Victoria Santalesa

August 1, 2017August 30, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Hidden Signs Of Osteoporosis

These days there is a lot of emphasis on Extreme Exercise. With celebrity gym instructor singing the praises of the time saving high-intensity workouts and kick-starting metabolisms, it sometimes seems like the extreme is the routine. Sure, you can work at moderate levels of intensity, as long as you scale a hill at a full speed first thing in the morning. Exercise can be good, but pushing yourself too far may come with a few health setbacks, osteoporosis is one of them. Lots of women who have osteoporosis don’t know about it until they break a bone. Here are a few red flags that might help you figure it out a little sooner.

Too Much Exercise
Exercise is a good thing, right? Sure, but it turns out it can also be too much of one. Women who exercise too much are at risk of female athlete triad syndrome. The symptoms include an abnormal or absent menstrual cycle, decrease bone density and low energy. According to Fredrick Singer, Md, “Women are often a high school of college athletes who run 40 to 50 miles a week. If you run that much and don’t consume enough calories, you’re at risk for bone loss.”

However, what’s too much for one person, may not be excessive for another, so be sure to consult a doctor if you start missing periods. You may be able to get help from a fitness professional or nutritionist who can customize a diet and exercise program best suited to your needs.

You’re Very Thin
Very skinny women who stop menstruating can experience changes in hormones in the bones and brain, a condition which occurs frequently with eating disorders. Dr. Singer says, “When you lose an excessive amount of weight, a signal is sent to the hypothalamic area of the brain which shuts down the pituitary hormones, which in turn shuts down the ovaries.” How do you know when skinny is too skinny? If your body mass index,(BMI) is lower than 18.5, you’re too skinny.

Little Nightcap
If you’re drinking more than one to two glasses of vino per night, your bones may be paying the price. Health professionals say: stop at two. In fact,y you may want to have one or two. According to a 2012 study from Oregon State University, those one or two drinks may actually improve bone health, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women.

You Binge Watch TV
What? “Orange is the New Black” is bad for your bones? Apparently, lying prone on the couch can lead to bone breakdown with a 24 to 48 hour period. Says Dr. Singer, “Total lack of weight bearing activity is one of the fastest ways to develop osteoporosis, which happens within months.”

While Singer isn’t suggesting you miss the finale of your favorite shows, he does recommend getting up when you can and says even brief periods of walking may help to prevent bone loss.

You Take Antidepressants
If you’re depending on SSRIs to keep depression at bay, you may want to pay attention to your bone health. A review of nineteen studies in Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience says these types of antidepressants can accelerate bone loss and affect bone mineral density. If you are taking SSRIs, you may want to explore other options with your doctor.

Do you think you may be at risk for osteoporosis? Let us know how you’re boning up and getting in shape to keep this “silent disease” away.

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July 28, 2017August 30, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Good Sleep Tips For Pregnant Moms

Sleep does not come easily to the pregnant woman. It is understandably quite difficult to assume the fetal position with a fetus inside you. Hormonal changes and discomfort associated with pregnancy can affect a pregnant woman’s quality of sleep, and pregnant women need all the sleep they can get – it may be their last chance for a while. The National Sleep Foundation knows that each trimester of pregnancy brings with it a new set of challenges. Here is some of their advice for handling them.

First Trimester Of Pregnancy
In the first trimester of pregnancy, there are a number of challenges to a good night’s sleep you’ll need to be prepared for. Pregnant moms wake up frequently in need of the bathroom and emotional and physical stress may cause sleep disruptions and increased daytime sleepiness.

Second Trimester Of Pregnancy
The second trimester of pregnancy may be considered the metaphorical “calm before the storm.” Nighttime urination will become less of an issue because the fetus moves above the bladder, reducing the amount of pressure on it. However, sleep may still be interrupted by the growth of the child and the emotional stress.

Third Trimester Of Pregnancy
This one’s the doozy. In the third trimester of pregnancy, not only can you expect to feel discomfort as a result of your expanding belly, you may also experience, effects heartburn, leg cramps, and sinus congestion, all keeping you from a good night’s sleep. In addition, you’ll find the nighttime urination increasing in frequency again as the baby’s position puts pressure on your bladder once more.

Tips For A Good Sleep
Extra Pillows: Get some extra pillows to pad the tummy and back. A pillow positioned between the legs can help to give support to the lower back to make sleeping on your side more comfortable. Consider the wedge shaped pillow or the full-length body pillow for best results.

