Milk - The Harvey Milk Story

The movie Milk came out in 2008. It is a very popular movie and has won several prestigious awards. These include 2 Oscar's for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Sean Penn) and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Dustin Lance Black). This movie has also been nominated for 44 other various awards and has won 30 more on top of that.

The movie takes place in the 1970's. It is a story of a man named Harvey Milk. He gains focus in his life as a gay activist in the city. Gay rights activism turns to political activism as Milk decides he can be a more effective voice for the gay community as a politician, even if he does not get elected into office. He is part of several elections for city seat and state assembly seat, and he losses all of them. It is not until 1977 that he wins an election. He becomes the first openly gay man in the United States to be elected into political office. He wins a San Francisco supervisor seat. From this position, he works and focuses on helping gay rights.

The Face on the Milk Carton

It is difficult for me to remember when this happened, but years ago there used to be faces printed on the cartons of milk. These faces were the faces of people and children who have been missing. The idea of printing these missing people's faces on milk cartons was to make people aware of others who are missing. It was a way for these missing people to be found. THe printing of faces on milk cartons has stopped, but it was a very good way to find missing people.

There was a book written by Caroline B. Cooney called The Face on the Milk Carton. This book is about a girl who's life changes after one affternoon. She takes her friend's carton of milk to drink, and looks at the back and is a picture that startles her. The picture is of someone she knows, herself! It was a picture of her when she was a very young girl. At first she thinks it is some kind of joke, and she trys to put it out of her mind. After a while the curiosity eats away at her and she needs to find out the truth about her past. Before this incident she had never suspected a thing, she thought that the parents she currently has are the ones that gave birth to her. She is so confused and searches for the answers. Read the book to find out what happens!!

Why does Organic Milk have a Longer Shelf Life?

There has been question about why organic milk has a longer shelf life than regular milk, and yes it does last longer. But why is this?? It has to do with how the milk is processed. Organic milk has to travel thousands of miles for it to reach its distributors. For the milk to survive the long journey, it is processed differently. The farmers pasteurize the milk at a high temperature than regular milk.



Now nearly all milk is pasteurized or heat treated to kill off disease causing microbes. Typically milk is heated to 161 degrees Fahrenheit. Organic milk is pasteurized at about 200 degrees, and this destroys more of the organisms responsible for spoiling milk. With those organisms gone, organic milk can last 25 to 40 days longer than conventional milk.



If farmers know this is true, then why don't they do this to all milk? The answer to that is the extra heating is expensive. It can also leave the milk with a cooked or scorched flavor. The other important thing is, once organic milk is opened, it has the same shelf life as regular milk. It can go bad just as quickly, the extra days that it can last only apply to it before it is opened.

What is Organic Milk??

You may be walking through your local gorcery story dairy aisle, and you see a gallon of milk labled Organic Milk. What is this milk and what makes it different from regular milk?? Well the answer lies in how the cows are treated. With regular milk, the cows are fed just regular feed. They are all put in a small pen with little room to move, and they can be given any hormones in oder to make them grow faster. Organic milk is something that gets approved by USDA's standards.

These standards state that....
- the cow has been fed only organic feed
- the cow is kept in a pen with adequate space
- the cow is allowed periodic access to the outdoors and sunlight
- the cow is not treated with synthetic hormones
- and the cow is not given any medications to treat for illnesses

Organic milk is just another option when you are shopping for milk. It has no more nutrients in it than regular milk, nor is it safer to consume. It is just the process that the cow goes through that makes the milk different.

Lactose Intolerance

Some people suffer from what is knows as lactose intolerance. For those who do not know what this is a condition where the body does not produce the enzyme lactase, which is responsible for breaking down the sugar known as lactose. It is not an allergy. It just means that you stomach does not know how to digest lactose. The people who are lactose intolerant, they cannot consume milk and other dairy products without feeling ill afterward. What do these people do if they cannot drink milk?

The answer is simple, lactaid milk. Lactaid milk is milk that has had the lactose, milk sugar, removed. Some people cannot digest lactose so they have to drink milk without lactose if they want to drink milk. You can get pretty much any type of dairy product these days that contain lactaid milk for those people who suffer from lactose intolerance. Hood offers many flavors of lactaid milk as well as lactaid ice cream.

If you are interest in what types of lactaid products that Hood offers, visit
https://www.hoodhomedelivery.com/pageFiles/default.php

How to Keep you Milk Last Longer

Everyone has the problem with milk going bad on them. There is nothing worse then when you reach in the refrigerator, grab the milk, pop the top, and get knocked back by the disgusting smell that comes from the container. Here are a few tips in order to keep you milk as fresh as possible, for as long as possible.

