Jeannette and Katia Cook

Jeannette and Katia Cook's experience with illness and conventional medicine lead them on the path to raw milk and Pasture's Delights. When Jeannette first found Pasture's Delights in the fall of 2009, she was working as an LPN (licensed practical nurse). "I had seen too many well people get sick, and I was looking for safe, natural health remedy alternatives. In my research I read a book called "The Curse of Louis Pasteur." I had also tasted raw milk in Denmark as a teenager and never forgot it. These two experiences started the ball rolling, and I began looking for a source of raw milk. Somehow I found Pasture's Delights through the internet, and the rest is history. "

Over the years, Jeannette and her daughter Katia had seen many loved ones die under the care of the medical establishment and the conventional food system. "My father died at the age of 54," says Jeannette. "He was a lifelong milk drinker who bemoaned the raw milk they sent to market when he was a kid because he knew it meant less for him. He would drink one quart at each meal. That was ok until pasteurization and homogenization became the norm. He began having what he thought were indigestion issues in his late thirties and early forties. He had a massive coronary when he was 46. His indigestion issues were actually light heart attacks. So he lived the rest of his life knowing that his heart was in trouble. He died of a massive stroke/heart attack the year my daughter Katia was born. I still think the homogenized, pasteurized milk killed him."

Years later, Katia was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (a form of autism), and they began taking a closer look at diet, specifically dairy. "Before Mom found you [Pasture's Delights], I had not given the issue of milk much thought," says Katia. "However, I knew that I was different, and had already begun seeking answers. After being diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in 2004 at the age of 21, I knew that I did not want to go the drug route. I became passionate about natural health and was open to experimenting with supplements and diet."

After switching to raw milk, Katia noticed nearly instant results. "I became calmer and less jittery. The difference was so noticeable that about a month after we purchased the herdshare, Mom made sure I drank a glass of raw milk before leaving home for a long, stressful day. I continue to experience the initial feelings of calmness and well being."

"While the difference for Katia has been evident, I am sorry to say that I don't notice any difference in myself," says Jeannette, "but it is enough for me to know that the milk I am consuming will not add to any ill health issues."

When asked if they were satisfied with their decision to join Pasture's Delights herdshare program and switch to raw milk, they both answered with a resounding "YES!"

"Raw milk is DELICIOUS," Katia elaborates. "I was reluctant to taste the raw milk at first, because I thought it would it taste different. Well, it did taste different but the difference was wonderful. After the first glass, I was hooked!"

Their advice to others? "Switch now!" exclaims Jeannette. Katia follows with a more tempered answer: "If you are switching for mental or physical health benefits, don't expect instant results. Sometimes it takes a long time for your body and mind to heal. Besides drinking raw milk, I am also gluten free. I experienced instant benefits from drinking raw milk, but it took a LONG time to experience the benefits of going gluten free. Each person is different, so if you don't experience the benefits of raw milk right away, don't get discouraged."

Katia's passion for natural health has grown to encompass more than just nutrition. She recently became an Indiana Master Naturalist and volunteers at Eagle Marsh in Fort Wayne among other local nature organizations. "I became an Indiana Master Naturalist because I believe that autism is caused by environmental toxins, and wanted to do something to help the environment to help stem the rise in autism. I also wanted to be more involved in the community and learn new things. The Indiana Master Naturalist program was a perfect fit." The Indiana Master Naturalist program, coordinated by the Indiana DNR, requires its participants to take 33 hours of classroom instruction followed by 33 hours of volunteer work at nature organizations. Katia, like Pasture's Delights, is doing her part to create a more sustainable, natural environment for us all to live.

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Jo

Date 5/8/2013

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