In that article, I mentioned that we don’t need to get our calcium from milk and that milk wasn’t necessarily the wonderful source of calcium that most of us have been led to believe it is.  The high rate of osteoporosis and other such diseases is proof of that!  When we ingest too much animal-based protein (meat, whey, cheese, milk, etc.), we put our bodies in a severely acidic state. 

When this happens, calcium is leached from the bones (and teeth)  in order to buffer the high acid content in an attempt to return the body to a more alkaline state.

When we consume cow’s milk or any other animal-based milk, we are ingesting yet more animal protein.

So, if not milk, then what?

There are a ton of foods that contain calcium!  Perhaps some not as high in percentage as others…but the key here is dietary balance.  If you eat a balanced diet of some of the following foods (I’m not even going to list them all here) then you will be fine!

So here is a list of foods and their calcium content based on 100 grams – which is equivalent to around 3.5 oz of each food item:
(Side note:  3.5 oz of human breast milk contains 33 mg of calcium)

Food Item – Calcium Content
Cashews (raw) – 38 mg
Almonds – 234 mg
Dried Apricots – 67 mg
Mustard Greens (raw) – 183 mg
Mustard Greens (cooked) – 138 mg
Black eyed peas – 55 mg
Broccoli (raw) – 48 mg
Cabbage (raw) – 49 mg
Molasses (dark) – 684 mg
Parsley (raw) – 203 mg
Raisins – 62 mg
Sesame seeds (raw) – 1160
Kale  (raw, leaves) – 249 mg
Kale (cooked) – 187 mg
Figs (dried) – 126 mg
Filberts (Hazelnuts) – 209 mg
Baked Sweet Potato – 40 mg
Okra (raw or cooked) – 92 mg
Orange (Florida) – 43 mg
Pistachio nuts – 131 mg
Swiss Chard (raw) – 88 mg
Brussels Sprouts – 36 mg
Turnip Greens (raw) – 246 mg
Turnip Greens (cooked) – 35 mg
Carrots (raw) – 37 mg
Amaranth – 267 mg
Collard Greens (raw, leaves) – 250 mg
Pure Trim Mediterranean Shakes – 500 mg of plant-based calcium!
Yet another reason to incorporate at least one shake per day into your diet for good health – two shakes if you need to lose weight!
Two of these shakes would provide your recommended daily allowance of calcium…one shake gets you half-way there!

Below is the RDA chart from the Mayo Clinic – http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calcium-supplements/MY01540
The “Upper Limit” section indicates the “safe zone” range where you have gone above and beyond the RDA of calcium, yet are safe from any health issues from getting TOO much calcium!

To Your Health & Well-Being,

Your Wellness Coach

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“Milk…It does a body good”

“Got Milk?”

…And more like those.  But if milk is SO great, why is it that so many people who grew up drinking a tall, cold glass of milk with meals or anytime of the day as kids and continued drinking it on into adulthood now suffering from things such as Osteoporosis and other such diseases?  Definitely something to think about, huh?

Well, here’s the thing…CALCIUM is what’s important here and while milk does pose to be one of the best sources of calcium, there are just other things that come along with milk that makes one wonder if it’s worth it to risk it when there are so many other, viable sources of calcium available to us as humans.  I mean, think about it; we get milk from who (or rather, what)?  Cows, right?

Yet, cows don’t drink the milk of another animal in order to get calcium for themselves or produce the calcium in their milk – which happens to be for THEIR babies.  Cows (traditionally…in the right environment and habitat; not factory-farmed) get all the calcium they need from GREEN GRASS!

*DING-DING-DING*

But I’ll digress on that for now.

My point is, we don’t necessarily “need” milk in order to get the calcium that we need.  There are other sources that I’ll write about later.  And besides, milk isn’t the ‘almighty’, wonderful source of calcium that the majority of people believe it is since pasteurization destroys all of the nutrients, including calcium.

