Dairy Products Yes or No?

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Dairy Products Yes or No?

 

 

 

A hot topic in the field of health are dairy products, particularly with

the onslaught of milk advertising. Hopefully, this brief analysis

through the lens of eastern medicine will clarify this controversial

issue. For many people, the consumption of dairy products is very

problematic. They find that they are difficult to digest and cause

congestion which over time can lead to a whole range of health problems

including rosacea. Add to the fact that synthetic antibiotics and

hormones are added to milk and the problem is compounded.

 

From the viewpoint of Ayurvedic medicine, lactose intolerance is not the

primary issue, the problem is due to the way milk is manufactured and

consumed in modern culture. Milk that has been homogenized and

pasteurized is considered essentially indigestible and results in

undigested milk accumulating in the body. Milk that is consumed cold and

with a meal also puts a severe strain on the digestive system. Those who

can digest milk this way usually have an exceptionally strong digestion,

but are still at risk for health issues over time.

 

Ayurveda recommends one cup raw organic milk placed in a saucepan,

brought to a boil, cooled, and then adding between 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon

of a digestion strengthening spice like cinnamon, ginger or cardamom

powder with one teaspoon honey. The milk is then drunk by itself outside

of a meal. Boiling the milk is also considered to make it lighter

rendering it easier to digest. Ayurveda also uses milk as a vehicle for

medicinal herbs.

 

Also, of the three body types in Ayurveda which are Vata (Air), Pitta

(Fire), Kapha (Water), Ayurveda recommends little or no dairy products

for the Kapha body type. Ayurveda classifies milk as sweet, cooling,

strengthening, and building to the body when properly consumed. Out of

all the dairy products, Ayurveda considers hard cheese to be very

congesting and heating.

 

In Chinese medicine, milk is considered a damp forming food and a yin

tonic food. There are five fundamental internal disease factors or

principles in Chinese medicine. They are Heat, Cold, Damp, Dry, and Wind

plus the two primary principles Yin and Yang. For a explanation of these

principles and how they relate to food and disease, see the book " Live

in The Balance " by Linda Prout.

 

If someone has a health imbalance relating to damp, consuming a damp

forming food such as milk will only aggravate the condition. If someone

has a dry imbalance also known as yin deficiency, then milk a yin

building food would be considered beneficial. Those who choose a vegan

diet need to pay very close attention to the principle of yin, since

they are most prone to yin deficiency over time unless they eat yin

tonic foods and herbs. Additionaly they need warming spices and energy

herbs like Siberian ginseng or ashwaghanda. The use of clarified butter

in Ayurveda would be considered an excellent yin tonic food.

 

If after applying the above guidelines, you still have difficulty with

dairy products, consider the dairy alternatives such as soy milk, rice

milk, and almond milk. There are a number of varieties available at the

health food store. The vanilla soy milk silk by whitwave.com and vanilla

rice milk by lundberg.com are nearly identical to the taste and texture

of dairy milk.

 

It is interesting that in the traditional Asian diet, little or no dairy

products are consumed. Lastly, both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine

recommends very moderate consumption of ice cream since frozen food in

the stomach puts a strain on the digestive fire. Ice cream on a hot day

is better than on a cold day. A good alternative to ice cream is

pudding. You also might consider making your own ice cream with

unrefined raw sugar (sucanat) since commercial varieties of ice cream

contain a large amount of refined white sugar which is a whole other

health issue.

 

 

References

 

Ayurvedic Healing - Dr. David Frawley

 

Perfect Health - Dr. Deepak Chopra

 

Ayurvedic Cooking - Dr. Vasant Lad

 

Heavens Banquet - Miriam Hospodar

 

Planetary Herbology - Michael Tierra