Raw Milk Fast Do’s and Don’ts

Paula Jager, CSCS, owner of Crossfit Jaguar in Tampa Florida, is the author of a riveting journal about her 15 day raw “milk cure” fast. It has since sparked much interest from grassfed milk fans from around the world.

It started a revival of sorts about this age-old remedy for improving vitality, bodily cleansing, and even reversal of serious illness as practiced early in the last century by the Mayo Foundation, a forerunner of the famed Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. (1)

At the end of Paula’s raw milk fast, she said that she was so pleased with the results. She had the best bloodwork of her life at the conclusion of the fast! Thus, she vowed to do a raw milk fast every year going forward around the beginning of Spring.

The next year, my husband Richard and I joined Paula for a 10 day raw “milk cure” fast.

After that experience, Paula and I talked about whether we were going to do a raw milk fast again. We both decided that, yes, we wanted to do it one more time but not for 10 days. We felt that a simple 3 day seasonal cleanse fast using raw grassfed milk would be sufficient.

Those of you who would like to continue the fast longer are welcome to do so, but as for Paula and me, three days is plenty this time around.   Certainly, a very long raw milk fast can be extremely beneficial for those who require it for an extended period of time.  I’ve posted before about Melanie who drank nothing but raw, pastured milk for many months to recover from Lyme Disease. Last time I heard from Melanie, she was doing very well and continuing to improve!

Before launching into the 3-day raw milk fast, let’s review some important considerations to keep everyone safe and healthy throughout the process.

Do’s and Don’ts for a Raw Milk Fast

Before embarking on this three-day raw milk fast with us, be sure to read through this list of DOs and DONTs first to help you decide whether it is right for you.

• DON’T attempt this fast with pasteurized or even low temp pasteurized milk. Milk becomes a completely different food once it’s pasteurized and many vital nutrients and enzymes are either totally lost or significantly reduced.  Pasteurized milk is not a complete food like raw milk is.
• DON’T do this while pregnant or nursing.
• DON’T do the fast just to lose weight.  The purpose of the fast is to gently cleanse and rejuvenate the body without overly stressing it.  Getting healthy and staying healthy is the goal, not dropping a dress size or two.  If you drop some weight, that’s just a bonus but not the goal.
• DO the fast with raw milk yogurt, raw kefir, or clabbered raw milk instead of plain raw milk if you prefer.  These are acceptable substitutions.
• DO the fast with any type of quality raw milk you can find. Last year, there was a participant in Europe who fasted with sheep milk!
• DO continue the fast longer if you like.  Continue to post comments on the update posts to let us all know how you are doing.
• DO be sure to drink enough raw milk to keep yourself hydrated and full.  A cup or so of milk every hour works well. You should not experience much if any hunger during the fast based on Paula and my experiences last year (and Paula’s the year before that).  You probably will find that you don’t want any water as the milk will provide all the liquid you need.
• DO continue to take your supplements if you would like.  I plan to continue taking my high vitamin cod liver oil and butter oil on a daily basis during the fast.
• DO drink other fermented beverages like kombucha or beet kvass if you desire.  Raw milk should be primary, however.
• DO drink herbal tea if you find this is helpful to you during the cleanse for either detoxification or restful sleep.
• DON’T overdo during the fast.  Try to rest as much as possible and keep activities to a minimum.
• DON’T do this fast in place of the GAPS Diet if healing/sealing of the gut wall is what you need to reverse an autoimmune disorder.  While this fast may help you temporarily, the GAPS Diet is likely needed for full healing.  Contact Biodynamicwellness.com for a consultation if you need help with implementation of the GAPS Diet.
• DON’T workout during the fast unless it is some gentle yoga or walking.  Stressing the body at this time is not recommended.  Use your best judgment on whether sweating would help or hinder the cleanse process for you.
• DO take cleansing baths with Epsom salts or baking soda to assist the detoxification process. Dry skin brushing might be helpful to you as well.  The skin is the largest organ of elimination so use it!
• DO consult with your doctor if you have any questions about whether this cleansing protocol is right for you.  I would suggest consulting with a holistic practitioner, however, a person who is informed and doesn’t freak out at the words “raw milk”!

I think I’ve covered just about everything.

Are you ready?  Let’s gooooooo. You can read about our three day raw milk fast starting here.

More Information

Dukan Diet Fad
Coconut Oil Diet
The Harcombe Diet
Bone broth fast
Why BPC might make you gain weight