80 Best Gluten Free Desserts For The Holidays
First you gave up gluten, and now you’re asking me to give up dairy? Are you crazy?
Let’s back up a sec.
In 2008, I was diagnosed with multiple food sensitivities which also included dairy. Not the lactose problem that everyone so commonly thinks of, but more like the casein side of things. If lactose were my biggest issue, then I could find solace in goat’s milk products. However being sensitive to casein complicated matters because casein is a protein found in all dairy.
As the years have gone by, my sensitivity to dairy seems to have lessened somewhat. I can tolerate goat’s milk products much easier than cow’s however certain things like milk and yogurt are probably forever on my avoid list (they just make me gag and feel nauseous). I got into a routine of making my own almond milk (which is incredibly easy and way less wasteful than those boxed options that can’t be recycled) and enjoy some Daiya cheese (gluten-, dairy- and soy-free) periodically should I REALLY need a cheesy fix.
In my opinion and after working with so many clients to change their diets to something that suits their digestive systems better, taking dairy out is a big key. There is some research that milk proteins are very similar to gluten and can actually set off the alarm for the immune system to activate (think cross reactivity). It’s also mucus forming (which isn’t great for most of us out there who don’t want to be congested and trying to hack up phlegm).
But aside from these physical issues, there begs a real question of why we consume so much animal baby food. And that’s really what it is… it’s food for baby animals… not humans or else there wouldn’t be issues that consuming cow’s milk before the age of 2 can trigger Type 1 Diabetes in kids. There’s even a warning from the Academy of Pediatrics about keeping cow’s milk away from kids before their first birthday.
And then you’ve got to wonder what all those hormones injected into the cows are doing to them and the consumers of milk. We see young boys and girls going through puberty earlier than ever and also have an increasingly problematic situation of hormone-related cancers and health concerns. I’m just saying… something seems wrong to me.
Are you with me so far?
If you’re feeling uneasy because dairy ends up in every single meal you eat, don’t get nervous or quickly dismiss the idea that at least stepping your dairy consumption down is impossible. It’s not.
Let me tell you as someone who eats very little dairy… it’s not the end of the world. There are several tricks to get around the creaminess that people love and then there are just certain aspects of parting with it that you can face with time and help from someone who has done this sort of thing.
I thought this graphic below could also provide you with some food for thought
Graphic created by: LearnStuff.com
So question for ya:
Do you consume dairy and if so, has any of these points raised here every made you consider giving it up?
Related posts
