Nature

Okay all of you “health nuts” out there… you’re eating your share of fruits and vegetables and drinking your milk (all organic of course). Are you taking your daily dose of raw apple cider vinegar with the mother? Whose mother? What? You’re probably questioning why you would take 2 tbsp. of something as bizarre as apple cider vinegar every morning. When most of us think of vinegar we associate it with salad dressing or marinades, maybe even something you’d use to wash the floors in your house! You’ll be amazed when you learn about just how handy this is to have at home and how beneficial it can be to your over all health.

First let’s talk about the many uses of apple cider vinegar. Did you know that you can use it to wash your hair and the smell goes away in five minutes? That’s right. All the ladies out there are probably gagging thinking about pouring stinky vinegar in their lovely locks as I did when I first heard of it. Believe it or not this is better for your hair than the most expensive shampoos. The trick is to scrub your scalp and work your way down your hair with baking soda! Rinse the baking soda out of your hair then pour on the vinegar and massage it through and rinse again. This will clean your hair better than any shampoo out there and it is so much cheaper! Shampoos and conditioners contain alcohol that can dry out your hair and other ingredients that can leave a film behind. Unless they’re organic they most likely contain propylene glycol, a chemical found in antifreeze and poisonous if consumed in large quantities. This is just one of the uses for apple cider vinegar.

My bathroom tub is constantly getting clogged with hair even though I have the slotted drain that is meant to catch most of it. My hair is just past my shoulders and my daughter’s goes all the way to the bottom of her back so, of course, there is always hair left over from bath time and showers. I use this vinegar to wash my hair twice a week and the rest of the week I use organic shampoo and conditioner. My tub drains perfectly now that the vinegar is working its way down the drain every once in a while. Pouring just a little down the kitchen and bathroom sink and tub once a week will get rid of excess build-up in your pipes and they will be less likely to get clogged. This is basically the way apple cider vinegar works in our bodies when we consume it.

Apple cider vinegar with the mother helps to clean the inside of our bodies as well as the outside. It helps to break down fat and aids in digestion, making it easier for our bodies to rid of waste. It helps to clear your colon walls of many years worth of built-up toxins when you take just 2 tbsp. a day. Folks trying to lose a few pounds will be amazed by how easy it will be to shed some weight when you get rid of toxins that have made themselves at home in your body. People who do not need to lose weight don’t need to worry because the only weight that will be lost will be the trash that your body doesn’t need. If your body is not toxic and in need of some waste management, you won’t lose weight and you will have an easier time maintaining your figure.

Here are some of the many things that can be helped with apple cider vinegar with the mother:

• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure (I kid you not when I state that my husband’s high blood pressure is gone and we attribute it to this vinegar)
• Chronic fatigue
• Acid Reflux
• Gout
  
• Arthritis
  
• Acne (It also gives pale people like me some color on their cheeks!)
• Colds
  
• Allergies (Taken at the first sign of a cold or allergy, this vinegar may stop it dead in its tracks!)
• Flu
  
• Sinus infections (This vinegar thins mucus immediately helping you to fight the infection!)

You will reap the most benefits by consuming Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar with "The Mother". This type of vinegar is the purest in the market as it is derived from crushed apples that have been aged in oak barrels. “The mother” is the sediment floating at the bottom of the bottle from the fermentation process it has undergone in the barrels. Raw ACV with the mother is not pasteurized, distilled or refined. These processes destroy the cider’s benefits. Not everything that is great for you looks and tastes as good as it works. The vinegar is strong but certainly worth it, so take a deep breath and a quick swig and your body will thank you for it!

Check out RFD-TV on Dish Network Satellite TV for more information on healthy eating habits!

