Milk - Health Benefits
                                                     

Diet & Health
Trying to Lose Weight?
OK, so you want to lose a few pounds. That doesn't mean you have to stop drinking milk. Actually, that would be just plain wrong; fat free skim and 1% low fat are low in fat and don't have a lot of calories. And milk's mosaic of nutrients helps your body in all sorts of ways. Even on a diet, it's important to get three glasses of milk a day for the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Trim fat, not nutrients. Fat free skim milk has only 80 calories per 8 fl oz serving and absolutely no fat - and all the nutrients found in whole milk. 1% low fat milk has only 2.5 grams of fat per 8 fl oz serving. A plain bagel has about two-and-a-half times the calories of one glass of fat free skim milk.

Diet Tips:
�        Don't delay, start at breakfast with an icy cold glass of fat free skim or 1% low fat milk - it tastes great and is perfect for the "I'm not hungry in the morning" type. 
�        Instead of coffee, order a cup of steamed fat free skim or 1% low fat milk with foam. Shake on cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla powder or presweetened cocoa. 
�        Make fat-free skim or 1% low fat milk a habit three times a day: in the morning, when you get home from school or work, and before you go to bed. 
�        If you're waiting for dinner or just have a craving, fortify yourself with a glass of cold fat-free skim or 1% low fat milk.

Worried About Bone Density?
Osteoporosis - the steady, progressive loss of bone density - can strike at any age. Yet, because the disease is typically associated with elderly women, many people tend to dismiss it as "their grandmother's disease." Don't.
Osteoporosis, the "silent crippler" is a painful, bone-crippling disease that makes your bones grow brittle and more susceptible to fracture. It can make some people hunched over and it's hard for them to stand up straight.
You might imagine that only women get it, but actually one in five Americans suffering from osteoporosis is male.
�        In the U.S. today, 10 million individuals already have osteoporosis and 18 million more have low bone mass. Right now, 28 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis. 
�        One out of every two women and one out of every eight men over 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. 
�        A woman's risk of a hip fracture is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer.

You may think you don't have to worry about your bones. But the fact is, 20% of bone growth happens when you're a teenager - and that's straight. Milk provides the calcium you need when you're young to help your bones reach their full mass density potential � and they don't do that until you're 35.

Bad to the Bone:
If your lifestyle includes the following, you may be setting yourself up for brittle bones in the future:
�        Low calcium intake 
�        Smoking 
�        High alcohol consumption 
�        Low vitamin D intake 
�        Sedentary lifestyle: exercise less than three times per week 
�        Chronic dieting

Osteoporosis Is Preventable:
Although most people suffering from osteoporosis are older, this is a disease you can do a lot to help prevent when you're young. By getting plenty of calcium through low-fat dairy products like fat-free skim and 1% low fat milk, and getting plenty of exercise, you can do a lot toward keeping yourself from getting all bent out of shape.
It's never too late to take action...

Four Key Steps to Prevention:
A balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that women get 1,000�1,300 mg of calcium daily depending on their age. Vitamin D plays a key role in helping your body absorb calcium, so aim for the recommended daily amount (400 IU) of that nutrient as well.
Weight-bearing exercise. Running, walking, aerobics, or lifting weights for 20-30 minutes a day is a good start toward keeping your bones strong and healthy. Start by registering with the America Walks for Strong Women event in your city!
A healthy lifestyle with no smoking and limited alcohol intake. Smoking increases your risk of osteoporosis. If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation and be sure to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Bone density testing and medications when appropriate. Bone density tests can detect bone loss and your future risk of fracture. There are effective medications to prevent bone loss and fracture. To determine your risk, talk to your doctor.

Have High Blood Pressure?
Some people just need to chill out. If you're a bit tense, don't freak - some studies show that getting adequate calcium may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
High blood pressure afflicts one in three Americans and increases your chances of developing heart diseases and other potentially life-threatening conditions.
So, to maintain an even keel and avoid high blood pressure, kick back with at least three frosty 8 fl. oz. cups of milk a day. It will help you get the calcium you need.