When my baby had colic, I was in tears too. This dietary advice - and the essential oils worked magic! -- Prenatal Massage Instructor

Milk as it is produced and used these days deserves the increasingly bad press it receives. Here's the Ayurvedic milk story, below. In terms of the metabolic principles called doshas and the qualities of it further explained, called the gunas, learn more at this blog. Any one of the following issues create problems - it may just be a matter of how long it takes, depending upon a person's digestive strength and other factors. See some helpful explanations and correct use below.

Yet Cows' milk, properly used, is the most rejuvenative food on the planet. -- Ayurvedic Medicine

Who would believe it, given current research, even warnings - for breastfeeding moms to consider avoiding milk for Baby's sake? Of course, some women genetically do not handle milk well. And more women have bad experience. Let's look at why. So many of our clients are surprised at their experience with Ayurvedically prepared and served milk, even reversing blues and other mood disorder symptoms, and confirming ancient medical textbooks.

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1. Cold temp and influence

Chinese and Indian cultures have known for thousands of years to avoid cold temperature foods and drinks – they disrupt the digestive integrity and create unhappy tummies. Even in the hot humid Florida summer, postpartum mothers LOVE hot water bottles on their tummies and lower back, maybe breasts and neck. And they LOVE the hot freshly cooked foods we serve them. There is good reason! In addition, milk has a cooling property and influence on the body at a time (postpartum) when the body thermostat is already really weak and needing heat, whether or not Mom has hot flashes! Cold temperature dairy creates incomplete products of digestion, mucus, and food for the disease organisms as well as accumulations which clog, aggravate, and confuse the body.

Enjoy milk hot, warm or room temperature, to support the body’s natural mind-body integration, postpartum need for warmth, and natural digestive enzymes.

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2. Unhappy Unhealthy Cows

Most are not fed their natural grass-dominant diet in order to preserve space and costs. Their babies are taken away so soon, with primarily indoor or feedlot life of insufficient sunshine and even lumbering cow pace activity, they live dependent upon increasing amounts of antibiotics. They naturally they make inferior, low calcium, low vitamin D and low life force – even negative vibration and immune compromising milk. Their milk also reflects the congestion of their lives, and creates mucous and congestion as well as allergies very easily. If digestive fire is really strong, such as in active kids, moderate use may not seem to be a problem, but take a look at how often they are sick? And correct use issues below that complicate this story even more.

Sattvic (high vibration happy clean and healthy) milk (and other foods) is long known as antidepressive, imparting qualities of clarity, lightness, joy and contentment to the eater long before it was known that milk increases serotonin, a neurotransmitter which when proper metabolism and breakdown is also in place, promotes happiness. SSRI drugs on the other hand inhibit serotonin metabolism, creating unnatural levels and many serious side effects, as does poorly digested milk. Some of the symptoms are quite similar! (This is – SERIOUSLY NOT INTENDED as advice neither to avoid needed medical guidance nor to stop using any meds. For more info on this topic see Drug Awareness). Happiness is a great health improving emotion!

3. Pasteurization,

which is below boiling temperature, creates larger, clumpier, and harder to digest molecules which are more likely to become an allergen to the system, or at least again, interfere with complete digestion and metabolism of this food.

Boiling simplifies the milk protein molecule, makes it smaller and digests best.

Or some find raw milk from proven clean source, taken warm or room temperature serves them well. According to Ayurvedic physician Dr. Shirish Bhate, warm from the cow unpastureized is undoubtedly the best, yet once stored, refrigerated, or pasteurized, the tradeoff of loss of some natural enzymes comes out better preparing the milk by boiling, usually with digestive seasonings. Pregnant women are the exception to the extent their milk is usually best served cool (not cold or warm/hot) in the first trimester due to special high pitta conditions.

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4. Homogenization, in which the fat (cream) and protein molecules are squeezed together to make it smooth and even, also makes a foreign molecule to the body. Often this molecule will pass undigested through weakened small intestinal linings, creating foreign stuff in the lymph and blood stream sticking to channel walls, creating plaque and allergic responses. Babies few homogenized milk definitely have problems here.

