When I first started reading books written based on the Cayce health readings, most of the authors said that Cayce only recommended the consumption of raw milk. Indeed, some readings told of Cayce telling the recipient to have milk “with the heat of the cow”. This would have been fine advice for someone who lived on a farm, or who otherwise had access to milk that hadn’t even cooled to room temperature. But very few people living today have their own dairy cow. While raw milk is available at some specialty stores, all modern retail milk is chilled very soon after the milking.
Did Cayce actually recommend what was impossible for most people? I’ve decided most the Reading-inspired books that say Cayce only recommended raw milk are mistaken. Read on for my analysis of some of the quotes from Cayce’s Readings.
Another source I think highly of points out that, all things considered, milk is a relatively good food for humans: it has most the nutrients we need except iron, etc. Dairy farmers have to take better care of their cows than meat farmers, because happy cows produce more milk than stressed cows. This source further says the anti-cow-milk movement is more of an ideological crusade than science-based advice. The ideological problem some have with dairy is how heifers only produce milk after giving birth to a calf, and there’s no use for most of the resulting calfs.
But life is a series of compromises. I think the dairy industry is much better source of calories than the feedlot industry, so I try to limit my consumption of beef and consume plenty of milk. Raw milk is hard to find, and is not usually in my budget. Sometimes I heat my milk up so it’s “warm” sort of as if it’s from the cow:
Also give to the body those properties in food values that carry more proteins or more cellular units – not meats, but fresh vegetables, especially these: beets, carrots, turnips, greens and things of this character, not much grease with them. Once a day fruit and cereal with plenty of milk should be taken, the milk preferably warm from the cow.
(89-1, M Child)
Cayce also recommended milk without qualifications:
10. Also we would be careful of the diet. Do not eat meat other than that of mutton, or goat, or kid. This may be taken in SMALL quantities. No other meat or flesh would we take. Let the diet be more of vegetables that grow ABOVE the ground. None that grow below the ground. Fruits – all of these may be taken in moderation. Drink PLENTY of water. Make it obligatory for self to see that at least two to three GLASSES of water are drank between each meal – not AT meals. Not much coffee or tea. Milk may be taken in moderation. COFFEE not more than once each day.
(92-1, F Adult)26. (Q) Milk and butter good for the body?
(A) Very good.
(121-1, F 37)
Bulgarian Milk
When looking through readings today for this post, I repeatedly came across recommendations for Bulgarian Milk. I’ve noticed this before, but I read over the term to not get bogged down in details. Some quotes:
8. As for the creating of the proper conditions in the digestive system, the Bulgarian Milk or BUTTERMILK, properly handled. PREFERABLY those of the Bulgarian would be the better, this adding sufficient of the lactic and lacteals for the system for the proper stimulation through the lacteal ducts on the lachrymal system, or the changing into the new forces for the blood supply.
(142-5, M 20 MONTHS)Not too much stimulation of coffee or tea, but tea would be preferable over coffee. Drink Bulgarian milk or milk fresh from the cow with the animal heat. Should this turn the system then take the Bulgarian milk.
(81-2, F Adult)Little coffee or tea, and NO stimulants that would overtax the digestive system, see? Fruits – oranges, grapefruit – these are good. Cereals only occasionally – these as changes. Milk – this may be taken – preferably, though, should be buttermilk, or the milk that has been so treated, as the Bulgarian – this very good for the body.
(91-1, M 48)
Buttermilk is what’s leftover from making butter from cream. Traditional buttermilk was made from raw dairy, and was therefore cultured with a variety of bacterial. Modern butter is usually made from pasteurized cream, so it does not ferment. Modern buttermilk is a creation of the milk factory (ref: wikipedia/buttermilk).
Today I searched to figure out what ‘Bulgarian’ means, as I’ve never seen ‘Bulgarian’ in any dairy aisle:
Bulgarian Yogurt is a dairy food that is made by the fermentation of dairy milk which is triggered by two bacterial strains only – Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus [shortened to L. Burgaricus] and Streptococcus thermophilus. […]
[B]ulgarian Yoghurt gained its attention when a Bulgarian student, Stamen Grigorov, researched the bacterial structure of the Bulgarian Yogurt and discovered Lactobacilus Bulgaricus. Then he managed to bring the attention of one of the greatest scientists in that time, Prof. Ilja Mechnikov. By 1908, the results of the research were confirmed, independently, in Pasteur Institute, Paris, and the bacterium was named Bacillus bulgaricus, “Bulgarian milk bacterium.”
