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Thursday, July 06, 2006
All My Vitamin D Comes from Coffee

Back 13 or 14 years ago, when I lactated for the first time, I decided to stop drinking milk. It seemed illogical to me, suddenly, that a grown mammal who is not a cow would drink breastmilk meant for baby cows. Why not sell gallons of human breastmilk in the grocery stores, I wondered. That would be no less ridiculous.

I still eat cheese and yogurt, but that's different. Meaning, that's hypocrisy. I admit it. I provide no explanation.

Lately, however, I've been drinking lots and lots of lattes. Or else I'll drink coffee with enough half & half to turn it a very pale beige. And I'm wondering if maybe this is my body's way of crying out for milk. "We'll get her to think she needs caffeine," my organs say. "Then, we'll get whole milk and/or half & half! Then, all our base will be belong to us!!!"

I would just take calcium supplements, but those cause kidney stones, you know.

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2:32 PM #

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 I put lots of half and half in my coffee too. I love it. But did you know that Land O' Lakes makes Fat Free half and half? I also drink fat-free milk with my cereal. I actually like it better than whole. Not that it's the same as take a step toward vegetarianism, but it is a step toward health conciousness.


# posted by Blogger Letty : 3:18 PM  

 I try to avoid milk now because it seems to make me slightly headache-y, as if I've got cotton balls stuffed in my forehead, and it congests me. Soy milk is great for smoothies and with cereal (the one I get has apple concentrate in it, so it is slightly sweet and means less Splenda on my Weetabix). Do not, however, try to drink a quarter litre of it in an attempt to get your daily calcium in; I did this last week, and it was pretty gross.

--Jackie D (under my bf's login)


# posted by Blogger Antoine Clarke : 5:44 PM  

 Funny, I never thought of that when I was lactating. hmmm... Very interesting theory.

Antoine, you have a point. My daughter couldn't drink regular milk when she was little because it would make her congested. She's fine now at 5. My son is allergic to milk. He gets a weird lumpy rash on his skin.


# posted by Blogger ShoeGirl : 8:42 PM  

 You don't actually absorb much calcium from milk, and milk proteins are bad for you. Yes, I know this is vague and without sources but I will come back later and leave you a few nifty case studies. Eat dark greens. See kale, Kale loves you.


# posted by Blogger olive & rose : 11:09 PM  

 Letty: But Dr. Atkins said... Okay, no, just kidding.

JD: Oh, I'm gonna try the soy milk now, then. Because I trust you, because you like good food. Unlike so many people, weirdly. So many people who eat food from Chili's.

Shoegirl: It's the steroids in it, I'm sure.

Rose: Kale is good. One day you have to tell me everything that you eat.


# posted by Blogger Gwen : 8:24 AM  

 I wonder how many lattes my doctor would allow me to get my calcium quota in now that I'm over 40??
Calcium suppliments make kidney stones!!!??? *gulp* but my doc insists!!
Maybe I'd better find out what kale is!!!!


# posted by Blogger pixielyn : 11:11 AM  

 It's like lettuce. It's those beautiful decorative green and red lettuces you use for annuals in the winter.


# posted by Blogger Gwen : 8:00 PM  

 I'm gettin me some!!! thnx!


# posted by Blogger pixielyn : 11:31 AM  

 ok, for real, I have no clue what to do with the kale. I went and bought a bunch and when I asked the produce guy he had to go ask his manager and the answer was that you dont eat it for real, its a garnish to make things look pretty.
So how much calcium intake do you get from looking at the pretty kale?
no really.
how do I eat it? like lettuce or steamed like spinache?


# posted by Blogger pixielyn : 11:18 AM  

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