Cream top whole milk is the way Ma Nature makes it. The next best thing can be achieved by buying skim milk and whole cream (not half and half) and adding them back together, if it cannot be purchased unhomogenized.

5. Bovine Growth Hormone - given cows to keep producing beyond their natural cycles, makes human children grow … unnaturally. Babies who gained fastest (formula fed) in early weeks are 20-30 years later found to be overweight and at risk for diabetes and heart problems according to a long term study.

Human Growth Hormone is naturally enhanced by lower cortisol (stress hormone) from things like happiness, weight bearing and outdoor exercise, relaxation and healthy digestion as well as by avoiding the receptor cite clogging petrochemical toxins and pesticides and thanks to organically, grass fed happy cows. Organic Milk from smaller, free range dairies especially does not need artificial stimulation and gives you next best thing to a beloved family cow. It naturally tastes better too!

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6. Low Fat

Everyone wants to loose the extra weight fast, and so many are convinced by media over the last 2 decades that to loose weight the way is to stop or really lower fat intake. Research shows low blood lipids in those who are depressed.

Good quality cholesterol (butterfat!) is a dietary essential to make hormones! And the body uses this cholesterol as part of the molecular process in calcium uptake into the bones as well. To say nothing of the high caloric intake needs, and the internal lubrication needs of a breastfeeding mother. Postpartum mothers need unusual amounts of fats and calories, and their taste confirms the ancient knowledge.

7. Food Combining issues

When milk is taken with sour, salty or some astringent tastes especially and with other proteins except perhaps some nuts, (basically, lunch or dinner or complex breakfast or fruit type meals) the probability is incomplete products of digestion. Taken with banana, such as a smoothie, it is carcinogenic. This and the temperature and quality issues are just about all most people do with milk. And the school lunches … served with milk! No wonder so many problems, from even this alone.

Enzymes Postpartum digestive fires (natural enzyme processes, of which there are 13 main ones) tend to be very low after birth, and need to be rekindled, not called upon to do extra duty. Yet needs are tremendous. What to do … take expensive enzyme tablets? This is not nature’s design. Common kitchen spices have been added to foods for centuries not just for taste, but because they support these enzyme processes naturally. Milk digests better with spices like those used in baking, or the Indian tea called chai – ginger, cardamom, clove, licorice, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, saffron, turmeric, fennel, anise, and others can be used. See milk tonic recipe!

Milk combines well with cereals, grain/nut based sweets, dates, flax seed oil, many spices (not green leafies) and other dairy fats! Or as a snack alone. Raw Milk provides more natural enzyme nutrition, but cannot be legally recommended and is often difficult to source. The Weston Price Foundation offers more information and exclusively advocates this, not having Ayurvedic information to compare to. It would be an interesting research project and Ayurveda is not recommending any but boiled milk postpartum from the author’s studies with multiple teachers.

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8. Sweeteners, Chocolate, fruit, and smoothies

White and commercial brown sugar (processed is over charred beef bones, by the way), corn syrup, even barley malt, rice syrup and maple syrup possibly are more likely to create phlegm taken in milk. For some this is not the case, for many it is, like all these things. Fruit in milk creates digestive/allergenic influences, yoghurt (sour) or bananas taken with milk is carcinogenic over time, and chocolate disturbs Baby’s digestive comfort and emotional well-being, even though the creamy sweetness and often otherwise lacking little bit of bitter taste is very soothing to Mamas! Chocolate also interferes with calcium absorption; so... best avoided! Excess sweet taste creates phlegm, tendency to lowered immune strength, blood sugar issues and interferes with digestion.

Yet sweet taste gives contentment and builds tissue according to Dr. Lad and Frawley in their book The Yoga of Herbs. A small amount of sugar of some sort taken with a protein has been discussed to assist the protein digestion by some doctors. Milk has natural sweet taste; human milk is naturally sweeter. Ayurveda often adds a healthy sweetener to a milk beverage such as raw sugar, date sugar, Rapadura, ghur (add after heating to minimize risk of curdling from the sour minerals), rock sugar, stevia, agave, molasses or honey (add honey when drink-ably warm; do not cook as it creates a toxic coating around the nerves). . Sweet taste is also contained in all foods which rebuild and rejuvenate; it contains that which builds tissue. Goat milk is drier and astringent, suitable sometimes for more kapha individuals.

