Everything You Should Know About Oat Milk

Being lactose-intolerant and having just spent about a month overseas, I noticed a strange trend while frolicking between European coffee shops and bakeries. Soy milk was a rarity. Almond milk was practically nonexistent. And let’s not even talk about coconut milk. But you know what was in every single cafe? Oat milk.

Oatly is a Swedish-based company that does one thing really well—makes oat milk. Oatly was in almost every coffee shop and grocery store that I entered. And you know what? I get it. Oat milk is delicious. But the benefits of drinking oat milk extend well beyond taste and texture. Here’s everything you need to know.

  

IT’S SUPER AFFORDABLE.

Since store-bought oat milk is way cheaper to buy than other non-dairy and dairy alternatives (you can buy a lot of organic oats for only a few bucks), it makes sense that it’s even cheaper to make. And it doesn’t require all that pesky soaking that almonds and cashews require. Just put your oats in a blender with some water (and any sweetener you desire), blend and strain. Or you can follow a different variation that’s outlined below. Super fast, super easy and it lasts for about 3 days in the fridge. (When using homemade oat milk, be cautious about heating it on the stove or baking with it. It has the unique tendency to gel up.)

IT’S MORE SUSTAINABLE.

Oat milk also has a significantly lower environmental impact than its more popular American cousin, almond milk. We all know that nuts are an especially intensive crop and, in these times of Californian drought and the decline of bees, blending them into a milk can seem like a bit of a waste. Oats, on the other hand, are much less water intensive and much easier to grow. And, of course, oat milk is way easier on the environment than traditional cow milk, which has gotten environmentally out of hand. In Sweden, Oatly is using oat milk as a way for farmers to transition out of environmentally-intensive, nonsensical livestock farming and start using their land to produce clean foods for human consumption. Switching over to oat milk is a move in a more sustainable direction.

IT’S NUTRITIOUS.

Oat milk is a plant-based drink that is rich in soluble fiber, protein and nutrients like manganese, potassium, phosphorus, B vitamins, vitamin E and vitamin A. It is vegan, dairy-free and can even be raw-friendly if made at home. Plus, oat milk has a creamy, earthy, neutral flavor that easily compliments other flavors, unlike other milks that rather aggressively stand out (I’m looking at you, coconut milk).

IT MAY NOT BE CELIAC OR PALEO FRIENDLY.

Be aware that oat milk is not necessarily for everyone. It’s not Paleo-friendly, since oats are a grain. Those with Celiac disease may not be able to handle the proteins in oats, even if they are certified gluten-free. And for those of you watching carb consumption, oat milk is way denser in carbohydrates than nut milks. So, it’s not perfect for everyone. But if you don’t have any of the above limitations, go ahead and give an oat milk latte a try.

Oat milk is becoming increasingly more popular here in the States. Look for it at your local coffee shop or grocery store, or try making some at home. It’s nutritious. It’s delicious. If you’re anything like me, it’s probably going to be your new favorite thing.

The oat milk recipe below is easy and delicious. If you want to make a thicker, richer oat milk, try Melissa Breyer’s recipe, which uses quick oats and does not call for straining.

Parkinson’s Disease and the Uric Acid Sweet Spot

Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s, is characterized by a slowness of movement, rigidity, tremor, and stooping posture, all of which worsen over time. Non-movement symptoms such as cognitive impairment and sleep, smell, and mood disturbances occur as the disease spreads to other areas of the brain.

The cause of Parkinson’s is perhaps “one of the important questions posed by the neurobiology [science] of aging.” For example, why is the consumption of dairy products associated with increased risk of Parkinson’s? Perhaps because they contribute to our exposure to pesticides and other neurotoxins like dieldrin, which continues to be found in the autopsied brains of Parkinson’s victims. Even though dieldrin was banned decades ago, it lingers in the environment and we “continue to be exposed to the pesticide through contaminated dairy and meats…”

The cause of Parkinson’s “is unlikely to be due to milk compounds such as calcium, vitamin D, total fat, or total protein as these compounds are not associated with [the disease] when derived from other sources.” However, it could be lactose, the milk sugar, perhaps accounting for the increased associated risk of death and bone fractures, as well as Parkinson’s. There is, however, a third possibility. 

