More than Calcium: 11 Amazing Health Benefits of Milk

As a kid, you’re told to drink your milk by almost every adult you know, but why are you told to do that? Why does milk make up an important part of your diet and is this something that only applies to child wellness? Let’s investigate the role that milk has to play in your wellbeing.

 

According to the National Dairy Council, there are nine essential nutrients in milk that benefit your health:

 

1. Calcium: This mineral help your body to builds healthy bones and teeth, and maintain that bone mass as you age.

 

2. Protein: Not only does protein help your body to build and repair muscle tissue, it also serves as a source of energy.

 

3. Potassium: Also found in bananas, this mineral helps your body to maintain a healthy blood pressure.

 

4. Phosphorus: Your body needs phosphorus to help strengthen your bones and generate energy.

 

5. Vitamin D: This vitamin goes hand in hand with calcium, so it’s vital in helping your body to maintain bones.

 

6. Vitamin B12: This vitamin helps your body to maintain healthy red blood cells and nerve tissue.

 

7. Vitamin A: As well as maintaining your immune system, vitamin A helps your body maintain normal vision and healthy,

glowing skin.

 

8. Riboflavin: Also known as vitamin B2, riboflavin helps your body to convert food into energy.

9. Niacin: This vitamin, which also goes by vitamin B3, metabolizes sugars and fatty acids.

 

As well as packing this nutritional punch, milk can even play a role in your weight loss – albeit under the right conditions. Dr. Brian Roy, an associate professor of applied health sciences at Canada’s BrockUniversity, has recently published a study on how milk impacts your body after exercise. While he does allow that – generally speaking – there is some controversy surrounding milk’s influence on weight loss and body fat in general, Dr. Roy points out that, in his study, milk had a monumental impact on young adults’ weight.

 

The results of Dr. Roy’s study show that when young adults consumed milk after weight training, they lost more body fat and gained more muscle mass than those who had consumed different drinks that contained the same energy and macronutrients. He comments, ‘The important message from this is that it is probably important to include multiple servings of milk as a part of your daily diet. However, simply adding more milk to your diet will add to your total energy intake. So, if you add more milk to your diet, it likely will be most effective if it replaces other sources of energy from your diet, to ensure you are not consuming excess calories.’

 

But what about other studies that have claimed milk contributes to heart disease? Research led by professor Peter Elwood of CardiffUniversity has found that drinking milk can lessen your chances of dying from illnesses such as coronary heart disease and stroke by up to 15 to 20%. Elwood notes, ‘The fact that milk-drinking raises cholesterol is, for many people, proof that milk is a cause of heart disease. But cholesterol is only one mechanism in heart disease. Blood pressure is another relevant mechanism, and milk-drinking is associated with a lower blood pressure. It is therefore totally unreasonable to base conclusions about milk and heart disease on the effect on cholesterol alone.’ He adds, ‘As heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer are major sources of healthcare expenditure, any measure that is associated with a reduction in these diseases—however small that reduction is—is also bound to have an impact on healthcare costs.

 

Categories: blood pressure, dr roy, energy nbsp, heart disease, milk, milk drinking, nbsp, Weight Loss, young adults

Would You Use Beauty Products Made with Donkey’s Milk?

We have a different opinion on the use of certain animals compared to our friends across the channel. While we recently cried out against the hidden content of horse meat in our burgers and ready meals, the French have been eating horse for years. In a similar vein, a popular anti-ageing ingredient in French cosmetics may surprise you, but it has been a skincare staple in Europe and the Mediterranean region since the days of Cleopatra. Keep an open mind…it’s donkey’s milk. However, are we Brits ready it?

 

According to Catherine Baron dit Faveron, founder of the French natural cosmetics brand Calinesse, she came across the amazing properties of donkey’s milk quite by chance. She recalls, ‘I was on vacation in the South of France in 2005 and staying at a small bed and breakfast, where the owners had put out soaps made with donkey’s milk by an artisanal soap maker in Marseilles for guests to use.’ While we Brits may shirk the idea of donkey’s milk-soap altogether, Baron used the soap without really thinking about it, and noticed some very visible changes in her skin. ‘My face was very soft and felt very clean and not at all dry,’ she details. ‘The soap was wonderfully rich and creamy and after using it just a couple of times, I felt such a significant difference in my skin.’

