Got Milk (and other Dairy Products)?

"If you obey, you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors and to you, their descendants—a land flowing with milk and honey!" Deuteronomy 11:9

In a previous blog, I mentioned that I, personally, am not a big fan of milk. I rarely drink milk, but I sometimes use it as a base for some of my protein shakes and to eat with Musli (an organic German cereal that I get at the health food store). However, I have recommended milk to others for various reasons as seen in this blog to get extra protein in the diet or as a mid-day snack.

When it comes to milk and other dairy products (cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese), I would encourage you to shop for raw products (or at the very least - organic). I also don't recommend fat-free versions of dairy products for two reasons:

1. All fats are not bad for you. Your body needs some saturated fats along with healthy fats.
2. Fat is crucial for the absorption of the vitamins and nutrients in dairy products (and other foods, including vegetables).

For example, Vitamins A and D are fat-soluable vitamins. Since dairy products contain Vitamin D, you want fat in order to properly utilize Vitamin D in the body. Most people elect for fat-free products that have been fortified with Vitamins A and D, and they don't realize that it's useless without the fat.

Also, I am against commercial store-bought milk as found in most grocery stores. I highly recommend that if you are going to drink milk, you should only drink raw milk. Store-bought milk is pasteurized (which kills the enzymes in the milk) and homogenized (changing the fat content) and is worthless.

Check out this video about milk by Dr. Jonny Bowden. Also, read this article by Dr. Mercola and this article originally published in 1938 in Magazine Digest.

I've been using raw milk for months (although I did drink it when I was younger and got it straight from the cow). Prior to finding a few places that sold raw milk in my area, I bought organic milk. That's better than most store-bought milk, but it's still not as good as raw milk or even pasteurized but non-homogenized raw milk (I have the choice of both types of milk where I live). However, for cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese - you may only be able to find organic products. That's fine! It's still better than most store-bought products.

A good alternative to milk (for those who are lactose intolerant or can't find raw milk at their local health food stores) is Almond milk. It tastes good, is low in calories and makes a pretty good milk substitute. I recommend Almond Breeze Original. You can drink it, use it in a high-quality and nutritious cereal or for protein shakes.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Benefits of Breakfast

"When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread." - John 21:9

Researchers have found many benefits from eating breakfast and with school underway, now is a perfect time to get into the breakfast habit.

Breakfast Research

Among the recent research:

• Children who skip breakfast make more errors and are slower to recall facts.
• Children who eat breakfast solve math problems more quickly.
• Children who eat breakfast do better on vocabulary tests.
• Children and adults who eat breakfast are more likely to get the vitamins and other nutrients they need.
• Adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have a lower body mass index, even if they have one or two obese parents.
• Adults who eat breakfast eat less calories throughout the day and make better food choices.
• Adults who eat breakfast lose more weight than those who skip breakfast.

The benefits of breakfast apply to grown-ups when it comes to the research shown above (less errors, better math and vocabulary).

Breakfast Guidance

• Dinner leftovers don't have to be dinner again. Heat them for breakfast instead.
• Put together an egg casserole the night before, and slip it into the oven when you get up.
• Make a smoothie containing one cup of milk, 1/3 cup cottage cheese, 2-3 tablespoons of raw nuts and 1/3 cup fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) for a quick, delicious and healthy breakfast meal
• Scramble eggs with various vegetables and cheese or make an omlette.
• If you decide to have cereal, choose a high-fiber, low-sugar cereal like Fiber One.

Five On-the-Go Ideas

• Natural peanut butter and banana (or apple) slices on whole-grain toast.
• Cheese wrapped in a whole-grain tortilla and some fruit.
• Raw nuts (almonds, walnuts) and fruit (berries) stirred into yogurt.
• A fruit smoothie blended with milk, cottage cheese and raw nuts (walnuts).
• Two cheese sticks with a piece of fruit.

These tips should help you get into the habit of eating breakfast consistently. It really is the most important meal of the day!