First of all, I owe ya’ll an apology. In my last post I said I’d post more about the Milk Cure on Wednesday, but then I remembered I’d chosen Wednesday as my Unplug Day this week, and then on top of that I spontaneously joined a friend on a visit to the zoo and was gone all day. So, I let you down. But, the delay means this post will have all the more accumulated information…Can you forgive me? Thanks! 😉
What is The Milk Cure?
The Milk Cure was an orthodox, accepted therapy in the early 1900’s, promoted and prescribed by Dr. J. R. Crewe, of the Mayo Foundation, forerunner of the famed Mayo Clinic. It was used to treat a wide spectrum of diseases, based on the belief that,
“To cure disease we should seek to improve elimination, to make better blood and more blood, to build up the body resistance. [The Milk Cure] tends to accomplish these things. Blood conditions rapidly improve and the general condition and resistance is built up and recovery follows.” – J. R. Crewe, MD
January 1929
Dr. Crew used the Milk Cure for years to improve vitality, cleanse the body, and even reverse serious illness in his patients and he wrote this article explaining the method and benefits. It’s a fascinating read about a simple therapy that had wonderful healing results, yet never really caught on in with the medical community because of its very simplicity. (Hmmm…)
The Milk Cure was seen to be beneficial in a variety of illnesses and disease including:
- Tuberculosis
- Disease of the nervous system
- Cardiac disease
- Hypertension
- Adrenal Fatigue
- Weight issues (both underweight or overweight)
- High blood pressure
- Toxic Thyroid
- Anemia
- Urinary tract infections
- Diabetes
Where Did I Get This Crazy Idea?
I first heard about the Milk Cure from Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist. She, her husband, and a friend did the Milk Cure as a 10 day cleanse together in April and blogged about it. I was so intrigued by the whole thing, I resolved to try it as soon as our local herd went out to spring pasture. (Thus the question that aroused my Amish neighbors’s curiosity last week)
How Do You Do A Milk Fast?
Basically, all you do is drink milk. Lots of it. A big glass whenever you’re hungry, supplementing with water when you’re thirsty and not hungry. No food. You don’t starve because,
“Raw milk from pastured cows is a complete food, a perfectly balanced elixir of highly digestible, nutrient dense fats, protein, and carbohydrates.” The Healthy Home Economist
The key is to only attempt this if you have access to full fat, raw milk from pastured Jersey or Guernsey cows.Â
“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.” The Healthy Home Economist
If you only have Holstein milk, they recommend you supplement with extra cream so you get the right ratio of fats. For more info on how you can do the cleanse if you can’t tolerate cow’s milk, or if you want to use the cleanse to help lose weight, head over to Sarah’s account of their 10 day fast and check out all the comments, too.
So, Why am I doing the Milk Cure?
Because I’m weird like that. Because I love trying new things and crazy stuff. And because I love raw milk. An excuse to drink it all day, every day, as much as I want? I’m all over that! Actually, here’s the real reason…
“Even when you eat a very clean, whole and traditional diet, toxins still build up and need to be released for maximum health.” – The Healthy Home Economist
I’m doing the Milk Cure as a gentle cleanse. It’s great, because it allows me to continue my duties as wife, mother, and (this month) landscaper without the fatigue and mental fog you get from a full fast. Besides, I think a juice fast or other stringent, cleansing diet can be a shock to your system. A Milk Fast is anything but – it’s nourishing and gentle and very satisfying–kinda like the GAPS diet, but without having to cook!
Well, I still have to cook for my family, but it’s not been that tortuous, because while I inhale the aroma of the delicious, nourishing meals I’m preparing for them, I just sip a glass of milk and my body registers complete satisfaction. There’s been no cravings, and I only get hungry if I get to busy in the garden to fetch myself another glass of milk.
So, yeah, it’s pretty simple. So simple, you may want to try it yourself!
But Wait–There’s More!
