that Antonis!
My favorite cheese in the world is made from raw sheep milk.
Christine Ten Eyck Myers via Facebook
@martha Lynn – I have been a doula and childbirth educator for over 10 years – I would not recommend this fast when nursing. You can get all the calories you need, but for good milk production you also need vitamins and minerals not present in raw milk. Just my opinion.
jason and lisa
mmmmmm.. jersey milk in the spring!! nothing better..
-jason and lisa-
I would like to do it and was planning on doing it once I read Paula's posts. But I am breastfeeding my almost 9 months old son and probably would not be a good idea to fast right now. Will certainly do it once I am done nursing thou! And I look forward to it, I love RAW milk
I would definitely do this if I weren't nursing!! Not sure the baby would appreciate it if it effected my supply, he on the other hand says he will be happy to continue on his raw (mama's) milk fast ;).
I would be interested, but will have to wait till my goats kid and produce enough milk to support it. I'm currently getting raw cow milk from a friend, but can only get 2 gallons a week – not nearly enough for our normal use, let alone doing this fast! I'm interested to see how it goes for everyone
Sarah, I have a question about the quality of milk. All the raw milk producers in my area fed small amounts of grain to the cows. Is that okay or do I need to steer clear?
There is a 100% grass fed farm that uses an old pastureization technique that heats milk to 150 degrees. Im going to assume that can still kill benefical things in the milk.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I know not everyone agrees with me on this, but I am ok with small amounts of grain fed to primarily pastured cows (for example, a bit of grain at milking time only). I would choose the raw milk from cows fed small amounts of grain to 100% grassfed that is pasteurized.
jason and lisa
agree.. we have three local farms.. two do light grain while milking and the other is grass fed only.. all three taste great.. of course we are still looking for land so we can have our own jersey cows and use our separator to get fresh ultra heavy cream.. mmm..
modern day homesteaders at heart,
-jason and lisa-
I grew up on raw milk and our cows got a small amount of grain at milking time. Never had problems and me and my siblings all had great health!
We get our raw milk from cows who get a small ammount of grain, and have still seen HUGE improvments to our health.
Renee Wheeler via Facebook
Ditto on not having access to raw milk here in Ontario. But one day I will have my own cow and I will certainly join in.
Mikki Coburn via Facebook
Weren't you just on the GAPS diet?
I stay away from dairy products, as they irritate my bowels and my respiratory system. I can get away with butter and a little cheese now and then, but stay away from cow milk, yogurt, etc.- I am afraid to drink milk, but would raw milk give me the same problems?
Tiffany (As For My House)
For many people, even pasteurized milk that is not homogenized is MUCH easier to digest… The way the fat is in the milk is something usable, digestible and recognizable by our bodies. I would assume that raw milk is even more so!
After reading this and all of the comments I now remember why I ended up finding WAPF and wanting to just eat real food, real food, not a diet or a fast. What is wrong with us Americans anyway? Are we the only people on the planet that jump on every new diet and food fad or what? I agree with Michael Pollan. We have a National Eating Disorder and yet another fad. I am reminded of some from the 1960's. Anyone remember the grapefruit and egg diet? How about the banana and milk diet? It wasn't raw milk, but maybe this raw milk fast fits into those? Have fun, but I'm out. I lost 14 pounds over several weeks just changing to real food and have kept it off eating real food and exercise for over five years.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Mikki, pastured raw milk IS a real and complete food. It gives you everything you need just the same as eating a meal. I am not a fasting fan either and have never done a fad diet not even once in my life. I do understand the danger of staying away from fads. Remember though that The Milk Cure was used by the Mayo Foundation as a way to rest the digestion of very sick people to heal them. This is not something that just got made up yesterday.
It is not a "diet" or a "fad". It is a cleansing for the body. An ideal time is spring for many reasons just as you may clean out your house and rid it of excess clutter in the spring. By resting our digestive system and allowing it to rid ourselves of some toxins accumulated in the winter. This practice has been around for centuries.
I'll have to re-read again. I think I missed what you were going to do it for, cured of what? Yes, I remember the milk cure from reading, like for asthma, severe gut issues. Did the GAPS diet not work for you? I pondered it, but geeze, 1-2 years and no eating out?? I do need some sort of social diet! 😉 At least the milk cure is for only 2 weeks, not 2 years! I sure do like drinking the bone broth daily though, one good thing I got out of the GAPS diet, though never went on it. I'll be following your progress then, but not joining you.