- Only pick your milk from a reputable grocery chain (not a hole in the wall convenience store)
- Choose the gallon with the latest "sell by" date
- Let milk remain in the original container (do not switch containers for easier storage)
- Keep milk on the shelves in the refrigerator
- ***** Do not store milk on the door. The door is too far away from the cooling mechanism and will not allow for proper temperature.
- Freeze milk if you can. Do not freeze whole milk. This can allow for the milk to keep for weeks longer then it would usually keep for. Just remember to shake it once it is thawed before serving.

Here are the ways to keep you milk as fresh as possible for as long as possible!

What Type of Milk do You Perfer??

When it comes to choosing milk, there are 4 basic types that you can pick from. There is whole milk, skim milk, 1% milk, and 2% milk. What is the difference between these types of milk??

Whole milk - This is milk in which no constituent (such as fat) has been removed. Whole milk is 3.7% milk. It contains 155 to 160 calories and 9 grams of fat.

1% milk - This milk contains 88 to 105 calories and has 0.4 to 2.4 grams of fat.

2% milk - This milk contains125 calories and has 4.7 grams of fat.

Skim milk - Skim milk has an extremely low fat percentage. This is a milk that has been allowed to sit long enough for the fat to rise to the top, and then the fat is "skimmed" off the top. What is left is what we know as skim milk.

The fat can be added back to the skim milk and this would increase the fat and the calories that the milk contains. This is how the low fat 1% and 2% milk is made.

My favorite kind of milk is 1%. Growing up that is all I drank. I will basically drink any type of milk except whole milk. I have had whole milk once and I did not like it at all. What is your favorite type of milk??

Old Fashioned Milk Shakes

It is starting to heat up. Almost that beach time, summer season! What better of a cold, refreshing drink than a milk shake? I remember that I use to make them almost every day in the summer when I was younger. Here is how to make the best homemade milk shakes you have ever had. (I am going to give a recipe for a chocolate milk shake, but you can also use coffee ice-cream, vanilla, or any kind you want really)

Take 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups of ice cold milk. Add 3 to 4 scoops of chocolate ice cream (use vanilla if you do not want it so rich). Finally add 1/4 cup of chocolate syrup. If you want to make it the old fashioned way then put all the ingredients in a container that has a cover and shake vigorously until the contents have been thoroughly mixed and are frothy. If you do not have the time to do this then put all the ingredients in a blender. After it is mixed to your liking, pour in a cup and enjoy!

Warm Milk Puts You to Sleep??

There has been much discussion about whether or not warm milk can aid in the process of sleep. A lot of mothers would say that they give their children a glass of warm milk to make them fall asleep. Does heated up milk truly help people fall asleep? The answer is not completely known. There are people who feel they can fall asleep quicker with the help of a glass of heated up milk, but in a New York Times article by Anahad O'Connor put an end to the debate over this topic.

The article stated that it can help people fall asleep, but it is not because it contains an enzyme called tryptophan. You might have heard of this enzyme before, it tends to be a popular talk at many dinner tables during Thanksgiving. People claim that the reason for them getting tired after their meal is because the turkey contains tryptophan. Studies have shown that this enzyme can help only the first stage of sleep, and this is when you initially fall asleep. This is the only stage enhanced by the enzyme. Other stages of sleep can actually be harmed by tryptophan; stages like the deep sleep stage. So the verdict is that warm milk can help you sleep, but it is not because of tryptophan. We don't really know why it can help you sleep, and it doesn't help all the people that drink it sleep.

One more fun fact, for those who still believe that it is the turkey that makes them sleepy at thanksgiving, you would have to eat about 40 pounds of turkey to get enough of the enzyme to make you tired!!!

A Recipe From Our Friend Emeril Lagasse

One recipe that has a majority of milk in it is butter. Actucally milk is the only ingredient in it. You don't use milk thought, you use heavy cream. Here is a recipe from Emeril Lagasse on how to make a good homemade butter.

