Milo

Non-Pharmacological Treatment Diet
1

Hi guys,

I had to report something that has surprised the hell out of me. At work we have all of these free drinks available to us – the usual coffee and tea plus biscuits. But there is also this huge tin of Milo. Milo is a malt barley-chocolate mixed powder that you can put straight into a glass of cold milk or make it a hot drink as well.

So 2 weeks ago I saw the tin sitting there and was hungry. I haven’t had Milo for years (over 10) and actually forgot it had chocolate in it. When I first looked at it I saw “malt” on it but not the chocolate. So I thought what the hell I’ll try one to see if it triggers anything. Maybe this drink will be ok for me etc. Something like a milkshake that might not send me crashing into the ground in flames like everything else that tastes great does.

So, I mixed up 3 spoonfuls in a tall glass of cold milk and loved every second of it. :slight_smile: Then I waited. Nothing. So the next day I had another one. Again no reaction. By day 3 I woke up in the morning feeling better then I have in a VERY LONG TIME. I sat up in bed and thought, HOLY SHIT, I haven’t felt like this for ages (maybe years). No depressed crap feeling and a real spark going on and actually looked forward to going to work and getting stuck in to a project that has been a real pain in the rear. Anyhow, I thought it was a fluke and just an exceptionally good day. But the next day it continued. I had another smaller glass of Milo - just one spoonful and have been doing that most days ever since.

So I have now been feeling absolutely GREAT for 2 solid weeks. This is not a fluke. consistency is not a word I use often in my migraine life. I know how shitty I feel most days of with this crappy migraine brain. Good days are fleeting and few and far between.

So after a week I thought, “Is this the Milo?” I checked out the ingredients and the stuff is LOADED with vitamins – namely B vitamins and some stuff called Actigen-E. This from the website:

— Begin quote from ____

MILO® provides a good ratio of Protein, Fats and Carbohydrate. It is also high in Iron, B Vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B12) and Vitamin C. It only takes one mug of MILO® per day to provide 35% of your child’s recommended Iron intake.

Wikipedia: The Milo website states that the drink is high in calcium, iron and the vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12. It also has Actigen-E that releases the energy stored in a person’s body.

— End quote

I don’t know what it is but something has shifted in a BIG way. I’m still migraining, and still have the usual smouldering garbage in the background which intensifies if I screw up my sleep or eat a pile of bacon but man, I’m a happy camper at the moment. I honestly don’t give a damn about MAV right now.

So will it last? No idea but I’m riding a very nice wave. :smiley:

So clearly, if Milo is responsible for making me feel so good, I have been deficient in some micro nutrient. B vitamins most likely. I remember years ago before MAV hit me I went through a phase of feeling lousy/ depressed in the mornings and dragging my ass all day. I went on a B complex and it snapped me out of it though I don’t recall feeling as good as I do now. Probably because I didn’t feel as bad before the B blast. Another weird thing is that Milo has chocolate in it yet I don’t notice any backlash from that. Nonetheless I’m keeping the dose low to avoid any potential nastiness.

So there you go. A drink that is cheap (free at work), tastes good, and seemingly stoking my fire again in a big way – not in an anxious way either like caffeine would.

I’d really be keen to see if anyone else notices any significant mood improvement by trying some Milo. Totally understand if the chocolate part of it is a put off though. I could always just take a vitamin complex but they always cause me brutal headaches. Probably the filler. I’ve yet to find vitamins I can take that don’t cause my head to explode with pain.

