Workout of the Day:
Five rounds for time of:
Wall-to-Wall Agility Sprints (Suicides)
20 One-Arm Overhead Walking Lunge Steps (10 right/10 left) with 35/25 lb. Dumbbell
15 Wall Ball Shots
Why I Like Milk
Written by Mark Riebel
For most of us who want to optimize our health and performance, what to eat and drink is a major concern of ours. And as those of you familiar with our community know, CrossFitters are big proponents of the Zone and Paleo diets, or at least some combination thereof. I just finished reading The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, Ph.D. and am in the first few weeks of experimenting with it myself. But, as with all diets, there are a few things I don’t agree with, and in this case it’s the Paleo Diet’s exclusion of all dairy and dairy-derived products.
Cordain bases this assertion on the fact that our Paleolithic ancestors never consumed milk past the infant stage, and most assuredly never created their own cheese or other dairy products. He also notes that milk contains significant amounts of saturated fat, which by conventional wisdom is thought to increase one’s risk of heart disease (I say ‘conventional’ because in the six years since Cordain wrote his first book, this link has come under scrutiny, but that’s another post in itself). Others dislike milk because of allergies or lactose intolerance, caused by a reduction in the body’s production of lactase, the enzyme required for breakdown of lactose, the sugar in milk.
I am not a nutritionist, nor do I believe I am more knowledgeable than Cordain. However, I and many others believe that milk has far greater benefits to health that outweigh any possible side effects, and should be included in one’s diet. First of all, milk is an excellent source of protein and calcium, both incredibly important for active people. Second, for those of you Zoners, milk is a perfect 1-block food, which conveniently comes with varying amounts of fat for however much you include in your diet. Milk is also very convenient. A bottle of milk from the store is very portable and saves you from having to do any Zone math when you’re in a hurry. Finally, milk is a great post-workout recovery food. It contains ample carbs to replace your spent glycogen levels, the aforementioned protein, and is easy to consume. I think a lot of you can attest to not wanting to eat a meal for quite some time following a beast of a WOD, and delaying post-workout nutrition can have a significant effect on your recovery.
If you spend even a short amount of time researching milk consumption on your own, you’ll find thousands of voices on both sides of the fence. I am definitely one who will keep sporting his milk moustache.
Sorry, I found this thread a little late. Before you continue to chug too much milk, I strongly recommend reading “The China Study” authored by T. Colin Campbell, or just go the website: thechinastudy.com Just like everything else these days, the source of ANY information probably needs to be considered before taking it as gospel, because there are fewer and fewer people that have the “people’s” best interest at heart. It all comes down to who you will believe after you consider where their motivations are! The bottom line is; some people can “tolerate” milk with little to no ill… Read more »
I would encourage anyone who is interested in health to read about raw milk. Raw milk is very healthy for you, in fact it is what is known as a “complete food.” Raw milk is easily digestible for those who are lactose intolerant as the milk contains its full complement of enzymes and lactase-producing bacteria needed by our bodies to break down and assimilate the milk sugar lactose.
For more information please check out the site:
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/raw_milk_health_benefits.html
Raw milk can be found at Henry’s and at the OB People’s market.
Courtland, Thanks for the link. I think the author of the NYT article didn’t read The Paleo Diet. If she did, she would understand that Dr. Cordain does not state that humans were “finished” evolving a few thousand years ago. In reality, 10,000 years is a blink of an eye in terms of evolution. Little has changed to the human genome since then but our diets have changed drastically. The Paleo Diet bases many assertions on the fact that we are now consuming many foods that our ancestors never could have even conceived let alone eaten. Refined sugars, grains, and… Read more »
While milk’s benefits may outweigh its dangers, it runs contrary to the very point of a Paleo diet – health. Now, as CrossFitters, many of us are aware of the distinction between health and fitness; Coach Glassman long ago presented a diagram of a linear progression from Sickness – Health (Wellness) – Fitness. It is my belief that a Paleo, while it can improve performance, will mainly promote proper health (not necessarily fitness). Stomach aches? Gone. Allergies? Gone. So on and so forth. Zone, on the other hand, will aim for fitness, your performance directly. Implimenting both will get you… Read more »
Shouldn’t it be Livet instead of Diet at least for crossfiters? I made up yesterday’s WOD, what a joyous one it was. I subbed 155# for the squat cleans because I know the Games qualifier will be here soon enough and they tend to mess with prescribed weights. Time 10:45
I agree with Mike, milk is meant to be made into a latte or cappucino. I think that if it works for you then stick with it… I can only speak from my experiences with milk as a Zoner and now Paleo Zoner. Prior to the Zone I really kept my milk consumption at a minimum, not avoided, but just growing up I knew it didn’t make me ‘feel good’. Once I jumped on the Zone my milk intake went through the roof with string cheese and cottage cheese all day every day for a few months. I didn’t ‘feel… Read more »
Cynthia…any extra room in the Winnebago? I know a good bartender! 🙂
Courtland, Thanks for posting the NYT article. I think Ms. Zuk has some persuasive points concerning what we expect from tweaking our dietary habits. And it certainly doesn’t seem far-fetched to me that some groups of people throughout the world have mutations that allow them to process lactose. On that same topic, according to Lon Kilgore, Ph.D. (co-author of Starting Strength and a slew of other exercise books, as well as a regular CrossFit Journal contributor), the decrease in lactase production varies from only 5% in some areas of Northern Europe where milk has historically been consumed for thousands of… Read more »
As long as the leche discussion is going on, and Mike brought up steaming it, can I get a Zone friendly ruling on a Grande Soy Hot chocolate. If i have a few almonds with it will that balance out a block or two snack for me?
Milk is especially delicious when steamed and added to coffee!
Mark is always good for a quick layman’s chemistry lesson on the benefits of milk (and bananas; he once told me bananas get a bad rap too). Personally, I like using milk post-WOD a couple times each week (blended with some fruit). Like Mark, I’m not a nutritionist and can only go from my own experience, amateurish research and from reading Robb Wolf’s stuff. I have yet to completely cut dairy from my diet, so I can’t say if Paleo would be better or not. I can say that over the past year, I have lost body fat and gotten… Read more »
Mark, There is an essay/article in the Science Times section of the NYT today that addresses the notion of the Paleo diet and how the dietary admonition to avoid milk is probably misplaced. About 5000 years ago a genetic mutation occurred in some humans that allowed milk to be well tolerated and digested, and which mutation was accompanied by the rise in dairy agriculture. It seems simple: if you like milk and it doesn’t make you feel bad and aids your performance, then moderate amounts should be okay. I eat some dairy and it seems to suit me just fine.… Read more »
Mark, you are a great advertisement for the benefits of milk. Hell, you could probably get people to start smoking if they thought that they could look like you!
2009 CROSSFIT GAMES!!! Barry and I have our spectator tickets and reservations at the RV park in Aromas for that weekend. I expect to be cheering on at least one CFI athlete during the Games!! Maybe an affiliate team, too?