This week for Cut the BS Wednesday, we wanted to put the highlight on one of the top offenders that we suggest you remove from your diet – and that offender is DAIRY. Dairy is one of the most allergenic foods, and lactose intolerance alone affects over 7 million Canadians annually.

Whey, Albumin AND Casein are the top 3 proteins that people find irritating on the gut, with lactose (milk sugar) adding fuel to the fire. Our bodies aren’t designed to handle excessive quantities of dairy and in turn many people have major difficulty in digesting dairy. when our body can’t break something down, it leads to symptoms such as gas, bloating, stomach upset and inflammation.

Dairy and forms of dairy can be found in almost all packaged food that isn’t labeled ‘dairy free’. Some common names for dairy in ingredients lists – lactose, whey powder, casein, modified milk ingredients, milk powder, milk solids, butter fat – all of these names are forms of dairy. These babies are usually coating your favourite chip or cracker. If you are experiencing digestive issues, inflammation, eczema, acne, acid reflux, bloating, gas, ear infections, mucus build up in your lungs and in your sinus’ – you should consider cutting dairy out of your diet.

How to see if dairy is a trigger for you: Eliminate dairy from your diet for at least 3-7 days. And then reintroduce it slowly and make note of the changes. If you take a break from dairy and then reintroduce it and experience bloating, gas and indigestion, this is a sign that dairy is a serious trigger for you and you should limit it, or cut it out completely and give your gut some time to heal.

Can’t give up cheese? Milk? Coffee Cream? What foods can you use to replace your favourite dairy products?! Read our BLOG about dairy replacements, which includes a recipe for Maple-Cashew Nut Milk.

We have discussed this controversial topic before, and in fact, this is the #1 viewed episode of Simplicity TV.

Disclaimer: The information contained is intended to be used for general health care information purposes only, and should not be considered complete or used in place of a visit, call, consultation or advice from a physician and/or healthcare provider. Individuals are encouraged to contact their own private physician or healthcare provider regarding continuation or changes in their symptoms.

Resources: Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, Lactose Intolerance Overview, http://www.cdhf.ca/en/disorders/details/id/13, 02/10/16

 

Posted in Nutrition