Hi Sarah,
If raw milk is a real and complete food, why couldn't a nursing mom do this? Especially if the child is over a year old and able to eat food? I have been wanting to do this fast myself but wanted to wait until the cows are eating fresh grass. I am still nursing my 16.5mo. Either it is a real and complete food or it isn't. Why wouldn't it be safe for older children to do the fast for the same reason? I think it would be a great way to transfer to a new way of eating. I have yet to investigate much on the GAPS diet. I do know that our family has dietary/health issues but how to solve them when Doctors don't know anything except to prescribe a drug.
I'd like to do the fast but I'm up in Wis. and there's no pasture here yet. Our family is a member of Vernon's group and love raw milk. I'll be going to his workshop on Thursday and taking the children to the court house on Friday with signs a blazing in support of Vernon and raw milk.
Mydarlings Forreal via Facebook
Raw milk boiled?
Rebekah Mcgregor via Facebook
Thank you Sarah! Thank you! I will be talking to my hubby tonight!!!
This is my kind of fast! The reason I struggle with fasts or losing weight is having to consume less milk. I love my raw milk. Thanks for the challenge!
Hi Sarah,
I'm on the full GAPS diet right now, but because of adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues, have had no luck whatsoever with weight loss. Do you think it would be wise to take a little ten-day break from it for this fast? My digestion is quite good at the moment.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I really don't know Jade. That is entirely up to you.
MarthaLynn Albritton Manterfield via Facebook
And by fat, I mean *fast. Sigh.
i'm going to give this a try…
Sarah, what do you think of a facebook group for those of us that are going to give it a shot? We can share our stories, thoughts, feelings and successes (or failures).
I think it'd be great to have a worldwide support system. If we do, it should probably eliminate the word "raw"…
let me know what you think
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I would prefer to bypass FB due to the continual privacy issues surrounding it. Let's keep it here in the comments section of the blog.
I've seen a couple people ask but nobody has answered so I'll ask it again. Would using raw homemade yogurt on the fast be okay? I absolutely cannot choke down plain milk. I always gag. But I've been wanting to try this fast for a long time, just not sure how to work around that aversion. I suppose a raw chocolate milk fast wouldn't work as well? I could probably live on chocolate milk for the rest of my life!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Yes, that should be ok as long as its *truly raw* yogurt and not heated yogurt from raw milk.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
No chocolate!
by heated yogurt from raw milk what are you referring to? I heat my raw milk to 110, then culture it with warm heating pad 24 hours. Is that then not considered raw milk yogurt?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
110F is fine .. still considered raw yogurt. Anything over 118F would not be raw anymore.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
No sweeteners in the yogurt either!!
So happy to hear that! I can't join you on the 1st but I'd like to try it sometime very soon. I will definitely be checking out the posts!!
Great! my yogurt is raw milk and existing yogurt so I'm good to !!
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
@Renee you can obtain raw milk in Ontario. Please click here to find out info about Cow Share Canada: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffoodrightsalliance.ca%2FCowshareCanadaAppl.pdf
Lois Nickell via Facebook
I can't get raw milk in Ohio it is illeagle, I would do this fast in a minute if I had acess to the milk.
It isn't illegal in Ohio. You can legally get raw milk by purchasing a herdshare. I get my raw milk in Mt. Gilead. The WAPF leader in Columbus recommended the farm to me.
I also get my raw milk from a small farm in Mt. Gilead OH by owning a share. There are many places in Ohio that offer great quality, 100% grass fed raw milk. Good luck finding one
How many calories are in a cup of raw Jersey cow's milk?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
approximately 150
MarthaLynn Albritton Manterfield via Facebook
I'm considering doing this. We currently consume a gallon and a half a week as a family, so I'll have to get more if I will be drinking half a gallon or more a day… I was actually wondering if it's ok to do this fat while nursing… I can't see why not, but I wanted I make sure before I committed. Also, to you ladies who live where raw milk sales are illegal: raw milk sales in Ky (where I am) are illegal, as well, but buying into a cow share is not. We own a share and the milk we get is technically ours, so you may look into those regulations and be able to get around the legalities.
Jan Nachtigall via Facebook
If you trade I don't think it is illegal, we gave milk to a neighbor with eggs, A friend of mine stopped producing breast milk and found a woman with goats and got raw milk from her (in Fort Collins CO). If you search you can find it, you just have to be careful. One cow can support several families, ours produced 5 gallons a day. So share or find one that can share too, There always seemed to be extra, cats do well when there is a milk cow around.
Christine Ten Eyck Myers via Facebook
I did this for 6 days last year. It was awesome for my body and also taught me a lot about my relationship with food. I'd recommend it highly, and I'm considering joining you!
Sherry M
BTW….I am in the Brandon FL area. So, since you have been in this area for awhile I was hoping I wouldn't have to do trial and error on the good stuff!
angie h
I really want to do this but in ohio I don't have access to raw milk
You can buy a herdshare in Ohio to obtain raw milk legally. Ask your WAPF chapter leader for recommendations or go to realmilk.com to find a source.
Linda Forrester via Facebook
Yeah illegal here in WY too….. I don't understand.
Sherry M
I would LOVE to do this, but can't at the same time as you. I will be out of town (new grandbaby) for a good part of it, but I think I will follow your posts and do it when I return to FL mid March. I am very new to the area and found a source of milk, however I can only get one gallon of it every other week I found another source to get some from, and it is Jersey, however they supplement with feed that isn't organic so I am torn about whether to use it if I can possibly find another source. Any help you could give me for another source would be great! I look forward to "watching" you do this!
I would love to join in on this but what about goats milk that is what we drink? Also is there a chart for height and weight as to how much to drink? I would love to loose a few pounds thanks…..
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Raw goat milk is fine! Actually, I plan to drink both raw goat and raw cow milk during my fast as I mix it up with the 2 of them most days anyway preferring goat milk for some things and cow milk for others. I am just such a raw milk snob, aren't I? LOL
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
You will have to determine that yourself. You can figure out the calories of the milk and then apply to what would be the appropriate number of calories/day for your height/weight.
That's what I did last year. Start with a set amount (approx 2-4 qts). On the lower side if you are smaller and/or want to lose weight. If you are losing appropriately, keep it there. If you are gaining, back it down. I plan on starting with about 3- 3 1/2 qts per day. I want to maintain my weight and I usually consume around 2200-2500 cals a day, I'm fairly active. I will adjust as necessary.
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
@Gene if you click on the link in the post to Paula's diary from last year, she describes coming back on solid foods very well.
Tara McMillan
My son has Autism, and regular milk isn't tolerable. I have heard of camel milk helping but it is so much more expensive than raw milk. I think I can do this by myself, but also do a trial for my son – he has vaccine injury so I wonder if this will help. I have tried many things to help my son, maybe this will help? No harm in trying when its a completely natural food.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I really don't know about this for children. My children will not be participating. For your child, the GAPS diet would be the best bet, I think as it is designed by a medical doctor for healing of the gut particularly for those with autoimmune issues such as autism.
Oops, we posted at the same time! Sorry!
Tara McMillan
yes he has been on gaps, but I havent seen any difference.
I have thought about low oxalate but havent tried it.
– maybe we need to start again
Have you tried GAPS for your son? I know someone who also has a son with Autism, and just taking him off grains made a HUGE improvement.
@ Shanonn go to realmilk.com It's a great resource when finding raw milk in your area.
By the way guys, that's an absolutely adorable picture!
Gene Hill via Facebook
Looking forward to reading about your results. I posted a question on the web site. I wanted to know how you would return to your regular diet at the end of the milk fast. It doesn't seem like you would just want to jump back into your previous diet regardless of how nutrionally sound it had been. What would happen if you did?
thehealthyhomeeconomist via Facebook
@Shannon Go to realmilk.com and click on Georgia to find producers in your area. Note that raw milk is GA is sold for pet consumption only per state law.
My question is this: When you end the diet, how do you return to solid foods? I don't think a sudden return to what you were eating, regardless of nutritional quality would be advised.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Check Paula's diary from last year .. she describes coming back on solid foods very well. Link in post above.
joelie hicks
Milk is a whole food, unlike juice.
Jan Nachtigall via Facebook
I grew up on it, and by that I mean I milked the cow, I don't really remember be sick as a child, it wasn't until I moved off the ranch and started eating the crap in the 90's that was available in 'town'. I think I want another milk cow now, milking her was not that bad, you can just never go on vacation, have to milk the cow twice a day or she dries up.
joelie hicks
Jan, plan your vacation around the time your cow will be dry. And teach a good friend to milk her in case of emergencies.
Shanonn Thompson Hale via Facebook
How do you find raw milk in GA?
Go to this link: http://realmilk.com/where02.html#ga
What part of GA? I've found many suppliers aren't on that website. If you can't find any, don't give up. Find people that live around you with the same mindset. Local WAPF chapter?
If you're in North GA I can give you recommendations.
TIna C
I have suggestions for farms east of Atlanta, west of Atlanta, and in Coweta County GA if you need them. All the raw milk in GA is listed as for pet consumtion.
Do you know of any farmers near Columbus, Georgia by chance, Tina (or anyone)?
