Realfoodology Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: The Truth About Raw Milk, Fats, and Fertility | Sally Fallon
Host: Courtney Swan
Guest: Sally Fallon Morrell, Founding President of the Weston A. Price Foundation
Release Date: February 11, 2025
Produced By: Wellness Loud

Introduction

In this enlightening episode of the Realfoodology podcast, host Courtney Swan sits down with Sally Fallon Morrell, the founding president of the Weston A. Price Foundation and author of Nourishing Traditions. The conversation delves deep into traditional nutrition practices, the role of fats in our diet, the controversies surrounding raw milk, and the impact of modern dietary choices on fertility and overall health.

Background of Sally Fallon Morrell

Courtney Swan expresses her admiration for Sally Fallon, highlighting her influence during her master’s program in nutrition where Nourishing Traditions was required reading. Sally shares her journey of writing the book, which began as an initiative to translate Dr. Weston A. Price's findings into a practical cookbook for American audiences. Despite numerous rejections from publishers who preferred canola oil over traditional fats, Sally persevered, self-publishing her work and eventually selling over 850,000 copies through word of mouth[^07:10].

Sally Fallon Morrell ([07:08]): "I just persevered and felt that I should continue this... it was definitely word of mouth that spread the idea about the book."

Traditional Nutrition: The Importance of Animal Fats

The discussion emphasizes the critical role of animal fats in human nutrition, challenging the prevalent misconception that fats contribute to weight gain. Sally underscores that traditional diets, rich in animal fats, are essential for various bodily functions.

Importance of Animal Fats

Sally explains that animal fats provide cholesterol and vitamin A, which are crucial for hormone production, thyroid function, and overall health.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([12:47]): "Mother's milk is very rich in cholesterol and contains special enzymes to ensure that 100% of that cholesterol will be absorbed."

Myths About Fats and Cholesterol

The podcast debunks the myth that dietary fats make you fat. Instead, it highlights how traditional cultures thrived on high-fat diets without experiencing obesity.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([55:30]): "The fats make you fat. And when you look at these traditional cultures... they couldn't survive without that fat."

Baby Formula vs. Breastfeeding

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to critiquing modern baby formula and advocating for breastfeeding and traditional feeding practices.

Issues with Current Infant Formula

Sally points out that most commercial formulas lack essential animal fats and cholesterol, which are vital for a baby’s growth and hormone production.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([12:47]): "There's no cholesterol in human baby formula. There's no animal fat in baby formula... mothers want to use the next best thing to mother's milk, which is raw milk from another species."

Health Implications for Infants

The absence of cholesterol in formula can lead to impaired hormone production, affecting physical development and fertility later in life.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([13:40]): "Our nutrition decisions are being made by accountants. They're not being made by people who care for babies."

Raw Milk as an Alternative

Sally advocates for raw milk as a closer alternative to breast milk, enriched with additional nutrients to match human milk.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([28:31]): "At least that thousands of babies have had this formula and it's based on the next best thing to mother's milk, which is raw milk from another species."

Fertility and Diet

The conversation shifts to the impact of diet on fertility, emphasizing how modern dietary practices contribute to declining fertility rates.

Foods That Promote Fertility

Sally recommends incorporating raw milk, egg yolks, butter, and cod liver oil into the diet to enhance fertility.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([15:23]): "All of these can help you get pregnant by getting on our diet. Raw milk, egg yolks, butter, lots of butter, cod liver oil."

Declining Fertility and Diet’s Role

The episode links poor dietary choices, particularly the consumption of seed oils and lack of healthy fats, to widespread infertility issues.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([17:27]): "All the foods we need for fertility have been demonized... they're using seed oils, sweeteners."

Sustainable Farming and Food Systems

Sally criticizes industrial agriculture, advocating for small, local farms that prioritize animal welfare and nutrient-rich foods over profit margins.

Industrial Agriculture vs. Small Local Farms

Sally argues that industrial farms favor grain feeding over pasture feeding, leading to nutrient-deficient animal products.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([23:30]): "The Department of Agriculture is actually follows a Marxist agenda of industrial farms... They want you to grain feed your animals."

Impact on Nutrition and Environment

She highlights how industrial practices not only compromise food quality but also contribute to environmental degradation.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([24:21]): "We're not feeding people now. They're starving... In quantity as well as quality, we can feed the world with small farms."

Raw Milk Controversy

The episode delves into the debate over raw milk, addressing both its benefits and the controversies surrounding its safety and legality.

Health Benefits of Raw Milk

Sally emphasizes that raw milk contains essential proteins and antimicrobial components that are destroyed during pasteurization.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([51:10]): "The pasteurization process destroys the proteins in milk. One of the things they don't tell you is there's between 20 and 30 deaths... They are anti pathogenic."

Risks and Regulations

While acknowledging minimal risks, Sally argues that the dangers of pasteurized milk are often overstated for economic gains.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([52:44]): "They immediately shut him down... So you have to be very careful of the statistics they're using."

Industry Opposition

She explains that raw milk restrictions are largely driven by dairy and grain industries aiming to protect their profit margins.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([67:11]): "The dairy industry... they pay the farmers practically nothing... it's the grain interests."

Dietary Trends: Keto, Paleo, and Traditional Diets

Sally critiques modern dietary trends like Keto and Paleo for their imbalance of macronutrients and lack of traditional food practices.

Keto and Paleo vs. Traditional Diets

She points out that high-protein diets often neglect the necessary fat intake required for optimal health.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([60:15]): "High meat diets... don't have enough fat... these diets really need more fat?"

Protein Consumption Issues

Sally warns against excessive protein intake, linking it to kidney strain and vitamin A depletion.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([61:32]): "We're getting too much protein... These diets are very hard on the kidneys."

Importance of Balanced Intake

Advocating for a balanced diet rich in healthy fats, moderate proteins, and necessary carbohydrates, Sally encourages returning to nutrient-dense traditional foods.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([62:22]): "You don't have to have a weird diet... it's good news for most people."

Conclusion and Hope for the Future

Despite acknowledging the slow pace of change, Sally remains hopeful that increasing awareness and grassroots movements will lead to a healthier population.

Sally Fallon Morrell ([73:33]): "We're going to change this through the grassroots level... This is the Natural selection of the wise."

Courtney and Sally emphasize the importance of informed dietary choices, supporting local farmers, and prioritizing nutrient-dense foods for future generations.

Notable Quotes

• Courtney Swan ([00:10]): "We talked about a lot of things that I've talked about in passing on the podcast, but I've never really dove into things like raw milk, why we should be eating more butter..."

• Sally Fallon Morrell ([12:47]): "There's no cholesterol in human baby formula. There's no animal fat in baby formula... Mothers milk is very rich in cholesterol..."

• Sally Fallon Morrell ([23:30]): "The Department of Agriculture is actually follows a Marxist agenda of industrial farms... They want you to grain feed your animals."

• Sally Fallon Morrell ([73:33]): "This is the Natural selection of the wise... Eventually, we will have a healthy population again."

Resources and Further Reading

• Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Morrell
• Weston A. Price Foundation: westonaprice.org
• Realmilk: realmilk.com
• Podcast Websites: Available on Spotify and YouTube

Disclaimer: The content of this summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with healthcare professionals before making dietary or health-related decisions.