9. Unnatural for Adult Use?

How many species of plants share their flesh, seed, pollen or juice with other species of living beings? How many people eat the flesh of animals? Compared to these issues, in the author's opinion we also should fairly look at use of milk of another species. How happy, loved, honored is the cow, goat, or other milking animal? And how nurtured is the receiving being, including how are they digesting it - is it building health and longevity? We are very symbiotic on this earth, that's for sure. Exploitation of the animal and results are arguably more the issues.

There are genetic populations which are not accustomed to dairy. Certainly many populations have used dairy including milk for many many generations. Some Yogis even live only on milk in extreme situations! Go figure! One has to make one’s own decisions wisely based upon meeting the body’s qualitative needs; if not diary, then look to what else. See #10 for substitutes for the very real need after childbirth for soothing, creamy, sweeter and liquidy nourishment, especially for Vegans.

Patterns in Nature

Just as mothers naturally LOVE to breastfeed, as fruit trees have as their nature to give fruits, and many mothers will produce extra milk for other babies if asked to – a happy cow lovingly cared for and milked in reasonable season is happy and does not feel exploited. And though it is "unnatural" for dogs and cats to eat cooked, processed canned foods, yet after 1 – 3 generations of same it has become unnatural and health challenging for many pets to revert to raw meat diets. All this may be a fair piece of the discussion in the author’s opinion around to use or not to use questions.

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10. Lactose Intolerance, Dairy Intolerance

Many people think they have lactose intolerance when their use of dairy is simply not tolerated by the body from the digestive factors we are discussing today. It is true that genetic populations such as Oriental and African which have not culturally used milk commonly do not do well, and those from genetic streams such as northern European can thrive on milk and other dairy, properly used. Soy is rarely an acceptable substitute although it is possible to dress it properly for some digestive systems. Soy has drying and gas producing plus estrogenic qualities which is contraindicated after childbirth. Reader may want read a very interesting article exposing The Ploy of Soy by dietitian, Sally Fallon. Lacking certain iimportant Ayurvedic input, their dairy information is otherwise also excellent education. Note however that we totally disagree with their offered infant formula substitute.

Some substitutes (which are best respected for season, temperature influence and digestive factors as well) include coconut milk and oil (non-hydrogenated!), avocado, soaked nut milks (rinse soaking waters) or roasted tahini milk fortified with flax oil, sesame oil and rice as well as some digestive spice and sweet; and exposure of one’s body to ample sunshine for vitamin D. (Not the same protein complements, of course). Carrot juice at this time generally creates gas; cooked carrots in the diet accesses Vitamin A more effectively and offers calcium.

This author has somewhere a recipe for an Ayurvedic herbal protocol for reversing lactose intolerance. It is apparently about resetting or waking up the particular body enzyme process. Turmeric, being antihistamine as well as helping clear the auric field is a good addition at about ¼ tsp or more per cup for my clients who for themselves or Baby still have some gas from these other preparation factors. Usually it does the trick.

Yoghurt and Kefir
It is another discussion, all the other dairy products one may choose from.
Freshly cultured dairy, the first day after making is excellent, yet still has little caveats. Best postpartum served diluted as the thicker molecules easily clog postpartum system/channels with weaker digestion. Midday though, served in a lassi (beverage at least 1/2 water to 3/4 water, no ice, with sweet spices or salt/ginger/cumin/clove type gently spiced) it becomes a digestive in a meal that also serves a thin mung soup, for instance. the Western way of eating yoghurt out of a carton cold, or in smoothies with banana etc will create unwanted accumulations in short or longer term, depending upon Mom's digestive strength. After a few weeks, fresh sweet or fresh cultured cheeses become a blessing also, served warm and usually, seasoned.

Ghee, or Clarified Butter is reported by Dr. Vasant Lad suitable for Vegans, as the lactose and the proteins are removed and there are no allergens. Whether or not one will agree here, a postpartum mother will feel so much better being sure the soothing, sweet, creamy, protein and fat rich, nourishing qualities are taken in warm liquid or pudding consistency form in her diet.

