The arguement about the health benifits of milk have been raging for years.  One website even goes as far as to say “Milk is a deadly poison,”. If you visit the site, notmilk.com, you’ll find dozens of articles about the purported evils of this popular beverage. One claim, for example, is that milk from cows contains cancer-causing hormones and dairy industry dollars have kept that fact bottled up. All of which may leave you second-guessing your next sip.

However, as a nutritionist, I’ve found that most people thrive on milk, whether their goal is to lose fat or build muscle. So to be sure it’s safe, I’ve investigated all the anti-milk claims, sifting through the research while also turning a critical eye to pro-milk propaganda. After all, the only agenda I have is my clients’ health. The result: all your milk questions, answered.

Is milk really a fat-burning food? Maybe. In a 6-month study, University of Tennessee researchers found that overweight people who downed three servings a day of calcium-rich dairy lost more belly fat than those who followed a similar diet minus two or more of the dairy servings. In addition, the researchers discovered that calcium supplements didn’t work as well as milk. Why? They believe that while calcium may increase the rate at which your body burns fat, other active compounds in dairy (such as milk proteins) provide an additional fat-burning effect. Of course, the key to success is following a weight-loss diet to begin with. After all, downing your dairy with a box of doughnuts is no way to torch your gut.  Personally I would like to see some additional studies to confirm these findings.

The new year is quickly approaching and it will be time again for making those weight loss resolutions. Here is a quick peice of advice to make this years resolution become a weight loss reality. Start changing your habits now! Don’t wait till January the first to begin altering your lifestyle because it is bound to fail. Many folks pack on an extra 10 or 15 pounds during the holiday season and that will make it that much more difficult to lose the weight come the new year. Here are some simple tips that you can start with to make your new years resolution of weight loss come true:

1. Drink more water and fruit juices and less pop, beer and wine. Don’t cut out the beverages you love completely, simply start by cutting back on two sugar loaded drinks a day and replacing them with water or fruit juice.

2. Everyone loves to snack, so replace one of your fatty snacks with an extra piece of fresh fruit or low-fat yogurt. It is a small step but every little bit helps and what really makes the difference is getting used to picking up a healthy snack as opposed to chips or a chocolate bar.

3. Do a bit of excercise every day. If you have not done anything active in a long-time or even if you do get active once-in-a-while start off with 15 minutes of brisk walking or 15 minutes of stretching every single day.

Again, the trick is to change your lifestyle habits just a little bit so when you take the next step it will be that much easier and you will have a greater chance for success. When it comes time to choose a weight loss diet make sure to pick one that offers you lots of flexibility to you can stick with it.

A look at health news headlines from around the world:

-Research from the University of Texas found large waist measurements, relative to hip size, were linked to early signs of heart disease.  This confirms other research that waist size, rather than overall body weight, is a key indicator of heart disease. The study of 2,744 people suggests that a waist size of 32ins (81cm) for a woman and 37ins (94cm) for a man represents a “significant” raised risk.  Time for me to cut back on the beer.

-The Department of Health (DoH) advises people not to drink more than five single espressos - roughly seven instant coffees - a day, although individuals vary in their sensitivity and reactions.  The highest natural caffeine content is found in filter coffee, a mug of which contains about 120mg of caffeine. Instant coffee contains roughly 75mg and espresso 107mg.

-Carrying too much weight while pregnant increases the risk of complications for mother and baby, including birth defects, labor and delivery problems, fetal death and delivery of large babies, according to the March of Dimes. A revision is long overdue, said Dr. Raul Artal of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. “The reality is for too long we are telling pregnant women to take it easy during pregnancy, be confined and to eat for two,” he said. “This has been one factor in causing the epidemic of overweight and obesity that we see in our country.”