Are tears of blood a miracle or a medical condition? There have been many interesting accounts of such tears with people from all over the world, but it is obviously more difficult to prove a miracle than it is to rule out possible causes for this. There is more of a focus on the scientific explanations for such occurrences and a sense of doubt pertaining to religious explanations. We want an immediate answer for things like this but we don’t always get one. Anyone who brings up the religious angle is destined for ridicule and apt to be called a “religious nut”.
I was listening to The Early Show on CBS the other morning on Satellite TV while I was getting ready for work and something I heard grabbed my attention. "Stay tuned for our next story with a 15 year old boy who cries tears of blood." What? This has to be a unique story to say the least. I dropped my makeup and dashed to the living room to see the interview with the boy and his mother. Calvino Inman of Tennessee and his mother Tammy Mynatt brought the video of him crying tears of blood hoping to reach out to someone who can help them with this situation. His tears did not appear to be diluted in any way, they were pure blood! Calvino said that he thought he was going to die when he began crying the bloody tears. It happens randomly about 3 times a day and lasts for up to 15 minutes. The crying is not provoked by emotion as Calvino is not feeling sad when this happens or doing anything that would induce normal tear production.
There is a condition called Haemolacria that causes people to shed bloody tears, but the doctors cannot yet say for sure if he has this condition. Calvino went to five doctors with his mother and his condition has each of them baffled. He had an ultrasound, CAT scan and an MRI, which were all normal. Haemolacria is usually a result of a larger underlying medical condition but he seems to be in good overall health. Calvino and his mom are continuing their search to find a diagnosis for his condition. He claims that the tears burn and are annoying. His peers at school teased him at first by calling him names and saying he was possessed but they have since apologized realizing that Calvino cannot control his situation and has visited many doctors in a quest to find its diagnosis.
According to information provided by CNN, a doctor from the University of Tennessee's Hamilton Eye Institute has studied this condition extensively and said that there were only four cases of this mysterious occurrence between 1992 and 2003. He is amazed that it is happening to a healthy young boy. He claims that Haemolacria can be caused by deep emotional trauma or a head injury, but agrees that Calvino doesn't even fit the bill for this disorder. Another doctor at the same institute said that the condition that Calvino has could be something very miniscule in size, which can be difficult to pinpoint with any of the tests he has undergone thus far. He claims that they may have to wait for more symptoms to surface to get the full picture of what the cause might be. Evidently, the condition can be the result of anything from a tumor to a simple infection. It may be a repeat occurrence of the four cases from '92-'03 when the bleeding mysteriously stopped on its own.
This is claimed to have no religious significance. It is spelled out that religion is not a factor on most of the websites that I visited to gain more information. Could it be better for each of these unexplained cases to be a religious phenomenon rather than a medical condition? I understand that people want closure, especially the children and their parents. I also realize that it has to be extremely difficult to deal with this in your everyday life but history has shown that it doesn’t last forever, as the tears of blood will most likely stop as spontaneously as they began. Why is it such a taboo to consider this to be a miracle? There might not be a medical explanation for this simply because it hasn't been researched enough since it alone doesn't seem to be life threatening. Perhaps it is something that is beyond our grasp of true understanding.
Some believers may say that this is a result of "vicarious suffering" which is believed to be the act of involuntary suffering for other people's sins so they can be forgiven. There is a 13-year-old girl named Twinkle Dwivedi in India who is currently experiencing such tears and is displaying what is believed to be stigmata. Her palms, head and feet all emit blood yet she has no wounds. National Geographic will air her story on September 13th with Dish Network.
There are two religious statues of The Virgin Mary that cry tears of blood and are deemed to be genuine miracles according to the Vatican (others turned out to be staged). The two documented statues are the weeping statue of The Virgin Mary in 1949 in Syracuse, Italy and Our Lady of Akita in 1988 in Japan. Religious believers who feel that this phenomenon is a miracle are not sure why it’s happening. Some believe an occurrence like this is a sign from God and are unsure as to whether it is good or bad. Some believe that the weeping statues are reflecting sadness for these difficult times of war, poverty and violence.
Calvino’s story and the occurrence of weeping statues remind me of the young girl Audrey Marie Santo in my hometown of Worcester, MA who was in a coma for 19 years before she passed away. Audrey was found in her pool at home when she was three and never regained consciousness. Doctors informed her mom that Audrey would only live a few years and suggested she place her in a nursing home. Her mom is a believer and decided that if the doctors can’t help, perhaps a miracle can. She took Audrey to the shrine of Medjugorje. Audrey had a moment where she began to move and attempt to speak, which did not last very long before she returned to her previous state.
According to her parents, many religious experiences occurred in her room such as religious statues that wept oil and blood. One might think that the parents saw things they needed to see at a very sorrowful time, but this story reached neighbors and eventually the newspaper and news. Soon enough, people from all over the world came to visit her and to pray for her recovery and for miracles. Many visitors also gave testimony that they were present when such miracles had occurred. Audrey was said to have responded to one man’s prayers for a loved one with a tear. Perhaps there was a miracle at the shrine of Medjugorje, not only for obvious reasons, but also for the fact that Audrey lived to be 23 years old. She never had a bed sore, even with the fact that she was bed-ridden for 19 years.
Calvino Inman is from Tennessee which is a state well known for the amount of churches housed there in the Bible belt. Could there be a miraculous connection with Calvino and the religious beliefs of the people in his community? Could it be something even larger than that? I’m not stating that I believe this is a miracle, but I would rather hear that than find out this young teenager has a serious medical problem. There is no scientific explanation for why this boy cries blood and there was none for Audrey Marie Santo who survived until the age of twenty-three. There were no tangible explanations for what occurred with the religious statues in Japan and Italy. Will we ever know the reason behind these phenomena or will they forever remain a secret?