Nutrition: A nice glass of warm milk is always a good remedy for sleeplessness. Also, foods rich in carbohydrates, such as crackers and bread can help bring on sleep, and a high protein snack can keep levels of blood sugar from falling and prevent headaches, bad dreams, and hot flashes.

Relaxation: Relaxation is also another great way to induce sleep, soothing your muscles, while calming your mind. Stretching, massage, yoga, and deep breathing are all effective relaxation techniques, and a warm bath and shower before bed may also prove quite soothing.

Exercise: Not only is regular exercise important during pregnancy to promote physical and mental health, it can also help you to sleep more deeply. However, keep in mind that stimulating exercise within four hours of bedtime is more like affect your sleep adversely than positively.

Medications: While most medications should be kept out of the equation when one is pregnant, there may be some herbal and dietary supplements that can help you sleep better. Make sure to discuss taking any type of drug, OTC, or prescription with a doctor before purchasing them.

If you have any good tips for sleeping while pregnant, we would love to hear them. Let us know!

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July 21, 2017August 28, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Can Exercise Help Improve Hypersomnia?

Hypersomnia: A condition causing excessive daytime drowsiness. Aerobic exercise: an activity requiring excessive daytime energy. The two would seem to be in direct contrast to one another, but could one be the cure for the other? While it may seem vigorous exercise would be the last thing on a drowsy person’s to do list, new studies show that exercise may be a way to alleviate the symptoms of hypersomnia in depressed individuals. Could there be a science behind this theory? Let’s take a look.

Symptoms of Hypersomnia
Individuals with hypersomnia are likely to doze off regularly and repeatedly during the day, often at inappropriate times, including during meals, at work, or in conversation. They may show difficulty waking from a long sleep and feel disoriented upon waking. Anxiety, decreased energy, slowness of thought and speech, memory lapses, loss of appetite, and increased irritation are also among the symptoms of the condition. In severe cases, patients may lose their ability to function in social, family, and occupational settings.

Demographics
Hypersomnia is a rather uncommon disorder affecting a very small percentage of the population. Only 5% or fewer adults complain about feeling excessively sleepy during the day, and of that 5% only 5-10% are diagnosed with hypersomnia. It generally appears in a patient between the ages of 15 and 30, and tends to happen gradually, sometimes taking years to develop fully.

woman exercising indoors

The Research
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care are the group behind the findings about the positive effect of aerobic exercise upon the depressive condition. These researchers found that exercise lowered the levels of two biological markers for hypersomnia in blood samples, reducing the likelihood of excess sleepiness.

According to senior study author, Madukar Trivedi, MD, “Hypersomnia, as well as insomnia have been linked in the development, treatment, and recurrence of depression. Identifying these biomarkers, combined with new understanding of the important role of exercise in reducing hyperemia, have potential implications in the treatment of major depressive disorder.”

Previous research had found a negative loop in which sleep, depression, and inflammation interact, with detrimental results. The current findings suggest that exercise may be the key to resetting the loop. Researchers identified biomarkers based on the blood samples of 100 participants who were asked to perform two kinds of aerobic excersises. The subjects consisted of people ages 18 to 70 who all suffered from major depression disorder.

After a 12 week period,researchers had located reductions in tow biomarkers related to hypersomnia. Lead author Chad Rethorst, PhD says, “Identification of biomarkers that uniquely predict or correlate with improvement in hypersomnia and insomnia is an important step toward more effective treatment of MDD.

Do you suffer from hypersomnia or know someone who does? Let us know what you think of the new findings.

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July 20, 2017August 28, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

What Are DHEA Supplements?

You see them on news programs. The octogenarian, nonagenarians, and even centenarians, those lucky people who seem to be age defiant, surviving years of life, still remaining active, cognizant and even rather attractive. Inevitably, these people are asked how they do it; what is the secret to the fountain of youth, and inevitably some saucy senior will reply by saying they credit regular sex with their youthful appearance. True, we do often associate higher sex drive with youthfulness, but is it possible that the opposite is true? Is there anything substantial behind the idea that increased sex drive can lead to a more healthy, longer life? Read on to find out about the possible benefits of DHEA supplements.

What is DHEA?
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone found naturally in your body, manufactured by the adrenal glands. There, it is converted into male and female sex hormones, like estrogen and testosterone. Recent studies suggest that taking DHEA in the form of a supplement can boost levels of estrogen and testosterone, protecting the body from health problems stemming from hormonal imbalance or age related decline in hormonal levels.