Ingredients - 1 pint heavy cream (very cold)
- Pinch salt, optional

Directions - Find a large jar with a right fitting cover that will hold the cream about half full. Pour cream in and put in the refrigerator for an hour. After this time, take the jar out and shake it as hard as possible for about 15 to 30 minutes. Chunks should be beginning to form now. These chunks are butter and the liquid is butter milk. Pour the contents of the jar into a large mixing bowl. Empty the remaining butter milk back into the jar and put in refrigerator for later use. Take the butter and put it into a clean bowl that is full of very cold water. Empty out the water and rinse butter with cold water until the water coming off the butter is clear. When it is not clear, it is still rinsing off the butter milk. All the butter milk must be off because it will cause the butter to sour if it is still on. Once the butter is cleaned, work and press with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add salt if you want to give it more flavor. Refrigerate until you are ready to use it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/homemade-butter-recipe/index.html

Try it out!!! Let me know if you can make it.

Soy Milk

Soy milk. This is not something I would drink everyday because I prefer cow's milk. However, I cannot ignore the healthy qualities that soy milk contain. One of my brothers, David, is a vegan. He does not eat any products that come from animals, including cow's milk. Therefore, he drinks soy milk. He always get me to drink soy milk when he comes to visit, and when I go to visit him in New York, he takes me to restaurants that only serve soy products, making me get a "Chicken" sandwich that is made of soy. I wanted to find out more about soy milk, so I went on the Silk Soy Milk website and found out some information.

The first thing that I wanted to find out was about the soy bean itself. Soy beans were originally grown in China, and they are a bean that is very high in protein. They are considered a complete protein, and they contain all 8 essential amino acids. They are low in saturated fat (fat that is bad for the body) and high in polyunsaturated fat (fat that is good for the body). They are also cholesterol free.

Just like cow's milk, soy milk is loaded with vitamins and minerals. It is great for the body. There have been many disputes over whether soy milk or cow's milk is better for you. After researching them, they both have very good qualities. One may have more of one mineral, while the other will have more of another. In reality, they are both a very healthy choice and I would recommend either. For me, I am going to stick with cow's milk.

To learn more about soy milk visit the website at http://www.silksoymilk.com/Default.aspx

Cow Milk vs. Human Milk

When coming up for ideas to write, usually I tend to just think of milk from cows. It never crossed my mind to write about human milk. I was flipping through one of my brothers nutrition books that he uses for class and I found some interesting things about human milk.

Cow's milk compared to Human Milk
Energy - same
Protein - 3.2 times higher
Fat - 0.2 times lower
Carbohydrate - 0.3 times lower
Minerals - 3.5 times higher

Looking at these statistics, I will clarify that this is looking at human milk, in relation to cow's milk. This means that the energy is the same for both, but cow's milk is 3.2 times higher in protein and 0,2 times lower in fat. Cow's milk is also 0.3 times lower in carbohydrates but it is 3.5 times higher in minerals. This means that human milk (breastmilk)

For these reasons, cow milk should not be used in infant feeding until the baby is at least 12 months. It is too high in protein and minerals and does not provide the proper amount of fat and carbohydrates that the baby needs. Another reason cow's milk should not be used early on in infant feeding is becasue the main protein, casine, is very difficult for the baby to digest. The proteins found in breastmilk is much easier for the baby to digest.

Milk Protein Broken Down

Everybody knows that milk is very nutritious. When people usually think of the nutrients in milk, calcium is the most popular that comes to mind. Milk is chuck full of calcium, however it is also very high in protein. Milk contains 8 grams of protein per 8 ounces (1 cup) of milk. That is one gram for every one ounce of milk. The protein found in milk is made up of two components; whey and casein. Whey makes up 20 percent of the protein while casein makes up the other 80 percent.

Like most things when they get heated up, they tend to breakdown. This is the same with the protein found in milk. When it is heated, it tends to get denatured. This process of denature begins at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it is heated to 176 degrees Fahrenheit, 80 percent of the protein has been denatured. When milk gets heated in this way the milk separated. A skin is formed on the top while the whey and lactose go to the bottom. When milk is heated too hot then the whey and the lactose stick to the bottom of the pan.

This is important to know because some recipes call for milk in them. Some even want the milk to be heated separately and then added to the mix. This is important because you do not want to ruin the milk because it will then ruin the food that you are making.

Milk - An Aid to Prevent Cancer

Milk has been used in experiments in hope that there would be some ways that it could help with cancer. I read about a study of nearly 300,000 men and 200,000 women and the patients were observed for 7 years. These people all drank different amounts of milk per day. The highest intake being 4 and a half cups and the lowest being 1 and a half cups consumed per day. It was found that those who took the highest intake had a 7 percent lower risk of developing any type of cancer, then those who took the lowest intake of milk.

The researchers looked at all the gastrointestinal types of cancer; colon, pancreatic, stomach, esophageal, and liver cancers. After the research, there were no real statistical traces that milk had an effect of any, except for colon cancer. Women who took the highest intake were 28 percent less likely to develop colon cancer, while the men were 21 percent.

The main question is if it is the calcium that is actually helping in the prevention, or just the Vitamin D. It has been found that Vitamin D has been proven to control cancer cell proliferation. Some think that the results found from this study have to do with the vitamin D and calcium working together, but more research is still being done to prove this theory.

Freezing Milk?

I was browsing the Internet looking for a topic on milk to write about, when I stumbled upon the headline How to Freeze Milk to Beat Rising Prices. Now immediately I went to the article because I wrote earlier about how the surplus of milk has been effecting the prices of milk. I never knew you could freeze milk and then thaw it and drink it again and it would still be good for you.

I found that it is safe to freeze milk, however by freezing it the milk may change in texture and cause some separation. If you stir it though, it will change the texture almost back to normal. The problem with freezing milk is the separation factor, because it may cause problems when using it in recipes. Skim milk will freeze better than whole milk and milk can be safely frozen for 3 months if it is in a sealed container. The was to thaw the frozen milk is by putting it in the refrigerator. The best part about it is that the milk does not lose any of its nutrients.

Freezing milk is the best way to beat the rising prices. You can spend less money on milk by buying in bulk and freezing it, and its just as healthy for you. So be smart and freeze your milk!

http://www.queercents.com/2009/02/16/how-to-freeze-milk-to-beat-rising-prices/

Flavored Milk - Healthy or Not?

I remember growing up that my mom would never buy chocolate or coffee milk syrups. It was not until I was in high school that we started to have it in the house. She use to say that plain milk was much healthier for us. This is the popular view of a lot of parents. They say that strawberry, chocolate, and coffee milk is not healthy for people because of the sweet taste. They feel that it cannot be very healthy for their children. So this poses the questions of, is flavored milk healthy?

After reading an article on this topic, I have come to the conclusion of....it depends. There is much research supporting the fact that flavored milk does not have an impact on obesity. There have been studies that show that children who drink plain milk and those who drink flavored milk have the same results on the body mass index. There have also been studies suggesting that flavored milk helps children drink milk over soft drinks. Some schools have been worried that flavored milk can cause obesity, that they have reduced their milk stock to just regular plain milk. This can result in more kids drinking soda as opposed to milk, or some other more healthy drink.

The reason I say that the answer to if flavored milk is healthy or not is it depends, is because just like every other food or drink in the world, it depends on the intake. Salad is a very healthy food, but if salad is the only thing you eat then that is very unhealthy. Milk is a great source of nutrients, but if milk is the only thing that we consume, then it is very unhealthy. Regardless of how many nutrients a food or drink may have and how healthy it can be for us, moderation is always the key!

Milk and Working Out

Now you may be asking yourself, "what role can milk possibly play in working out?" In reality, milk can play a large role in it actually. There are 5 major tips that you should think about after a workout. The first is refuel. After a workout, low fat chocolate milk is one of the best drinks to have. In a study by Indiana University, athletes who drank low fat chocolate milk after a workout were able to workout longer and with more power during the second workout compared to when they drank something else. The second tip is to hydrate your body. Milk can provide alto of fluids to help in hydration. The next tip is to pamper your sore muscles. This has to do with icing, and has nothing to do with milk. The forth tip is to keep carbs coming. This means that you need to eat carbs after a workout because they are essential for muscle recovery. The last tip is to get balance. This refers to the nutrients and electrolytes that your body loses during physical activity due to sweating. Remember that milk contains electrolytes like potassium and calcium that are lost through sweat during physical activity.

Always remember that milk is always a good choice. It is one of the best choices to make for fluids after a workout.

Milk Challenge

The milk challenge is something that I have always wanted to try. For those who do not know what the milk challenge is, here is how to play and the rules :

1) You can use any type of milk (2%, whole, skim, chocolate, etc.)
2) You have to drink 1 gallon of milk in one hour.
3) Once the hour is completed, you have to keep the milk down for 1 hour.
4) If you throw up, you lose.
5) If you can drink the gallon within one hour and keep it down for 1 hour after, then you have completed the milk challenge.

You may be wondering to yourself, what is the point of this? And to be completely honest, I do not know. I have heard many stories, some say that it is impossible because your stomach cannot hold that much lactic acid with the stomach acid in your stomach. Others say that it is completely possible. For the record there have been 2 people who have completed the milk challenge on record. But for the majority of the people who try it, they end up vomiting violently in front of their friends for a long time.

