milk vs soda

[anthonyantosh]

Several questions. First part. Being a typical American (with the traditional fast food diet), I consume a good amount of soda and soda like drinks (fruit drinks, iced teas, sodas, etc). What are some of the danagers? Would I be better off drinking milk over soda?
Second part. What are some tips for trying to overcome the fast food diet? I'm thinking in terms of good snacks, lighter portions, pre-made meals, etc.
Thanks in advance.
Tony Antosh

[Doug Szolek]

Anthony,
fast food is made to be quite addictive, breaking free of it is not easy. The best thing that I did to break my addiction to it was eat organic (meat, dairy, vegies, fruits, etc.) for a month or so. After discovering what food is supposed to taste like, the shrink wrapped shoe leather burgers didn't hold as much appeal to me.

As for soda, or pop as my southwestern Pa, roots would have me call it, I found the best way for me to get it out of my diet was to treat it like something you're giving up or just don't consume anymore. I know easier said than done. But again, give yourself a week or two to retrain your taste buds and energy systems to not crave all that sugar and you'll end up enjoying water, fruit juice (organic, not from concentrate), milk, and ocasionally beer and wine lot more.

As for the milk, there's been a lengthy discussion of it's pro's and con's at this thread, http://circularstrengthmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=344 if you haven't been drinking it much in the past you may not digest it well, but that is something to work out for yourself.

Personally I love it

[bob_stra]

> I consume a good amount of soda and soda like drinks (fruit drinks,
> iced teas, sodas, etc). What are some of the danagers? Would I be
> better off drinking milk over soda?


If I recall nutrition 101 -

-The average 2L bottle of Coke contains almost 100 teaspoons of sugar

-Police officers use Coke to clean bloodstains from asphalt due its caustic properties

I'll let you decide the healthful effects of the above tidbits ;-)

Cow milk contains casine. Casine sits in your stomach as a lovely thick paste, doing all sorts of mischief.

Do a search on google for +milk +casein +disease and see what info you get.

eg -
http://tinyurl.com/s8ik

(alpha 2 milk might be ok. However, leafy green veggies still have more useful bioavailable calcium)

[Doug Szolek]

:?: "alpha 2 milk" :?:

[bob_stra]

:?: "alpha 2 milk" :?:

My bad.

IIRC

The casein in milk is either alpha 1 or alpha 2. The bulk of the milk (I hear 90% from some sources) on the market is A1.

A2 milk doesn't seem to have any of the side effects of A1 milk.

As I said, it's all up in the air at the moment. But the animal models are not encouraging.

[JamesLinn]

-Police officers use Coke to clean bloodstains from asphalt due its caustic properties
)

Hi Bob,
This is an urban legend. Bleach is much cheaper than coke, why would they use cola?
Cheers,
James

[bob_stra]

-Police officers use Coke to clean bloodstains from asphalt due its caustic properties
)

Hi Bob,
This is an urban legend. Bleach is much cheaper than coke, why would they use cola?
Cheers,
James

Yeah, you're probably right ;-) I guess the one abt typhoid is fake too (coke kills typhoid culture overnight). Just impressive teaching tricks ;-)

I am fairly certain that coke is quite caustic though. I have used it to clean stains off of car hoods (when nothing else was available). Works great. Ditto raw tomatoes ;-)

[anthonyantosh]

I'm confused. Soda is bad. Milk is bad. Tap water is Bad. What do I drink (sorry, no alcohol).

[Doug Szolek]

If the tap water in your area isn't what it ought to be, you could spring for a filter of some sort and bottled water (by the gallon) can be very inexpensive. Also, organic juices are great (veggie and fruit), Though I have to admitt I am partial to organic barely and hop juice :wink:

Go to your local natural food store and search the beverage case, read all the labels, and you'll come away with something for sure :) It's not so much about eating and drinking "what's right" but about eating and drinking what works for you 8)

Don't get overwhelmed by negative or positive press for any particular product, use your intuition, intelect, and some good ol' trial and error and you'll be on the way to eating just what you need to be in no time.