Are tears of blood a miracle or a medical condition? There have been many interesting accounts of such tears with people from all over the world, but it is obviously more difficult to prove a miracle than it is to rule out possible causes for this. There is more of a focus on the scientific explanations for such occurrences and a sense of doubt pertaining to religious explanations. We want an immediate answer for things like this but we don’t always get one. Anyone who brings up the religious angle is destined for ridicule and apt to be called a “religious nut”.
I was listening to The Early Show on CBS the other morning on Satellite TV while I was getting ready for work and something I heard grabbed my attention. "Stay tuned for our next story with a 15 year old boy who cries tears of blood." What? This has to be a unique story to say the least. I dropped my makeup and dashed to the living room to see the interview with the boy and his mother. Calvino Inman of Tennessee and his mother Tammy Mynatt brought the video of him crying tears of blood hoping to reach out to someone who can help them with this situation. His tears did not appear to be diluted in any way, they were pure blood! Calvino said that he thought he was going to die when he began crying the bloody tears. It happens randomly about 3 times a day and lasts for up to 15 minutes. The crying is not provoked by emotion as Calvino is not feeling sad when this happens or doing anything that would induce normal tear production.
There is a condition called Haemolacria that causes people to shed bloody tears, but the doctors cannot yet say for sure if he has this condition. Calvino went to five doctors with his mother and his condition has each of them baffled. He had an ultrasound, CAT scan and an MRI, which were all normal. Haemolacria is usually a result of a larger underlying medical condition but he seems to be in good overall health. Calvino and his mom are continuing their search to find a diagnosis for his condition. He claims that the tears burn and are annoying. His peers at school teased him at first by calling him names and saying he was possessed but they have since apologized realizing that Calvino cannot control his situation and has visited many doctors in a quest to find its diagnosis.
According to information provided by CNN, a doctor from the University of Tennessee's Hamilton Eye Institute has studied this condition extensively and said that there were only four cases of this mysterious occurrence between 1992 and 2003. He is amazed that it is happening to a healthy young boy. He claims that Haemolacria can be caused by deep emotional trauma or a head injury, but agrees that Calvino doesn't even fit the bill for this disorder. Another doctor at the same institute said that the condition that Calvino has could be something very miniscule in size, which can be difficult to pinpoint with any of the tests he has undergone thus far. He claims that they may have to wait for more symptoms to surface to get the full picture of what the cause might be. Evidently, the condition can be the result of anything from a tumor to a simple infection. It may be a repeat occurrence of the four cases from '92-'03 when the bleeding mysteriously stopped on its own.
This is claimed to have no religious significance. It is spelled out that religion is not a factor on most of the websites that I visited to gain more information. Could it be better for each of these unexplained cases to be a religious phenomenon rather than a medical condition? I understand that people want closure, especially the children and their parents. I also realize that it has to be extremely difficult to deal with this in your everyday life but history has shown that it doesn’t last forever, as the tears of blood will most likely stop as spontaneously as they began. Why is it such a taboo to consider this to be a miracle? There might not be a medical explanation for this simply because it hasn't been researched enough since it alone doesn't seem to be life threatening. Perhaps it is something that is beyond our grasp of true understanding.
Some believers may say that this is a result of "vicarious suffering" which is believed to be the act of involuntary suffering for other people's sins so they can be forgiven. There is a 13-year-old girl named Twinkle Dwivedi in India who is currently experiencing such tears and is displaying what is believed to be stigmata. Her palms, head and feet all emit blood yet she has no wounds. National Geographic will air her story on September 13th with Dish Network.
There are two religious statues of The Virgin Mary that cry tears of blood and are deemed to be genuine miracles according to the Vatican (others turned out to be staged). The two documented statues are the weeping statue of The Virgin Mary in 1949 in Syracuse, Italy and Our Lady of Akita in 1988 in Japan. Religious believers who feel that this phenomenon is a miracle are not sure why it’s happening. Some believe an occurrence like this is a sign from God and are unsure as to whether it is good or bad. Some believe that the weeping statues are reflecting sadness for these difficult times of war, poverty and violence.
Calvino’s story and the occurrence of weeping statues remind me of the young girl Audrey Marie Santo in my hometown of Worcester, MA who was in a coma for 19 years before she passed away. Audrey was found in her pool at home when she was three and never regained consciousness. Doctors informed her mom that Audrey would only live a few years and suggested she place her in a nursing home. Her mom is a believer and decided that if the doctors can’t help, perhaps a miracle can. She took Audrey to the shrine of Medjugorje. Audrey had a moment where she began to move and attempt to speak, which did not last very long before she returned to her previous state.
According to her parents, many religious experiences occurred in her room such as religious statues that wept oil and blood. One might think that the parents saw things they needed to see at a very sorrowful time, but this story reached neighbors and eventually the newspaper and news. Soon enough, people from all over the world came to visit her and to pray for her recovery and for miracles. Many visitors also gave testimony that they were present when such miracles had occurred. Audrey was said to have responded to one man’s prayers for a loved one with a tear. Perhaps there was a miracle at the shrine of Medjugorje, not only for obvious reasons, but also for the fact that Audrey lived to be 23 years old. She never had a bed sore, even with the fact that she was bed-ridden for 19 years.
Calvino Inman is from Tennessee which is a state well known for the amount of churches housed there in the Bible belt. Could there be a miraculous connection with Calvino and the religious beliefs of the people in his community? Could it be something even larger than that? I’m not stating that I believe this is a miracle, but I would rather hear that than find out this young teenager has a serious medical problem. There is no scientific explanation for why this boy cries blood and there was none for Audrey Marie Santo who survived until the age of twenty-three. There were no tangible explanations for what occurred with the religious statues in Japan and Italy. Will we ever know the reason behind these phenomena or will they forever remain a secret?