There is nothing like a mother's love, unless Mom herself feels really divided. This is the situation for increasing numbers of dairy animals, and back to our many mothers after birth. Mothers, though so empowered by Ma Nature to do almost anything, so much need to be mothered too. A newly birthed mother is psycho-physiologically as delicate as her baby, with tremendous invisible work to do according to Ayurveda. She therefore needs a major dose of the Milk of human kindness also, and her digestive and immune system needs to be babied as part of this. Correct and loving use of milk is both food and rejuvenative tonic for many pregnant and postpartum mothers.

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During my six weeks postpartum I experienced virtually none of the problems that I heard about – fatigue, depression, or the frustration and over-whelmed-ness of being a new mother. I feel this program is a necessity for older mothers. -- First time mom, age 44

© 4.22.05, revised 5.5.08, Ysha (Martha) Oakes.

Hot Spice Milk Tonic Recipe

This very rejuvenative postpartum food increases serotonin, soothes and makes for better maternal calm, emotional comfort and sleep, nourishes wonderfully added to breakfast cereal or as a snack, and can be best digested cooked according to Ayurvedic correct use of milk.

Most of our clients, even many believing they are lactose intolerant, but of course not all, find this very supportive to their postpartum experience. You may want to try the following if there is still some problem - maybe Mom handles fine but Baby was a little gassy still. Add the turmeric powder to the recipe, which has antihistamine benefits and often does the trick. The benefits are well worth the try. In our client experience, rarely is it unsuitable.

Otherwise, you might try substituting goat, light or diluted coconut milk or nut milks. The nutrition is different, but some of the desired qualities are present - liquid, easy to digest (lighter) though sweet, oily (creamy soothing), cloudy, groundng and calming. Some can handle soy, but for most it creates gas; also being drying (like goat milk) and estrogenic. Be sure to add extra fat into the beverage. Coconut oil may be good also for the needed good cholesterols to make hormones, but it is very cooling. Add extra spices except perhaps summertime. The Chinese favor roasted sesame oil.

1.5 sticks of cinnamon
5 whole cloves
5 - 7 whole black peppercorns
1 tsp whole cardamom seeds (no skins)
1 inch (length) chopped fresh ginger, or 1/3 tsp dried
2 cups Water
1 quart Cream top whole milk
or 3 1/3 cups skim & 2/3 cups full cream
2 TBS Sweetener (below) or to taste
2 TBS Clarified butter (ghee)

1. Boil water with spices down to 1/2 or 1 cup, optionally adding 1/4 - 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/8 tsp anise seeds, or 1 - 2 tsp fennel seeds

3. Optionally use a pinch of soaked saffron threads at the end

4. Add 1 quart whole milk and bring back to a boil (yes, let the milk begin to rise along the sides of the pot - when it climbs it can easily boil over, so remove quickly! Dr. Ramakant Mishra advises bringing it to boil three times like this in a row - ie, slide the pot off, let the foam settle and slide back for three risings. This boiling breaks the protein molecuies into spammer bits, easier to digest.

5. Serve hot or warm, with 1 - 2 tsp ghee per cup for early postpartum mothers, sweetener of choice such as :

• Iron rich is best, such as Rapadura, Succanat, 15 minute boiled Ghur (from India) or molasses, added at the end to prevent possible curdling or
• Those with least tendency to phlegm, ama or other weight issues can usually favor honey. An extra added benefit is honey's vata reducing gently warming quality. Add honey after cooking and when just drink-ably warm to avoid difficult to remove toxic accumulations around the nerves from cooking honey
• other sweetener suitable to you (diabetics favor stevia or good quality agave).
• Pittas or pitta imbalanced mothers in hot weather might prefer raw sugar or maple syrup
• Avoid any artificial sweeteners, they have researched toxic effects

Recipe Source: Ysha Oakes and Laurel Rew, RN - inspired by our many teachers and enjoyed by our many clients.

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From Touching Heaven, Tonic Postpartum Recipes with Ayurveda. Consultations, correspondence training modules, and the companion e-books, Touching Heaven, Tonic Postpartum Care/Cooking with Ayurveda are available by E-download at sacredwindow.com.

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