How Can It Help?
Studies Show some degrees of success in DHEA supplementation in the following areas:

Depression
Research supports the possibility of a link between depression and DHEA levels. According to recent research reports, DHEA supplements may be useful in the treatment of major depression. However, further studies need to be done before any affirmative conclusions can be reached.

Bone Density
The aging process and diseases such as anorexia and lupus, have all been associated with bone loss. There is some evidence to suggest that higher DHEA levels may be associated with higher bone density, specifically in post menopausal women and that DHEA supplements may have the ability to increase of bone density.

Weight Loss
Could DHEA be the key to shedding those extra pounds? Studies show that 7-KETO, a DHEA containing product may help stimulate metabolism and assist in weight loss. Again, more long term research still remains to be done.

Adrenal Insufficiency
Adrenal Insufficiently is a condition in which adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones. Recent studies show that DHEA supplements may improve hormone levels, and quality of life for people with the condition. However, other research found that DHEA had little effect of symptoms of depression, and heart health.

Sexual Function
Here’s where you’d think it would make perfect sense. Because research has shown a link between lower levels of DHEA in man and erectile dysfunction, it would seem to be a no brainer that DHEA supplements can boost low libido. However, higher quality studies reveal inconsistent results in the effect of DHEA on libido, sexual performance and erectile dysfunction. Although research looks promising, additional studies are required.

Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder which affects the organs and skin. Women suffering from this condition also exhibit lower levels of DHEA, hence,the suggestion that DHEA may improve immune function. While some trials report a lack of effect of DHEA treatment on lupus activity, there is evidence that it can be effective when used regularly.

What do you think of the use of DHEA supplements to improve health? Have you tried them? Let us know about your DHEA experiences.

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July 18, 2017August 28, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

The Oils Of Longevity

You may have heard people saying they can’t live without their morning coffee, but we usually don’t take them literally. Just when you thought your caffeinated cup had reached the limit in positive attributes, there comes proof that having a cup of coffee each day may be just what you need to keep having more days to have more cups of coffee! And while you’re at it, you may want to pop some fish oil pills too; they apparently have similar effect.

Recent studies show that both coffee and fish oil contain properties which can actually promote longevity. Not convinced? Here’s a look at some of the latest research on drinking coffee and taking fish oil capsules and why it may just be the latest recipe for long life.

What Are Telomeres?
You may have heard of these little caps at the end of our DNA. Telomeres control our lifespan by determining how many times our cells divide and stay alive. As we get older, environmental stressors take their toll, and these telomeres get shorter, meaning our lives do as well. Therefore, keeping them long is key to longevity. The latest way to do that is by drinking your morning coffee with a side of fish oil.

Fish Oil and Longevity
A study in the 2016 issue of Nutrients looked at the effect of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil on tele mere length in a controlled trial. Experts attribute the increase in length to a reduction of oxidative stress.

An additional study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity seems to support these findings. The study included 106 individuals with an average age of 51 who were considered relatively healthy, divided into three groups. One group received 2.5 grams of long chain omega-3’s per day, a second received 1.25 grams a day, and one received placebo pills that had proportion of fatty acids similar to those found in an average American diet. After four months, results showed a significant increase in telomere length and a decrease in oxidative stress among those who received the omega-3 supplements.

The two main types of long chain omega-3 fats are most often found in fish such as sardines, herring, salmon, and mackerel. Alpha-linolenic acid is a short chain omega-3 fatty acid that can be found in flaxseeds and walnuts.

Coffee and Longevity
Coffee is already a well known source of antioxidants which makes it a life lengthening beverage. Scientists ar the Journal of Nutrition used data from the Nurse’s Health Study form 1976 to explain the link between coffee drinking and telomere length in 4780 female nurses, and found a direct correlations. Of the nurses, those who drank 2 cups of coffee daily had a 29% higher chance of having an average telomere lengthen while the odds were 36% higher in those who drank 3 cups.

However experts are quick to point out that while coffee may be very beneficial to your health, caffeine may not. Although researchers from the University of Scranton say coffee is America’s number one antioxidant source, they are also quick to remind us that regular and decaf have the same antioxidant levels, and too much caffeine can cause unwanted side effects. Try to keep caffeine consumption at a moderate 300-400mg daily, about 3 to 4 cups of coffee to keep away anxiety and depression.

What do you think? Is fish oil and coffee the new Breakfast of Champions? Let us know!