Stay tuned to Discovery Health, RFD and BBC on Satellite TV for interesting shows about agriculture and health topics.

Raw milk. Many people hear that and immediately associate it with bacteria. The fact is raw organic milk not only supplies you with the calcium and vitamin D that your body needs, it even acts as a medicine to cure many ailments. Those of you who have labeled yourself as “lactose intolerant” can now take those words out of your vocabulary. I always labeled myself as having this problem until I started making healthier choices for myself. I switched to organic food and products two years ago and my life has become better because of it. Raw milk has also become part of my diet.

I dealt with stomach problems for many years. There was actually a period of about two years when I would have an upset stomach after practically anything I ate. I lost too much weight and started to lose some of my hair due to malnourishment. I tried to include more fiber in my diet and that helped a little but not completely. I avoided milk products all together, which was difficult for a cheese lover and I switched to organic food. My stomach problems became non-existent. I didn’t miss milk but I knew I should be drinking it for nutritional purposes.

I can honestly tell all of you who are on a “diet” that this is not skim milk but it will not make you gain weight. Skim milk is a crock. The chemical filled and nutritionally deprived products that people consume make them gain weight because the toxins don’t allow the body to properly get rid of waste. That is why fat gathers in certain areas of the body and not others. Fat free, low fat, no carbohydrates, rah, rah, rah, it’s all a joke. All you need to do is eat and drink organic to maintain a healthy weight that will not fluctuate. You can have chocolate, chips- anything you choose as long as it’s organic. Counting calories and factoring fat content will be a thing of the past. You’ll think back at all the times you did this and laugh realizing how ridiculous it was. The media and doctors have everyone obsessed with this pattern of thinking while they’re telling you to eat foods that are full of toxins as long as they’re low fat or fat free, etc. It’s time to take control of your own health because no one is going to do it for you.

Why don’t we hear more about the benefits of raw organic milk? You need to search for these benefits because they’re certainly not advertised. The brand name companies that provide mass quantities of milk to grocery stores would be out of business if everyone stopped buying it, so it doesn’t benefit them to tell you about it. It doesn’t benefit doctors to tell their patients because they wouldn’t be able to prescribe you with the medicine that’s pushed on them by drug companies. Pharmaceutical companies in turn wouldn’t be raking in the revenue they’ve grown so accustomed to. Small businesses like farms would benefit, but their voice is smaller. Most farms sell raw organic milk by word of mouth rather than advertisements.

Raw milk should be from grass fed cows only. It should also be certified as organic because it is tested for safety on a regular basis and it is tested randomly without notice. If the bacteria count in the milk is too high, the seller’s license is taken away until it is tested again and approved. This is not to say that this milk is not healthy if it has a high bacteria count as most farmers would still drink it themselves, but these are the rules.

Raw organic milk reduces belly fat, lowers cholesterol and lowers your body’s resistance to insulin. It contains the enzymes that your body needs to break down lactose so people like me do not get sick. This milk contains phosphate as well as 21 other amino acids. Phosphate allows your body to absorb calcium better. Enzymes and natural antibodies in raw organic milk from cows that are grass fed break down pathogens like Salmonella, E. Coli and listeria. Pasteurization destroys phosphate. It destroys enzymes that fight bad bacteria and break down lactose. It leaves nothing behind including essential vitamins like A, B, B12 and C. You want to talk about getting sick, try a bad glass of pasteurized milk. Raw organic milk has the saturated fat your body needs to coat your vital organs and to secrete the hormone in your stomach that tells your brain when you’re full. Low fat/No fat foods and drinks don’t have the fat you need for your body to do this, so they contribute to overeating. Raw organic milk raises metabolism, aids your body to rid of waste (taking the pressure off of your pancreas), boosts up your immune system and helps to prevent colon cancer. It cures psoriasis, pregnancy cramps and scurvy. It has also been known to improve pulmonary tuberculosis.

Once I learned all of this information, I became curious. This past summer I decided to venture out on a trip to a farm that’s about 40 minutes away from where I live in central Massachusetts. I went there because I heard about the benefits of drinking raw organic milk. They sell the certified raw organic milk produced by their pampered Jersey cows that are strictly grass fed. The areas where the cows were grazing were clean and the cows looked very healthy and happy. I loaded up my cooler with the large canning jars full of fresh milk that cost $4.50 per half gallon. I was amazed when I got home and took my first sip of this delectable refreshment! I couldn’t believe it. It doesn’t taste anything like that disgusting, cheesy and creamy whole pasteurized milk that you buy at the store. The texture is like velvet and it tastes just like melted ice cream only not as thick and without the excessive sweetness. People, you don’t know what you’re missing if you haven’t tried this yet! I have to admit I was very nervous about how my stomach would react due to being previously traumatized by milk products. Needless to say, not only did my stomach not undergo any adverse reactions, it was settled completely. I can now supply my body with the nourishment it needs and I no longer have that wrenching pain.

The brand name milk that is carried in grocery stores could be from anywhere and could’ve had anything in it including blood before the pasteurization process. This process allows the sale of mass quantities of milk containing anything that can be covered up or removed. It is pasty white rather than a natural cream color. The cows that produce the milk may be fed corn that is difficult for them to digest, even with their four stomachs. The corn causes them to eat less and produce more milk so it cuts down on cost. Many of the cows are injected with synthetic hormones like rBGH that is linked to cancer. They may also be milked until their utters are raw, bleeding or even infected. The federal government still sees raw organic milk as a health hazard and has left the decision up to individual states as to whether they will allow it in their grocery stores. I think we’re slowly becoming aware that it is not a hazard at all, but beneficial to our overall health and generally much safer.

The purchase of store bought organic milk that is not raw is on the rise in spite of the fact that the amount of milk people consume has remained consistent. It also costs about twice as much. Considering the economy, I would say that people are really becoming dedicated to moving forward with their health and are starting to make better decisions for themselves. Consumers are becoming more informed and are less likely to rely on the government and their doctors to tell them what is healthy and what is not. Perhaps this is the beginning of a change for the better.

The only difficult thing about drinking raw organic milk is that most of us can’t just mosey on down to the local grocery store after work and buy it. I’ve been waiting for the day I watch the local Boston news and find out Massachusetts grocery stores will start to carry my milk. Most states do not carry raw organic milk in their grocery stores so you need to go straight to the source. This is not convenient for those of us who live in the city but you can usually find a few people in your area that will be willing to share the trips so you don’t have to drive there every week. The farm I visited actually had flyers posted with the phone numbers of local people who are willing to connect with others in their area to do this. That’s how good this milk is. My only fear is what I will do in the winter when the cows produce less milk and the New England roads are covered in snow!

Interesting Facts:

· Raw milk is sold in grocery stores in 24 states.
· Starbucks uses milk that is rBGH free.
· People have been drinking milk since 6,000-8,000 B.C.
· Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Canada stopped buying and selling milk from cows injected with rBGH because of mastitis problems.
· Famous physician Sir William Osler called raw milk “white blood” because of its health benefits.
· Virologist Albert Sabin created his oral vaccine for polio from cow colostrum since it contains many powerful antibodies.
· Raw milk from cows that are fed mostly grain cannot protect itself against pathogens like the milk from cows that are 100% grass fed.
· CLA is a fatty acid and anti-carcinogen found in raw milk that has many powerful benefits like battling rheumatoid arthritis.

Check out the RFD channel for more information on farming and health topics with Dish Network!

Stay tuned to Discovery Health, RFD and BBC on Satellite TV for interesting shows about agriculture and health topics.

Raw milk. Many people hear that and immediately associate it with bacteria. The fact is raw organic milk not only supplies you with the calcium and vitamin D that your body needs, it even acts as a medicine to cure many ailments. Those of you who have labeled yourself as “lactose intolerant” can now take those words out of your vocabulary. I always labeled myself as having this problem until I started making healthier choices for myself. I switched to organic food and products two years ago and my life has become better because of it. Raw milk has also become part of my diet.

I dealt with stomach problems for many years. There was actually a period of about two years when I would have an upset stomach after practically anything I ate. I lost too much weight and started to lose some of my hair due to malnourishment. I tried to include more fiber in my diet and that helped a little but not completely. I avoided milk products all together, which was difficult for a cheese lover and I switched to organic food. My stomach problems became non-existent. I didn’t miss milk but I knew I should be drinking it for nutritional purposes.

I can honestly tell all of you who are on a “diet” that this is not skim milk but it will not make you gain weight. Skim milk is a crock. The chemical filled and nutritionally deprived products that people consume make them gain weight because the toxins don’t allow the body to properly get rid of waste. That is why fat gathers in certain areas of the body and not others. Fat free, low fat, no carbohydrates, rah, rah, rah, it’s all a joke. All you need to do is eat and drink organic to maintain a healthy weight that will not fluctuate. You can have chocolate, chips- anything you choose as long as it’s organic. Counting calories and factoring fat content will be a thing of the past. You’ll think back at all the times you did this and laugh realizing how ridiculous it was. The media and doctors have everyone obsessed with this pattern of thinking while they’re telling you to eat foods that are full of toxins as long as they’re low fat or fat free, etc. It’s time to take control of your own health because no one is going to do it for you.

Why don’t we hear more about the benefits of raw organic milk? You need to search for these benefits because they’re certainly not advertised. The brand name companies that provide mass quantities of milk to grocery stores would be out of business if everyone stopped buying it, so it doesn’t benefit them to tell you about it. It doesn’t benefit doctors to tell their patients because they wouldn’t be able to prescribe you with the medicine that’s pushed on them by drug companies. Pharmaceutical companies in turn wouldn’t be raking in the revenue they’ve grown so accustomed to. Small businesses like farms would benefit, but their voice is smaller. Most farms sell raw organic milk by word of mouth rather than advertisements.

Raw milk should be from grass fed cows only. It should also be certified as organic because it is tested for safety on a regular basis and it is tested randomly without notice. If the bacteria count in the milk is too high, the seller’s license is taken away until it is tested again and approved. This is not to say that this milk is not healthy if it has a high bacteria count as most farmers would still drink it themselves, but these are the rules.

Raw organic milk reduces belly fat, lowers cholesterol and lowers your body’s resistance to insulin. It contains the enzymes that your body needs to break down lactose so people like me do not get sick. This milk contains phosphate as well as 21 other amino acids. Phosphate allows your body to absorb calcium better. Enzymes and natural antibodies in raw organic milk from cows that are grass fed break down pathogens like Salmonella, E. Coli and listeria. Pasteurization destroys phosphate. It destroys enzymes that fight bad bacteria and break down lactose. It leaves nothing behind including essential vitamins like A, B, B12 and C. You want to talk about getting sick, try a bad glass of pasteurized milk. Raw organic milk has the saturated fat your body needs to coat your vital organs and to secrete the hormone in your stomach that tells your brain when you’re full. Low fat/No fat foods and drinks don’t have the fat you need for your body to do this, so they contribute to overeating. Raw organic milk raises metabolism, aids your body to rid of waste (taking the pressure off of your pancreas), boosts up your immune system and helps to prevent colon cancer. It cures psoriasis, pregnancy cramps and scurvy. It has also been known to improve pulmonary tuberculosis.

