why can't I drink raw milk

[moonlight mom]

I finally bought raw milk and everytime I have a glass I feel really ill - mostly fatigue and bloated. I've never had a problem digesting dairy and consume large amounts of butter and half and half daily. What is going on? Should I give up or try smaller amounts?

[AJP]

It's possible one of the organisms in that particular milk (and all raw milk will have native organisms) is throwing your digestive system for a loop. That doesn't mean it's bad, just something to which your system isn't accustomed. If it was me, and I was confident in the cleanliness and purity of the raw milk source and wanted to be able to drink it, I'd try easing into it by having only a small amount daily and gradually increasing over some weeks. But I'd want to be really sure of the source first.

[Llyra]

How do you do with pasteurized milk? Or ice cream?

Reason I ask is that you mention butter and half-and-half. But butter has almost no lactose at all, and half-and-half has a lot less than liquid whole milk. Bloating after drinking milk sounds an awful lot like lactose intolerance to me. A huge proportion of the world's people lose the ability to digest quantities of lactose in adulthood. They often do fine with most cheeses and fermented dairy like yogurt, because those products are lower in lactose, but liquid milk bothers them.

I've heard that raw milk can be easier for lactose-intolerant individuals than pasteurized. But I know from experience that lactose-intolerance is not a problem eliminated by drinking milk raw-- DH can't digest milk, whether it's raw OR pasteurized, for instance.

But if you're able to handle pasteurized milk without discomfort, you might consider the possibility that your gut is having trouble adjusting to the live, active elements that are present in raw milk. It may be a matter of consuming it regularly to get used to them.

[bobandjess99]

Yes, to what has been said. We get raw milk on and off, and each time, it takes my body a while to get used to it. And, every time (sorry, TMI coming) i get rampant diarrhea at first, due to the enzymes cleaning out my gut and re-establishing a healthier balance. Raw milk, the original "activia", LOL!

[PeggyinNC]

Ditto to what everyone else has said.... Or in the words of my dairy lady, "It WILL give your stomach a workout!" One of the reasons to drink raw milk, or any other probiotic, is to get that workout, where the little enzymes go to work breaking down all the undigested stuff, and that is not always a pleasant process, but is very beneficial. Hope things improve if you decide to keep trying!

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by AJP

I'd try easing into it by having only a small amount daily and gradually increasing over some weeks.

This. I would also suggest you drink it a room temperature until you are used to it. Milk protein at room temperature is much easier to digest than cold straight from the fridge.

[moonlight mom]

Thanks for the advice. I'm wondering if it is lactose intolerance. I probably should have mentioned that dd had bloody stools and I was completely dairy free for one year. About 3 months ago, I started adding back ghee and cream in my coffee. Is it possible I developed lactose intolerance even though I never had a problem before? I am sort of scared to try it - I felt so terrible all day yesterday. I probably had a 10 oz glass and it was cold.

[RubThyNeighbor]

You should not drink cold milk ... ever.

Room temp or even heated a little.

[gardenmommy]

Originally Posted by RubThyNeighbor

You should not drink cold milk ... ever.

Room temp or even heated a little.

Why? I like it cold. Can you give me more info about this?

[RubThyNeighbor]

In Ayurveda, they discuss heating the milk as it changes the molecular structure of the milk so it is much easier for human consumption and it makes it lighter to digest.

I know most TF people dont like to boil it but that is ideal for digestion according to Ayurveda. Next best to boiling is warm then room temp. Cold is more likely to cause gas and mucus as it is hard for your body to break down.

Adding a pinch of dry ginger, some cumin, some black pepper or even turmeric helps the process along. I put all of those in my milk plus a little fennel and cinnamon.

[mamadelbosque]

Just a big YUCK! to warm milk... I like a glass of ice cold raw milk, but if it sits for too long and starts to warm up I can't drink it... warm milk is just... ugh!!

[serenbat]

In Ayurveda, they discuss heating the milk as it changes the molecular structure of the milk so it is much easier for human consumption and it makes it lighter to digest.

I know most TF people dont like to boil it but that is ideal for digestion according to Ayurveda. Next best to boiling is warm then room temp. Cold is more likely to cause gas and mucus as it is hard for your body to break down.

Adding a pinch of dry ginger, some cumin, some black pepper or even turmeric helps the process along. I put all of those in my milk plus a little fennel and cinnamon.

and adding honey- only after it is warmed- never heating the honey!!!

[harrietsmama]

It's likely die-off - the good guys are killing bad stuff and so they make toxins. I haven't learned about the warm thing though, makes sense. I agree, intro it slowly.

[gardenmommy]

Originally Posted by RubThyNeighbor

In Ayurveda, they discuss heating the milk as it changes the molecular structure of the milk so it is much easier for human consumption and it makes it lighter to digest.

I know most TF people dont like to boil it but that is ideal for digestion according to Ayurveda. Next best to boiling is warm then room temp. Cold is more likely to cause gas and mucus as it is hard for your body to break down.

Adding a pinch of dry ginger, some cumin, some black pepper or even turmeric helps the process along. I put all of those in my milk plus a little fennel and cinnamon.

That makes sense. I do like chai, which is what that sounds like. However, I can't see drinking milk warm all the time (not that we drink *that* much milk at all).


And OP, it does sound like die-off. I'd introduce it very gradually into your diet, mixing it with whatever you currently use. Within a week or two, you should be able to drink straight raw milk with no problems. If the symptoms don't subside, you probably have a lactose intolerance issue, which it won't really matter it the milk is fresh or pasteurized.