This link also says ‘Greek Yogurt’ is simply strained yogurt, with a variety of different bacterial strains.
I like the origin story of the Chobani yogurt brand (briefly: Turkish immigrant buys closed Kraft yogurt factory, refurbishes it, built his yogurt business from scratch, and gives 10% of his shares to employees). Chobani’s yogurt has L. Bulgaricus and S. Thermophilus, and a few others strains:
Cayce sometimes said “bulgarian milk”, other times he said “yogurt”. “Bulgarian Milk” was certainly a type of yogurt – perhaps the milk was only cultured, and had not been fully turned into yogurt. Ahh, “Bulgarian Tablets” is the term to search for:
R2. 5/15/33 EC’s letter: “Now, I wish I could give you the name of the dried milk. If I remember correctly – Is Hall still there in business? If so, he can tell you about this, I’m sure – for there were several times while I was in Selma that the readings suggested this for our own boys, a certain kind – and, if I remember correctly, it was called Dryco; which, I think, carries all the fats. The Bulgarian milk is put up in tablet form, or in Bulgarian tablets that you put with some other milk – and it works especially for tender stomaches, and where there is needed to be built up fats in the system; though, of course, this is not fattening;
(Edgar Cayce’s letter in Reports of Reading #318-6, M 7)
I think you can make your own modern cultured “bulgarian” milk by mixing Bulgarian yogurt with milk, without having to go through the whole process of making yogurt. I’m going to start doing this with Chobani yogurt; there are many modern yogurt and probiotic brands that will suffice for this purpose.
I think Cayce recommended ‘Bulgarian’ milk for balancing the intestinal microbiome (this term had not yet been coined). Yeast were also employed for this purpose:
12. The diet should be much in the form or manner that has been outlined for the body, though WE would add a great deal more of the citrus fruit juices and those foods that carry the bacilli that will be destructive to the refuse forces that are thrown off in the intestinal system, purifying the body, see? […]
17. (Q) What foods carry that bacilli for the destructive forces?
(A) That in Yeast, or that in Yogurt, or that in buttermilk – or that is made with the Bulgarian tablets.
(297-1, F ADULT)
11. ANY form of yeast or a yogurt for the body will be well. Of course, this is a portion of that as will be had from buttermilk. It is those germicidal influences in same that will be effective upon the intestinal system.
(538-57 F 59)20. Evenings – for the most part leafy vegetables, and not too much of same. Use Yogurt in the evening meal, or before the evening meal a Yeast Cake AND then the vegetables taken afterward. Use the ironized yeast; this is preferable to the plain or just vitamin yeast.
[…]
22. Ready for questions.
23. (Q) Should both the Yeast and the Yogurt be taken, or just one?
(A) No; only the Yogurt OR the ironized Yeast; for this is to act as a cleanser for the alimentary canal, as well as a better balance for the fermenting and the eliminations of poisons from the system.
( 1762-1 F 58)19. (Q) Is buttermilk good?
(A) This depends upon the manner in which it is made. This would tend to produce gas if it is the ordinary kind. But that MADE by the use of the Bulgarian tablets is good, in moderation; not too much.
(404-6, F 46)
Cultured Milk is an easy upgrade for cheap milk
As with everything, there is a variety of milk available, at different price points. ‘Organic’ milk is nice if you can afford it, but impossible if it’s out of budget. Do the best you can. Some people do fine with one brand but not others, probably because they’re sensitive to something in the dairy cow’s diet. Adding a tablespoon of a yogurt that has live cultures to a container of milk is an easy way to upgrade whatever milk you have.
The internet says yogurt bacteria consume the lactose in the milk, making it possible for even the lactose-intolerant to consume cultured dairy.
-James Knochel
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