Contrary to what an old advertising campaign asserted, milk is not for everybody. Some people are simply unable to digest it (particularly those whose genetic ancestors come from parts of the world where dairy foods have never been a major part of the human diet, such as east and southeastern Asia). Others suffer from what is called "lactose intolerance;" for some reason, their bodies cannot handle the natural sugars found in dairy products.

It's even possible that dairy foods may contribute to asthma, allergies and other respiratory ailments in certain individuals.

Or it's distinctly possible that the milk itself has nothing to do with it, but rather the way it's processed.

According to a recent study published in the medical journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy, drinking fresh milk straight off the farm (aka: raw milk) may actually prevent childhood asthma and allergies. The study was carried out a few years back in the E.U. and included almost 15,000 kids between 5 and 13 living in northern European countries. The kids that were studied represented a healthy cross-section, including those who lived on farms as well as in cities and suburbs.

The results, according to the lead researcher Dr. Marco Waser: "All the children drinking unpasteurized farm milk and eating other farm-related dairy products showed the same level of protection against asthma and allergies, regardless of whether they were living on a farm or not." The kids least likely to suffer from respiratory ailments were those who had been drinking farm milk from the time they were weaned from their mothers' breast. Furthermore, there didn't seem to be much difference in whether or not the milk had been boiled first – suggesting that there may be other compounds that protect these kids from respiratory problems.

They still don't recommend drinking raw milk however. There's a reason we pasteurize dairy products, and that's for your own safety – so don't just rush off to the nearest farm to buy a bucket of fresh milk fresh from the cow's udder (legally, they probably couldn't sell it directly to you anyway.  There is a trick to getting it though.  You can co-op own a cow.  Owing your own cow allows you to consume its milk directly). Your kids may get similar benefits from certified organic milk from local sources, which you can purchase in most supermarkets these days. It costs more, but may very well be worth it if it does the job (it's certainly cheaper than asthma and allergy medication).

Another dairy product that frequently gets overlooked is whole milk yogurt. We're not talking about the flavored yogurt that comes in tiny containers; what you want is plain yogurt that specifically contains "live and active cultures." The idea of tiny bugs living in your intestines may seem bizarre, but these microbes are actually very helpful in keeping your intestines clean. The best proof may come from certain people in the Hunza Valley of northern Pakistan, who regularly live to be 100 years old – and eat yogurt almost every day. Plain yogurt is pretty versatile – you can make tasty desserts by adding honey and fruit, or a nice savory dressing for vegetables or meat and poultry (garlic, mint and lemon is a favorite dressing for roast lamb in some parts of the world), and it's a decent substitute for sour cream as well.