Do you think you can complete the milk challenge??????

What Makes Milk so Good for Us?

A simple 8 oz. glass of milk provides the body with 9 essential nutrients; this makes milk one of the most nutrient-dense foods. Being nutrient-dense means that it provides a high level of essential nutrients compared to its calorie level. One serving of milk provides 10% or more of the recommended daily intake for calcium, vitamin D (if fortified), protein, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, riboflavin and phosphorus.

As a young boy I know that I was always told to drink milk to make my bones strong because of the calcium in milk. Milk provides about 300 milligrams of calcium per 8 oz serving. A diet that includes three servings of milk each day provides enough calcium and other nutrients that may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis, high blood pressure and colon cancer.

It would be too difficult for the body to obtain the essential amount of calcium that it needs without drinking milk. To meet calcium requirements, the following number of servings of milk per day is preferred: children between 4 years to 8 years is 3 servings, children between 9 years and 18 years is 4 servings, adults between 19 years and 50 years is 3 servings, and adults 50 years and up is 4 servings.

Here are some other interesting facts about milk in regards to its nutrient levels:
Calcium -30% of daily value for body per serving
Vitamin D - 10% of daily value for body per serving
Protein - 16% of daily value for body per serving
Potassium - 11% of daily value for body per serving
Vitamin A - 6-10% of daily value for body per serving
Vitamin B12 - 13% of daily value for body per serving
Riboflavin - 14% of daily value for body per serving
Niacin - 10% dietary reference intake per serving
Phosphorus - 10% of daily value for body per serving

The Secret to Increase in Milk Production is Naming Your Cow?

As I was searching the Internet today for some interesting news on milk, I came across something that shocked me. I found an article named Study Finds Naming Cows Increases Milk Yield. This intrigued me so I continued to read. Scientists at Newcastle University have found that giving a cow a name, and calling it by that name, for some reason the cow will produce more milk. Farmers can increase their yearly milk yielding by 500 pints by just naming their cows and referring to them by their given names.

Dr. Douglas, who works at the School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development at Newcastle University, said, "Just as people respond better to the personal touch, cows also feel happier and more relaxed if they are given a bit more one to one attention."

For the study, 516 UK dairy farmers were questioned about their views on how humans could affect the productivity and behavior of the cows. About 46% of the farmers said that the cows on their farms had names and were called by these names. For those cows that were called by their names, the farmers were able to receive 258 liters more milk then the cows that did not have names. I find this very interesting. Who knew that it would have as much impact on the cows by simply giving them a name. Then again, when I think of if I never gave my dog a name, I don't think that he would be as loving as he is. I believe that giving something a name gives it a sense of belonging. To me it would affect their whole behavior and perspective of humans. This study backs up that because it shows how giving the cow a name will result in greater production.

Here is the link if you are interested in visiting the article for yourself....
http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=136995

A Milk Surplus in the United States

It seems that the United States has been producing too much milk. Prices that are paid to farmers for milk have reached the lowest they have been since 2003, six years! According the the United Stated Department of Agriculture, the price per one hundred pounds of milk has dropped to $10.72 for this month. In January, just last month, it was $5.02 higher than it is right now. And it has dropped over $8 from last year. This is because of the global economic downturn. The demand for milk has decreased, but we have still been producing the same amount of milk. Since the demand for milk is much less than it has been, the prices of this product have dropped significantly. The United States is now experiencing a surplus in milk.

My Favorite Type of Milk

When it comes to milk, I dont think that I can say I perfer one flavor over another. I love each type of milk in certain circumstances. When it comes to just sitting down and having a glass of milk, I choose coffee milk any day over any other flavor of milk. Coffee milk has to be my overall favorite. I am picky when it comes to coffee milk though, because I seem to only like coffee milk that is made from the Autocrat Coffee Syrup. Now when it comes to breakfast or deserts, I would have to go with regular, 2 percent milk. I drink 2 percent milk becasue it is what I grew up on. During breakfast I love a regular glass of plain milk. With cake and cookies, plain milk if an absolute must. For lunch and dinner I have to go with chocolate milk. There is something about the richness of chocolate milk that goes great with a good afternoon or nighttime meal. The only flavors of milk that I dislike are strawberry and vanilla. I dont understand why people would want their milk to have either of those flavors. I do not enjoy them at all.