 

This is why donkey’s milk has been coveted by kings and queens throughout the ages, as well as the ordinary folk who wanted a boost to their beauty and wellbeing. The legend goes that Cleopatra believed in the wellness properties of donkey’s milk so much so that she bathed in it, while the Greeks and the Romans believed it was a powerful elixir for health and strength, and the fashionable “Elegantes” of 19th Century France dabbed it on their cheeks to soften and whiten their skin. Today, Calinesse offers a range of donkey milk soaps, creams and lotions for both women and babies, all of which have become popular in various countries across the globe.

 

However, behind Calinesse’s great products is artisan soap maker Pierluigi Orunesu, founder of Swiss company Eurolactis, which is the only company in the world with a vertically integrated supply chain focused exclusively on the production of donkey’s milk. Orunesu, whose company produces close to 60,000 litres of donkey milk per year, believes the donkey milk renaissance is only just beginning, as well as the profile of the animal itself. ‘I’m originally from Sardinia where there are tons of donkeys,’ he notes. ‘Donkeys are a part of tradition, but when we are small, we don’t understand the importance of the animal and all that we can do with it.’

 

Orunesu, however, has learnt a great deal about the benefits of donkey’s milk, noting that it is ideal for people with allergies to traditional dairy and soy milks. Donkey’s milk also has a low ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, meaning that it’s an anti-inflammatory that can help you fight the disease-causing damage of free radicals. You’ll also find a large amount of the anti-bacterial enzyme Lysozyme in donkey’s milk, as well as a high amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are excellent for maintaining your skin’s moisture barrier. Orunesu adds, ‘The milk also contains many vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A for the cellular membrane, Vitamin B2, which is excellent for immunity and the biological processes of the skin, and Vitamin E, which stops the ageing process. This milk really hydrates the epidermis, nourishes and regenerates the skin tissue.’ So, are you ready to try it?

Categories: donkey, donkey milk, Donkey's Milk, milk, omega 3s, orunesu, skin, soap, soap maker, vitamins

Skimmed Milk: How It Can Lead To Obesity

When it comes to dieting and wanting to lose weight there are certain things that we would all agree are going to be naturally good for. Ask anyone and they’ll be able to come up with a list of guaranteed tips that will help you to lose weight. And it will probably include ideas such as doing more exercise, eating less, cutting out sugary drinks, counting your calories and eating or drinking fat-free or low-fat options. But while these things are something that pretty much everyone would agree on, there is one in there that appears to actually be wrong.

 

When you talk about using low-fat options such as skimmed milk, it’s often assumed that it will be much healthier and better for you than using full fat milk. But to us that only to seems to be counter-intuitive to common sense and the way that we believe dieting works. After all, if you cut down on the amount of fat that you take in, it should be easier for you to lose weight. But according to new research, drinking skimmed milk might actually be making us bigger rather than helping us to lose weight.

 

It is generally thought that drinking skimmed milk is a very good idea for your health and could even be considered a healthy option when you come to make decisions about your lifestyle. After all, drinking skimmed milks allows you to get all of the benefits of milk including calcium, vitamin D and protein, without having to drink full fat milk which is much higher in fat or calories. However, according to the authors of this new research, this assumption is actually flawed for a number of very important reasons, and drinking skimmed milk is actually likely to be worse for your wellbeing.

 

But how can this be so? Well, it seems that drinking a low calorie option such as skimmed milk doesn’t actually lead to a reduction in calorie intake. The authors of the study believe that this is because people who use low calorie options such as skimmed milk are more likely to drink far more of it, and actually take on more calories than they would have done otherwise. Previous studies have actually found strong evidence that shows that children who drink low-calorie options such as skimmed milk are more likely to be heavier than their peers later on in life.

 

“Our original hypothesis was that children who drank high-fat milk, either whole milk or two per cent, would be heavier because they were consuming more saturated fat calories,” said Dr Mark Daniel DeBoer, who is the author of the study and an associate professor of paediatric endocrinology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “We were really surprised when we looked at the data and it was very clear that within every ethnicity and every socio-economic stratum, that it was actually the opposite, that children who drank skim milk and one-percent were heavier than those who drank two per cent and whole”.