Milk lowers uric acid levels, and uric acid may be protective against Huntington’s and also slow the decline caused by Parkinson’s. More importantly, it may lower the risk of getting Parkinson’s in the first place. Why? Perhaps because uric acid is an important antioxidant in the brain, something we’ve known for more than 30 years. We can demonstrate uric acid’s importance directly on human nerve cells in a petri dish. When the pesticide rotenone is added, oxidative stress goes up. Add the pro-oxidant homocysteine, and it goes up even more. But, when uric acid is added, it completely suppresses the oxidative stress caused by the pesticide.

Drinking milk, however, has a uric acid-lowering effect. In the paper making this assertion, a study they cited was “A cute effect of milk on serum urate concentrations,” but that was just a cute typo. The correct title is “Acute effect of milk…” Indeed, drink cow’s milk, and, within hours, uric acid levels drop 10 percent. Drink soymilk, and, within hours, they go up 10 percent. Now, for gout, a painful arthritic disease caused by too much uric acid, the uric acid-lowering effect of dairy is a good thing—but uric acid is “a double-edged sword.”

If our uric acid levels are too high, we can get gout, but, if they’re too low, it may increase our risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.

Incidence rates of gouty arthritis over five years indicate that if our uric acid is over 10.0 mg/dl, we have a 30 percent chance of suffering an attack of gout within the next 5 years. However, at levels under 7.0 mg/dl, our risk is less than 1 percent, so it might make sense to have levels as high as possible without going over 7.0 to protect the brain without risking our joints. But having excessive uric acid in the blood puts more than just our joints in jeopardy. Yes, having levels that are too low may increase our risk of MS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer, but having levels that are too high may increase our risk of gout, kidney disease, and heart disease.

In fact, having a uric acid level over 7.0 mg/dl isn’t only associated with an increased risk of gout, but also an increased risk of dying from all causes. However, having a low uric acid level may also shorten our lifespan by increasing mortality. High uric acid levels are associated with increased risk of death from heart disease, but low uric acid levels are associated with increased risk of fatal stroke. So, keeping uric acid at optimum levels, the sweet spot between 5.0 and 7.0 mg/dl, may protect the brain in more ways than one.

If we measure the uric acid levels in patients with Parkinson’s, they come in around 4.6 mg/dl, which can explain why dairy consumption may increase risk for Parkinson’s since milk pushes down uric acid levels. Dairy intake may also explain the differences in uric acid levels among meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. In the graph in my video, you can see that vegan men have significantly higher uric acid levels at 5.7 mg/dl than vegetarians, presumably because vegans don’t drink milk, and those who both eat meat and consume milk fall between the vegans and vegetarians.

Are You Brushing Your Teeth Wrong?

Oral hygiene, while believed to be as simple as “go the dentist once a year and brush before bed,” is actually pretty technique-heavy. In fact, many people are surprised to find that, for years, they’ve been brushing their teeth incorrectly. Who knew?

If you’re like most people, you probably plop a bit of toothpaste on your three-year-old toothbrush and use a vague, aggressive back-and-forth motion across the surfaces you can reach until you feel like your teeth are clean. But the reality is, this hard, fast routine can actually damage your teeth, wearing away your precious tooth enamel and causing gum sensitivity.

So, how do you brush your teeth the right way?

It’s actually pretty easy. To begin, wet your toothbrush and apply a small amount of toothpaste. Then, place the brush over a single tooth, wiggling it a little bit so that the bristles ease around both sides of the tooth. The more surface area your bristles can reach (this includes in between the teeth and around the gums), the better. 

Once you’ve gently scrubbed this tooth, move on to the next, working your way around the entire inside and outside of your tooth line as you go, starting at the back. It’s also important to pay special attention to the millimeter of space under the gum line. Gently massage the gum line, swiping away any food particles that may have gotten stuck up there.

What about flossing?

A little known fact is that it’s actually proper to floss between your teeth before you brush them. Doing so will help loosen any food particles wedged between your teeth, creating easier access for your toothbrush later on. Make it a habit and you’ll definitely notice a difference in the way your teeth look and feel!

Any product (dental floss, flossing sticks, brushes) will work. Just make sure you use them gently, avoiding slicing into your gums in any way. Even twice a week is enough to keep plaque at bay.

Is there anything else I should know?

Soft brushes are best.

It can be tempting to purchase hard-bristle brushes in the hopes that a tougher tool will scrub away more debris. Unfortunately, stiff bristles can actually damage the teeth and gums more than they help! Stick with a soft-bristle brush that bends easily and can access spaces underneath the gums.

Whitening toothpaste is a no go.

Whitening toothpaste is full of aggressive ingredients that can weaken tooth enamel and cause damage down the line. Check with your dentist for alternatives that are safe and tooth-friendly instead.

Never rush it.

Yes, brushing your teeth is a bore. But oral health is the root of all physical health, so don’t brush the idea away (get it?) too frequently. Your goal should be to brush twice a day for two minutes or more each time. Cut it short and you’ll suffer for it.

A 'Sober September' May Be Just What You Need for a Healthy Fall Season

If your “rosé all day” attitude of summer has left you feeling less than rosy in the fall, you may be considering a drying out period. You’re not alone.

Thirty-day detox periods are gaining popularity as more individuals look for activities or goals that can help them reshape behaviors or drop bad habits altogether.

Sober September is one such challenge.

Like its start-of-year counterpart Dry January, Sober September takes the new season — or the restart to school and routines — as a chance to say “no” to sips of wine at dinner, beers at ballgames, or pints after your intramural practice.

In short, it’s a chance to dry out.

But how much impact can a brief period of sobriety really have on your overall health?

Quite a bit, it turns out.

What does the research say?

Several informal studies have looked specifically at the benefits of Dry January.

The results can be expected at any month you decide to take on the challenge, of course. January holds no magical drying-out powers.

In 2013, a team of magazine journalists tagged up with researchers at the Institute for Liver and Digestive Health at the University College London Medical School.

A total of 14 staff members from the magazine all underwent basic health exams and screenings. Then, 10 of the members were sober for 5 weeks. The remaining four drank as they normally would.

At the end of the study, the medical school’s researchers found that the 10 who had been sober had lower levels of fat on their livers (a precursor for liver damage), lower cholesterol, and improved blood sugar levels. They also reported better sleep and improved concentration.

The four who kept up their boozy habits did not report any benefits.

Another study from England found that participants in Dry January experienced benefits that went beyond the purely physical.

In the study from the University of Sussex, 82 percent of Dry January participants felt a sense of accomplishment, and 79 percent reported saving money.

Plus, 72 percent of participants sustained reduced drinking levels — they didn’t drink over recommended limits — 6 months after their initial sober period.

That’s because, according to the 2016 study, people were better — or more practiced — at turning down drinks and resisting the urge to return to their old beer-guzzling or wine-sipping ways.

This drink refusal self-efficacy (DRSE) skill, as the study called it, helped individuals have a healthier relationship with alcohol and also helped prevent a “rebound” effect after the challenge was wrapped.

Of course, sobriety might not come as easily for some individuals as it does for others. While the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that women drink no more than one drink per day, and men have no more than two per day, research shows not everyone adheres to this advice.

In fact, the National Institutes of Health reported that nearly 27 percent of people over 18 engaged in binge drinking in the month before the survey. Another 7 percent reported that they had consumed alcohol heavily in the previous month.

“People who drink on a daily basis may be at risk for alcohol withdrawal symptoms,” says Stephen Odom, PhD, an addiction treatment professional with more than 25 years of expertise in the behavioral health field, and chief executive officer and chief clinical officer of New Vista Behavioral Health, the parent company of Center for Professional Recovery, Avalon Malibu, and Avalon Integrative Wellness and Simple Recovery. “Sweating, increased heart rate, mild tremors, and nausea are some of the common indications that you should seek medical attention to determine the best plan to safely abstain from alcohol.”

For Richard Storm, a New York City-based photographer, a month of sobriety opened his eyes to another element of alcohol use he had not seen.

“It made me realize I use alcohol not only as a social lubricant, but as a way to self-medicate,” he told Healthline. “I drink when I’m happy, sad, or to kill time.”

Storm did a sober June and is back for another round in September.

“That may honestly spill over into sober for a good long while,” he says. “I think from here on out, since I stayed away from booze for a month or so, I’ll make a decision to either stay dry or try and curb my appetites. So far, the pluses far outweigh the effects.”

How to have a successful Sober September

Invite your friends. If your weeknights consist of after-work happy hours and cabernet by the cupful, consider shifting your priorities and plans. Encourage your friends to join you on the challenge — accountability partners are always a plus — and you can find new activities to do together, that don’t involve booze.

Remember the good you’re doing for your body. You might drop a few pounds, have more energy, and get better sleep, but some of the best changes of a Sober September is in places you can’t see — your organs. “One of the biggest benefits to your Sober September will be the positive effect on your liver. The liver is critical for our health and responsible for breaking down alcohol and other toxins,” Odom told Healthline. “The damaging effects of alcohol on the liver can lead to ‘fatty liver,’ the precursor to hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis.” Odom points out that 30 days of abstinence can decrease liver fat by 15 percent.

Evaluate your cravings. “A drawback is that since quitting drinking also means reducing sugar intake, many of us will experience cravings for sweets,” Odom says. “Be careful not to substitute the sugar in alcohol for other sweet treats if weight loss is part of your Sober September goal.”

Try, try again. If Sober September doesn’t work, start again in October — or start any day and challenge yourself to the full 30 days. There’s no magic time. Start when you’re ready. If you reach 30 days, aim for 45. The longer you go without alcohol, the better your chances of learning to live without, or learning to limit yourself to healthful amounts when time comes for you to cheer with champagne at the office holiday party again.

5 Interesting Reasons You Should Cry More

According to quite a bit of scientific research, crying is a natural and necessary emotional response to stress, and that not crying can actually have a negative effect on our health!

So, whether you do it while wrapped in a hug from a loved one, or all alone, here are a few reasons to let yourself cry more often.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CRYING

• 85 percent of women and 73 percent of men felt less sad and angry after crying.
• Women cry an average of 5.3 times a month, while men cry an average of 1.3 times per month.
• The average adult bout of crying lasts 6 minutes.
• Tears are more often shed between 7 and 10pm (aka when we’re tired)

 5 HEALTH BENEFITS OF CRYING 

Relieves Stress

The research of William H. Frey II, Ph.D., a biochemist and director of the Psychiatry Research Laboratories at the St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Centre, suggests that we feel better after crying because it removes chemicals that build up during stress. “We don’t know what those chemicals are, but we do know that tears contain ACTH, which is known to be increased in stress,” reports Dr. Frey. Basically, crying could be a way to purge stress-causing chemicals from the body.

Lowers Blood Pressure

According to several studies, blood pressure and pulse rate plunged immediately following therapy sessions during which patients cried.

Reduces Manganese

Manganese, a trace mineral which affects mood, brain and nerve function, is found in up to 30 times greater concentration in tears than in blood serum. Again, it could be that crying is a way for your body to shed manganese and regulate mood.

Flushes Out Toxins

Tear production does more than just keep our eyes from drying out. “Tears also contain lysozyme, which is both antibacterial and antiviral, and glucose, which nourishes the cells on the surface of the eye and inside the eyelids,” explains the Huffington Post.

Cleans Out Your Nose

When crying, tears travel through the tear duct to the nasal passages, where they encounter mucus. When enough tears mix with the mucus, it loosens and is shed, keeping the nose moist and bacteria free, says psychiatrist Judith Orloff, MD, author of Emotional Freedom.

Why Do People Buy Weird Food Before a Hurricane?

Why does a hurricane warning make us want to stock up on emergency Pop-Tarts, vanilla vodka and Pringles?

When New York City was hunkering down for the arrival of Hurricane Irene, I bought instant espresso and sweetened condensed milk to ensure I would be caffeinated in the face of disaster. That makes sense. I bought various non-perishables that would nourish us, and water and red wine, of course. But the strange thing is, I bought Snack Pack pudding and Nilla Wafers as well, to the curious delight of my daughters who were unaccustomed to mom indulging in sugary processed food. What good would junk food be when we might be in need of good nutrients? Just a panicked one-off? Apparently not, because when warnings for Sandy came, packaged pudding and processed cookies made a repeat appearance. 

I thought I was just buying some secret weapons to distract the kids in case things got really dodgy, but as it turns out, I am not alone. In writing about the psychology of hurricane preparation, Aditi Shrikant at Voxrefers to research by Elyria Kemp about the heightened emotions people have in the lead-up to a storm, and what they consume because of them. Shrikant writes:

“The most common emotional responses were anxiety, fear, anger, and sadness. And the most common purchases? Unsurprisingly, bottled water, batteries, and flashlights, but also cookies, chips, and alcohol. ‘These negative emotional experiences lead them to not only purchase the necessities one may need during a hurricane; they also would buy hedonic products,’ Kemp says.”

Bingo! In this generally junk-food-free and minimal-plastic household, pudding in polymeric cups is definitely a hedonic product.

She goes on to explain that in fact, the proclivity to stock up on junk food before a potential disaster has been studied a lot. I am quite unoriginal, it turns out. “The tendency of those bracing for a hurricane to stockpile junk food has been well-documented. In 2004, Walmart reported that it orders extra strawberry Pop-Tarts before a hurricane because sales spike significantly.”

While pudding and Pop-Tarts might not seem like the smartest strategy for surviving a hurricane, there’s more to getting through a disaster than wholesome nutrients. There is the sanity factor to keep in mind; according to Kemp’s research, people go for high-fat and perishable foods (milk, bread, eggs) to encourage calm and comfort, not because they think they are necessarily practical purchases.

“It’s called emotion regulation consumption – the idea is if someone is stuck waiting for a stressful situation like a hurricane to befall them, consuming the foods they like can lower stress and make them happier. ‘Positive emotions have the ability to undo the effects of negative emotions, so that’s why we purchase these products,’ Kemp says.”

So if you find yourself at the store stockpiling for an upcoming storm … and find yourself inexplicably drawn to the Pop-Tart aisle, don’t despair. You are not alone. Remember that comfort can come in strange packages – even little plastic* cups of pudding. That said, don’t forget the batteries and water.

Parkinson’s Disease and the Uric Acid Sweet Spot

Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s, is characterized by a slowness of movement, rigidity, tremor, and stooping posture, all of which worsen over time. Non-movement symptoms such as cognitive impairment and sleep, smell, and mood disturbances occur as the disease spreads to other areas of the brain.

The cause of Parkinson’s is perhaps “one of the important questions posed by the neurobiology [science] of aging.” For example, why is the consumption of dairy products associated with increased risk of Parkinson’s? Perhaps because they contribute to our exposure to pesticides and other neurotoxins like dieldrin, which continues to be found in the autopsied brains of Parkinson’s victims. Even though dieldrin was banned decades ago, it lingers in the environment and we “continue to be exposed to the pesticide through contaminated dairy and meats…”

The cause of Parkinson’s “is unlikely to be due to milk compounds such as calcium, vitamin D, total fat, or total protein as these compounds are not associated with [the disease] when derived from other sources.” However, it could be lactose, the milk sugar, perhaps accounting for the increased associated risk of death and bone fractures, as well as Parkinson’s. There is, however, a third possibility. a

Milk lowers uric acid levels, and uric acid may be protective against Huntington’s and also slow the decline caused by Parkinson’s. More importantly, it may lower the risk of getting Parkinson’s in the first place. Why? Perhaps because uric acid is an important antioxidant in the brain, something we’ve known for more than 30 years. We can demonstrate uric acid’s importance directly on human nerve cells in a petri dish. When the pesticide rotenone is added, oxidative stress goes up. Add the pro-oxidant homocysteine, and it goes up even more. But, when uric acid is added, it completely suppresses the oxidative stress caused by the pesticide.

Drinking milk, however, has a uric acid-lowering effect. In the paper making this assertion, a study they cited was “A cute effect of milk on serum urate concentrations,” but that was just a cute typo. The correct title is “Acute effect of milk…” Indeed, drink cow’s milk, and, within hours, uric acid levels drop 10 percent. Drink soymilk, and, within hours, they go up 10 percent. Now, for gout, a painful arthritic disease caused by too much uric acid, the uric acid-lowering effect of dairy is a good thing—but uric acid is “a double-edged sword.”

If our uric acid levels are too high, we can get gout, but, if they’re too low, it may increase our risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.

Incidence rates of gouty arthritis over five years indicate that if our uric acid is over 10.0 mg/dl, we have a 30 percent chance of suffering an attack of gout within the next 5 years. However, at levels under 7.0 mg/dl, our risk is less than 1 percent, so it might make sense to have levels as high as possible without going over 7.0 to protect the brain without risking our joints. But having excessive uric acid in the blood puts more than just our joints in jeopardy. Yes, having levels that are too low may increase our risk of MS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer, but having levels that are too high may increase our risk of gout, kidney disease, and heart disease.

In fact, having a uric acid level over 7.0 mg/dl isn’t only associated with an increased risk of gout, but also an increased risk of dying from all causes. However, having a low uric acid level may also shorten our lifespan by increasing mortality. High uric acid levels are associated with increased risk of death from heart disease, but low uric acid levels are associated with increased risk of fatal stroke. So, keeping uric acid at optimum levels, the sweet spot between 5.0 and 7.0 mg/dl, may protect the brain in more ways than one.

If we measure the uric acid levels in patients with Parkinson’s, they come in around 4.6 mg/dl, which can explain why dairy consumption may increase risk for Parkinson’s since milk pushes down uric acid levels. Dairy intake may also explain the differences in uric acid levels among meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. In the graph in my video, you can see that vegan men have significantly higher uric acid levels at 5.7 mg/dl than vegetarians, presumably because vegans don’t drink milk, and those who both eat meat and consume milk fall between the vegans and vegetarians.