But for now, let’s discuss why it’s a good idea to begin taking a look at other calcium sources in the first place – let’s look into a few reasons to consider cutting out, or at least cutting back on, milk consumption:

Reason #1 -Hormones – we all know and have seen the PETA movies showing what goes on in the factory farms – diseased cows “living” under less than acceptable living conditions and being injected with hormones and antibiotics.  Not only that, but our body’s insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a well-known promoter of cancer,  is increased with the consumption of milk.

Reason #2 -Mucus – Some of every illness that is related to excessive mucous production can be associated with milk and alleviated by giving it up – excessive colds & congestion,  chronic ear infections (especially in babies and children), and more including…

Reason #3 -Allergies – According to the Israel Journal of Medical Sciences, “Dairy products may play a major role in the development of allergies, asthma, sleep difficulties and migraine headaches.”  Israel Journal of Medical Sciences 1983;19(9):806-809 Pediatrics 1989;84(4):595-603

Reason #4 -Bones & Joints – Women in America have consumed, on average, 2 lbs of milk per day their whole lives…yet, 30 million American women suffer from osteoporosis or other osteo-related disease.  Drinking milk does NOT prevent bone loss!  Bone loss is caused by too much (animal-based) protein – humans do not produce enough uric acid to break down all the protein we consume – and milk has been called, “liquid meat”.  www.notmilk.com

Reason #5 -Lactose intolerance – If you experience severe gas, bloating, cramping and other digestive issues especially when you’ve consumed milk or other dairy products,  it behooves you to look to dairy as one of the main factors causing it.  Over 75% of the American population is lactose intolerant but many just don’t know/realize it.

So there you have it…five (5) reasons to avoid drinking milk! And here’s some more food for thought…

- There is no other milk-drinking species that drinks milk AFTER being weaned from it’s mother’s milk!

- There is no other milk-drinking species that (under normal conditions)  drinks milk from ANOTHER species!

I challenge you today to commit to at least one full week of consuming absolutely NO milk or other dairy products and see how you feel!  I’d be interested in hearing about your experiences and what you noticed after 7 days of no dairy, so please come back and leave a comment about it.

But in the meantime, for more information on milk and why you should avoid it, visit: www.notmilk.com.

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For example:

•  At meal time, instead of drinking soda, drink naturally-flavored herbal tea or water
• Make dinner a lighter meal and eat earlier than usual
• Pile your plate with more veggies than carbs and meat

Things like that.  But the key is to make gradual strides towards a bigger goal!

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Related posts:

1. Why Are Meal Replacement Shakes Helpful With Weight Loss
2. Should You Utilize Weight Loss Products?
3. Cherie’s Personal Fitness & Weight Loss: Day One

Ingredients:

1 celery “rib” (and yes, you can use the leafy tops!)
small handful of spinach
1 banana
1/2 lemon – peeled and seeded
2 slices of pineapple (flesh or core)
6-8 oz. of water
natural sweetener such as agave nectar, 100% pure maple syrup, etc.  (optional – only if needed)

Blend all ingredients (except sweetener) with 6 oz. of the water until well blended and smooth.  If needed, add the remaining water.  Smoothie should not be very thick, that is unless you LIKE it that way.  But in my opinion, it should be on the thinner side if it’s to be a green “lemonade”.

Taste it and if it’s not sweet enough, blend in a small amount of sweetener (please, no refined white sugar) to taste.

TIP:  Always use fresh pineapple when possible but in worst-case scenario, use either frozen (preferred) or if you must use canned, get the one with no sugar or heavy syrup.  When you buy fresh pineapple and cut it up, slice up the core and freeze it for later use such as this recipe!  Click here for even more fresh pineapple tips!

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This rich, creamy chocolate pudding is unbelievable!  Not just because it tastes so yummy, but you won’t believe what it’s made with!  And no, it’s not tofu…this creamy delight is not only dairy-free, but also soy-free.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 small, ripe (but not overripe) avocado or half of a large one
2 TBS. raw cacao (or cocoa) powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. agave nectar (or you can use evaporated cane juice which is sugar that has not been bleached nor refined)
1-2 dashes of sea salt (optional)
1/4 c. cashews (optional, but makes it even creamier and more “dairy-like”)
6-8oz. of water – added gradually

Add all ingredients (except for the water) inside a high-powered blender.   Add about 2-4 oz. of the water and begin blending.  Blend for a few seconds and if mixture stops blending properly, add a little more and just gradually increase the amount of water until the mixture is blending without getting stuck.  Blend until well-blended and a creamy, pudding consistency.