Bottoms up! Scott 8)

p.s. no, I didn’t just buy shares in the company. :lol: BTW, I can buy 1.25 kg of the stuff for $8.80. That will last months, possibly a year. This would have to be the cheapest “remedy” I have ever found.

http://www.centrestatefoods.com.au/Uploads/Images/centre-state-foods-nestle-milo-1-9kg(1).jpg

2

Scott,

Could this be attributed to any other lifestyle changes during those two weeks? Less time on the computer, increased exercise routines, and so forth? Medications? Just curious. Please keep us updated, because if you are still doing well after another couple of weeks, I will also undergo the Milo experiment.:slight_smile: How awesome would it be if something as simple as this could be the answer. Just don’t tell Nestle, because they may try to sell the receipe to a drug company and subsequently raise the price to $500 a can…

Ryan

3

Hi Ryan,

The only other thing that changed at the same time was a new wide screen LCD at work. But it made me dizzy as hell for 2 weeks and I only just came good on it. If anything I should have felt much worse the last 2 weeks psychologically with the beating the screen has given me. I’ve been down that track with new/ different screens many times now over the years and I always feel lousy, depressed, never good, which makes logical sense considering the dizziness is slamming me all day long.

No change in anything else whatsoever. Just Milo and with that a vitamin hit (or something I don’t know about in that powder).

By the way, today I was migraining quite badly with headache, some physical migraine-type tiredness, and light dizziness – typical migraine junk that slowed me down and self inflicted from some dodgy food I ate the last two days (onions, garlic, gelato, cheese). BUT, my mood is still really tops as it has been for 2 weeks despite the migraine activity and I feel like doing lots of things. Actually motivated instead of forcing it. Never happens like this.

S :slight_smile:

4

Scott,

this is great!!! Good for you! Sometimes the weirdest things can make a difference, kinda like me throwing a hat on. I want this milo stuff, I’m sure it’s availiable in the states. I have to agree that it’s probably the b vits in there and the fillers of the actual b-vit pills probably did triigger some nasty stuff.

I got the same excitement you’re having right now when I started the intramax. I must have been not getting something that was in there and it made me feel quite a bit better. I definately have some migraine activity even on the intramax but for some reason since I’ve been on it, I feel much better even though I’m still dizzy. There are a lot of times I feel as if I’m going into remission, but still not there yet. I really want to start a med to put me through the finish line right now cause I feel close at times, but got some visual vertigo that is being very stubborn and I think some nort should clear that up for me. I did get rx for inderal, but when I think back to when I was on nort, that did take care of the visual vertigo but not the rocking. Since Jogging a bit earlier in the year, that took care of my rocking but not the visual vertigo. So in a perfect world, starting the nort again should finish me off I think.

Nice find on the milo!!! :smiley:

Greg

5

Scott,

I think you and Greg are onto something with the Milo and Intramax. I have wondered if I am getting all of the nutrients my body needs based on a limited migraine diet. If your body and mind is extra stressed out, maybe you need an extra dose of certain types of vitamins. If you think about it, migraineurs bodies probably go through a lot more stress compared to most people. I am no doctor, but I would think a body and mind going through relatively extra stress would need extra dose of something. I am also curious if the Actigen-E has anything to do with it. Anyway, I am going to try the Milo and will let you know if it helps or not…

Ryan

6

At first I thought “Milo? That’s the cat across the street.” Next thought, “who’s that guy on the can, and what the heck is he taking a whack at with that paddle?” :lol:

Just kidding, I’ve never heard of Milo, but chocolate malt sounds good to me! Hope it continues to keep your spirits up, Scott. I’m thinking I need to try my B complex again and see what the does for my mood and enrgy, which is often lagging even with my med combo.

Anne

7

I fricken LOVE Milo!!! I stopped having it when MAVhit but now I’m hoping that I can have some again coz seriously, I could live on that stuff!!!

Good luck my friend - see u soon!!

8

Long may your milo magic continue Scott!

" You gotta be made of Milo"

Gabrielle, victim of advertising :lol:

9

Greg – I have no doubt the Intramax gave you a jolt. If you were lacking in B vitamins, maybe from this illness dragging you down or a consequence of food restriction, you would feel it as I have. The thing is, maybe you can keep the same jolt from something a hell of a lot cheaper like Milo or whatever. Milo will cost me nothing at work but if I buy it, it probably amounts to 2 bucks a month!

Not sure if you can get Milo in the States or not. Maybe under a different name … will check Wikipedia later. It’s available in the UK right Mupp? As Milo?

S 8)

10

This is very interesting.

