Milk Diet

Milk diet was introduced by Bernarr McFadden. According to him, milk is a miracle food and it can take place of all the other nourishment required for the body. He was also of the opinion, that it could cure diseases and illnesses. Some of the illnesses, which could be cured with this diet include, rheumatoid arthritis, edema, ulcers, indigestion, low thyroid function, appendicitis, insomnia, anemia, migraines, stomach acids, eczema, etc. He also looked at this diet as a remedy for chronic disease like tuberculosis, hay fever, etc. and also prove to be helpful in treating conditions like gallstones, infertility, narcotic habits, etc. However, it is important to note that, he did not look at it as a fad diet, with which people could lose weight. It was later, that the diet came to be seen as a fad diet for weight loss.

Skim milk nutrition facts are, that it is rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, omega 3 essential fatty acids, etc. The nutritional facts on milk prove that milk is rich in calcium, fluoride, selenium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, sodium and potassium. The most important constituent of milk is calcium, which is necessary for weight loss and also for maintaining weight.

In this diet, the person was to consume only raw milk for a period of three weeks. During the time of the diet, the person is supposed to be on bed rest. However most of McFadden's patients did not necessarily do this. The philosophy used in this diet, is that raw milk is a nutrient dense food. Since it is in liquid form, it is more easily absorbed by the body as compared to solid food. When a person is on the diet, the body loads itself up with nutrition and is able to heal the ailing parts of the body.

For Weight Loss
Today, we see that there are a number of fad diets. One of the oldest of the fad diets was a diet that comprised solely or mostly of milk. There are different versions of the diet. The first one is to be ONLY on a milk diet for a certain period of time. The other version, is where people drink an additional amount of milk to supplement a normal weight loss plan. Although both these diets are radically different from one another, they fall under the same category of milk diet.

Radical Milk Diet: This is the original milk diet, which can last anywhere between 1 to 3 weeks. During this time, a person is allowed to consume only fresh whole milk. At the same time, the physical activity during this time has to be minimum, because there is no solid food, which is being consumed to give the required fuel for the system.

Supplementary Milk Diet : In this diet, all the snacks in the diet are to be substituted with one glass of skim milk. This makes sure, that the number of calories consumed by the body are less and they are not empty calories. With every meal the person can also include a glass of milk, if the protein consumption is not as planned. If you feel, that you need some more food, then you will have to drink some water, but not any other drink.

For Weight Gain
Like there are people, who want to lose weight, there are others, who want to gain weight. When you are on a weight gain diet, you will have to consume more food, than you actually use. In the weight loss diet, the person is recommended to have skimmed milk, which is exactly opposite to what is recommended in the weight gain diet. The person needs to have whole milk. The milk can be consumed either in the form of milk or as milkshake recipes. Considering the nutrition facts, whole milk products like cheese, cottage cheese can also be added to the diet.

However, before you start on a milk-only diet either to lose weight or to gain weight, it is recommended, you talk to your health care professional. After a green signal from your physician only, you should start the diet. At the same time, it is also recommended that you do not go on the radical version of this diet, as it may not be a healthy balanced diet and the body may become nutrition deficient.