In my next post I’ll detail more for you what my experience has been so far, 3 days into my milk fast. Oh, and I’ll share the other reason I’m doing a milk fast (it has to do with my vanity, gals). I’ll tell you this much–I’m not tired of milk yet! In fact, I’m gonna go get another glass right now…
If you have questions (or just need to vent about how I left you hanging and how crazy this whole thing is) feel free to leave a comment. I’ll be sure to respond in the comments or in my next post!
As a farmer, I often wondered about a milk fast so after my last baby I started doing some research and low and be hold there WAS such a thing as a milk fast. I am currently attempting my longest fast yet. I’m going for 3 months and hope to get to close to my pre baby weight. (I have 50 pounds to loose) I also drink bone broth, water kifer, a “green” juice to round out any nutritional deficits and just because this is what feels right for such along period of time. 6 days in and I feel great, more energy, my skin has cleared up, and my face is not so puffy. I know I’ve lost some weight but with 4 kids and the growing season about to start I haven’t had time to look. I HIGHLY recommend this fast as it is gentle and satisfying. Funny this is I rarely drink milk otherwise (maybe 3 cups a week). I have been successful before with a loss of 30 pounds but after an illness and a winter of not working like I’m used to I gained it back. Here’s to success!
Wow, what an amazing story, Jennifer! thanks for sharing!
What about a candida/yeast overgrowth…..have you read or heard about this being a good cleanse with this health issue?
Elisha,
there is just very little information out there on the milk cure because so few have done it. I have not heard how the milk cure applies to candida issues.
From my personal experience, a season on the GAPS diet can be super helpful for yeast overgrowth.
All the MCT oils and Caprylic Acid found in raw milk definitely fight candida! Drink up!
I have question can i ask you
sure, Stella! ask me here, or you can use my contact form to email me!
where is your contact form to email you?
found it.
Oh, I wonder if I’d be able to do this while nursing, and if I could make myself drink a lot of milk all by itself… I’m really intrigued!
aslaug, a friend of mine did it while nursing, and she said her baby (who was over a year and had begun to lose interest in breast feeding) seemed to have an increased appetite for her milk! As with any cleanse, you should be cautious because the milk may carry some stuff to your nursing baby that he may not like–but if your child has begun eating solids and is not relying on your milk entirely, this can lesson the impact of a change in mommy’s milk.
Done, dusted and blogged… NEXT time, I won’t do it alone!!!
Narelle! You did it! Loved your milk cure journal – thanks for sharing!
Interesting concept! I had never heard of this before!
Okay, so I am going to do this… have been pondering since a few minutes after you first posted … we drink raw organic milk from pasture fed cows anyway, so that bits not too hard… we pick up our usual fortnight’s worth tomorrow… but I can order again in the middle week if I order in the next 48 hours… so now deciding how much extra milk to order?!?!
Narelle, your build will determine how many calories you need to take in to feel good on this diet. I am 5’8″ about 145 Lbs and drank usually a gallon and a pint each day. The other gals who did this fast were also tall and they drank just over a gallon. If you are shorter, you could probably plan to pick up enough so you have a gallon a day for the duration of the fast.
I hope you have enough jars? LOL I did end up having to put some milk in quart jars which was actually convenient when I was going out – to already have several hours worth of milk ready to go in a smaller container.
I’m so excited for you – will you update us on your blog???
wow, very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I love the idea! I had heard of it before and considered doing it but I guess I don’t know how well it would work with nursing or pregnancy, one or both of which I have been for the past 7 years. Are you currently nursing your little one? Does it affect your energy levels?
Jamie, this is the first time in 7 years I’ve not been nursing or pregnant for any length of time, so I know how you feel 🙂 I’m really not sure how this would work while nursing, I’m looking into that further. You might want to look into trying the full GAPS for a month like I did in January–I was nursing then, and though it was an effective cleanse, it didn’t seem to harm my little guy.
Oh, and my energy levels have been great!
