Page 14 - Summer2010

Letters

GOOD HEALTH FROM RAW MILK HISTORICALLY punished. Let’s stop fighting for our
My two brothers and I were raised SUCCESSFUL METHOD rights. Let’s just do what we and most
on raw milk. We are now in our sixties. I am writing in appreciation for the people know is right—graze our cows
My youngest brother takes some medi- Weston A. Price Foundation and the on grass and sell our milk raw. If they
cation, but my older brother and I take Wise Traditions journal. arrest us, suffer willingly and do not
no medication. We do regularly take Real milk is a big issue in alterna- strike back—not with language, not
vitamins. tive agriculture today. Those of us who with angry protests, not with lawsuits,
I raised my son and daughter on raw provide raw milk are on the front line not even with ill feelings. Then we will
milk. Now in their thirties, neither takes of regulation and sometimes disruption. win.
any medication. They suffer only from What can we do to come further ahead I am a grass farmer who cares for
some psoriasis. Other than that, they are in this battle? My advice is that we Jersey and Guernsey cows and sells raw
very healthy. I attest that our good health should avoid having a negative attitude milk. I live in a state where it is illegal
had its good start in drinking raw milk. towards the USDA and regulators, and to sell raw milk. I cannot advertise my
My mother was a strong advocate. She instead embrace a method that histori- raw milk. Most of your readers are con-
was a farm girl from South Dakota. cally has succeeded: civil disobedience sumers. What can they do to lighten my
I am sorry for those that oppose the with nonresistance. Read about Ghandi load? Simple: buy my product. Believe
legalization of this wonderful product. and the British salt tax. Read about Rosa in me if I am worth believing in. They
It is their loss. If they could follow so Parks and Alabama public transporta- must look for me. They must investigate
many of us, like my family, rather than tion. Read about the Amish and Men- and prioritize finding me.
focus on those alleged to have fallen ill nonites and “mandatory” public school Then organize car pools with your
drinking raw milk, I believe they would attendance. friends to come to my farm and purchase
discover there are more healthy than ill These people were right, but they my milk. You, the consumer, must pri-
folk. did not receive widespread public sup- oritize and find time to make it work.
Carrie Gonzalo port until they refused to obey and then Name withheld
La Crescenta, California turned the other cheek when they were

UPDATE ON PHYTIC ACID by Rami Nagel

The article on phytic acid (Spring, 2010) was written in response to reports of dental decay, especially in children,
even though the family was following the principles of traditional diets. Phytates become a problem when grains make
up a large portion of the diet and calcium, vitamin C and fat-soluble vitamins, specifically fat-soluble vitamin D, are
low. In the diet advocated by WAPF, occasional higher phytate meals will not cause any noticeable health effects for
people in good health. Significantly more care is needed with whole grains when the diet is low in fat-soluble vitamins
and in diets where two or more meals per day rely significantly on grains as a food source. Vitamin C reduces the iron
and perhaps other mineral losses from phytic acid. Vitamin D can mitigate the harmful effects of phytates. Calcium
(think raw milk, raw cheese, yogurt, and kefir) balances out the negative effects of phytates. The best indicator of
whether dietary phytic acid is causing problems can be seen in the dental health of the family. If dental decay is a
recurrent problem, then more care with grain preparation and higher levels of animal foods will be needed.

ARTICLE CORRECTION, BROWN RICE PREPARATION
The article stated: “Soak brown rice in dechlorinated water for 24 hours at room temperature, without changing

14 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2010