 

There is clearly the problem that people overeat when they think that what they are eating is a healthy option. And it is worth pointing out that even whole milk only has a fairly low level of fat and calories and using skimmed milk doesn’t really lower it very much. The problem is that people then drink far more of the skimmed milk and end up drinking more calories than they would if they were drinking whole milk. Clearly there needs to be some education of the public on this issue to help people fully understand.

Categories: calorie options, Drinking, drinking skimmed, Fat, healthy option, Lose weight, milk, milk doesn, skimmed, skimmed milk, whole milk

Won-D-ful: Why You Need Vitamin D, and Where to Find it

While you might be learning more and more about why vitamin D is so important to your wellness, getting enough of this crucial nutrient is another matter. Yes, vitamin D can guard your wellbeing against diseases, but the average western diet doesn’t provide enough D power to achieve this, nor does your fear of too much carcinogenic natural sunlight on your skin. According to data collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 40% of men, 50% of women and 70% of children have low levels of vitamin D.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have set guidelines recommending you get 400 IUs of vitamin D every day, while anyone under the age of 18 should consume 200 IUs. Not only does vitamin D increase your calcium absorption, which is vital in preventing bone loss, insufficient vitamin D is associated with a higher incidence of chronic and life-threatening conditions such as various cancers, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cognitive decline. In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) state that healthy amounts of vitamin D can impede inflammation, which is a key component of many illnesses. So, where can you get your vitamin D fix?

1. Here comes the sun: If you let it, the sun could provide your body with 80% of your daily vitamin D needs but Dr. Mark Hyman, founder and medical director of the UltraWellness Centre in Lenox, Massachusetts, asserts that wearing sun cream blocks about 97% of your body’s vitamin D production. Let’s be clear, no one is saying you should put your skin at risk to melanoma, but you can still take advantage of the sun’s benefits. If you’re fair-skinned, Hyman says you need less than 30 minutes of casual exposure to sun on bright days to meet your daily requirement, while darker-skinned individuals need about two hours.

2. Tastes a bit fishy: Ok, cod liver oil has never had the best reputation in terms of taste, but this fish oil now comes in slightly more palatable flavoured varieties, so you have no excuse for not giving it a second chance. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, which conducts nutrition research, points out that 340% of your daily vitamin D needs are in one tablespoon of cod liver oil. As an added bonus, cod liver oil is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which is essential for good health.

3. Gone fishin’: If cod liver oil still doesn’t float your boat, try salmon. You can get this seafood in fresh, frozen or tinned form, but the Alliance for Natural Health USA, an education and advocacy group, asserts that wild salmon contains the highest level of vitamin D found in any food, and four times the amount present in farmed salmon. The US Department of Agriculture’s National Nutrient Database also recommends tuna as a solid source of vitamin D, protein and omega-3s, containing 200 IUs of vitamin D in a three-ounce serving.

4. Got milk: There are natural levels of vitamin D in cow’s milk, whether in skimmed or whole form, but manufacturers often also fortify milk with the nutrient. This is according to the Linus Pauling Institute, who add that one cup contains about 100 IUs.

5. There’s mush-room for vitamin D: In April, the the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology published a study that showed that exposing white button mushrooms to ultraviolet B light for a few hours increases their vitamin D content by 400%. If you buy your mushrooms from a grocers or supermarket, leaving them outside in the sun will increase their vitamin D content, but be warned that the mushrooms will dry out and turn brown after about a day.

Categories: cod liver, daily vitamin, health, linus pauling, Liver, liver oil, milk, Natural, pauling institute, Sun, vitamin, Vitamin D

Breastfeeding Basics: 5 Tips to Getting Your Baby Started

Breastfeeding is the most natural way for a mother to bond with her newborn baby. Because breastfeeding is a natural bonding method, it doesn’t take long for both mother and baby to develop a daily feeding routine.

 

If you are a new mother and this is your first time breastfeeding, then prepare for the many benefits both you and your baby will experience. One of the benefits is health.