I drank a decent amount of Milo when I was in Singapore (my company used to have an office there and I would spend months there). They typically drank it as a hot drink, not as a cold drink. It is an alternative to Kopi (coffee) and Te (tea) both of which are so strong that they would melt steel, but very sweet due to condensed milk.

Milo is not very popular in the US. In fact, I wonder if it is even available here, but the Americans here might want to take a look.

11

Hi… it is available in the US on the website Simply Australian SimplyOz.com shipped out of Cincinnati OH. Doesn’t look too expensive and it’s available in sm, med, lg. It sounds a lot like old fashioned ovaltine. I am going to give it a try.
Thanks,

Karen

12

Hi Guys – like all things in life, you can buy it on Amazon. Is there anything that you can’t buy on Amazon? :smiley:

(NB from admin: these product links exist to point you to a product this member has found helpful and at the same time helps fund the site: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. More recommended products here. Thanks for your support!)

I was telling my brother about it this morning – he lives in Atlanta – and he ordered 1.5 kg of the stuff. He’s already calling it his cheap heroin. :lol:

13

You are right Scott…it’s on Amazon and it’s cheaper. Don’t know why I didn’t thnk of it since I rarely shop in stores anymore, I am an Amazon junkie. Thanks!

Karen

14

Love the look of the tin, it looks like an advert from the 1950s! I often get a real energy boost when I get my B12 jab, unfortunately, along with it, I get more migraine and vertigo for the first week. I had a B12 jab 2 weeks ago and I have done loads in this last two weeks, even had a go at Gokarting and didnt end up floored with fatigue. I once took some B vits and took 3 times the amount of one of them by accident, it was a really high dose (cant remember which one offhand) but I remember noticing the difference in the energy for a while. I wish I could take the Bs without side effects, but I have tried numerous times and had trouble with them. I definitely think we are lacking in the Bs.

Christine

15

So get this guys … over the weekend I had no Milo. But today at work I had one spoonful only in a tall glass of cold 1% milk. It forms this crunchy layer on the top and you have to smash it up to make it dissolve in cold milk.

So 30 minutes later and I started getting that feeling like I want to party again. :lol: I was really feeling too charged to be honest and found it hard to concentrate for about 2 hours on work (but no headache). I left work feeling revved but in a good way, got home, and instead of flopping onto the couch like a sack of potatoes like a typical day in my life, I put on some running shoes and shorts and headed down to the board walk at Bondi.

I started power walking and then RAN about 500 m then walked the rest. I NEVER run anywhere unless I happen to be chased by an axe wielding maniac. I got home and did some weights and 30 sit ups. What the …? :shock:

Tomorrow I’m having a day off the Milo. It’s blowing me away this stuff and I have to find the right dose. I’m now slightly starting to wonder if I could possibly free myself of the Paxil. A long shot and probably wishful thinking but maybe … how do kids take this and do any school work?

Scott

16

Christine – have you ever tried Milo? Like you the usual vitamins give me massive headaches and just make things worse. The last time I tried a straight vit B2 I just couldn’t hack it at all.

17

Well I am sold! I am going into town today and I believe Sainsburys and Tesco do it. Will check it out.

Christine

18

Scott,

Damn you’re really rolling with this stuff. Are you seriously considering dumping the paxil? If so, that’s amazing. I think remission is looking at you in the face right now. Good stuff!

Greg

19

That’s awesome! Is this stuff available in Canada?

20

It will be very funny if Amazon has a run on Milo. Scott may unintentionally create a bunch of migraine Milo junkies.

I clicked on the Amazon link and noticed that the picture there does NOT feature “that guy on the can” who is “taking a whack” at something “with that paddle” as Anne so comically put it. When I went to Australia (yes I got to go and I loved it), there was a big cricket thing going on, and it was all over the news - even though I thought I knew a lot about sports, I heard SO many terms I was clueless about.

We just finished what we call the “World Series” for baseball over here - but it’s apparently NOT for the whole world or there would have been paddles involved!

:lol: