Benefits of raw milk and breastfeeding (not what you’d expect)!
What’s lactoferrin? It’s a protein whose primary function is to scavenge and bind to free iron, keeping it from feeding microorganisms. That's literally its job description (hey bod, you amazing). In fact, it binds to iron ~240X tighter than transferrin, another protein involved in iron metabolism. Due to its binding properties, it’s actually considered one of the first lines of defense against microbial inf3ction.
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Both humans and animals produce this protein. It’s mainly present in bodily fluids and secretions that could potentially be exposed to p@thogens, including tears, saliva, nasal mucus, bronchial mucus, gastrointestinal fluids, vaginal mucus, semen and of course — milk. The only bodily fluid that doesn’t contain it? Pee. Colostrum (initial milk) contains the most, next is breast milk.
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Lactoferrin also gets released from white blood cells to areas of the body that might be experiencing inf3ction or other diseas3 processes. Due to its ability to bind to iron, it has anti-vir@al, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity. Because it suppresses free radical production, it reduces oxidative stress and also has antioxidant properties.
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As you can see, lactoferrin packs a serious punch. And it could be worth incorporating lactoferrin-rich raw milk into your diet.
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Why raw? Heating diminishes lactoferrin. Raw milk has been shown to have 2,866X more lactoferrin than boiled milk and 8,026X more than milk pasteurized at ultra-high temperatures (Masterjohn, 2012). Compared to minimally pasteurized milk, raw milk still has 36% more lactoferrin.
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And if you’re able, breastfeeding is definitely worth considering. Breastmilk is uber rich in lactoferrin. And pretty much all formula has iron and zero lactoferrin.
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“The very large amount of lactoferrin in breast milk suppresses growth of iron-dependent p@thogenic b@cteria in the intestine of the nursling. Accordingly, the gut of the breast-fed human infant, in the absence of iron supplements, develops a natural mix of nonp@thogenic b@cteria that do not require iron.” — Dr. E.D. Weinberg
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As always, some food for thought!
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Not medical advice.
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.
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References
Haas, E. M. Levin, B. (2006). Staying Healthy with Nutrition. New York, NY: Ten Speed Press.
Masterjohn, C. (2012). With the Wave of a Wand, Raw Milk Wipes Away the Wheeze: How Our Good Friend Glutathione Protects Against Asthma. Retrieved from: https://www.westonaprice.org/with-the-wave-of-a-wand-raw-milk-wipes-away-the-wheeze-how-our-good-friend-glutathione-protects-against-asthma/.
Moon, J. (2008). Iron, the Most Toxic Metal. Chico, CA: George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation.
Weinberg, E.D. (2004). Exposing the Hidden Dangers of Iron. Nashville, TN: Cumberland House Publishing, Inc.
Yamauchi, K. Wakabayashi, H. Shin, K. Takase, M. (2006). Bovine lactoferrin: benefits and mechanism of action against infections Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16936799/.
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