Once I learned all of this information, I became curious. This past summer I decided to venture out on a trip to a farm that’s about 40 minutes away from where I live in central Massachusetts. I went there because I heard about the benefits of drinking raw organic milk. They sell the certified raw organic milk produced by their pampered Jersey cows that are strictly grass fed. The areas where the cows were grazing were clean and the cows looked very healthy and happy. I loaded up my cooler with the large canning jars full of fresh milk that cost $4.50 per half gallon. I was amazed when I got home and took my first sip of this delectable refreshment! I couldn’t believe it. It doesn’t taste anything like that disgusting, cheesy and creamy whole pasteurized milk that you buy at the store. The texture is like velvet and it tastes just like melted ice cream only not as thick and without the excessive sweetness. People, you don’t know what you’re missing if you haven’t tried this yet! I have to admit I was very nervous about how my stomach would react due to being previously traumatized by milk products. Needless to say, not only did my stomach not undergo any adverse reactions, it was settled completely. I can now supply my body with the nourishment it needs and I no longer have that wrenching pain.

The brand name milk that is carried in grocery stores could be from anywhere and could’ve had anything in it including blood before the pasteurization process. This process allows the sale of mass quantities of milk containing anything that can be covered up or removed. It is pasty white rather than a natural cream color. The cows that produce the milk may be fed corn that is difficult for them to digest, even with their four stomachs. The corn causes them to eat less and produce more milk so it cuts down on cost. Many of the cows are injected with synthetic hormones like rBGH that is linked to cancer. They may also be milked until their utters are raw, bleeding or even infected. The federal government still sees raw organic milk as a health hazard and has left the decision up to individual states as to whether they will allow it in their grocery stores. I think we’re slowly becoming aware that it is not a hazard at all, but beneficial to our overall health and generally much safer.

The purchase of store bought organic milk that is not raw is on the rise in spite of the fact that the amount of milk people consume has remained consistent. It also costs about twice as much. Considering the economy, I would say that people are really becoming dedicated to moving forward with their health and are starting to make better decisions for themselves. Consumers are becoming more informed and are less likely to rely on the government and their doctors to tell them what is healthy and what is not. Perhaps this is the beginning of a change for the better.

The only difficult thing about drinking raw organic milk is that most of us can’t just mosey on down to the local grocery store after work and buy it. I’ve been waiting for the day I watch the local Boston news and find out Massachusetts grocery stores will start to carry my milk. Most states do not carry raw organic milk in their grocery stores so you need to go straight to the source. This is not convenient for those of us who live in the city but you can usually find a few people in your area that will be willing to share the trips so you don’t have to drive there every week. The farm I visited actually had flyers posted with the phone numbers of local people who are willing to connect with others in their area to do this. That’s how good this milk is. My only fear is what I will do in the winter when the cows produce less milk and the New England roads are covered in snow!

Interesting Facts:

· Raw milk is sold in grocery stores in 24 states.
· Starbucks uses milk that is rBGH free.
· People have been drinking milk since 6,000-8,000 B.C.
· Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Canada stopped buying and selling milk from cows injected with rBGH because of mastitis problems.
· Famous physician Sir William Osler called raw milk “white blood” because of its health benefits.
· Virologist Albert Sabin created his oral vaccine for polio from cow colostrum since it contains many powerful antibodies.
· Raw milk from cows that are fed mostly grain cannot protect itself against pathogens like the milk from cows that are 100% grass fed.
· CLA is a fatty acid and anti-carcinogen found in raw milk that has many powerful benefits like battling rheumatoid arthritis.

Check out the RFD channel for more information on farming and health topics with Dish Network!

Discovery Channel kicks off a string of premieres beginning August 5, when SMASH LAB, MYTHBUSTERS, MAN VS. WILD and SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED return with all-new episodes guaranteed to add excitement to the summer.

SMASH LAB returns for its second season on Tuesdays at 10PM ET/PT beginning August 5. In every episode, the new SMASH LAB team of maverick engineers -- Deanne Bell, Chuck Messer, Gadget and Nathaniel Taylor -- put their brains together to come up with the best solutions for tackling engineering problems that could have everyday applications. During season two, they smash and crash to develop potentially life-saving mechanisms like an unsinkable car, a portable submarine and a cliff-diving car. Ben Bailey, host of Discovery Channel's Emmy(R) award-winning game show, CASH CAB, narrates the series this season.