Remove from blender using a rubber spatula (or spoon if you don’t have a spatula) and put into a sealable container.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving – if you can help not eating it up, that is!

Bonus tip:  To give my pudding a bit more of a health boost and added fiber, I add about 1 tsp. of Konsyl Fiber and blend that in.  Not only does this type of fiber act as a thickener, but again, it adds a healthy fiber boost to an already healthy dish!  You may need to blend a bit longer.

Let me know how you like it by clicking one of the “Your Reaction” buttons above, or by commenting below!

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Sounds like a major oxymoron, doesn’t it?  And you’ve probably heard, read or even used that term before.  But what exactly does it mean?

Well, skinny fat is what a LOT of people are.

Skinny fat is what I am – though I’m gradually changing that!
(The photo you see there is my before picture…I’m gradually getting that belly down! lol)

Skinny fat is basically when you have a small‘ish frame but you are flabby and have excess fat on your body that is usually carried in the midsection, but can be on other parts of the body such as the hips/buttocks, thighs and arms as well.

People look at me, for example, and they see my small frame; but when I say I need to shed about 10-15 lbs, they either laugh, roll their eyes or both.  But what they don’t realize is that, at my height of 5’4″, according to the BMI (Body Mass Index), if my weight goes above 145 lbs I am considered overweight… that is IF I have excess body fat (which I DO) as opposed to being 146+ lbs of lean muscle mass – that would be a totally different story if that were the case.

But it is very common for a lot of people to be skinny fat now-a-days.  Too “fat” to be considered “skinny” and too “skinny” to be considered “fat”.  I’ve learned from others as well as my own personal experiences that:

• There are a lot of small people who are out of shape and get winded easily
• There are a lot of small people who have illnesses,  are in poor health
• There are a lot of small people who are actually overweight

Why Being Skinny Fat Is or Should Be A Cause For Concern?

Well for one, it is or can be a first step to becoming obese.  Second, if someone is relatively thin everywhere except for the midsection, this could either mean or lead to visceral fat which, unlike subcutaneous fat (right below the skin), is deeper where the organs are.  Too much of that fat surrounding the organs can be taxing on those organs and lead to worse problems such as: type 2 diabetes, issues with the reproductive system and other health challenges.

So What Can Be Done About It?

You will definitely want to begin making gradual changes toward being healthier, fit and toned through diet and exercise.

1. The first step is to recognize and acknowledge that you are skinny fat.
2. Next, you need to identify where your “problem” areas are (butt, hips, tummy, arms, thighs or all of the above) and then from there pinpoint the root cause of WHY you’re that way.
3. Once you’ve done that, then it’s time to sit down and plan out what changes need to be made, set some realistic goals and then work towards reaching them!  Figure out if you need to change your diet or not and if so, what you need to change.

For example, if you realize that you are eating an excessive amount of carbs, you need to figure out what do you can do in order to cut back on them or how can you stop your body from craving them.

But another scenario could be that you’re eating very healthfully, but the missing part of the equation for YOU may be exercise.  Or…

Perhaps you may already exercise but your body doesn’t give any indication that you do – in that case, there could be other factors that need to be altered such as diet or maybe even a change in HOW you’re exercising, believe it or not!

But again, you have to sit down and really examine yourself and what’s going on with you that has you where you are right now.  And please do not get caught up in thinking that just because your frame is small, all is well because a lot of people that are now obese did not necessarily start out that way!  A lot of them started right where you and I are…skinny-fat.

Take the necessary measures to, not necessarily become skinny…but to become healthy, trim and fit!

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1. Losing Weight Isn’t Always About Being Skinny