 

According to the U.S. Department of Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health (OWH), breast milk carries the nutrients and antibodies that protects your baby’s body. Breast milk also reduces your baby’s risk of asthma, respiratory infections, Type 2 diabetes, ear infections and diarrhea, all common illnesses experienced by formula-fed babies.

 

As for mothers, the OWH has found that breastfeeding reduces a woman’s risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and postpartum depression.

 

How to breastfeed

 

1. Get into a comfortable position. If there’s one thing you don’t want to do, it’s stress out while your feeding your baby. So, relax; sit back or lie back. Find the position that best works for you. In whatever position is comfortable for you, it’s important that your back is supported. Place a breast feeding pillow or cushions near you to help you and your baby feel comfortable.

 

2. Getting your baby into position. Put your baby’s hands at his side. Tilt your baby’s head back (if he’s not already lying on a breast-feeding pillow). You can do this by cradling his head with your hand or holding him by his shoulders with your palm and having your thumb and index finger behind his ears.

 

3. Preparing to latch. Bring your baby to your breast. With his lips on your nipple, your baby should respond by opening his mouth. His chin and bottom lip should touch your breast. Guide his bottom lip away from the base of your nipple so that he can draw in as much of your breast as possible.

 

4. Latching on. When your nipple lands in the back of your baby’s mouth, your baby will work his tongue under your breast to activate the milk ducts. Once the milk begins to flow, keep your breast as still as possible.

 

5. Baby knows when to stop. When your baby’s jaws start slowing down and eventually stop moving, that’s a sure sign that he has had enough milk. When he’s done, lift your breast and your baby should let go, if he has not done so already.

 

When first learning how to breastfeed, you may have to make adjustments during the process to make sure that your baby has latched on correctly and is getting the amount of milk he needs.

 

If you need more help in breastfeeding, feel free to ask for help. Contact your doctor’s office or a midwife center in your area.

 

Mother of four, writer Melanie Fleury has breastfed all her children for various amounts of time. She found that, for her, the key to breastfeeding was to get into a comfortable position before latching her baby on. A good breast feeding pillow was often the key to getting that proper positioning.

 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/motheringtouch/5204672889/

Categories: Baby, Breast, Breast Feeding, breast milk, Breastfeeding, comfortable position, feeding pillow, latching on, milk, nbsp

Easy Recipes to Boost Your Calcium Intake

Calcium is a vital nutrient in the body, and it becomes more necessary as we age. Calcium does far more than just strengthening the skeletal system though, as it also improves the strength of your muscles, nerve transmission and even the functioning of your heart. As people age, the loss of bone becomes more of a concern. This is more common in women than men, especially after the menstrual cycle stops, and can even lead to heart disease and other health problems. It’s advised that people up their calcium intake, as most people don’t get enough, and you can do this with easy and delicious recipes that naturally contain more calcium. A balanced diet that contains plenty of dairy is the best way to ensure that you have enough calcium in your diet to stave off osteoporosis.

 

Baked apples

You may not immediately think of a baked apple as a great source of calcium, but there are ways to improve the more traditional offerings to help your diet and improve your wellbeing. First of all, slice the top off of the apple and core it – top with cinnamon and brown sugar and place in a baking dish, baking at 375 until it is soft and tender. Usually this takes around 40 minutes. Once it’s done, serve with natural yoghurt for a calcium-rich boost.

Mozzarella snacks

Cheese is well known for being a great provider of calcium, but it can be fattening and bad for your health if consumed in large amounts. Mozzarella is a brilliant way to get the best of both worlds, as it’s relatively low in fat but also gives the health benefits you need. Try coating it in breadcrumbs that have been seasoned with herbs and black pepper then baking in the over for a tasty treat. Cut the mozzarella into strips and coat in beaten egg before dipping in the crumbs. Once the cheese has been thoroughly coated (you may need to repeat the process) you can place the strips in the fridge to chill before baking in the oven.

Berry smoothie

Smoothies are loaded with nutrients, from calcium to fibre, fruit and vegetables. For this recipe, combine a cup of yoghurt, a cup of frozen berries, a cup of water and two tablespoons of berry jam – whichever you prefer. Blend together with a blender until it is smooth and enjoy straight away.

Cream of broccoli soup

If you want to load up on veggies quickly, soup is the way to go. This particular soup has the added benefit of calcium in the form of milk. Boil broccoli, sauteed onions, chopped parsley, garlic salt and white pepper together until soft, then blend together. Add two cups of non-fat milk and heat until piping hot.

Omelette and frittata

If you want a quick and easy meal that offers plenty of health benefits, an omelette certainly fits the bill. Mix two eggs with salt and pepper, and add a dash of milk. Once cooked through, you can top with cheese for even more calcium. For a heartier meal with added nutrients, try making a frittata. Mix six eggs this time with seasoning and add milk to make a looser consistency. Fry onions, mushrooms, pepper and sweetcorn in a pan until soft, then add the egg mixture, topping with cheese if you wish. Cook on a slow heat until firm on the bottom, then place in an oven to cook through. You can slice this into wedges and serve with a hearty salad for a delicious meal.

Categories: baking, bones, calcium, calcium intake, cheese, Food, Health Benefits, milk, pepper

How to Reduce Fat in Your Diet without Skimping on Flavour

Cutting fat from you diet seems to be a popular trend – be it to lose weight or boost your wellness – but not only is this a dismal way to live your life; cutting fat is unnecessary and even ill-advised. Your wellbeing depends on healthy fats – without them, you can’t absorb your essential vitamins and minerals. Still, you may need to reduce the amount of unhealthy fat you eat, so how do you do so without sacrificing flavour?

 

1. Get the right equipment.

With the right pots and pan, lower fat cooking can be a breeze. What you’re looking for is non-stick, as these pans only require a little cooking spray, or else you can sauté in wine, water, or 100% juice. Whether you’re baking, grilling, sautéing, or even making soup, having non-stick hardware is an absolute must.

 

2. Use the right techniques.

To stay thin naturally, there’s one philosophy you need to follow; bake, broil, grill, poach, or sauté foods instead of deep-frying or cooking in fat. With the right know-how, you can enjoy all the unhealthy foods you love but without any of the guilt. For example, you can get your deep-fried chicken fix by dipping a skinless chicken breast in low-fat buttermilk, rolling it in whole-grain crushed cereal and baking it in the oven until it’s crispy and crunchy.

 

3. Make the right substitutions.

You don’t need to eliminate fats, you just need to substitute here and there. When making casseroles, replace some of the fats with naturally sweet carrots, or replace half the fat in muffins and cakes with applesauce or fruit puree.

 

4. Find the right cuts.

You should only use lean cuts of meat, and even then you should trim all the fat you can see before you start to cook. When using mince, it should be at least 95% lean – why not try replacing a third of your minced beef with minced turkey breast?

 

5. Consume the right dairy.

As you can probably work out for yourself, choosing non-fat or low-fat milk is lower in fat and calories that whole milk. However, reduced fat doesn’t necessarily mean that the item is low-fat, it just means there’s 25% less than usual. Also, use low-fat buttermilk in your recipes instead of whole milk and pick evaporated milk instead of condensed milk, as the latter is heavily sweetened with sugar.

 

6. Eat the right part of the egg.

The yolk contains most of the fat and cholesterol in the whole egg, so stick with the albumen (the white part of the egg) where possible. This means using the egg whites of two eggs where you would usually use one egg, but you’ll slash your intake of fat, cholesterol, and calories by doing so.

 

7. Choose the right crackers.

Crackers can seem like a healthy snack, especially when topped with pate and a few veggies, but many are made using “hydrogenated” or trans fats. To make your post-dinner cheese and crackers more healthy, choose crackers with “whole grain” or “whole wheat” as the first ingredient.

 

8. Fill your plate with the right ratios.

It’s likely that you’re eating more than enough carbs or protein, and not enough vegetables, so swap it over! For example, if you normally get a large steak, chips and a side salad, have a small steak, large salad and a baked potato with salsa. If all else fails, use the plate method; fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter with carbs and another quarter with meat. This will give you the perfect portions every time, and keep your proportions perfect too.

Categories: Cooking methods, crackers, fats, milk, nbsp, Non-stick pans, stick, Substitutions

Five Food Substitutions That Are Great For Your Health

It is often true that we fall in love with certain foods and we feel that we need to have them in our diet. Unfortunately it is also true that there are certain foods that it isn’t so healthy to have as a part of what we eat. You’ve probably got some foods that you would struggle to live without, but perhaps you wish that you had a healthier alternative for. Indeed with so many people wanting to lose weight or keep the pounds from growing. We’ve prepared a list of five foods that you can substitute for some that are perhaps a little less healthy than you might like.

 

How about something like chocolate milkshakes that you can buy in shops? Many people love the taste of chocolate milkshakes, but hate the levels of sugar and calories that they bring. So is there something that you can have instead? Too often people suggest things like soy milk, but it is true that many people are not a big fan of the flavour of soy milk. Instead you could try drinking almond milk. It’s healthy and tasty, and you’ll grow to love it just as much as the chocolate milk that you crave.

 

If you are like many people you might make use of canned fruit and vegetables. These are very useful as they are a great way to store fruit and veggies that you might not need or be interested in eating straight away. They can sit in your cupboard for a while and you can use them when you find the right time. Unfortunately it is the case that many options of canned fruit come stored in sugary syrup. As you might expect this can be very bad for you as it can raise the sugar content of the fruits that you eat, and as such it is a much better idea to buy fruits that have be canned using natural juices.

 

Many people find that their food weakness comes in the form of biscuits or cookies – who doesn’t love a biscuit with their tea? Biscuits are sweet and delicious and make for a great comfort food snack, but the problem with them is their very high sugar and fat content for such small things that don’t really provide an awful lot of sustenance or nutrition. There are plenty of raw food and organic options that are much better for you than buying the famous names. These will be a really good thing for your health as not only are you substituting out a lot of unhealthy sugars, you’re actually bringing in loads of great minerals and vitamins.

 

How about sorbets? Often we think of fruit sorbet as a more healthy alternative to ice cream, and in a sense this is true, but it’s worth pointing out that store bought sorbets still have a high added sugar content that would best be avoided. Indeed it is easy to make your own sorbet, which will have the benefit of being low in added sugars and you’ll know exactly what has gone into it so you can be sure that it is healthy.

 

Finally, everyone thinks of veggies with dip as a very healthy choice. But choosing a store bought dip can be a road to un-healthiness as they generally contain high levels of fat that really isn’t good for you.  Instead you should try making your own houmous – you can cut out a lot of the fat and create a dip that is both healthy and delicious that will be very good for you.

Categories: canned fruit, chocolate milkshakes, cookies, Food, food substitutions, Healthy, milk, nbsp, people, soy milk, sugar content

Could Drinking More Milk Help You to Lose More Weight?

Everyone knows that milk is good for your wellness – it’s packed full of calcium and other nutrients. What you may not know, however, is that it can do more good to your weight-loss regime than any fitness programme.

 

Recent research seems to confirm that as well as being good for your wellbeing, dairy products can really help you to lose weight. Of course, you have to make sure that you only consume the low fat versions of these products, and you also have to make sure that you reduce your daily calorie intake and take plenty of exercise.

 

The recommended amount of dairy to help you lose weight is three servings or 24 ounces. Doctors and health professionals are now backing this idea, and say that dairy promotes weight loss around the middle of the body, which is a particularly tricky area to lose weight from. Drinking milk can also help you to build muscles, and having muscles can help you to exercise, as well as boosting your metabolism.

 

Another benefit to drinking milk and eating dairy products is that they fill you up quicker than other types of food, which means you are able to eat less of them. The proteins contained in dairy products also take a lot longer for our bodies to suggest because they contain water, and this makes us seem fuller faster and for longer.

 

This theory is not without critics, however, as some studies also seem to indicate that an increased intake of dairy products actually causes weight gain not weight loss.

 

For this reason, although the Dairy Council recommends that people should eat three servings of dairy per day, they also recommend that people should not exceed this quota, and should eat no more than three servings, to avoid counteracting the effects of the calcium with the effects of the included fat.

Categories: calcium, Dairy, dairy products, drinking milk, Lose weight, milk, nbsp, products, weight, Weight Loss

Got Milk? Expert Questions Nutritional Value of Low-Fat Milk

You may believe that milk is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet – especially if you take the extra step of getting a low-fat variety, but a new study has questioned the benefits of milk as a whole. According to Harvard Professor David Ludwig’s latest paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association Paediatrics, in terms of obesity, saturated fats, and overall wellbeing, there is a lack of evidence-based proof that reduced-fat milk trumps whole milk.

 

Professor Ludwig argues that not only is low-fat milk no better for your wellness than the real fatty deal, but the role of animal milk on a broader scale of human nutrition is also questionable. In his paper, Professor Ludwig writes, ‘Humans have no nutritional requirement for animal milk. Moreover, milk consumption does not protect against [bone] fracture in adults.’ If milk does have any benefit to children, Professor Ludwig surmises that fattier, whole milk may actually improve children’s diets, because it would increase the feeling of fullness.

 

Yet Globe’s dietician, Leslie Beck, responds that even though milk is high in sugar, it’s a mistake to link it to poor health. Yes, you don’t need milk to get your daily dose of calcium, but Beck warns that Professor Ludwig  may be getting too concerned with fat content when it comes to kids and milk. ‘What kid is going to eat cooked collard greens to get calcium?’ she asks. ‘Dairy provides calcium and protein, and most kids will drink it. There are bigger fish to fry: Instead of worrying about that glass of milk, let’s take a look at their meals and snack foods, cereal bars, goldfish crackers, cookies – things that kids are eating that spike their blood sugar and increase premature hunger.’

 

Beck also cautions against becoming confused between naturally-occurring lactose, and added sugar. ‘Most people read the labels on milk and yogurt and say “Oh my God!”’ she says. ‘But you’ve got to think that’s naturally occurring. You’re getting so many other nutrients along with that sugar.’ She adds, ‘You can get a lot of nutrients from cow’s milk – vitamin D, calcium, protein – but you don’t need milk to have a great diet, that’s for sure.’

Categories: Low Fat, milk, Nutritional Value

Foods to Avoid when You’re on Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicines are considered by many as complementary wellness herbal remedies, but that doesn’t mean that they complement everything already in your lifestyle. Your diet has a major impact on the efficacy of Chinese medicine, and there are four foods in particular that practitioners warn against if you want your herbal remedy to have any impact on your wellbeing.

Firstly, got milk? Usually, milk is a nourishing beverage which strengthens bones and aids digestion, but if you’re taking warm yang treatments, you shouldn’t drink milk. Warm yang treatments, such as kidney qi pills, strengthening soups or aconite pills, are given to drive out dampness when you have flu or phlegm in your throat, or if you have diarrhoea, and so you should not consume milk as this exacerbates your problem, and lowers the effect of warm yang treatments.

If you are taking bitter herbs for cooling purposes, such as daoyi powder, blemish fading soup and “silver” qiao powder, you should not eat chillies. Chilli peppers can, when eaten in excess, cause you to experience dizziness, toothache and sore throat, as well as causing any haemorrhoids you have to flare up. Therefore, chillies will cancel out the cooling effect of your bitter herb treatment.

The bitter nature and cool flavour of turnips help your body to decrease problems caused by excessive heat. Turnips help your body to cool and clot your blood, improves your bowel movements and any problems you might have urinating and gets rids of phlegm. In Chinese herbal medicine, turnips are used to reduce hot qi, so if you are taking any treatments to strengthen your qi, such as the “four gentlemen” soup of ginseng, atractylodes, poria and licorice; ginseng yang-rong pills; or the “circulation” sheng mai drink made from ginseng, ophiopogon and schisandra, do not eat turnips at the same time.

Finally, sticky or glutinous rice is used to warm your spleen and stomach, nourish your qi and reduce excess urine. This rice warms your body, which increases your internal temperature and this, in turn, firms your stool. Therefore, if you have constipation, sticky rice can be difficult to digest. Also, if you are taking herbal supplements to nourish and moisten your spleen, such as can ling bai shu powder, don’t eat sticky rice as this food will block the supplements from improving your spleen functions.

Foods to Avoid when You’re on Traditional Chinese Medicine

Categories: milk, Sticky Rice, Turnips

Milk Allergy or Intolerance: What"s The Difference?

