This hypothesis helps to explain why farm kids tend to be so much healthier and far less prone to immune disorders than children raised in an urban setting.
Now, an international team of researchers has taken the Hygiene Hypothesis a step further by looking at how raw milk protects against allergies in children.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology is reporting that farm children who drink raw milk exhibit a far superior immune response than either farm children who don’t consume raw milk or children living in an urban setting.
The team of researchers led by Dr. Mark Holbreich MD, an allergy and asthma specialist, compared skin prick tests of mostly raw milk drinking Amish children aged 6-12 years old living in Indiana to non raw milk drinking Swiss children living in either a farm or urban setting. Amish children in Indiana were chosen due to their genetic similarity to modern day Swiss children.
The results of the skin prick tests to assess allergic sensitization are summarized as follows:
- Over 44% of the urban living Swiss children exhibited an allergic reaction.
- Approximately 25% of the non raw milk drinking Swiss farm children had an allergic reaction.
- Only 7% of the primarily raw milk drinking Amish farm children had an allergic reaction.
This study comes on the heels of the 2011 Gabriella study which found that:
“Exposure to farm milk in early life and consumption of raw farm milk have been associated with a reduced asthma and atopy risk, and it has been suggested that this protection might be mediated through receptors of the innate immune system.”
While the results of this large survey combined with allergy testing is very promising with raw milk potentially a very easy way for parents to safely increase the odds that their children avoid the lifelong burden of allergies and/or asthma, further research is warranted. Dr. Holbreich’s team noted that some of the superior immune response of the raw milk drinking children may be due to the very large Amish families which may provide additional protective factors.
Should parents eager to provide their children with maximum lifelong vibrant health wait for these studies to occur?
While some parents may wish to remain cautious, more forward thinking parents wishing to provide their children with a health edge today will no doubt seek to source grassfed raw milk immediately based on this information. As wisely noted by Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue in her book Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox
“we can’t always wait for science to identify the nutrients and test for them before we go ahead and benefit from them”.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sources: Amish children living in northern Indiana have a very low prevalence of allergic sensitization
The protective effect of farm milk consumption on childhood asthma and atopy
Study of Amish children proves raw milk promotes health, boosts immunity
Amanda, I would encourage you to seek the help of GAPS diet, we too also live on a farm and also breatfed for two years, and have used only raw milk and organic foods etc. But the GAPS diet has worked wonders for our Autistic Son. Yes we have healthy Children, but sometimes we have the same trials as those don’t feed their Children healthy foods…but God always provides us a way out of our trials 🙂
Wish it was easier to get hold of!
I really want raw milk, and I wanna give that to my family and future kids.
It’s a shame it is illegal in Quebec and Ontario, Canada…
You can get raw milk in Canada by buying a cow share from a farmer which in turn makes it legal for you to drink. Visit http://www.realmilk.com/real-milk-finder/other-countries/#can to find participating farmers in Canada.
Good luck!
I grew up drinking raw milk from our cow, Masie. I now enjoy a robust immunity as I continue to drink it. Susan Waite Blanchfield–your daughter may have a sensitivity to casein, a milk protein. Its in milk–whether raw or not.
We switched to raw milk about a month ago. I had lactose intolerance & 2 kiddos with asthma/congestion, bed-wetting type reactions to pasteurized milk. It was even against my will to begin drinking it because I haven’t drank milk for probably 15 years. I have no intolerance and am shocked. My kids also haven’t had problems with bed wetting nor sinus issues. I have a special needs daughter with severe eczema and tried giving her raw milk and in hours she reacted with rash. I’m afraid to try again but I’ve read raw milk can reverse eczema. Is this true?
Have you looked into the GAPS diet for your special needs daughter?
My daughter had eczema really bad as a toddler. We had no clue thar regular milk was causing her problem. I did a whole/raw foods study and class at my church and learned about the benefits of raw milk. We started drinking it and her break outs disappeared. That was about 5 years ago. She gets only occasional flare ups when she eats too many regular pasteurized milk products (regular cheeses, yogurts, etc.)… raw milk was a God-send for her and our entire family!
Raw milk isn’t your best bet for eczema….start with fermented cod liver oil/butter oil blend.
Amen. The Green Pastures FCLO/HVBO helped clear up a molluscum contagium rash my 3 yo had for several months after trying several other holistic remedies. Great products.
I tried FCLO for my eczema and for some reason every time I take it, I feel nausea. Not right away but later in the day. At first I thought it was something else, but then after stopping and starting back up 4 more times a few days apart, same thing would happen. I can’t seem to figure out why.
Buying a herd share sounds intimidating but it’s pretty easy. We love our milk!! My don doesn’t have the constant stuffy nose and stomach troubles he used to have with store bought milk.
Also…to Amanda who’s son has allergies-find a doc in your area who does the NAET method for treating allergies. It’s stunning how well it works. It’s energy therapy
I was told I shouldn’t be allergic to raw milk even though I’m allergic to non. My throat began to swell with the first sip. Wouldn’t recommend it for milk allergy sufferers.
Try raw goat’s milk, it’s less allergenic than cow. If that is still problematic you might be able to eat yogurt or kefir made from raw goat’s milk.