Okay…Count us in! My husband and I will start on March 1st. I may even get my 16yo to join us. I'd like to share this on my blog…may I copy some content from your post here and link to it as long as proper credit is given? Also, we use our raw milk to make kefir, yogurt, etc. Can we include those or is it only milk?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
YES, spread the word! I would like this series to become a real testimony to the wonders of pastured raw milk with many, many people participating. Take THAT, data manipulating, stat fudging CDC!
LOL, Sarah! You're so funny. 😀
But I suppose it's because you just say what we're all thinking! 😉
Great! I'll blog about it this weekend. It's on my Facebook page @ The Woodwife's Journal. I wondered about the yogurt etc. we make from the raw milk.
LOL, that's what I love about you!
rebecca huff
If we do the fast should we go off our other supplements like: FCLO/BO, or other herbs, etc…?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I am not going to take any supplements during the fast. If you would like to, that is your choice based on observation of your own personal situation and what you best need.
FYI, I took out all supplements last year during the fast and plan to do so again this year.
How funny, I just read all of Paula's posts from last year on the milk fast and was planning to ask you about it today. I am currently breastfeeding my 11 month old daughter and I'm curious if that means I shouldn't do the milk fast until after I'm not breastfeeding anymore. My daughter does eat foods other than breastmilk, but she gets a majority of her nutrition from breastfeeding and not from eating. I also am doing the fermented cod liver, skate liver and butter oil supplements from Green Pastures (in case that matters). Thanks so much Sarah, I greatly enjoy your blog and recipes!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Not sure I would do this if you are breastfeeding
Sounds like a good precursor to starting GAPS (I've been making excuses to avoid intro for months, but I know I need to just do it…) and a great excuse to actually drive out to the farm that produces my milk (thanks to my milk man, it's not cost effective for a normal week). I'd considered the CO fast, but… ick. Milk seems much more doable Now… where to put a dozen gallons of milk?
Elise Sampson
I have been giving excuses to starting GAPS as well. I think this could be a good way to start too and get off the eating of sweets that started with the holidays. OK I'm in!
I would, but i am trying to lose weight and am currently in the middle of the hCG diet (my 4th round). But i have heard good things about this. Best wishes.
Just curious…How do you stay so thin eating so many healthy fats and foods?
We eat traditionally…soaked/sprouted, grass-fed, coconut oils/milks, raw milk, etc. but i find it very difficult to lose weight…if anything, I've gained eating this way (although, eating healthier).
I guess portion control and eating in moderation, right?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Fats keep you thin!!!! This is the secret so few get it seems. I never worry about what I eat .. I eat exactly what I want when i want to eat and and eat as much or as little as I want. If I feel like stuffing myself, I do. If I'm not that hungry, I don't eat much or at all. I think a big key is that what I eat is whole and nutritious and little to no calories are empty. I do have my treats from time to time though I am a big subscriber to the philosophy that food is to be enjoyed.
Jennifer -I'd check for hormone issues. I used to be very thin (5'8″ 130 lbs) and ate whatever I wanted including refined carbs and sugars. After my second child, I was 145 -150 lbs and could not lose the weight, despite moderate exercise and doing a low carb, high fat WAP diet with moderate calorie restriction. If I eat when I'm hungry and include carbs, I get up past 150. I recently found out I have adrenal fatigue and high cortisol which makes it nearly impossible for me to lose weight. I'm trying to fix my issues now, but progress is quite slow and I am a bit depressed being 20 pounds above the weight I have always been while eating healthier than I ever have )-: Thyroid and adrenal issues are usually the root of a slow metabolism so maybe get tested at your local chiro or naturopath,
Have you tried Phosphatidyl serine (PS) http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/ps/ ?
It is supposed to be great for lowering high cortisol levels (and thus promoting weight loss) and actually has been been useful in regulating Cortisol Levels; whether too high or too low. This is from the Stop The Thyroid Madness Website. Might be worth a shot!
Take care,
Thanks Joyce! I've tried seriphos and it helped me sleep, but didn't help with the root issue. I know high cortisol is from inflammation, so I need to find the cause of that and keep working!
Ming The Mucilage
This message is for A.B. below. I hope she sees it. Joyce, if you see it first, perhaps you can PM it to her.
The solution to a sluggish thyroid and overactive cortisol is oxytocin. Order it in its nasal spray version and spray one blast up each nostril at the start of your day. Stress vanishes, cortisol production stops, cravings fade, and weight goes down. I've been taking it since the last week of May 2013. It's September 2013 as I type this, and I lost 36 pounds and counting.
