Milk and honey -- does it really help you get to sleep faster?

A cup of warm milk isn't necessarily the magic sleep potion, but it's probably the most common drink associated with the ritual of bedtime.

Milk happens to include two substances that are known to be related to sleep and relaxation: the hormone melatonin and the amino acid tryptophan.

The amount of melatonin in a glass of milk is very small, much less than what would be taken in a supplement. The amount of tryptophan in milk is also minimal. Add to the mix that our digestive process is very complex.

So, it's unlikely that a glass of warm or cold milk would actually shorten how long it takes to fall blissfully asleep.

However, the idea of warm milk does carry a psychological significance. Having a mug of warm milk could trigger memories of mom, home and the coziness of childhood -- which in turn, helps us to relax.

But to really help you fall asleep better -- and faster -- most recommendations center around practicing stress-reduction techniques, sticking to a regular sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedroom environment, and avoiding caffeine or heavy meals close to bedtime.

For some individuals, particularly those with lactose intolerance or milk allergies, a glass of milk can be followed by uncomfortable digestive consequences. Lactose reduced, soy, almond, and rice milk are options that are more likely to be tolerated.

If you have no allergy or intolerance, and warm milk simply grosses you out, you could try flavoring it with a bit of honey, vanilla, or cinnamon, but there is no reason that you need to continue attempting to use it as a sleep aid. Keep drinking your cold milk, to meet your daily calcium needs, and try other sleep improvement techniques.
Milk and honey sleepy remedy

Try this age old remedy if you are suffering a bout of insomnia. It's calming effects will have you sleeping like a baby in no time.
Ingredients

• 6 oz milk
• 1 drop vanilla extract
• 1 tsp honey
Directions

In a small saucepan heat the milk to warm, but not boiling.

Remove from heat and pour into glass. Add vanilla and honey.

Stir well and sip slowly before bed.

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Buko Shake: What is it?

The buko shake is a very tasty treat which is a favorite among smoothie enthusiasts in the Philippines. “Buko” is the Tagalog term for coconut. The main ingredients of the smoothie are coconut meat, coconut juice and sugar. These are just the most common ingredients. There are a lot of things that you can add to these ingredients. You can get creative when making your own buko shake. You can add evaporated milk, condensed milk, honey, lime, pandan jelly, etc. It's your shake so make it your own using your very own ingredients. What's great about it is that it's very easy to make. All you need is a blender and of course, the necessary ingredients.

Most of the malls operating in the country have shake stalls and these usually offer buko shakes. These are extremely popular during hot days and in the summer season.

Buko Shake Recipe and Procedure
Here's a very simple and easy to follow recipe that you can follow to make your own tasty and thirst-quenching buko shake.

Ingredients of buko shake: coconut water or juice, grated coconut meat, ½ cup of evaporated milk, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar

Instructions:
1. Put both the coconut meat and juice in a single container then have them freeze overnight.
2. The following day, place the frozen coconut meat/juice into a blender and turn on the machine.
3. Add the milk and sugar depending on your taste.

The above is but a simplified buko shake recipe. As we said earlier, you can go creative when making your own recipe. For example, some people prefer the grated coconut meat intact meaning they are added only into the shake after juice, ice, sugar or cream are mixed in the blender. Some also enjoy their shakes more if there are pandan jelly cubes added to it. And some prefer their shakes sweet so they go with condensed milk instead of evaporated milk. Instead of sugar, you can also make use of honey as an alternative.

Buko Shake Franchise
As we said, coconut shakes are really popular in the Philippines. It is after all a country filled with people who love sweets. That said, it's big business in the Philippines. The shake stands that you see in shopping malls, food courts and market places in the country are usually under a buko shake franchise. This can be a good business to get into. You don't need a huge capital to get started. However, you should be very careful with the company you are getting the franchise from. That is if you want to get into the buko shake business. Or you could just skip the whole franchise thing and strike out on your own. It's more risky but at least you have full control.

Anyway, now that you know how to make buko shake, you should turn on that blender and start blending a cool and tasty smoothie. And one last thing, don't confuse buko shake with buko juice. Because a lot of people think that the two are the same thing. They are wrong, of course.

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BUKO SHAKE RECIPE

Ingredients:
Grated coconut meat and coconut water from 2 or more young coconuts
1/2 cup evaporated milk
5 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions:
1. Put the coconut meat and coconut water in one container and freeze overnight.
2. The next day, pop the frozen coconut in a blender until smooth.
3. Add the milk and sugar according to your taste.

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Buko Shake

Filipino Style Recipe: buko shake is another sweet and refreshing beverage. This beverage is made of coconut meat and water, milk, sugar and cubed ice. Best to served during summer season.

Estimated time of preparation: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut meat, scrape from the husk
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
cube ice

Procedures:
1. In a blender, process coconut meat, coconut water, milk and sugar until blended.
2. Add some ice and blend until smooth then pour into glasses then served cold.

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