Milk and Allergy

Dr Maurice Bowerman, of Oregon, in a paper written in 1980, described the damaging effect of milk on five of his patients, who for years had suffered from fatigue, poor memory and poor concentration. When milk was removed from their diets, four patients became free of symptoms and the fifth greatly improved. Why is milk so damaging? The answer is 'pasteurization'.

When milk is pasteurized, the natural enzymes present in raw milk are destroyed. Without these enzymes, milk cannot be properly digested. One of the most important enzymes in milk is lipase, which is there to break down fat. Pasteurized milk no longer has this enzyme and this makes it impossible for the body to digest it properly. As a result, undigested milk particles can end up in the bloodstream causing havoc to the immune system and resulting in a confusing array of allergy reactions. Apart from the fact that cow's milk is four times stronger than breast milk, infants fed on cow's milk, also have to contend with the enormous task of digesting it. No wonder many of them get sick, and remain sick, throughout their lives until milk is removed from their diet.

Pasteurized cow's milk is particularly damaging to infants under twelve months of age. It has been found to cause gastrointestinal blood loss due to the effect on the baby's underdeveloped intestinal tract. Cow's milk is also too high in protein, sodium, and potassium for a baby's immature kidneys and, thus places them under great strain. Anaemia may develop because of the child's low iron content, combined with blood loss from the intestine. These problems can continue in later life.

Professor Carl Wood, an eminent medical academic and chairman of the in vitro fertilization programme, at the Queen Victoria Medical Centre in Melbourne found that his allergy to milk was leading to a variety of symptoms.

"I used to get gastro-enterological problems - a lot of diarrhea, colic, also fuzziness and tiredness after a meal, and all that was related to the fact that I can't tolerate milk. After some years of taking milk when you can't tolerate it you become very sensitive to all sorts of foods. So I have a very basic diet - steamed veggies and simple meats and I feel much better."

A classic example of how a milk allergy can hoodwink a doctor, even one of Professor Wood's stature - and cause further food allergies to develop.

It must be understood that milk includes all dairy products and foods, containing milk as an additive. An allergy to milk usually requires total abstinence from foods containing it, in order to stay well.