Also very useful at road rage
You smile and let bad drivers slide right on by.
HI AB.–I hate to ask; have you tried eliminating gluten from your diet? I have a friend who is a firm believer that almost everyone with Adrenal Fatigue has gluten issues. I have been gluten-free to the best of my ability (excluding hidden causes) for 10 months, but it hasn't helped my Adrenal Fatigue. However, I do have Asthma and mild Sleep Apnea and am going to pursue the sleep apnea issue now as a root cause, because if you never sleep properly your body can never heal itself. It's a shot in the dark, so who knows.
Also, the Janie, the blogger from Stop The Thyroid Madness used Cortisol to treat her HIGH cortisol levels as it helped her adrenals to rest and stop producing Cortisol surges. What have you tried already?
Could it be that you are eating the wrong kinds of carbs like from grains? That is becoming a huge issue to many people.
Sarah also has a good metabolism. She is a fireball, burning energy standing still–although I don't think she does that very much:)
Curious what your treats are
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Homemade treats made with natural and whole sweeteners. I've posted many of them as recipes if you click on recipes tab in the header above and click on the sweets and treats in the pulldown menu.
Sounds like fun. And perfect for Lent. BUT should I wait this one out? I'm 7 months pregnant.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Definitely do not do this if you are pregnant.
I am nursing a 10-month-old, although she eats a fair amount of solids as well. She's a big night nurser, though. What do you think?
Never mind, I just saw that Angel below and I are in the same boat and saw your recommendation.
Beth Stowers
This could be good!
Last year, I did a coconut oil fast for 6 days. It was a bit intense. (The taste started to get to me, so toward the end, I mixed coconut oil with a bit of chicken broth when I took it to make it a bit more palatable). I did this instead of a juice cleanse to kick off a bigger cleanse I was doing.
I need to make sure I am eating enough carbs and I'm sure that raw milk would give me enough carbs each day. Do you know offhand if the carb amounts for raw milk is the same as pasteurized milk?
Thank you!
It's about the same, though in my experience, it can sometimes taste even sweeter! But anyhoo, it is definately NOT a low-carb food. In fact, I can't even eat more than a little bit of unfermented cow's milk without gaining weight! (I'm VERY sensitive to things with disacherides.)
Speaking of which: could I do this fast with raw yogurt? If I did unfermented milk, I would probably gain weight, rather than lose it, unless I really cut back on the ammount I was drinking to about 1200 calories a day.
Whoops, missed a c and an a in "disccharides." I swear, I really am an intelligent person! 😀
Beth Stowers
Thanks Ariel! I looked and raw milk can vary a bit more with carbs because the fat ratio can vary (much more than pasteurized milk that has an "industry standard" for the amount of fat it has). The fat-carb-protein ratio depends on the cow (and maybe some other things, I suppose), although it may not be a huge difference. I have to check again on what cows our local raw dairy has.
I do have to eat carbs, a very good amount of them. I have done too much low carb dieting/low-cal dieting and I'm working to get my body on track. I have no problem eating fat though. 😉 I might have to sit it out.
Good luck on the diet!
Thank you, Beth!
I don't suppose we could have unsweetened coffee with that first serving of milk every morning?
I need to lose quite a bit of weight and I'm wondering if this could give me a good kickstart.
If I do it, I'd have to start and end a day earlier than you, as my hubby's birthday and a fundraiser dinner are both on the 10th.
And my hubby will think I've gone wackadoo.
So far, the closest I've found is organic, pastured whole milk – but unfortunately it's pasturized.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
You can drink coffee if you like. It's your fast Might be good to see if you could do without though?


text:
A Three Round Authenticated Group Key Agreement Protocol for Ad hoc Networks
Group Key Agreement (GKA) protocols enable the participants to derive a key based on each one's contribution over a public network without any central authority. They also provide efficient ways to change the key when the participants change. While some of the proposed GKA protocols are too resource consuming for the constraint devices often present in ad hoc networks, others lack a formal security analysis. In this paper, the authors propose a simple, efficient and secure GKA protocol well-suited to ad hoc networks and present results of their implementation of the same in a prototype application.
Provided by: INRIA Topic: Security Date Added: Aug 2010 Format: PDF

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Andrew Patton
I am a web programmer and developer at Brandcast. I build web things: web applications, NPM modules, CMS plugins and themes, interactive and responsive UIs, semantic and maintainable HTML.
In my free time, I like to mess with music and video projects, and when feeling ambitious, share them. Also, I love fermentation and the wonderful things it produces.
Keeping a low profile.
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