MYTHBUSTERS, the hit show that uses science to determine the truth behind urban legends, is back with all-new episodes beginning Wednesday, August 6 at 9PM ET/PT. Called "the best science program on television," MYTHBUSTERS uses scientific method and plain old-fashioned curiosity and ingenuity to test myths widely-known and obscure, potentially life-saving and seemingly trivial. Hosted by Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, and build team members Tory Belleci, Kari Byron and Grant Imahara, new episodes tackle myths including: Can explosives be used to tenderize a steak? Does driving angry use more gasoline? And the gang tests one of the most widely-discussed questions of this century: Was the NASA moon landing a hoax?

Season three of MAN VS. WILD marks the series' move to Wednesdays beginning Wednesday, August 6 at 10PM ET/PT. MAN VS. WILD brings seasoned adventurer Bear Grylls face to face with the grueling task of navigating remote locations and sharing invaluable survival strategies along the way. The six premiere episodes follow Bear as he parachutes into boulder strewn desert canyons on the Baja Peninsula, trails the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and survives the rugged conditions and 2000-foot sea cliffs in the west coast of Ireland.

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, hosted by correspondent, writer and comedian Brian Unger, will return for its second season this August. Airing Thursdays at 9PM ET/PT beginning August 7, SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED throws open the factory doors to showcase how ordinary items are manufactured and mass-produced. Season two delves into products both big and small, including fire trucks, refined sugar and washable crayons.

All shows will be shot entirely in High Definition. Watch the Discovery Channel HD on Satellite TV channel 278.

Meerkat Manor's favoritefirst family, the Whiskers, was dealt a harsh blow last season with thedeath of their fearless matriarch, Flower. With the family in shambles,Rocket Dog fought her way to the spot as top "kat" and new leader for theWhiskers clan. But, mutineer Maybelline didn't accept her sister Rocket Dogas queen and ditched the clan to form her own mob, the Aztecs. With thefamily divided, the sisters' claws come out -- and the Manor is changedforever.

Now, beginning Friday, June 6, at 9 PM (ET/PT), Rocket Dog andMaybelline must live within the rather large shadow of their late mother,Flower, and there's very little room in the Kalahari for both sisters'clans. Not only do the meerkats face predators, harsh desert weather andarchenemies the Commandos-there's dissent in their ranks. Without a solidleader to unify them, they face their toughest survival threat yet-eachother. The sisters' enmity isn't the first time a family spat hasthreatened a homeland. History's Tudor queens had a rivalry that put awedge through England. This season, viewers are knee deep in the Kalaharias betrayals, romances, seductions and new titillating storylines unfurl.The Tudor family had nothing on these mobs- this brand-new generation ofmeerkats gives new meaning to bad "Manors."

No matter which meerkat deserves the title, this season, another queenreigns over the Kalahari. Emmy-award winning Stockard Channing joins theManor as the series' headstrong narrator. With her previous role as FirstLady on The West Wing, Channing is no stranger to politics.

Each Friday night during the scandalous 13-episode season of MEERKATMANOR: THE NEXT GENERATION, witness the meerkats in a battle royale ofcompetition and survival. MEERKAT MANOR: NEXT GENERATION takes charge at anew time, Fridays at 9 PM (ET/PT) beginning June 6 and continues thereafterevery Friday at 9 PM (ET/PT).

And, as a special Memorial Day weekend tribute, MEERKAT MANOR: THESTORY BEGINS premieres for the first time on television Sunday, May 25,from 8-9:30 PM (ET/PT) only on Animal Planet. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg,MEERKAT MANOR: THE STORY BEGINS is a 90-minute biopic about Flower's lifeand her rise to fame as the leader of the Whiskers. Immediately followingthe film, THE MAKING OF MEERKAT MANOR: THE STORY BEGINS premieres Sunday,May 25, from 9:30 -10 PM (ET/PT). Then, on Friday, May 30, the film MEERKATMANOR: THE STORY BEGINS encores from 8-9:30 PM (ET/PT), and it immediatelyis followed by the half- hour special, THE SCIENCE OF MEERKAT MANOR,beginning at 9:30 PM (ET/PT).

Watch Animal Planet in HD on Satellite TV channel 282.