I guess we’ll forgive you 😉
Sounds very interesting….not sure if I could handle just milk and only milk for more than a few days. I think I would start to get “sick” of it.
Same here, Jess–I’m really not a fan of milk at all. I never drink it just by the glass (unless it’s chocolate ;))–it has to be on/over/in something for me to want it!
I’m lovin every creamy pint! Here’s to another nourishing adventure
C:
Cheers! (We need to get a picture of us with matching milk mustaches, don’t you think?)
Trina! Thank you! The suspense was killing me! Well, not really, but I was REALLY excited about what was going on! 🙂 I am currently drinking raw milk from Holsteins..I would MUCH prefer gettng my milk from Jersey cows…..I MUST try to locate a source! Thank you for sharing this info…you ROCK!! Happy Cure-ing!!
Heather, it took me three years to ‘find’ the Jersey herd that was 3 miles from me! It was actually after I started praying about it that the Lord led me to a source. I’ll pray you find one, too!
Don’t be afraid to ask the farmer if they run any Jersey cows. A lot of Holstein herds have a jersey or two in the mix (ours are about 1/3 jersey or jersey cross).
The reason Jersey milk is so good for you is directly tied to the butterfat in the milk. A lot of farmer’s run a couple in the herd to up the butterfat and actually have a comparable amount in their milk. Just to give you an idea: an all Jersey herd will run about “5” in butterfat. An all Holstein herd will run about “3”. We run about “4”. In our area there is only ONE complete Jersey herd, and they keep their cows in the barn year-round, so our milk would be the “best” option for most people.
Anyway, just thought I’d throw that out there so you have something to base your search on!
I am totally and completely fascinated. Sounds like one “cleanse” I’d be willing to try!
Watch out. I’m gonna talk you into this. 🙂
So interesting…. who’d have thought?!? Can’t wait to hear how this goes for you!!!
When I drank a lot of milk (raw, pasture fed, organic) on the homestead I would get seriously congested. When I left home I stopped drinking anywhere near the amount of milk that I drank on the homestead–and for the most part the congestion went away. Now I am supposedly allergic to dairy (something I didn’t know untill recently) but I am curious if you (as someone who is not allergic to dairy) will find that taking in nothing but milk for ten days will increase mucous production. I was taught in nursing school and continue to teach my COPD/respiratory patients that they should limit intake of dairy products for this reason. A lot of these patients will say they HAVE to avoid dairy products because the increased mucus production will send them straight into an excerbation of their respiratory disease. Given my own experience I have a hard time seeing milk as cleansing–but like I said, it could be because of an allergy to it.
I will be interested to see what effects it has on you–a healthy person without respiratory problems who isn’t allergic to milk! I can see a milk fast being easy to do, since milk is nourishing and you are getting carbs, protein, and fats in one drink…most fasts are lacking in the protien and fat department.
Kateri, you’re so right. Most fasts are torture ’cause you deny your system of fats and proteins (the very things that are easiest to digest! hmmmm…). That’s why I’m loving this fast so much. Re: the Mucus issue–I’m addressing that in my next post!
How long are you doing this for?
7-10 days. See my reasons in the next post… 🙂
Trina, this is amazingly awesome. Our cows will (hopefully) go out on pasture this weekend or beginning of next (if the fence gets fixed. Hoping for fence-building helpers tomorrow!) and I am SO doing this.
I was just praying about doing a juice fast or SOMETHING to help my body settle down after this cold and the cycle-crash I experienced two months ago. But I was dreading the loss of energy with a farm to run.
This, though, THIS is exactly perfect.
I’m so excited for you, Natasha! I think you will love this!
Apology definitely accepted. 🙂
So…question: how does a cleanse like this play into nursing? Meaning, I know most cleanses aren’t safe to do while pregnant and/or nursing because of all the detox, etc. so is this one gentle enough to do during that phase?
Curious about this, too, since I have a little one who doesn’t seem to plan to stop nursing any time soon (I guess he likes milk even more than his mommy does ;)).