I have always been a major fan of the nuances of artisan cheeses, would source recipes that included some variation of cheese as an ingredient, and wouldn’t shy away from a whole milk-based ice cream or dessert.  Although I experienced short-lived satisfaction from consuming these items, that sensation would quickly dissipate, and what would immediately follow would be abdominal discomfort, digestive issues, and emotional swings.  

Over the last 6 months, I have drastically reduced my dairy intake and my body Loves me for making the sacrifice, and, like anything else that we discover to not agree with our organism, I have almost completely lost the taste for it. 

65% of the population is lactose intolerant and 75% have a natural adverse reaction to it.  If you are one of them, then consuming dairy could cause you to have:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Cramps
• Diarrhea.

However you feel about the topic, the food pyramid set forth by the USDA (comprised of people who worked in the dairy industry)  is a tad dated, as it states that we need 3 glasses of milk a day.

But it gives us strong bones right?  Well…Although components of dairy, such as calcium, are believed to give us strong bones, many parts of the world where dairy is consumed much less, such as Asia and Africa, have the lowest incidence of osteoporosis, blowing that theory out of the water.

A dairy free diet should net these possible improvements to your health:

• Improved sinuses/post-nasaldrip.
• Decrease headaches.
• Lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease from reduced whole milk intake, which contains saturated fat.
• Prevent irritable bowel syndrome.
• Lowers risk of prostate cancer by 30%-50%.
• Increase energy (leading to the creation of this FB post:)
• Weight loss – substituting whole milk products with nut milks will aid in burning fat
• Clearer skin – contributed by the absence of growth hormones in milk, and the spike in sugar and insulin upon consuming lactose.

 Fact: Limited dairy or dairy free diet decreases fractures and has the lowest rates of osteoporosis,

ALTERNATIVES THAT WORK FABULOUSLY FOR ME:

·       Substitute Milk for Coconut Milk, Almond Milk, or Oat Milk.  Sugars are added to most of these but purchasing the Unsweetened types will not contain any.

·       Substitute Greek Yogurt – for coconut milk, soymilk, or hemp yogurt.  I eat SO Delicious Brand Coconut Milk Yogurts on the daily (No sacrifice in flavor) https://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/dairy-free-foods/dairy-free-yogurt-alternatives/?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_campaign=So%20Delicious%20Yogurt_Yogurt_Brand_Google_Exact&utm_term=so%20delicious%20yogurt&gclid=CjwKCAjwp-X0BRAFEiwAheRui3t07bX2xPN5josdrCc2u8Gi1TntuSFsxne8M_BYcWKiJW9F_69otRoCKZMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

     Substitute for Eggs (although technically they aren’t dairy) – for baking/binding mix 1 TBL Flaxseed with 3 TBL of soy milk

     Substitute for Butter – Cook with avocado or olive oil.  Earth Balance spread or Vegan Buttery Sticks https://www.earthbalancenatural.com/spreads/original-buttery-spread

     Ice Cream – SO Delicious cashew milk, almond milk, soy milk, and coconut milk ice cream, bars, and sandwiches https://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/dairy-free-foods/dairy-free-frozen-desserts/?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_campaign=So%20Delicious%20Frozen_Frozen_Brand_Google_Exact&utm_term=so%20delicious%20ice%20cream%20bars&gclid=CjwKCAjwp-X0BRAFEiwAheRui5eq4hB_uKw9spnXS_ZCzqxQ4YlBGftYYbjNIh6r41ArOfL6lwl5RRoC0FcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Sugarfree, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Ice Cream Novelty Leah’s Better Bites (Whole Foods)
https://betterbitesbakery.com/collections/do-bites

Cheese – There are plenty of vegan options but I am not a fan of vegan cheeses.  As mentioned post detoxing from cheeses I have almost totally lost the taste for it.  Try Core and Rind Cashew Cheese Sauces – https://www.amazon.com/Sauce-Cashew-Cheesy-Spicy-Chipotle/dp/B07QG5S34R/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2T9AHOY947GIN&dchild=1&keywords=core+and+rind+cashew+cheese+sauce&qid=1586783988&sprefix=core+and+ri%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-2

 Although I am not so binary about these dietary practices, I continue to set myself up for success by purchasing groceries that are mostly dairy free, sourcing recipes that don’t include dairy, and meal prep to start the week.  In you find yourself in a situation that you know that you are going to consume dairy, and want to avoid the side effects, take a Calcium Lactate supplement: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=calcium+lactate&ref=nb_sb_noss_2