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July 17, 2017August 28, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Try These Gadgets For Folks Who Fidget

Are you a leg bouncer? Knuckle cracker? Nail biter? Pen tapper? Hair twirler? Paper shredder? Nose picker? Just an all around fidgeter? Surely, it seems like a victimless crime, if it is a crime at all. A study done in England says the habit can make it easier for children to concentrate, providing an outlet for excess energy, allowing students to better focus on their work. Others disagree, claiming that the mere multitasking elements can only provide a distraction from learning. Either way, you can safely say that manufacturers will seldom miss an opportunity to capitalize on a human habit. Here are some fidget friendly gadgets for the fidgeters in your life.

Squigz
Otherwise known as fat brain toys, these may be the next thing for those who can’t put down the bubble wrap. These suction cupped beauties can stick to any flat surface, and even each other, and best of all, they pull a part with a satisfying pop.

Mashems
These squishy critters, shaped like popular character can be stuck to flat surfaces or squeezed to watch them balloon up in your hand. Look for them in the likeness of Marvel or DC characters, Paw Patrol, and My Little Pony.

Anastasiia Moiseieva / Shutterstock.com

Rubik’s Cube
One of the original, if not the original, the Rubik’s Cube has been a fidget fixture for decades. While mixing up the various colors may not seem too perplexing, matching them back is quite another story.

Swingy Thing
This portable desk toy features several pendulums that can swing around, providing over 52 spinning challenges for different color combinations.

Madballs
They’re back! You were fidgeting with them in the 1980’s and you’re fidgeting with them now. These mummies, monster, werewolves, zombies perfect for bouncing and squeezing are making a mad comeback in the fidgety millennium.

Slinky
How could we forget the commercials with the kids watching their slinks climbing down the stairs. Plastic, or metallic, you can still enjoy the calming effect of bouncing it on your palms. Good luck getting it down the whole flight!

Fidget Spinners
Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the last month or so, it is highly unlikely that you have missed the fidget spinner. The tri- shaped toys feature ball bearing that spin around the center when you flick them. Available in all sorts of irresistible colors and patterns, these are a great way to keep your hands occupied, providing hours of fidgeting fun.

Thumb chucks
The name alone sounds intriguing. Thumb chucks actually can help provide exercise for the fingers. The ingenious invention consists of two small rubber balls connected by a strap. The object is to flick your fingers and wrist to send the balls swinging, and rolling over your hand for awe inducing hours of fun. The LED lights in the balls light up on impact with any surface, so prepare for fireworks.

Morph
Give this squishy compound a try for morphing fun that never dries out and gets softer as you play with it. Squeeze it, mold it, stretch it or bounce it, this no mess toy is a fidgeter’s dream.

Tangle Therapy
If you enjoy getting knots out of jewelry, this one may be for you. Composed of elbow pieces covered in texturized rubbers, this twistable tool can be snapped, bent, and squeezed for a unique tactile experience.

What do you think of fidgeting? Harmless fun or major distraction. Let us know how you weigh in on this latest sensation.

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July 14, 2017August 30, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Natural Vs Traditional C-Section

To say pregnancy is a time of anxiety may be one of the bigger understatements one can make. Expecting mothers have a range of questions and worries, the least of which may be, “Will I ever get my bikini body back?” In a time of such uncertainty. it’s nice to know that there are people out there who understand, and want to make the experience of pregnancy and delivery as stress-free as possible. Behold, the gentle Cesarean. While still surgery, the gentle Cesarean incorporates the elements of natural birth to the procedure to make it less invasive and more celebratory. Here’s the way it works:

What Makes the Gentle Cesarean Gentle?
Un- rushed Birth
Birth is not rushed, so mommy doesn’t feel like an object being pushed through an assembly line.

All Eyes On Mom
More attention and focus is given to the mother and the birthing partner.

Relaxed Atmosphere
The birthing room is quiet and filled with calming music or music chosen by the mother. ( Metallica is not advised.)

No Sheets
Mommy can see the baby being born via mirror reflection. In most C- sections, a sheet is placed in front of the mother. Gentle C- sections invite the mother to view the birth in mirrors and doctors are encouraged to be more forthcoming about the procedure than in the conventional C-section, so the mothers can feel more a part of the experience.

Slow Hand Doc
With the goal on simulating a vaginal birth, the doctor may delay the process of pulling the baby through the abdominal incision. For example, after the baby’s head is out, the doctor may leave the body inside the uterus for a few moments longer to let baby squeeze lung fluids through its nose. In vaginal births, this squeezing occurs naturally and helps the newborn to avoid infant respiratory distress syndrome, commonly associated with Cesarian births.

The Umbilical Chord Is Left Intact For a Longer Period. In traditional Cesareans, the baby is lifted out and the cord is cut immediately. In gentle Cesareans, chorcordis not cut until the mother and child have made skin to skin contact.

Skin to Skin Contact Occurs Immediately
Skin to skin contact is a central feature of the gentle cesarean. It has been shown that immediate contact with the mother makes the experience of birth less stressful for a child; the child is less likely to cry, is better able to regulate their breathing, reaches a stable body temperature more quickly, is likely to have more balanced blood sugar levels. Skin to skin contact is also an important component of emotional bonding between mother and child and helps to reduce risk or postpartum depression.

Immediate Breast Feeding Is An Option
Mothers can choose to breastfeed baby immediately if she desires.

To Have a Gentle Cesarean
If you want to consider the option of a gentle C- Section, add a C-Section Birth plan to your original plan. Be sure to discuss things like skin to skin contact, delayed cord clamping and slow birthing with your doctor to make sure you are on the same page when it comes to the birthing experience. Note that this will not pre destine you for a C- section, but if it becomes an eventuality, you will be prepared.

What do you think of the Gentle Cesarean? Let us know!

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July 14, 2017August 30, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Choose Your Pain Relief Carefully

Pain. It can be overwhelming, and relief needs to be immediate. When discomfort gets hard to tolerate, most of us grab the first thing on the shelf of the medicine cabinet without thinking and herein lies the problem. Pain relievers are drugs, and like all other drugs, they need to be considered carefully before we take them. According to experts, many of the pains relievers in our medicine cabinets may be doing more harm than good. Here are what some of them are saying about NSAIDs and why other options should be on hand before pain hits.

Do Pain Relievers Put Us At Risk?
NSAIDS or Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs have been coming under fire lately for having the potential for cardiac risk. These drugs are commonly taken for relief of a variety of pain types, including headaches, muscle, Ibuprofen and joint aches. Examples include over the counter agents, such as Advil, Ibuprofen, alive, and Naproxen, while prescription varieties include Celecoxib and Celebrex. However, while former studies showed increased risk of heart attack, more recent ones reveal that the danger is more commonly associated with people who take the drugs regularly.

Studies reveal a two to fourfold increase in the risk of myocardial infractions for habitual NSAID users. That means that 25 to 50 patients would need to take NSAIDs for a whole year to cause one event of a stroke or heart attacks. However, because the use of the drugs is so popular, and many of the users are seniors who are already at risk for heart disease there is a cause for concern.

Highest Risk
The highest risk seems to come from taking over 750 mg of Naproxen or 1200 mg of Ibuprofen. Does this size is taken regularly carry a risk for GI bleeds, kidney injury, and stomach ulcers, in addition to cardiac risk.

Thing to Keep In Mind
If you are young and in good health, your chances of cardiovascular complications caused by NSAIDs are small.

If you are currently at risk for heart disease, NSAIDs can increase the risk.

If you need to take NSAIDs on a regular basis, you should discuss the risks and possible alternatives with a health professional.

NSAID Alternatives
Because there is no one size fits all answer to pain relief, it is probably best to create a “Pain Plan” with your doctor or pharmacist. Considering the recent efforts to cut down on the use of opioids and increase the use of NSAIDs for arthritis treatment, careful decision making needs to go into picking the right pain relief.

While Tylenol, which is not a NSAID, is often a good pain relieving option, there are also no medication relief alternatives, such as the use of heat or ice, depending on the conditions. Although it is still safe for many patients to take NSAIDs, it is important to be aware of recommended dosages and the frequency of taking them. Experts recommend that no medication remedies, such as heat, massage, stretching, ice, and other forms of physical therapies be kept in consideration until more information is known.

Are you trading in your NSAIDs for other options? Let us know if you are and what they are.

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July 14, 2017August 30, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

How To Cope Emotionally With A Mastectomy

It is said that no woman should have to go through the experience of breast cancer alone, and it is true. Breast cancer is a very scary experience and we all need a strong support group behind us to help cope with the realities. However, each woman is an individual, and in the end, each woman’s fight and experience will be solely her own, and no one else can walk that mile for you. There is no one way to address and manage the grief of losing a breast, and sometimes even the suggestion that there might seem naive and even degrading.

If you’re coping with a mastectomy, there are some things that will be unique to your struggle, but there may be some comfort in realizing that other people have coped with similar situations and may have gained some insight on some ways to help you through the process, and explain why your feeling certain ways, and remind you that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Denial
Numbness and shock are most characteristic of this first stage. Psychologists say this is nature’s way of protecting us from the harshness of reality and allows us the time to gradually absorb the truth. At this stage, many women have described thinking that the experience is not really happening to them. This is a good time to deal with the practical arrangements, such as scheduling medical appointments before emotion hits.

Protest
In this stage of protest, we are most likely to experience confusion, anger, and sadness. we feel betrayed by our bodies, and often at God or the doctors. It is common for people in this stage to try and bargain with God, by promising to attend church regularly in exchange for the spring of their breast, for example. These unrealistic attempts to strike a deal is symbolic of our need to feel control over an uncontrollable situation; it is also common at this time to experience physical stress induced symptoms, like lack of sleep, pain, diarrhea, and fatigue.

Disorientation
During the disorientation stage, we begin to change our routines to adapt life after the mastectomy. It often coincides with the time at which your chest has healed and you are getting back into wearing your regular wardrobe. You begin to realize small ways in which your routine has changed, for example, selecting clothes now means finding a top that will not irritate your tender chest, and you need to compensate for the missing breast. These things are likely to cause confusion, disorientation, and depression.

Detachment
Withdrawal is a common feature of the detachment stage. We tend to isolate ourselves, and may become apathetic or resigned. This is the time of which too much contact with people may feel intrusive of exhausting. We often need to deal with our grief alone at this time.

Resolution
This is the time in which our lives start to get back on track. We acknowledge that we are not happy about our loss, but we accept the fact that we can live without it. This stage begins wisdom and insight into our lives, builds character, and reminds us that we have the ability to feel joy again.
Many people become grateful and want to give back by engaging in volunteerism and becoming proactive. It is at this time, you may start to realize that you have gained some advantages from your battle.

Have you coped with a mastectomy? What insight or advice can you give us for getting through this time of grief? Please let us know.

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July 9, 2017August 30, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Best Alternatives To Cow’s Milk

Pourquoi La Vache Qui Rit fit? Why is the Laughing Cow laughing: the question long asked by the French to explain the jovial expression of the earring -wearing cow on the Laughing Cow cheese wedges that bear her name. Perhaps she was laughing at all the unknowing lactose intolerant people who were-were suffering digestive problems from eating her product. Well, it seems like the laugh may finally be on the Laughing Cow herself. With the increasing awareness of lactose intolerance, alternatives to cows milk are becoming more widely available and popular, with even the lactose tolerant making the switch, in many cases. Has the Laughing Cow laughed her last laugh? Let’s take a look at some of the competition.

Dairy Milk
Is this the reason the cow is laughing? Maybe not. Many of us grew up on plain old milk from the cows and didn’t seem to fare too badly. Cow’s milk has a respectable 8g of protein in one cup, which is still more than any nondairy option. Nonfat or low fat is a good choice for those who drink more than one cup of dairy milk a day to keep saturated fat intake to a minimum.

Soy Milk
When it comes to subbing for dairy milk, soy milk is a pretty healthy choice. With 45% DV of calcium and 6 g of protein per cup, the soybean and water concoction make for a slightly thicker consistency than cow’s milk, which lends itself well to smoothies and coffee. It can be used in place of milk in most recipes cup for cup.

Rice Milk
When put side by side with dairy and soy milk, rice milk, pales in comparison.The brown rice mixture offering up only 2% DV calcium and one gram of protein, falls short of the competition in nutrient content, and many find its texture too watery to work in recipes which use milk as a thickener.

Almond Milk
A fan favorite, almond milk, made with ground almonds and water, can be found in a variety of flavors and options, including chocolate, vanilla, original, and unsweetened. It’s a lower calorie alternative to skim milk, save for the chocolate flavor and has a higher mineral content than dairy milk. However, if its protein you seek, you may not find what you’re looking for in almond milk. With only 1 gram of protein, almond milk’s protein content is decidedly on the low side. If protein is your concern, check out soy milk with added protein, or supplement with other high protein choices.

Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is the latest item to hit the superfood charts, taking the health food world by storm. Although it is slightly higher in fat than other milk, the calorie count is a reasonably low 80 per serving, and it beats out cow’s milk in both protein and calcium content. However, if you are not a fan of the coconut flavor, you may want to leave this one off the shopping list; the coconut taste is hard to miss, If you want the experience with less emphasis on the coconut flavor, try an almond coconut blend, which will give you a more subtle hint of coconut with the 45% CV calcium of almond milk.

What is your choice when it comes to milk, and more importantly, why do you think the Laughing Cow is laughing? Let us know!

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