cow's milk allergies

Re: cow's milk allergies

Sue C. — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 13:44:51 +0000

Jackie, now I have a brain cramp too, after reading Erling's post and subsequent comments! But, very interesting! Still a bit confused though - does this mean my potassium needs to come up?

Thanks!

(apologies for getting away from the cow's milk allergies thread...)

Re: cow's milk allergies

Jackie — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 06:23:14 +0000

Sue - Your TSH indicates you are hypothyroid...in case you didn't know that. Anything over 2.0 is considered hypo.

Your potassium is probably low since your sodium is at the high end of the range and if your AF persists, this can be part of the problem... also the hypothyroidism.

Please see the current discussion in the main AF forum on the need to maintain a proper sodium to potassium ratio in order for the Na/K pumps to function properly.
<[www.afibbers.org];

Jackie

Re: cow's milk allergies

Sue C. — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 10:45:30 +0000

I just had bloodwork done, and my sodium is 145 (reference range 134-145 mmol/L, and potassium was 4.2 (reference range 3.5-5.0 mmol/L.

Sodium is at the high end - my dr is always telling me to put more salt in my food to try and get my HR up. I don't take any notice and never add salt to anything I cook or eat, figure I get enough anyway.

Potassium looks okay too?

My TSH was 6.9, with a ref range of 0.38-5.5 mU/L.

Free T4 - 12.0
Free T3 - 3.7

What are the Free T4's and 3's?

Re: cow's milk allergies

Erling — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 09:19:18 +0000

Sue,

Don't forget that one of the greatest benefits of the paleo way of nutrition is the very high potassium intake, which hugely benefits the potassium:sodium ratio - a likely key to NSR.

Erling

Re: cow's milk allergies

Jackie — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 06:13:28 +0000

Sue - the way to approach that is just give up packaged products which aren't typically healthy anyway... and most all of them are expensive for what they are. That's why the Paleo style of eating seems to be so helpful for those suffering with AF. It eliminates grains and dairy and as a result, inflammation is significantly reduced if not eliminated. Conference Room #61 contains a large number of people who eliminated AF through Paleo style eating. I know some people still use brown rice, millet or quinona if they are unable to go completely grain free.

Jackie

Re: cow's milk allergies

Sue C. — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 21:55:38 +0000

I would really like to stay off most gluten products, and admit I have slipped over the years. Also, I'm on a fixed disability income, and non-gluten products are very expensive. I have found it very difficult to substitute something inexpensive. Used to have rice bread but the price is now prohibitive - even tried making it myself.

Not making excuses, just defining my situation.

Re: cow's milk allergies

Jackie — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 09:07:38 +0000

Sue - as you'll learn in my report when I publish it, the key is to eliminate gluten completely..otherwise, the immune reaction continues - sometimes, it's silently damaging tissue and other times, you'll have symptoms of pain... same thing.. all damaging. I'm deep into organizing and consolidating a huge amount of information because this issue can also relate to inflammation that promotes afib. Jackie

Re: cow's milk allergies

Sue C. — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 22:07:23 +0000

Jackie, I do try to limit my wheat intake - I sure know when I've had enough, as my knee joints start aching, first indicator. I cannot eat brown bread at all.

Re: cow's milk allergies

Jackie — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:06:29 +0000

Sue - if you aren't completely gluten free, you should consider doing so. There is a strong link in people who are sensitive to the casein protein in dairy and the gluten/gliaden protein in wheat and other grains. The inflammation that response causes has been linked to many adverse health conditions and we've noted a link to afib as well.

Remember, most of these are "sensitivities," as opposed to true "allergies" - where a person who has an allergic response falls down and goes into anaphylactic shock. Many sensitivities can be fairly silent but they do damage behind the scenes... especially in the GI tract.

If I ever get my act together, I'll be doing a post here on this topic.
I'm about 75% completed.

Jackie

Re: cow's milk allergies

Sue C. — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:46:04 +0000

I've been using rice milk for 18 years now, due to allergies to cow's milk. Tried goat's milk and soy milk but neither agreed with me. As a baby I was very allergic to cow's milk, but started using it again when I was a bit older - however, the allergy (and to wheat) appeared once more when I was 21, and that time I was very ill. So I stay away from the stuff now, and actually don't like the taste of cow's milk any more.

Re: cow's milk allergies

Erling — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 20:09:13 +0000

[askdrsears.com]:

GOT GOAT'S MILK?

What does goat's milk give you that cow's milk doesn't? In many parts of the world, goat's milk is preferred to cow's milk. Even in the United States, the goat is gaining popularity. Goats eat less and occupy less grazing space than cows, and in some families the backyard goat supplies milk for family needs. Goat's milk is believed to be more easily digestible and less allergenic than cow's milk. Does it deserve this reputation? Let's disassemble goat's milk, nutrient-by-nutrient, to see how it compares with cow's milk.

Different fat. Goat's milk contains around ten grams of fat per eight ounces compared to 8 to 9 grams in whole cow's milk, and it's much easier to find lowfat and non-fat varieties of cow's milk than it is to purchase lowfat goat's milk. Unlike cow's milk, goat's milk does not contain agglutinin. As a result, the fat globules in goat's milk do not cluster together, making them easier to digest. Like cow's milk, goat's milk is low in essential fatty acids, because goats also have EFA-destroying bacteria in their ruminant stomachs. Yet, goat milk is reported to contain more of the essential fatty acids linoleic and arachnodonic acids, in addition to a higher proportion of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids. These are easier for intestinal enzymes to digest.

Different protein. Goat milk protein forms a softer curd (the term given to the protein clumps that are formed by the action of your stomach acid on the protein), which makes the protein more easily and rapidly digestible. Theoretically, this more rapid transit through the stomach could be an advantage to infants and children who regurgitate cow's milk easily. Goat's milk may also have advantages when it comes to allergies. Goat's milk contains only trace amounts of an allergenic casein protein, alpha-S1, found in cow's milk. Goat's milk casein is more similar to human milk, yet cow's milk and goat's milk contain similar levels of the other allergenic protein, beta lactoglobulin. Scientific studies have not found a decreased incidence of allergy with goat's milk, but here is another situation where mothers' observations and scientific studies are at odds with one another. Some mothers are certain that their child tolerates goat's milk better than cow's milk, and mothers are more sensitive to children's reactions than scientific studies.

Less lactose. Goat's milk contains slightly lower levels of lactose (4.1 percent versus 4.7 percent in cow's milk), which may be a small advantage in lactose-intolerant persons.

Different minerals. Although the mineral content of goat's milk and cow's milk is generally similar, goat's milk contains 13 percent more calcium, 25 percent more vitamin B-6, 47 percent more vitamin A, 134 percent more potassium, and three times more niacin. It is also four times higher in copper. Goat's milk also contains 27 percent more of the antioxidant selenium than cow's milk. Cow's milk contains five times as much vitamin B-12 as goat's milk and ten times as much folic acid (12 mcg. in cow's milk versus 1 mcg. for goat's milk per eight ounces with an RDA of 75-100 mcg. for children). The fact that goat's milk contains less than ten percent of the amount of folic acid contained in cow's milk means that it must be supplemented with folic acid in order to be adequate as a formula or milk substitute for infants and toddlers, and popular brands of goat's milk may advertise "supplemented with folic acid" on the carton.
GOAT'S MILK FORMULA VERSUS COMMERCIAL FORMULA FOR ALLERGIC INFANTS

Parents of babies allergic to cow's milk and other commercial formulas often ask if it's safe to use goat's milk as an alternative. In theory, goat's milk is less allergenic and more easily digestible than cow's milk, but it should not be used as a substitute for infant formula. Like cow's milk, it can cause intestinal irritation and anemia. If your baby under one year of age is allergic to cow's milk-based formulas, try either a soy-based formula or a hypoallergenic formula. If your baby can't tolerate either soy or hypoallergenic formulas, in consultation with your doctor and/or a pediatric nutritionist click here for goat's milk formula recipe.

This formula has stood the test of time. One batch contains 715 calories and nineteen calories per ounce, which is essentially the same as cow's milk formulas. This is sufficient for an infant six to twelve months. A baby on goat's milk formula should also receive a multi-vitamin with iron supplement prescribed by her doctor. In infants over one year of age, goat's milk can be readily used instead of cow's milk. (Be sure to buy goat's milk that is certified free of antiobiotics and bovine growth hormone (BGH).

(For more information about goat's milk call 1-800-891-GOAT)
==========================================

[meyenberg.com]

Their website shows they supply a great variety of goat's milk products. Just for fun I clicked on Where to Buy and typed in my zip code - there are 27 major stores carrying their milk, etc. within 5 miles - Safeway, Whole Foods, even Target - 2 within walking distance. Tomorrow I'll get some goat's milk for a treat, if not too expensive.
Thanks for the prompt!

Erling

Re: cow's milk allergies

Erling — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 20:09:00 +0000

Re: cow's milk allergies

lynda — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 11:28:48 +0000

Thank you Cyndie and Erling. I knew about the goat's milk. I know the cost may pose an issue, but you are so right. Thank you for taking the time to respond. Lynda

Re: cow's milk allergies

Erling — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 18:43:53 +0000

Perhaps this isn't exactly applicable, but when our infant daughter was weened to cow's milk she at once began bleeding into her diaper, howling in distress. On recommendation from a wonderful GI doctor we switched her to goats milk and the problem resolved completely, immediately. Later, when her systems had matured sufficiently, she was able to take cows milk. Could goat's milk be an answer? It is readily available.

Erling

Re: cow's milk allergies

Cyndie — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 16:31:52 +0000

My niece's grandson has aspberger ( sp??) syndrome, a form of autism. He loves his cow's milk and she is trying to switch him over to rice milk which is supplemented with calcium and Vit D. It is well documented about dairy being mucous forming but I think you do need to transition them from a taste standpoint.
Good luck
Cyndie

cow's milk allergies

lynda — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:10:35 +0000

Any info I can give to my daughter in law pertaining to cow's milk and other mucus forming foods? My grandson who just had his 3rd birthday has had congestion for months and loves his daily doses of cow's milk. She has concerns that he will not get the calcium he needs since he is a pickyeater. I have shared what I know but do you know of any professional articles on the matter,etc.? Thank you so much. Lynda