There are so many things to worry about with dairy, including the difficulty in obtaining it from a quality source, that I think it’s generally easier to just avoid it or minimize consumption of it. For people who are struggling to identify the cause of chronic health issues, I think a trial period of avoiding dairy is especially appropriate. However, this is not to say that dairy can’t be a valuable source of nutrition for people who are willing to deal with the inconveniences of getting it from a good source.

It’s A1 beta casein (not A2) that is a concern. Actually, it’s the BCM7 derivative of A1 beta casein that’s the real concern, and this study has shown comproable amounts of BCM7 existing after the stimulated digestion of milk, cheese, yoghurt, and fermented milk. Based on this, it seems that A1 beta casein is indeed still a problem in fermented dairy products.

It seems like you’re recommending avoiding dairy products.

Is the A2 beta casein in raw cow’s milk a problem if it’s femented (kefir)?

Traditional Chinese Medicine also places a strong emphasis on our digestive system. Because it believes that our digestive system is the key to good health and longevity. Without the ability to extract important nutrients from the foods we eat, how can we supply our body with vital nutrients for it to turn into life-sustaining energy?

I believe in evolution, and based on the fact that we’ve only been eating grains for about 10,000 years, I think it’s better to avoid them. In fact, according to some anthropologists, our height and brain size decreased along with the advent of agriculture. Despite this, the work of Dr. Weston A. Price has shown that a number of primitive cultures thrived on properly prepared whole grains, so there’s evidence supporting both sides of the argument.

The problem with most of today’s grain based foods is that the grains aren’t properly prepared before use. This is actually more of a problem with foods containing whole grains, but refined grains are problematic for other reasons.

I am sensitive to gluten, so I have additional incentive to avoid most grains even though I restricted them from my diet before I was even aware of my sensitivity. On occasion, I’ll enjoy grain based gluten free foods, usually in the form of gluten free pizza or sushi rolls, but I don’t do it too often.

To answer your question, I’m a big fan of living according to primal principles and agree that there’s no reason to eat grains. However, I don’t think it’s a big deal if someone wants to include properly prepared grains in their diet as long as they don’t have digestive issues and it doesn’t lead to excessive carbohydrate consumption. As I mentioned above, I also think it’s fine to consume grain based foods on occasion for the sole purpose of enjoyment.

If you decide to eat dirt, let’s us know how you feel. I’ve been researching clays to eat the past few days. Nourishing Traditions recommends azomite mineral powder. Not for the probiotics but for the minerals.

For probiotics I ferment veggies and make water kefir soda and kombucha. I also ferment raw milk in the form of buttermilk, yogurt and sour cream.

I didn’t know that the Primal Defense products have magnesium stearate, thanks for mentioning it. I have a bottle of Primal Defense Ultra that I used a while back and just checked the label. Sure enough, it’s on there! I too prefer to avoid magnesium stearate, and for this reason, I removed the links to the Primal Defense products from the article.

One probiotic I’ve used that doesn’t contain magnesium stearate or any other ingredient besides the bacteria strains and some inulin is the Original Symbiotic Formula by BioImmersion. Ultra Life also offers a probiotic called Pro-Bio 12 that doesn’t contain magnesium stearate.

I like the idea of the soil based probiotics and will have to search for another brand. Either that or I’ll have to start eating some dirt.

“Apart from maintaining social conventions in certain situations and obtaining cheap sugar calories, there is absolutely no reason to eat grains. ”

Do you agree with this position?

No problems in over 2 years…..knock on wood.

Will add the book to my to read list.