a2

a2 is one-half of a patented term I can’t use, referring to a product I can’t market because (well, one I’m not certified to sell milk), but two, because a big-money corporation has attempted to monopolize the market for a product that has the potential to help thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people suffering from auto-immune and other types of disorders.

Sounds crazy doesn’t it?

I used to ask – how can something God made to nourish His people, and which has done so for thousands of years, all the sudden be linked to heart disease? autism? schizophrenia? diabetes? Celiac disease? the list goes on… but here’s how:

Take a tail hair from a European derived breed of cattle and a tail hair from a goat, an Asian cow, heck, you could take a hair from a monkey, a human and a cat if you’d like. We could do a genetic test on all these samples and one significant difference would stand out in the European cow-hair from all other samples. In a chain of amino acids, at position number 67 – everyone in our little sample group would have an amino acid called Proline. Our European cow however, would most likely have an amino acid called Histidine. And here lies the problem.

If you want further technicalities, I’ll send you off to the experts from here – Read “Devil in the Milk” by, Keith Woodford * (see below).

I will simply add that, who knows how long ago, a mutation occurred in European cattle. Those nations in which the mutation is prevalent in their cattle have a heart disease and Type I Diabetes rate that closely corresponds to their intake of the “bad” milk. Below are some charts from Devil in the Milk by, Kevin Woodford.

Why are the facts in these charts significant? Because Heart Disease and Type I Diabetes are not related to one another. The fact that they correspond to one another points to an outside factor driving the occurance of both conditions up in the same populations of people. With a great deal of information pulled from his extensive research – all of which he notates in his book,  including personal testimonies, Keith Woodford makes a very strong case for the fact that the “outside factor” is the “bad milk.” He is not by any means the only guy going around declaring these facts, but his book pulls all the facts together into a concise, comprehensive source of information for anyone wanting to learn more.

Okay, so there was a mutation… but what does that have to do with me?  The result of the mutation – beta-casein 7 – affects different people in different ways, depending on what your unique genetic makeup is. Not everyone will be affected, in fact most people aren’t. However, if your body is sensitive, it could be sensitive in a plethora of ways. Beta-casein 7 acts like an opiate in some individuals, resulting in neurological disorders like schizophrenia and autism. Beta-casein 7 is also more easily absorbed into the gut and can result in something as simple as lactose intolerance, or even go so far as to contribute to Celiac Disease (gluten intolerance). Other auto-immune disorders like Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn’s Disease can also be linked to beta-casein 7.

Where’s the good milk? Holstein cattle are highly affected by the mutation. Jersey cattle, slightly less so. Unfortunately, these are the two breeds that are predominately used here in the USA. If you buy milk at the grocery store, you’re most likely getting the “bad milk.” If it’s not hurting you, then it’s not bad for you. But, if you suspect it may be affecting you – your best bet is to look for a local supplier of milk. Ask them about A2 and A1 milk. If they don’t know what you’re talking about, then don’t stop there. Your safest bet is goats milk, simply because the mutation never occurred in goats – only in European cattle. However, some heritage breeds are still predominately carriers of the good milk – Guernseys and Milking Devons being a couple of examples. Still, if the dairy doesn’t know what you’re talking about – his cattle probably are affected. In order to have an A1-free herd, you would have to very deliberately put that herd together using genetic testing to cull bad cows and do genetic screening on each and every new cow brought into the herd.

But doesn’t goats milk taste funny?  Not if you treat it right. We strain our milk immediately upon bringing it in from the barn and put it straight into an ice bath – this prevents any “goaty” flavor. Pasteurized goat milk – yeah… it’s pretty awful, I must agree -unless you’re just one who has an affinity for that strong flavor.

For more info please check out the Weston A. Price Foundation.

* Woodford, Keith, Devil in the Milk. Nelson, NZ: Craig Potton Publishing, 2007; White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2009

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