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Posted by: Dr. Mercola
August 27 2003 | 4,974 views

Researchers believe that Crohn’s disease, a bowel disorder that causes inflammation of the intestine leading to diarrhea, pain, weight loss and fatigue, may be caused by a type of bacteria that is passed to humans through milk.

The bacteria, mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP), was found in some 92 percent of patients with Crohn’s disease, compared to only 26 percent of patients in a control group. MAP is present in about two percent of commercial pasteurized milk.

As a solution, researchers recommend that people with Crohn’s disease, or those who feel at risk, drink UHT milk, which is pasteurized at higher temperatures that likely kill MAP.

The bacteria may also be associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to researchers.

Journal Clinical Microbiology July 2003l;41(7):2915-23


Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
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Since MAP was found in the majority of people with Crohn’s, the researchers concluded that this bug must be causing the problem, and since it is in milk they recommended pasteurizing milk at even higher temperatures. Nice theory, but have they ever treated any patients with it?

No way.

If they did they would quickly find out that raw milk is actually one of the more profound healing agents in inflammatory bowel disease. Rather than causing it, raw milk causes the disease to go into remission. If you live in the Chicago area, you can now purchase raw milk through a cow share program.

Dangerous Grains are also a major reason why people acquire Crohn's disease. There is fairly strong Paleolithic evidence that 10,000 years ago most humans did not consume many grains. They were hunter-gatherers who subsisted mostly on vegetables and meats. Ten thousand years is a mere blip in a biological sense for humans--over 99 percent of our genetic make-up was in place, in fact, before we ever started consuming grains.

When considered from this perspective alone, it is not too surprising that grains can cause a wide array of health issues: contemporary humans have not suddenly evolved mechanisms to incorporate the high carbohydrates from starch- and sugar-rich foods into their diets. You can find out more about the dangers of grains in my new book.

For those with Crohn’s disease or IBS, coconut oil would be an extremely beneficial addition to your diet. The anti-inflammatory and healing effects of coconut oil have been shown to play a role in soothing inflammation and healing injury in the digestive tract. Coconut oil also has antimicrobial properties that promote intestinal health by killing troublesome microorganisms that may cause chronic inflammation.

Fish oil is another absolutely essential element of preventing and controlling inflammatory bowel disease.

Related Articles:

Raw Milk Now Available in the Chicago Area

More Reasons Why You Don’t Want to Drink Pasteurized Milk

Pasteurized Milk and its Link to Autism, Part I

Common Virus Linked With Severe Bowel Disease

Vitamin D for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Depression Common in Inflammatory Bowel Disease





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