“They love to tell you stay inside the lines, but something’s better on the other side.” – John Mayer (love him!) – from his song “No Such Thing”. I love running to that song – makes me run faster! “I wanna run through the halls of my high school - I wanna scream at the top of my lungs…” This song is such a great reminder to live YOUR life – not somebody’s else’s life. People are always standing on the sidelines with advice on want they want for you (from love), but in the end you’ll likely need to step outside the lines of comfort to truly live YOUR life.
Would you believe I’ve connected this to medicine and REAL food? Of course you would!
I remember the first time I stepped outside the lines of conventional medicine’s recommendations for Kaitlin. After her 5th vaccine, her eczema continued to worsen. I made the connection that Kaitlin’s eczema would improve if I stopped stimulating her immune system with vaccines. I have always been a rule follower, so naturally stepping outside ‘the standard of care’ was very uncomfortable for me – especially as a physician going against ‘my tribe’. But…I am a mother first and a pediatrician second. I have to live my life, not somebody else’s life. I stepped outside the lines of what the standard medical community recommended for my child for the health of my child! Read My Thoughts on Vaccines.
I feel the same way (stepping outside the lines) with our decision to drink RAW milk i.e. REAL milk. The number one fear about RAW dairy is foodborne illness. But is that fear well grounded? Is raw dairy more dangerous than pasteurized dairy or any other food associated with foodborne illness? On average, 24,000 foodborne illnesses are reported each year. From 1993-2006, on average there was 112 illnesses each year attributed to RAW dairy compared to 203 associated with pasteurized dairy. Data shows about 3 percent of the population (over 9 million people) consume raw milk. As you can see from the numbers, dairy products are not a high risk product for foodborne illness, regardless if they’re RAW or pasteurized. Approximately one-tenth of one percent of the people consuming raw milk get sick from raw dairy each year. Read What About Milk?
Vaccines or No Vaccines? Raw Milk or Pasteurized Milk? I don’t have the best answer for you, but you do! Hint: Make informed decisions. Your child might get pertussis (like all 3 of my girls did…from a fully vaccinated family). Your child might get a food-borne illness (food poisoning). Yes, it’s true. It’s true from either side of the fence, whether you vaccinate or not, drink RAW milk or not. They best we can do is make informed decisions. Beat to your own drum, live your life. It’s yours for the making.
“I’d like to think the best of me is still hiding up my sleeve.” – John Mayer
~ Dr. Sue
Sources:
