The SHN #5: Raw Milk and The Perils of Fashion

Welcome back to The Synergetic Health Newsletter! 

In this edition, I’ll explore the history and health benefits of raw milk.

After that comes a deep dive into the pollutive fashion industry.

I’ll follow that with some NEAT movement talk.

Finally, I’ll include some links to things I’ve found particularly interesting recently.

Joe Burt

Raw Milk

Humans have been drinking raw ruminant milk for over 10,000 years, and archaeological evidence shows infants were fed raw milk at least 8,000 years ago.

In the early 19th century farmers brought their dairy operations into crowded cities, without access to pasture, and with dirty milking conditions, leading to higher levels of illness and disease from raw milk consumption.

This led to two movements: the pasteurized milk movement and the certified medical milk movement. “Two solutions to a big problem: one is to kill contaminants already present in dirty milk, the other is to prevent them altogether with clean practices.”

The certified medical milk (by the American Association of Medical Milk Commission from 1893-1999) was used in hospitals around the US to treat chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, liver disease, asthma, arthritis, tuberculosis, and diabetes.

One of these certified production facilities (Walker-Gordon farm in New Jersey) produced medical milk from 1887-1971 with zero reported outbreaks.

Unfortunately, pasteurization eventually won out. Partly due to a massive propaganda push by large milk processors who commissioned anti-raw milk articles and employed scare tactics and misinformation and partly due to mandatory laws. These factors obliterated dairy farms across the country, from 1.1 million dairy farms in 1964 to around only 30,000 today.

Since the quality of the milk didn’t matter because it was sent off for processing anyway, unsanitary milk was now deemed safe because of pasteurization. Largely produced in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), the commercialization of the milk industry destroyed all of the natural enzymes and good bacteria present in raw milk. It takes the healthy fat and oxidizes the cholesterol therein, which is more carcinogenic for the body.

No, organic milk is not the answer. While the milk is more nutrient-dense than its non-organic counterpart, it still goes through the pasteurization process. The desire for organic products just led to a massive corporate takeover of the organic dairy industry, which still often has NO pastures for cows to graze in and uses ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing.

The opposition to raw milk is quite diverse: the USDA generally opposes it, the FDA adamantly opposes it, the big processors hate it because they don’t get their slice of the pie it since it goes straight from the farmer to the consumer. Another industry dominated by the financial interests of the few which ultimately hurts the farmer, the cow, and the consumer.

All this when raw milk has tremendous bragging rights in terms of health benefits, while pasteurized milk is the #1 most allergenic food in America. Raw milk allows for a high degree of bioavailability of the vitamins and nutrients within the milk, contains immune-boosting natural enzymes, and is a natural probiotic. There also have been numerous studies that show a strong correlation between raw milk consumption and an increased ability to fight allergies, eczema, respiratory infections, and asthma.

The Journal of Food Protection has demonstrated raw milk to be a low-risk food, stating “While it is clear that there remains some appreciable risk of food-borne illness from raw milk consumption, public health bodies should now update their policies and informational materials to reflect the most high-quality evidence, which characterizes this risk as low.”

I’ve been fortunate to find a local farm to buy raw milk here in Austin, TX.

To find a farmer that can supply you in your area, check out this Raw Milk Finder.

Sorry, NJ readership: New Jersey is the only state in the US to have a complete ban on raw milk.

Support your local farmer, the health and happiness of the cow who produces it, and reap the manifold benefits of great tasting raw milk.

The Health and Environmental Costs of the Clothing Industry

First, the Scary Facts

-Studies have shown that the chemicals (over 8,000 different kinds) used in manufacturing clothing can be breathed and ingested. Certain substances contained in pajamas can be found in a child’s urine 5 days after wearing those pajamas for one night.

-Global conventional cotton production requires 200,000 tons of pesticides and 8 million tons of synthetic fertilizers every year. According to the USDA, 96% of the cotton planted in the U.S. in ‘22 was genetically engineered, and resistant to the use of key herbicide that contains glyphosate— Round-up.

-Conventional cotton is one of the top four genetically modified crops in the world and has earned the nickname: the world’s “dirtiest crop.”

-In 2022, the global fashion industry is expected to be worth $1.7 trillion.

-60 million football fields worth of land is needed to produce the raw materials for fashion each year.

-80 Billion new pieces of clothing are made every year.

-87% will be disposed in a landfill or incinerator within just 18 months. Fast fashion teaches that our clothes are disposable.

-Only 3% of disposed clothes are made from sustainable fibers; thus, 97% of clothes toxify our soil and leach plastics into the ocean.

-Almost 35% of micro plastics in the ocean come from tossing and washing polyester clothing. Micro-plastics pollute sea life, thus we are eating plastic.

-It takes 10,000 liters of water to make just one pair of jeans. This is the amount of water a person drinks in 12 years. 100 million people in India do not have access to drinking water.

Polyester’s Effects on Human Bodies and the Environment

Synthetic materials like polyester are heat sensitive. As you warm up, the chemicals in these fibers are released and can ultimately be absorbed by the skin. These chemicals have been linked to hormone interference and reduced fertility.

Flame retardants, PFAS materials, lead, chromium, phthalates, chlorine bleach, AZO dyes, solvents, and more are all found in synthetic clothing materials like polyester. Some of the effects of these chemicals are environmental damage, dermatitis, skin allergies, developmental and reproductive system damage, respiratory problems, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and more!

Amy Powney, creative director of the fashion brand Mother of Pearl, says “every time you wash a polyester garment it releases microfibers into our waterways causing immense damage to marine life and vital ecosystem.”

Polyester bedding can also be harmful due to its containing formaldehyde, containing perfluorochemicals (PFCs). These chemicals, which show up in the blood of 97% of Americans, are being studied for thyroid disease, breast cancer, liver damage, testicular cancer, IBS, lipid dysregulation, developmental outcomes, and more.

