Bell Ladies: nutrition

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Friday

The Milky Way

This post is stemming from a food discussion Alicia and I started earlier in the comments of a post below. I thought I would tell my experiences with a lesser known beverage, almond milk.

I used to be a cow milk drinker. One day I realized that I had a lot of sinus issues that I didn't want to have anymore so I started doing research to figure out what was to blame. In my case, it was my consumption of dairy and milk that was causing my sinus issues. So I started testing things here and there to solve my problem. Its not easy to change habits, especially eating habits. You like what you like and sometimes new textures and flavors are not easy to welcome into life. I never really liked the flavor of soy milk. It is quite thick and doesn't go well on cereal. That is the test of a true and good milk - how well does it go with your cereal?

Around this same time (I'm trying to simplify this milky story) I was having some other health issues so I asked my doctor his opinion of milks. My disclaimer is the following: Because of experiences in the past, and my own beliefs and opinions, I do not ever go to what one in the U.S. would consider to be a "regular" doctor or a Western medicine doctor. The information I'm telling you is what I believe to be true. Everyone is different - so you'll probably have different experiences and/or opinions about this topic.

Raquel to Doc: "which milk would be best for me to be drinking?" Without hesitation Doc says, "Goats milk is the best, and its really great if you can get it fresh daily." Raquel, while remembering the last time she smelled goat's milk, "Uhh I can't do goat's milk the smell is repulsive to me, way worse than cow milk." Doc said, "Almond milk is your second best option then. Soy milk is ok, but you only want organic soy milk otherwise you are ingesting too many pesticides." Almond Milk it is!

Almond milk tastes like almonds. Go figure. It has a very mild flavor, I always buy the original, rather than vanilla flavored. Almond milk is made from ground almonds. Unlike animal milk it contains no cholesterol or lactose and is completely vegan friendly. (I don't eat a vegan diet, I do eat some eggs and little cheese.) It is also lower in calories than soy milk and cow's milk, if you are concerned about the calories. Almond milk is available at most grocery stores and is usually on the shelf next to the rice and soy milks. AM can be used as a milk substitute in most recipes, I have never had any problems. It goes nicely on most cereals, oatmeal, and Cream-of- Wheat. It has the same liquid consistency that cow milk has and isn't thick like soy milk or overly sweet like rice milk.

I copied this from the Almond Breeze Website:

Nutrition Facts - Unsweetened Original Breeze

Serving Size 8 fl. oz. (240 ml)

Servings Per Container About 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories 40

Calories from Fat 30

%Daily Value*

Total Fat 3g 5%

Saturated Fat 0g 0%

Trans Fat 0g 0%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 150mg 8%

Potassium 190g 5%

Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 0g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A 10% · Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 20% · Iron 2% ·

Vitamin D 25% · Vitamin E 50%

Phosphorus 4% · Magnesium 4%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Calories 2000 2500

Total Fat <>

I like it- let me know if you try it and what you think!

Eat to Beat Stress

Hmmm...I stopped taking my extra Magnesium supplement but I think I'll start up again. I got the following from this page:

Almonds

When all !@#$ breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They're bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. Almonds also contain B vitamins, which may help your body hold up during seriously unpleasant events (like getting a year's membership to Match.com as a present). About a quarter cup every day is all you need. Another easy way to get a fix is to switch from traditional PB to almond butter on high-tension days. (We like All Natural Barney Butter Almond Butter, $7, barneybutter.com.)
Skim Milk

Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness. Turns out calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Mary Dallman, Ph.D., professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. A glass of moo juice (preferably skim or 1 percent) may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. According to a 2005 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drank four or more servings of low-fat or skim milk per day had a 46 percent lower risk of pre-period misery than women who had no more than one serving per week.
Salmon

Stress hormones have an archenemy: omega-3 fatty acids. A 2003 study from Diabetes & Metabolism found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids kept cortisol and adrenaline from geysering. Omega-3 fatty acids also protect against heart disease, according to a 2002 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Eat a three-ounce serving of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and light tuna, at least twice a week," Jamieson-Petonic says. Not a fish eater? For another omega-3 punch, buy foods fortified with DHA (you'll find this particular fatty acid in eggs, yogurt, milk, and soy products); but don't go out of your way for products that boast booming levels of ALA, another fatty acid, which may not work as well.
Spinach

Magnesium was made to calm holiday insanity. First, the mineral can help lower your stress levels, keeping your body in a state of relative ease as you kick off yet another round of small talk at the company party. Not getting enough magnesium may trigger migraine headaches and make you feel fatigued. (And almost seven out of 10 of us don't get enough of the stuff. No wonder we're cranky.) Just one cup of spinach provides 40 percent of your daily value -- so try subbing it for lettuce on sandwiches and salads. (And now you have an excuse to indulge in the spinach dip!)