Milk Alternatives

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an increase in non dairy substitutes for milk. Most grocery stores carry a range of types and brands of milk alternatives, coffee shops offer beverages with soy, almond, coconut, and oat milk, and there are plenty of recipes out there on making your own nut, oat, or seed milk. 

Many people are switching away from cow’s milk due to a milk allergy, lactose intolerance, dietary restrictions, and potential health risks. Did you know that around 75% of the world’s population is intolerant to the sugar found in milk called lactose? Other people stay away from milk for ethical or health reasons, like being vegan or wanting to avoid ingesting potential hormones or antibiotics in milk. Some people switch to alternative milk options because they simply prefer the taste. Whatever your reason for exploring non dairy substitutes for milk, read on for potential swaps. 

Soy Milk

Soy milk offers similar nutrition to cow’s milk. It is a plant-based source of high-quality “complete protein,” meaning it provides essential amino acids. Soy products are somewhat controversial, in that they contain isoflavones, which can affect the way hormones function in the body. 

Almond Milk

Compared to cow’s milk, almond milk contains ¼ the calories and about ½ the fat. Almond milk contains Vitamin E, made up of antioxidants that can protect the body from free radicals. One downside to almond milk is that it contains a lower concentration of beneficial nutrients found in almonds, because the majority of almond milk is made up of water.   

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is low in protein and carbohydrates, making it a good option for people looking to reduce their carbohydrate intake. The majority of calories in coconut milk come from saturated fat, including medium-chain triglycerides. Some research shows that these fats can help with weight loss and improve blood-cholesterol levels, while other research indicates that coconut oil may raise levels of total and “bad” cholesterol. 

Oat Milk

Oat milk has large amounts of total fiber and beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that binds to cholesterol to help lower LDL cholesterol and improve heart functioning. 

Hemp Milk

Hemp milk is high in protein and provides essential amino acids, including the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid and the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid, which the body cannot make on its own. 

There are many other milk alternatives available, each one possessing pros and cons based on your needs and what your body can tolerate. When purchasing a non dairy milk substitute, be sure to read the labels, because many options contain added sugar and gums to improve texture. The cost of different brands and varieties can also range significantly. If you’re interested in making your own nut, seed, oat, rice, etc. milk at home, take a look at these recipes: https://minimalistbaker.com/guide-making-dairy-free-milk/

References

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-milk-substitutes#section11

Vitamin D

You may have heard that researchers are studying whether or not healthy levels of Vitamin D have any impact on the severity of COVID-19 cases. Small studies are being conducted across the globe, and while there aren’t official conclusions, there may be benefits to boosting Vitamin D levels in our blood. 

Vitamin D is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin” because it gets produced in our skin in response to sunlight. Simply exposing our skin to the sun allows us to naturally make Vitamin D. For some of us, however, getting enough Vitamin D through the sun isn’t possible, and we may have a deficiency. A simple blood test can help you determine if you have a Vitamin D deficiency.  

What does Vitamin D do for our Body?

Vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which both contribute to healthy bones and teeth. It also facilitates normal immune system functioning. Healthy amounts of Vitamin D can reduce your risk of multiple sclerosis, decrease your chance of having heart disease, can help prevent the flu, helps regulate your mood to ward off depression, and boosts weight loss.  

How to Get Enough Vitamin D

Foods like salmon, herring, sardines, cod liver oil, canned tuna, egg yolks, and mushrooms naturally contain high amounts of this vitamin. Supplements are another option for increasing levels of Vitamin D, so if you’re interested in going this route, talk with your doctor to ensure proper dosage. Some factors can make it difficult to get enough Vitamin D, like living in an area with high pollution, living in cities where buildings block sunlight, wearing sunscreen, and having darker skin. Standing outside in the sun for 10-30 minutes, several times a week, is generally considered a safe way to maintain healthy Vitamin D levels in your blood.   

Local Places to get Vitamin D Levels Tested

LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics are two labs that have locations throughout Milwaukee. We encourage you to speak with your doctor and other healthcare providers if you’re interested in exploring your Vitamin D levels.  

Resources

Doheny, K. (2020). More Vitamin D, Lower Risk of Severe Covid-19? Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200518/more-vitamin-d-lower-risk-of-severe-covid-19

Jones, T. (2019). 7 Healthy Foods That are High in Vitamin D. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-foods-high-in-vitamin-d#6

Wilson, D. (2020). 3 Surprising Benefits of Vitamin D. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-vitamin-d   

Why Sleep is Important

In Matt Walker’s informative Ted Talk, he dives into the science behind why sleep is our superpower, and the effects of getting too little sleep versus getting enough. The amount of sleep we get each night has profound effects on our brain and body.

You may already be aware of research showing that our most productive learning happens when we take in new information and then get enough quality sleep for our brains to process the learning while we snooze. Essentially, sleep is like a “save” button for the memories and new ideas our brain just took in. Additionally, the amount of sleep we get prior to learning dictates how prepared our brain will be as we seek to learn new information. Matt Walker explains that “without sleep, the memory circuits of the brain essentially become waterlogged, and you can’t absorb new memories.” As we age, our sleep quality starts to decline and it becomes more difficult to achieve deep sleep. As sleep quality declines, so does our memory and cognitive functioning. Over time, lack of restorative sleep can lead to cognitive issues like Alzheimer’s disease.

When you catch a cold or are feeling under the weather, do you notice any links with the amount or quality of sleep you’ve been getting? Our immune system is notably impacted by our sleep patterns. Our immune system is made up of Natural Killer Cells which attack dangerous, unwanted elements like cancer cells, bacteria, and viruses, and eliminate them. Without adequate sleep, Natural Killer Cells are not able to activate, leading to a drop in immune functioning. Risk for colon cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer increases as quality sleep is hindered.

The good news is that we can use this knowledge to intervene and make changes in our sleep patterns to improve our brain and physical functioning. Caffeine and alcohol consumption both impact our sleep, and making changes in your intake of these could be a great place to start. Another way to start making positive changes is to reassess your sleep conditions. If you take naps and notice it difficult to fall asleep at night, reconsider your napping habits. Setting a consistent bedtime and wake-up time are two of the most beneficial things you can do to get your body into a healthier sleep routine. This means going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time each day--even on the weekends or days off. Finally, our bodies need to drop in temperature by a few degrees to fall asleep and stay asleep, so adjust your thermostat to around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most of this is probably not very new to you, and yet it can be so difficult to adopt better sleep habits! Our society prioritizes productivity and staying busy over truly listening to what our bodies need. In order to make the necessary changes to our sleep, we must let go of the idea that sleeping too much is lazy, or that other pieces of life are more important than sleep. We must decide that we deserve to get quality sleep. What are a few small steps you can take to start getting deeper, more restorative sleep tonight?

References

Walker, M. (2019). Sleep is your superpower. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/matt_walker_sleep_is_your_superpower?language=en