[Scott Sonnon]

I don't post too often regarding nutrition, since my wife is the nutritionist and takes care of that direction of our life. That said, Doug's words, eating just what you need to be remind me of my wife's oft repeated statement to our daughter that we are what we eat. Said another way popularized by Daniel Quinn in his great book Ishmael, "We are made of food" - the old cliche takes on new significance... at least for me it does.
From my family's perspective, our bodies are our church in which we celebrate Divinity with each Gift of another day we are graced. We honor the Divine and celebrate with greater vitality by rebuilding our 'church' every day with the highest quality 'building' materials possible.
Then the words of my coach ring through my mind, if you eat crap, you're full of it.

[bob_stra]

I'm confused. Soda is bad. Milk is bad. Tap water is Bad. What do I drink (sorry, no alcohol).

Water is good. Unfortunately, the pipes that carry the water to your home can be up 40yrs old. On the upside, I guess that means you get a lot metal (rust) in your diet ;-) If you're worried, buy a filter.

Milk is good. Read up on the differences between soy, oat, goats, alpha 1 and alpha 2 etc.... then make your choice. More than one way to skin a cat.

Alcohol is good ;-) (I don't think that needs explaining). Excess beer, sadly, make one gain weight. Oh, cruel world!!

Like anything, you have to know what you're doing and why. Personally, the research on A1 milk has me worried, but that's me. It could turn out to be a crock of s***.

[aaron]

For those of you following a low carb diet...vodka has 0g of carbs! Of course, it is heavy on the calories, but a little less to eat the next day and you're good to go. :D

[JamesLinn]

I am fairly certain that coke is quite caustic though. I have used it to clean stains off of car hoods (when nothing else was available). Works great. Ditto raw tomatoes ;-)

Your so right! Carbonated drinks leach calcium from bones and teeth.


Are you a teacher too?

Thanks for the reply,
James Linn

[bob_stra]

[quote]
Your so right! Carbonated drinks leach calcium from bones and teeth.


Are you a teacher too?

Thanks for the reply,
James Linn

No, I'm just full of myself ;-)

(hey... we were all thinkin' it ;-)

Teaching - not yet. My goal is to finish my chiropractic degree, get my Feldenkrais certification then a Grad Dip Education. I'm really into movement science, so I'm hoping to teach anatomy, physiology, kinesiology etc while maintaining my practice.

I have a real passion for education. How and why people learn and how to be a part of that. I'm particularly drawn towards the work of Steiner, Montessori, Feldenkrais etc. Steiner for example has a component called Eurythmy - a type of free form movement education.

Lots of other neat stuff other there - Grail Quest, Gothe education for adults etc etc.

My friend Charlie on here is finishing up his teaching degree. He *wants* to teach in highscools. *shudder* Kindergarden and primary - ok. Highschools.....?

/steps off soapbox/

;-)

[JamesLinn]

[quote="JamesLinn"][quote]

My friend Charlie on here is finishing up his teaching degree. He *wants* to teach in highscools. *shudder* Kindergarden and primary - ok. Highschools.....?

/steps off soapbox/

;-)

Ha,ha. I'm a kindergarden teacher. Couldn't find a more rewarding job!
I use magic and clowning to teach my kids. Really fun.

Good luck on that Grail thing :wink:

Cheers,
James

[dave_rusin]

I think if you are getting minerals from other sources, that the best water to drink is distilled water. Distillation as a purification process removes many contaminants from water. Most public water supplies will contain chlorine, flouride and other contaminants. A naturopathic doctor I once consulted recommended distilled water. But I have also read from other doctors who recommend spring water. Personally, I alternate between distilled and spring, never public water, if I can avoid it.

Water is the best beverage for healthy drinking. Even organic juices, while much better than non-organic (sugar water) will have some sugars. Blood sugar problems seem to be of epidemic proportions in this country, so the more sugar you can cut out the better. Besides what better way to limit calories from beverages than to just drink good pure water??

As for the milk issue, to the best of my knowledge, humans are the only species on Earth which drinks another species milk.

Interested readers might wish to consider the information contained at http://www.notmilk.com/

[sin_goodfellow]

The observations posted so far have been quite interesting and I thank all the participants. My most recent new year's resolution was to abstain from soda for 6 months and I suceeded though it was hellishly difficult at times. On one occasion I was at a party and accidently drank from the wrong cup and spat the soda within into the sink. It was interesting explaining my actions to the girl standing next to me :wink:

My view would be if you can place soda on the non-intake list permanently do so. I say this because not only are the chemicals within soda bad for you, but drinking soda causes increased dehydration and most Americans already intake far too little water anyway.

Concerning fast food, Connie made an excellent point in saying that if you can manage to eat healthy for a weak or two, fast food tastes like the pollution it is. Unfortunately, as has been mentioned already, fast food is designed to be addictive. I would recommend devising a plan of attack you can stick with. Perhaps you eliminate fast food from your diet one chain restaurant at a time, perhaps you eliminate it by food type.

Jesse

[aaron]

Unless you are under the influence....then fast food tastes glorious! Especially milk shakes. :D

[anthonyantosh]

I think I will have to have a "life-style" change instead of a drink/diet change.

[Scott Sonnon]

The former is always more enduring - the latter a fleeting fad.

[Vbrown]

1) distilled water, by definition, has no minerals what so ever. Try and run a current thru it. With that knowlege, and knowing how osmosis works, you will be pulling electorlytes out of your system everytime you drink distilled water. Moving from areas of high concentration to low concentration, etc.

2) Cola is acidic, not caustic. And far less acidic than your stomach acid.

3) not all carbonated beverages contain phosphorous, which is the competitor with calcium. CO2 is not going to leach calcium out of your bones and teeth.

Vince

[JamesLinn]

3) not all carbonated beverages contain phosphorous, which is the competitor with calcium. CO2 is not going to leach calcium out of your bones and teeth.
Vince

Thanks for the clarification Vince. My son's dentist told me that all carbonated drinks leach calcium. probably a misunderstanding on my part.

Thank's again,
James Linn

[Vbrown]

Hi James,

it used to be true. They would make soda's with Calcium or potassium phosphate at the soda shops. It efferveses and gives the bubbles. If you've ever used "Emergen'C" or other powder, it does the same thing. Look on the package.

Now CO2 is bubbled into water to saturate it. It is much more carbonated that the sodas of the past. The carbonation cuts some of the seet taste. Leave a soda out and let it get flat. It's cloying.

Sparkling water, tonic water etc. don't use the phosphates to get carbonation. Nor does beer.

Phosphorus only "leeches" calcium if it's out of balance with calcium. If you have enough leafy greens or calcium suppliments, it's not an issue. Phosphorus is vital for ATP, bone formation etc.

I didn't want anyone thinking I was bagging on phosphorus....

Vince

[dave_rusin]

Hey Vince,

Thanks for the heads up on distilled. Come to think of it, that Naturopath I mentioned was speaking in regard to a detox when he mentioned distilled.

Found this related info at, http://www.mercola.com/article/water/distilled_water.htm

Text copied below...

Early Death Comes From Drinking Distilled Water


During nearly 19 years of clinical practice I have had the opportunity to observe the health effects of drinking different types of water. Most of you would agree that drinking unfiltered tap water could be hazardous to your health because of things like


parasites
chlorine
fluoride
dioxins

Many health fanatics, however, are often surprised to hear me say that drinking distilled water on a regular, daily basis is potentially dangerous.

Paavo Airola wrote about the dangers of distilled water in the 1970's when it first became a fad with the health food crowd.

Distillation is the process in which water is boiled, evaporated and the vapour condensed. Distilled water is free of dissolved minerals and, because of this, has the special property of being able to actively absorb toxic substances from the body and eliminate them. Studies validate the benefits of drinking distilled water when one is seeking to cleanse or detoxify the system for short periods of time (a few weeks at a time).

Fasting using distilled water can be dangerous because of the rapid loss of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride) and trace minerals like magnesium, deficiencies of which can cause heart beat irregularities and high blood pressure. Cooking foods in distilled water pulls the minerals out of them and lowers their nutrient value.

