In our time we hear a lot about being vegan, no milk as it is not for humans or even cruel against cows and their calf etc.
Ayurveda says it is very healthy to consume milk, however it should be approx. 2-3 dl per day, as raw as possible and from a happy cow, meaning it is free to pasture & feed her calf.
In our world it is not easy to find such a milk and even if you find, you might not like the taste of the pure milk as happy cows eat whatever they find on the field and so the taste of the plants reflect in their milk and without over processing it you will get a truly raw, inconsistent taste.
Your constitution & milk
To utilise the benefits of milk it is worth to know your constitution and follow the dosha specific guidelines (find a test to know yours on the blog main page):
If you are a vatta dominant have milk warm, spiced and sweet.
If you are a pitta dominant have milk room temperature or warm, with cooling spices like cardamom (you might feel the milk to be sweet already, so no sweetener needed).
If you are a kapha dominant you can remove milk from your diet or have not more then 1 dl per day with digestive spices added.
If you consume too much milk (and milk products) or not the right way your body will give a response of poor digestion, stomach pain and in the worst case lactose intolerance.
How to have your milk the right way?
Never have your milk refrigerator cold or mixed with other food items (yes, no shakes please or use plant based milk instead) or fresh fruits. 1 hour gap between or after meal is the best. Use spices to enhance the properties of milk, see some examples here:
saffron & almond for Vattas
cardamom & cinnamon for Pittas
black pepper, cloves & nutmeg for Kaphas
turmeric for all the tree doshas
There is still a way to mix milk and that is to "cook" it with grains. Season it with spices and add dry fruits and nuts (only) if you wish. It is still not the right meal for Kaphas, however can be fulfilling for Pittas and Vattas.
Following these simple guidelines will make a lot of difference. Do not believe anything, rather try and observe. Feeling for yourself is the key!!!