The Big Elephant In The Room

MAP is the big elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about. The milk industry pretend it’s not there but growing evidence means it can no longer be ignored. The elephant is getting bigger.


MAP stands for “Mycobacterium Avium subspecies Paratuberculosis”. Here is an extract from an article published in the Los Angeles Times:

Milk May Be the Carrier of Crohn's


If, as some scientists are now convinced, Crohn's disease is caused by a microorganism, the question becomes: How is it transmitted?


The shocking answer, they say, is through that most sacrosanct of beverages--milk. The microorganism under suspicion, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, or MAP, is common in U.S. dairy herds, activists argue, and it is not killed by conventional pasteurization.


Transmission of MAP from infected cattle to humans through milk could explain much about the occurrence of Crohn's, including its geographical distribution and rising incidence.


The purported spread of MAP through milk "constitutes a public health disaster of tragic proportions," said Dr. John Hermon-Taylor of St. George's Hospital Medical Center in London.


Both the U.S. dairy industry and the Food and Drug Administration argue vehemently that the U.S. milk supply is safe and that pasteurization is effective at removing any potential threats.


Source: LA Times, September 18, 2000, Home Edition, Section: Health, Page: S-1.

In recent years the incidence of MAP in pasteurized milk has been getting worse, not better. Here is an extract of a recent study on the incidence of MAP in milk:

MAP causes Johne’s disease in ruminants, a chronic enteritis evocative of human inflammatory bowel disease. In industrialized countries MAP has been cultured from pasteurized milk, compounding the increasing concern that MAP may be zoonotic. We corroborate the presence of viable MAP in the food chain reported from industrialized countries. With the increasing concern that MAP may be zoonotic, these findings have major implications for healthcare in India.


Source: Presence of MAP in commercial pasteurized milk, and milk products in India (Shankar H, et al, International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2010 Feb;14(2):e121-6. Epub 2009 Jul 2).

But wait, from the horses mouth there’s more :-). Even the British Food Standards Agency (which includes dairy farmers on its board of directors) admits that “MAP is found in approximately 2% of pasteurized milk on retail sale”.


As if that’s not enough, here is a letter just posted to the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK

I strongly advise that pregnant women should be extremely careful drinking any milk, raw or pasteurised. This advice to drink more milk by health officials led to my wife contacting Crohns Disease & Ulcerated Colitis, that very nearly KILLED her. Until the Dairy Industry can be bothered to get MAP- Mycobacterium sub species avium Paratuberculosis out of milk, it is NOT SAFE to drink for many. MAP is Zoonotic, animal to human, survives pasteurisation, cannot be made by human, comes from outside source, & the cow who suffers with Johnes disease ( Crohns in humans ) passes this MAP bacteria to humans via it's milk & faeces which also go into water supplies, also infecting other animals in the environment. MAP can travel the birth cord to the unborn as it can cow to calf. Cattle with MAP are now to be treated with a new dna anti-map vaccine which is being developed for humans at Kings College Hospital with Prof John Hermon Taylor backed by my campaign - The Chronic Crohns Campaign UK.


Source: Letter to The Daily Mail, by Tim Page, Wadhurst, East Sussex, United Kingdom, 27/5/2010.

How much longer will the big elephant be ignored?


Keep well,
Russell Eaton


P.S. For the world’s best collection of non-dairy milk recipes see The Foolproof Diet (www.the-foolproof-diet.com).

Save money - make your own super nutritious almond milk

Almond milk is made from almond nuts. The almond tree reaches a height of 3-7 M (9-22 ft) and has beautiful pink or white flowers that bloom in spring. The dry, leathery almond fruit surrounds the almond nut which is harvested when the fruit dries and splits open.

Milk made from almonds has a delicious light nutty flavor, and it makes a refreshing drink straight from the fridge. It can be used just like regular milk, or as a ‘non-dairy milk’ in just about any recipe.

Almonds without their shells can be stored for up to 1 month if kept airtight in a cool dark dry place, or up to a maximum of 12 months in the refrigerator if kept air tight. Almonds can be frozen for 2-3 years depending on temperature.

Almonds are particularly nutritious in protein, iron, vitamin E, zinc, and vitamin B2. They also have valuable amounts of magnesium, potassium, and folate (folic acid). Among the nut family, almonds provide the richest source of calcium.

Almonds contain more magnesium than oatmeal or even spinach, making a valuable contribution to good health: magnesium is needed for healthy bones, and for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, and is involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. One ounce (about 23 almonds) provides more than a quarter of your daily needs for magnesium.

For weight-conscious people, almond milk is low-fat and low-carbohydrate, and is therefore ideal as part of any weight loss plan. A study carried out by Dr. Gary Fraser (City of Hope Medical Center and Loma Linda University in California) found that eating a modest quantity of almonds daily (approximately 2 ounces or 40 almonds) resulted in increased unsaturated fats intake with no significant changes in body weight.

Making almond milk is quick and easy. It is best to soak the almonds overnight in purified or boiled water (the water must be cold when used for making milk). Then strain, dab nuts dry and freeze. The almonds nuts are then ready for making milk whenever you like. Using soaked/frozen nuts provides a much creamier and more nutritious milk than using dried nuts without first soaking.

To make milk, blend one part of nuts to five parts water. Always use the purest drinking water for making milk; otherwise the milk will spoil quickly. Add a teaspoon of sugar for taste. Better still add a teaspoon of Xylitol (a natural sweetener that protects your teeth and gums). Never use warm or hot water when making milk as this will greatly reduce the shelf life of the milk in the fridge.

Blend the milk for 1 – 2 minutes. There is no need to strain the milk after blending; just store in an airtight container in the fridge and use like regular milk. Shake or stir before serving.  It will typically stay fresh for 4-5 days just like regular milk.

For more super delicious and nutritious milk-making recipes see The Foolproof Diet (http://www.the-foolproof-diet.com/).
Keep well,
Russell Eaton