Also, polyester can take up to 200 years to decompose, so each new piece of polyester clothing you buy will be around long after you will, often ending up in heaps around the world in places like Ghana, India, and Chile.

I knew that fast fashion was a problem, but before researching for this I didn’t comprehend just how horrible it was. Textile production is the second most polluting industry in the world (to oil), and is estimated that it may use 25% of the world’s carbon budget by 2050. The average consumer bought 60% more clothing in 2014 than in 2000, but kept each garment half as long, according to McKinsey & Company.

When you combine the negative health effects of synthetic fibers like polyester with the environmental effects of cotton and synthetics, you have an issue worth caring about.

What Can You Do?

It is not lost on me that everyone, including myself, can learn that something is detrimental to themselves or the environment and not do a damn thing about it.

We all likely have thrown out unworn or barely worn pieces of clothing, “forgot” to recycle glass, eaten and drank things knowingly harming us, etc. This post probably won’t change the world, but maybe it will inspire someone (like it did me) to consider how they consume clothing.

-Buy the Best Fibers: it seems fibers sourced from plants with a stem, such as hemp, flax, nettle, jute, and rame top the list. Tencel is an eco-friendly, regenerated tree fiber that is growing in popularity. Some other options that are better than their fast-fashion counterparts are ethical long-staple cotton and Supima.

Here is a list of 12 Tencel brands you could try out, and another list of 25 if you want more. You can also listen to a great podcast between Paul Chek and Jeff Scult, founder of One Golden Thread clothing. Jeff describes that wearing this clothing “adds life force energy to his body and expands his energy field as though he was doing Tai Chi.”

Also, read this for a convincing argument on why we need to switch to regenerative fashion.

-Ditch Polyester Underwear and Synthetic Workout Clothes: as mentioned earlier, when synthetic materials warm up, they release chemicals that can be absorbed by the skin. 100% organic cotton or plant based fibers are better options, especially on items snug to the body and/or while exercising.

-Wear More, Waste Less: ask yourself, how many times am I going to wear this? Consider being more discerning in the amount of clothing items you buy, ultimately leading to less waste.

-Quick and Cool Washes: using a quick cycle with cold water uses less energy.

-Recycle: avoid what I’ve done in the past and don’t throw any item of unwanted clothing in the trash. Peter Maddox, the former director of the Waste and Resources Action Program, says “No matter how old, how threadbare or how unloved all textiles can either be reused or recycled and have a potential second life after you’ve finished with it”.

If anyone has some useful tips, favorite regenerative clothing brands, or resources to share on this topic, please send them my way and I’ll include in a future newsletter.

That’s NEAT

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) consists of all physical activities outside of intentional workouts. Walking, standing, fidgeting, household chores, maintaining good posture, rocking the baby to sleep, all can be characterized as NEAT.

Just by increasing these activities, which is basically everything that’s not sitting, lying, or exercising, you will burn more calories.

NEAT enhances lifestyle, is associated with lower rates of obesity, is a valid tool for weight control, and is important to promote as a culture.

You probably can already guess what you can do to increase NEAT in your day to day. Walk whenever possible, stand up and move around often, use standing desks, embrace everyday activities like cleaning the house or gardening, take the stairs, and fidget more if you are seated (associated with lower mortality in this study).

For more reasons than just limiting your NEAT, it’s best to minimize couch time, prolonged seated desk time, and all other sedentary behavior.

I’ll be writing more about walking specifically in the future (get those 8k+ steps a day!) because it deserves more than a casual mention here but in the meantime, embrace those NEAT opportunities that surround you every day :)

How Podcaster Andrew Huberman Got America to Care About Science: This TIME piece discusses the rise of Huberman and the massive influence he’s had in getting the average person to care more about their health.

“Along with old standbys like good sleep, nutrition, and exercise, Huberman’s favorite protocols include seeing direct sunlight as soon as possible after waking to help regulate circadian rhythms and improve energy and sleep; plunging into or showering in cold water to improve mood, energy, and focus; sweating in the sauna, which is linked to cardiovascular and other health benefits; delaying caffeine intake for a couple hours after waking to avoid an afternoon energy slump, if necessary; doing “physiological sighs,” a breathing pattern that rapidly busts stress; and practicing non-sleep deep rest, a relaxation technique that can restore energy and attention.”

Robert Gilbert on the Danica Patrick Podcast: On this episode of the Pretty Intense Podcast, Patrick interviews spiritual educator and sacred geometry expert Robert Gilbert. His Gaia series on sacred geometry is spectacular, and his educational institute, Vesica, offers classes on spiritual science, vibrational healing, BioGeometry, and more. In this podcast, Gilbert talks about Ancient Egypt’s contribution to the human energy system, the nature of reality, moving through the planes of existence, and many more mind-blowing topics.

Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem: This study is attempting to alert the world to the significant evidence for the benefits of sun exposure. They say that insufficient sun exposure may be responsible for 340,000 deaths in the US and 480,000 deaths in Europe PER YEAR. Get your sun, folks.

The Sloww Website and Newsletter: Kyle Kowalski (@kykow) is a solopreneur and synthesizer who has an incredible breadth of content about human development, intentional living, spirituality, finding your life purpose, and much more. His Sunday Newsletter is my favorite one to read. Some of my favorite posts from Kyle are “Slow Living 101", “The Future of BUSY, Work, & Leisure”, and “25 Ways to Melt Away the Feeling of Free Will”.   

That will do it for this time! Hopefully you got some value out of it. If you have any questions/comments/things you’d like to learn more about please don’t hesitate to reach out. If you know anyone who loves learning about these types of topics, pass it along!The SHN #1: