Fleur de Lis Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Do you have to avoid dairy the same way that gluten-free eaters have to avoid gluten (very very carefully), or is your body able to handle a little every now and then so long as you don't go nuts with it? I'm thinking of trying to eat dairy free for a month or two to see if I can clear up some acne but don't want to accidentally hurt myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm Lactose Intolerant, so my answer may be a bit different. There seems to be little rhyme or reason to what I can and ca not do. For one thing I have a little pill I can take that helps me with everything except yogurt and ice cream. Those two I avoid like the Plague. I can handle cheeses in some doses like a grilled cheese sandwich, but not in large doses like pizza. Daily I have Lactaid Milk, which makes my coffee and tea so much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I can handle up to a sprinkle of cheese or a small pat of butter, but I try not to push it. I'm not lactose intolerant, I'm allergic in some way (dizziness, shortness of breath, abdominal pains, etc. that get worse if I take something like Lactaid.) So I don't eat straight-up dairy products, but I don't avoid products that contain just a bit of milk product. I suppose I would feel even better if I was more strict, but it's already been such a huge difference just in going to almost none that I'm pretty happy right here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anabelneri Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm doing the same thing. I just started a week ago Wednesday. I've had friends who have gone off dairy and back on later, even years later, with no trouble. Usually the were doing it because of their nursling having a reaction to dairy, so when they weaned they rejoiced greatly (with ice cream, usually). One friend from a while back avoided dairy because it caused acne. She said that now and then she would have some ice cream, but she would pay for it on her face later in the week. I'm hoping to at least get butter or even ghee back, but I'm not going to try it for 2 months. I know people with celiac disease who could die if they ate gluten. But I don't know anyone who such a serious reaction to dairy. I'd be curious to know if that exists. Good luck! It's an interesting experience so far... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I know people with celiac disease who could die if they ate gluten. But I don't know anyone who such a serious reaction to dairy. I'd be curious to know if that exists. My son will die if he eats dairy. He has anaphylaxis to the protein in cows milk, so cannot have any at all. My daughter cannot eat any at all with out a reaction although she is not anaphylactic. My husband can get away with small amounts every now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpe Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm still nursing my toddler who is dairy protein intolerant. He cannot have anything that even "may contain traces of" but I can get away with trace amounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 We are all dairy free (casein free). I know for myself and ds#3, we cannot tolerate any dairy; we will fairly quickly get horrible stomach cramps and pretty quick anxiety symptoms. Dh seems to be able to tolerate a small amount of butter (but maybe just a small pat on veggies or such), but even that tends to give him pretty immediate headaches. If the dairy builds up, he'll end up with quite frequent migraines. I think ds#1 and ds#2 are the most tolerant of us all (yet still intolerant) and probably could do a bit of butter and hard cheeses every now and then. But, with the rest of us intolerant (and we suspect dd is also, though she has never been exposed ... the Down syndrome makes her more likely to have issues and since we all do, there's no reason for her to ever have dairy or gluten), we are strictly dairy free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm thinking of trying to eat dairy free for a month or two to see if I can clear up some acne but don't want to accidentally hurt myself. I don't understand this. Dairy is not an essential food. There are many people who have never eaten dairy and are perfectly fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I don't understand this. Dairy is not an essential food. There are many people who have never eaten dairy and are perfectly fine. No, but if you are allergic to dairy and you stop eating it, then future exposures may cause much worse reactions. I am allergic to dairy - it makes me itch, cough, sneeze, etc. Before I went dairy-free, my worst reactions were always with ice cream and milk, but most other things were tolerable. Now that I am dairy free, even small amounts of dairy can get a reaction and the reaction is worse. I can't imagine eating ice cream now! OP, I seem to be able to tolerate small amounts of dairy in something that has been cooked. For example, some cakes and icing have dairy - I can eat them and only itch a little bit. However, large amounts, even cooked, can be terrible. For example, I once ate coconut cake at a party. Unfortunately, it had two full sticks of butter in the recipe! It was the best coconut cake I ever tried, but the next 3 days were TERRIBLE!:001_huh: I stay away from all types of "raw" dairy (as in not cooked into a baked good.) I occasionally eat things that contain a small amount of cooked dairy, but try not to do it too often. Check the labels - the farther down the ingredient list it shows up, the smaller the amount. The milk derivative in coffee creamers does not bother me. I use oil on popcorn, in baked/cooked items that call for