Distilled water is an active absorber and when it comes into contact with air, it absorbs carbon dioxide, making it acidic. The more distilled water a person drinks, the higher the body acidity becomes.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Distilled water, being essentially mineral-free, is very aggressive, in that it tends to dissolve substances with which it is in contact. Notably, carbon dioxide from the air is rapidly absorbed, making the water acidic and even more aggressive. Many metals are dissolved by distilled water."


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The most toxic commercial beverages that people consume (i.e. cola beverages and other soft drinks) are made from distilled water. Studies have consistently shown that heavy consumers of soft drinks (with or without sugar) spill huge amounts of calcium, magnesium and other trace minerals into the urine.

The more mineral loss, the greater the risk for osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and a long list of degenerative diseases generally associated with premature aging.

A growing number of health care practitioners and scientists from around the world have been advocating the theory that aging and disease is the direct result of the accumulation of acid waste products in the body.

There is a great deal of scientific documentation that supports such a theory. A poor diet may be partially to blame for the waste accumulation.

These and other junk foods can cause the body to become more acidic:

meats
sugar
alcohol
fried foods
soft drinks
processed foods
white flour products
dairy products
Stress, whether mental or physical can lead to acid deposits in the body.

There is a correlation between the consumption of soft water (distilled water is extremely soft) and the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Cells, tissues and organs do not like to be dipped in acid and will do anything to buffer this acidity including the removal of minerals from the skeleton and the manufacture of bicarbonate in the blood.

The longer one drinks distilled water, the more likely the development of mineral deficiencies and an acid state.

I have done well over 3000 mineral evaluations using a combination of blood, urine and hair tests in my practice. Almost without exception, people who consume distilled water exclusively, eventually develop multiple mineral deficiencies.

Those who supplement their distilled water intake with trace minerals are not as deficient but still not as adequately nourished in minerals as their non-distilled water drinking counterparts even after several years of mineral supplementation.

The ideal water for the human body should be slightly alkaline and this requires the presence of minerals like

calcium
magnesium
Distilled water tends to be acidic and can only be recommended as a way of drawing poisons out of the body. Once this is accomplished, the continued drinking of distilled water is a bad idea.

Water filtered through reverse osmosis tends to be neutral and is acceptable for regular use provided minerals are supplemented.

Water filtered through a solid charcoal filter is slightly alkaline. Ozonation of this charcoal filtered water is ideal for daily drinking. Longevity is associated with the regular consumption of hard water (high in minerals). Disease and early death is more likely to be seen with the long term drinking of distilled water.

Avoid it except in special circumstances.

Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc


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References

Airola, P. 1974. How To Get Well. Phoenix, AZ: Health Plus Publishers.

Baroody, Dr. Theodore A. Jr. Alkalinize or Die. California:Portal Books, 1995.

Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. The Complete Guide to Diet & Nutritional Medicine. Berkeley, California:Celestial Arts, 1992; p. 22.

Rona, Zoltan P. and Martin, Jeanne Marie. Return to the Joy of Health, Vancouver: Alive Books, 1995.

Rona, Zoltan P. Childhood Illness and The Allergy Connection. Rocklin, California:Prima Books, 1996.

[JamesLinn]

Early Death Comes From Drinking Distilled Water
During nearly 19 years of clinical practice I have had the opportunity to observe the health effects of drinking different types of water. Most of you would agree that drinking unfiltered tap water could be hazardous to your health because of things like
What about reverse osmosis filters? Do they take all the minerals too?
Thank you for your reply,
James Linn

[Doug Szolek]

Water filtered through reverse osmosis tends to be neutral and is acceptable for regular use provided minerals are supplemented.

Water filtered through a solid charcoal filter is slightly alkaline. Ozonation of this charcoal filtered water is ideal for daily drinking. Longevity is associated with the regular consumption of hard water (high in minerals). Disease and early death is more likely to be seen with the long term drinking of distilled water.

Avoid it except in special circumstances.

Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc

James, I think this answers your question.

[JamesLinn]

Thanks Coach,
Sorry, I don't know how I missed it :oops:

Sincerly,
James Linn