Russ Spence
Commercial Pressure Wash Expert
Milk has fallen out of favor with many Americans at the likely expense of higher rates of depression and mood swings. If you have sworn off milk for whatever reason, consider restoring it to your diet.
Granted, as a nutritionist I have clients who have good reasons to give up milk. But what I’ve found is that too many people drink too much milk at one time. That’s what causes most of the reactions to milk. Eight ounces—1 cup—is the ideal serving. It might be that 4 to 6 ounces is a better intermediate amount for some individuals—and plenty for your morning cereal.
Space out those 8-ounce servings every few hours for optimal energy. In my new book, The Good Mood Diet: Feel Great While You Lose Weight, I recommend fat-free organic milk. People who’ve taken this advice tell me how good the milk tasted and that drinking only 8 ounces at a time eliminated whatever digestive or sinus problems used to occur.
Milk is high in whey protein, a rich source of the amino acid tryptophan. Studies indicate whey can decrease physiological responses to stress, enhance mood, and even improve memory performance.
Here’s one example: A joint 2002 study by Dutch and Yale University researchers, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that whey increases the brain’s ratio of plasma tryptophan, which leads to greater production of the brain chemical serotonin and boosts mood. Better yet, the researchers remarked that whey has the potential to enhance cognitive performance during times of stress; you are more alert and less frazzled.
Plus, research connects whey protein with promoting weight loss, especially if you have some milk after exercise. To that end, a 2005 study published in the journal Nutrition suggested that whey protein can play an important role in discouraging hepatic fatty acid synthesis. Translation: You accumulate less body fat because the whey stimulates muscle tissue to burn more fat during exercise.
> Chocolate Milk, A Sports Drink?
People who are mildly depressed get the most benefit from milk. All dairy foods are high in whey protein. The best sources are reduced-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and cultured dairy beverages like kefir. Another great source is flavored whey powder, the key ingredient in the mid-morning smoothie snack in my Good Mood Diet plan.
Researchers contend that depression is both the most overmedicated (people with mild depression taking strong medicines) and undermedicated illness in the United States. My take is that restoring milk to your day and following a plan that connects food and mood is a good idea for anyone with depression challenges.
It will sort out who really needs pharmaceutical support. Food is mood medicine, plain and straight.
Granted, as a nutritionist I have clients who have good reasons to give up milk. But what I’ve found is that too many people drink too much milk at one time. That’s what causes most of the reactions to milk. Eight ounces—1 cup—is the ideal serving. It might be that 4 to 6 ounces is a better intermediate amount for some individuals—and plenty for your morning cereal.
Space out those 8-ounce servings every few hours for optimal energy. In my new book, The Good Mood Diet: Feel Great While You Lose Weight, I recommend fat-free organic milk. People who’ve taken this advice tell me how good the milk tasted and that drinking only 8 ounces at a time eliminated whatever digestive or sinus problems used to occur.
Milk is high in whey protein, a rich source of the amino acid tryptophan. Studies indicate whey can decrease physiological responses to stress, enhance mood, and even improve memory performance.
Here’s one example: A joint 2002 study by Dutch and Yale University researchers, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that whey increases the brain’s ratio of plasma tryptophan, which leads to greater production of the brain chemical serotonin and boosts mood. Better yet, the researchers remarked that whey has the potential to enhance cognitive performance during times of stress; you are more alert and less frazzled.
Plus, research connects whey protein with promoting weight loss, especially if you have some milk after exercise. To that end, a 2005 study published in the journal Nutrition suggested that whey protein can play an important role in discouraging hepatic fatty acid synthesis. Translation: You accumulate less body fat because the whey stimulates muscle tissue to burn more fat during exercise.
> Chocolate Milk, A Sports Drink?
People who are mildly depressed get the most benefit from milk. All dairy foods are high in whey protein. The best sources are reduced-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and cultured dairy beverages like kefir. Another great source is flavored whey powder, the key ingredient in the mid-morning smoothie snack in my Good Mood Diet plan.
Researchers contend that depression is both the most overmedicated (people with mild depression taking strong medicines) and undermedicated illness in the United States. My take is that restoring milk to your day and following a plan that connects food and mood is a good idea for anyone with depression challenges.
It will sort out who really needs pharmaceutical support. Food is mood medicine, plain and straight.