butter, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashfern Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 It depends on how sensitive your body is to the protein in dairy. My son can have some dairy & it doesn't seem to bother him much. My daughter can't have any. She does eat some anyway but her eczema flares up and the consistency of her bm is very runny. It also gives her really bad gas with leakage. :ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristyB in TN Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 When you get all the dairy out of your system your body will start to get used to not having whatever enzyme it is that processes dairy, that is why dairy free people may experience cramping and other digestive issues when they consume it again. I'm dairy free because of the mucous it causes and the fact that I was reacting to every darn allergen on the planet when I was eating dairy. Now I react to nothing in the environment but if I have even a sprinkle of Parmesan I wheeze and cough for 2 weeks. My daughter has always been dairy free and if she ever accidentally has any at all she has to deal with acne AND wheezing and usually a round of bronchitis. If you are dairy free for a month, your body probably will not lose its ability to digest dairy. It takes a while for this to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 My youngest has been outgrowing his milk protein issues. After months of absolute ZERO dairy, little bits here and there don't bother him at all, so I wouldn't be too worried about a slip up in a non-allergic person. A large quantity, otoh, may not be a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 No, but if you are allergic to dairy and you stop eating it, If you are allergic to dairy then you wouldn't be eating it. :confused: My son is anaphylatic to dairy. There is no sensitizing him with low doses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleur de Lis Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 I don't understand this. Dairy is not an essential food. There are many people who have never eaten dairy and are perfectly fine. Sorry if that was confusing. The reason I said it is because from what I've learned of going gluten free it sounds as though once your body gets used to being gluten free it can really be hard on your system if you are accidentally exposed. I was wondering if eating dairy free is similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleur de Lis Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 If you are allergic to dairy then you wouldn't be eating it. :confused: My son is anaphylatic to dairy. There is no sensitizing him with low doses. My impression from reading about it on acne websites is that many people who have acne are allergic to dairy and the symptoms show as acne, not something more serious. There are different levels of "being allergic" it sounds like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleur de Lis Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 Thank you to everyone for the answers so far. It sounds like different people are just different so perhaps I'll just have to wait and see. Maybe give it a couple of months and see if the acne clears up before worrying too much about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I think going dairy free can help to clear up acne. I once heard, and now I don't remember where, that dairy has growth properties above and beyond it's caloric value (i.e. hormonal). If you are worried that food intolerances may contribute to your acne situation, you may want to start by researching leaky gut syndrome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I think going dairy free can help to clear up acne. I once heard, and now I don't remember where, that dairy has growth properties above and beyond it's caloric value (i.e. hormonal). If you are worried that food intolerances may contribute to your acne situation, you may want to start by researching leaky gut syndrome. Seems logical since it is intended for growing calves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Seems logical since it is intended for growing calves. Most people think of food in purely a calorimetric way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Most people think of food in purely a calorimetric way. Most people aren't very logical. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 FWIW, this is information I received from a vegan nurse when I asked her a question regarding dairy: For someone to be lactose intolerant means that they do not have the enzyme lactase. Lactase is produced in the lining of the small intestine, and to be quite honest, most people have low levels of lactase,since we were never meant to drink milk past infancy or early childhood and especially not from another mammal. Sadly however, most people do not have symptoms unless the lactase deficiency is severe. Those that do not drink milk and then suddenly will have milk again, most likely will react as if they do not have the lactase enzyme due to the unfamiliarity of the food. The most common symptoms of lactose intolerance are abdominal cramps and pain, gas and diarrhea. Less common symptoms are abdominal bloating, abdominal distention and nausea. Most children have the ability to digest lactose (with a few exception) however as we get older we lose the ability to manufacture this enzyme (lactase) which is produced in the small intestine. Some people lose the ability as early as 3 or 4 years old and others in their 20's or even older. In the situation that when you do not eat any dairy, it is not a 'use it or lose it' situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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