We often hear remarks about milk and dairy intolerances, but what is the difference between an allergy and an intolerance? Is one more serious than the other, and how can you identify between the two? A milk allergy is when your baby’s immune system reacts to the proteins in milk – this is commonly a childhood allergy and affects around two percent and seven percent of infants. If your baby has eczema, they’ll be more likely to develop an allergy to milk. A lactose intolerance, however, occurs when your baby can’t digest the lactose, or sugars, found in milk. This is rarer than an allergy and isn’t necessarily confined to childhood. Your baby can consume milk proteins through your breast milk if you’ve drunk or eaten dairy produce, or they may react to milk formulas which are made up of cow’s milk. Babies are sometimes allergic to the casein in milk, which is the curd which forms when the milk turns sour; they may be allergic to the whey, which is the watery substance which is leftover when the curd is removed; they may sometimes be allergic to both. If your child has an allergy to milk, they’ll often have outgrown it by their teenage years – some even by the age of three. However, around half of babies and children who have a reaction to milk will develop an allergy to something else later in life. Studies show that around 80 percent will develop asthma.

Some children or infants have immediate reactions after drinking milk or having eaten dairy, which could show up as a flushed face, a rash on the skin, or watery eyes and a runny nose. They may feel sick, vomit or have diarrhoea, or in extreme cases have anaphylaxis – an extreme and rare reaction to an allergen. A simple skin prick test or a blood test can help determine if there are any allergies in your children. Though most reactions are immediately obvious, delayed allergic reactions are not uncommon either. This may arise in the form of eczema, colic, constipation or diarrhoea, or failure to gain weight – also referred to as a failure to thrive. These symptoms are common in early childhood though, and a milk protein allergy is just one possible explanation. It’s for this reason that getting your child tested if you suspect an allergy is important, in order to determine if this is actually the case. Delayed reactions make diagnosing the condition more difficult, as they involve parts of the immune system which are slower to respond.

Your GP or a dietician can work through a diet plan with you which will involve cutting out milk and dairy to see if the symptoms disappear or resurface. However, before cutting anything from your child’s diet, speak to a GP first to check it is safe. This is the same if you suspect your child is allergic to the formula you’re feeding them – get medical advice beforehand, as it may not be as simple as simply switching to a soya-based product. A lactose intolerance is quite different to an allergy in that your baby will not have the enzyme, lactase, they need to break down lactose found in dairy products. This is rare amongst babies in the UK, but it doesn’t happen. It tends to occur in places where adults don’t typically drink or cook with cow’s milk, such as in Asia. As before, speak to your GP if you suspect this is the case who can run tests and identify the problem.

Categories: allergies, intolerance, milk

Skimmed Milk Doesn’t Help In Fight Against Obesity

According to a large study that was conducted among American children, giving your child either semi-skimmed or skimmed milk instead of full-fat milk is unlikely to make a big difference in their likelihood of developing obesity. A team of researchers looked at data from a long-term study into the health of 10,700 children born in 2001.

Parents or caregivers were asked about their children’s milk consumption when the infant was two and were questioned again two years later, when the child was once again weighed and measured. The children being overweight or obese was sadly quite widespread. Around 30.1 percent of the children at two years fell into this category, at that rose to 32.2 percent at the age of four.

But interestingly, the children who were overweight or obese were more likely to drink skimmed milk or semi-skimmed milk than counterparts of normal weight. Low-fat or fat-free milk was consumed by 14 percent of overweight or obese two-year-olds and 16 percent of children with weight issues at four years old.

The US medical authorities recommend that after the age of two, children should drink semi-skimmed milk to reduce saturated fat intake. The authors of the study have said that the logic behind this recommendation is to reduce consumption of calories and hopefully prevent weight gain. But it seems that the reality of the situation is far more complex. Milk fat could increase a sense of fullness, thus reducing craving for fatty or calorie-rich foods. This in itself could aid weight loss.

The fact is that the best way to ensure your child is healthy is to maintain a good overall diet and to make sure they get plenty of exercise.

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Skimmed Milk Doesn’t Help In Fight Against Obesity

Categories: Children, milk, skimmed milk