Fact, or just "old wives tale?"

great_lakes_mom
Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:02:56 +0000

Yes, the mainstream medical view is that milk makes no difference in a cold, and as cited above, there are studies to back this up.

In the alternative health world I was raised in, cows’ milk is mucus producing, and hard on the immune system. Not a good protein for humans, hard to digest, and causes allergies. Despite my current grounding in the normal medical world, I approach dairy products, liquid milk especially with a certain degree of caution. Milk allergy runs in my family, as do all sorts of other allergies. Though rare, I skin tested positive to milk allergy. I can drink it, but my hay fever, dust allergy, etc. is far worse in the 24 hours after any significant dairy intake…though I love it. As with many allergies, is worse with multiple immune system stressors. Staying up all night, in ragweed season, drinking milk or eating ice cream, while cleaning a dusty basement would probably send me into a horrific cold. The rest of my family has similar, if not worse reactions. I’ve raised my kids for the most part without drinking milk, because of the family history, and now they seem to tolerate it well on occasion. And only one has any hay fever or allergies.

The point for the general population, is that our immune sytems are stressed, and allergies of all sorts are on the rise, hay fever as well as more serious anaphyactic reactions. If milk is one more immune system stressor, why risk it if allergies might be a concern? On the other hand, what are you going to replace it with? Milk is cheap and good nutrition, and if you’re just going to drink soda instead, general health might suffer more.

In response to the OP, I’d avoid dairy, as given your experience, there might be some underlying milk allergy, as well as the congestion that vocalists notice. But of the two, ice cream, especially with higher fat content, would be better, as has less of the milk protein that causes problems.