Tuesday's - Q & A in Lafayette LA

This week's Q&A is all about SKIM MILK. Now, if you aren't a skim-milk person, I'm sure you know of someone who chooses skim milk as opposed to regular milk. Probably because you or the person you know are under the impression that they are cutting down on fat! Right? WRONG.

I have to honestly say that this used to be Me. From my "grande skinny vanilla latte," to what I used on my cereal and even fat free frozen yogurt - skim milk was my "go-to" because I was under the impression that fat-free milk is the choice for health conscious people. Oh Lord, the only problem is that this couldn't be further from the truth! Not only is skim milk the opposite of delicious, it's actually not a healthy choice at all. Here's why you should ignore the skim milk advertising, get off the fat-free bandwagon, and forget everything you think you know about skim milk…

1) Now, this is an important one: Skim milk is totally devoid of nutritional value. The vitamins (A, D, E and K) in milk are fat soluble, which means they need fat in order to be absorbed by the body. Also, calcium absorption is enhanced by Vitamin D, but the Vitamin D needs fat, so skim milk breaks the entire chain of absorption and becomes nutritionally empty. It's basically like drinking sugar water. Saturated fat (which is removed to create skim milk) has satiating, blood sugar stabilizing effects. Fats slow the release of sugar into your bloodstream. Eating a low-fat diet which you think makes up for the fat - in essence just adds more sugar which will spiral into "blood sugar issues" like diabetes and hypoglycemia. Contrary to popular belief, low-fat/fat-free does NOT equal health food!

2) Skim milk about has twice the amount of sugar as full fat cream. When you take out the fat, you add sugar to make up for it, and don't we all know by now that fat doesn't make you fat…(drumroll please…) sugar does!!!!! This means if you're buying skim milk to manage your weight, you're making a mistake.

3) Skim Milk ALWAYS contains processed ingredients! The dairy industry often adds skim milk powder to skim milk. The processing of skim milk into skim milk powder causes the naturally occurring cholesterol in the milk to be oxidized. Its oxidized cholesterol that LOVES to hang out in your arteries and build-up. Cholesterol that naturally occurs in food is not something to worry about, but oxidized cholesterol which is created by a man, somewhere in a factory (not by America's Dairy Farmers) can cause inflammation in the body and contributes to heart disease.

In conclusion, because skim milk is a highly processed food, it can leave you feeling unsatisfied and experiencing cravings for something more (that's the evil result of all that sugar in there!) Our bodies thrive on whole foods, the way they are found in nature. Eating a diet full of high quality protein and healthy fats from whole foods prevents the cravings that come from eating fat-free foods that are "missing something.

By now you know that I'm not a fan of using dairy as a health food in general, but if you are going to choose to eat or drink dairy products it's important to choose full fat, organic dairy that comes from free range, grass-fed cows that haven't been injected with weird chemicals or treated with hormones. Either way, consider today the very last day that you're tricked by clever skim milk marketing!

But, wait - don't get frustrated! I know it can be annoying for me to bring certain foods to your attention that you should limit/avoid, but that's only because I care about You! Even though you learned the sad truth today that skim-milk and non-organic dairy products belong in the store and on a shelf and NOT IN YOUR BODY, there are a few foods that you should be putting in your body every single day! Are you up for an experiment? This week, I'd like for you to stock your pantry with my favorite TRUE Health FOODS. The items on this list are used in my house every day - several times a day, actually!

Organic, raw coconut oil
Coconut oil is one of those foods you could probably NEVER get me to eat as a child because I absolutely hated coconut! Until I very closely studied the mystical, magical, NUMEROUS health benefits to consuming raw, organic coconut oil, I pretty much use it for everything… and I mean EVERYTHING: as a body lotion, as cooking oil, in smoothies, etc. There's far too many health benefits to list here, but just know that raw, organic coconut oil, enhances brain function, increases energy expenditure and my very favorite: controls mood swings! Just 2 teaspoons of raw organic coconut oil every day assists your thyroid in controlling all of those important hormones that are responsible for how we feel - so run, don't walk to Vitamins Plus (inside Drug Emporium) on Bertrand and get yourself a jar of raw, organic coconut oil today!

Organic liquid stevia
I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Fat doesn't make you fat - Sugar makes your fat." Unfortunately, this even applies to "natural" sugars like honey and agave because they have the same effect on the body of throwing everything "out-of-whack". (Still if you're trying to "kick" your white sugar in your coffee in the morning, please, by all means transition with honey.) Now, for all of my patients and friends who love "Splenda, Sweet-and-Low, Equal or Sugar-in-the-Raw" organic liquid stevia will become your new best friend. Just a few drops in your coffee in the morning and I take comfort in knowing I've sweetened my drink with a natural plant sugar that won't affect my blood sugar levels and won't trigger cravings.

Organic almond butter
Organic almond butter is a great snack! If you're still a peanut butter lover - you have got to give almond butter a try! It's slightly sweet, and filled with protein and healthy fats, which are essential for stabilizing your metabolism and maintaining high brain functioning! For added fiber, spread it on an apple or dip some carrot sticks in it for a super nutritious mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack! I really can't say enough about organic almond butter - I can't live without it.

Organic nuts & seeds
Move over potato chips! Load up on organic almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds instead! They're an awesome snack because they are loaded with healthy fats and fiber which give you that "satisfying" feeling. They also travel REALLY well - throw some in a container and leave them in your desk for your mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. They're even great in salads and stir-fried dishes!

Fresh organic ginger root
Fresh, organic ginger root is not only delicious and flavorful, but it's one of the healthiest things we can put in our body! Ginger is great at fighting inflammation, soothing an upset tummy, calming GI problems, fighting colds, etc. I like to juice fresh ginger with my greens for a spicy kick or grate fresh ginger into a salad dressing or into vegetable stir-fry. And there's nothing better than a cup of ginger tea at night. Just peel an inch of ginger and let it steep in a mug of hot water - so relaxing!

Organic quinoa
Organic quinoa (pronounced "KEEN-wah") is a SuperFood! Quinoa is one of the most nutritious foods we can put in our body, as it's loaded with protein, fiber, iron, and amino acids. Technically it's a seed, but quinoa is a great compliment to any meal. Use quinoa instead of rice or pasta in your favorite meal, or simply serve it as a side dish and skip the bread - either way, you can really get creative by integrating this SuperFood into your meal planning. (The best part? It cooks in less than 15 minutes making it super quick and easy!)

By Francesca Marino D.C. of Modern Chiropractic