My love for veggies is widely known thanks to my frequent usage of the term freggies and my weight loss tips to aim for 7-9 servings. This has lead to a lot of folks assuming I’m vegan.
I’m not.
But when I travel, vegan options are at the top of my list because I am dairy free and egg free…mostly. I mean I NEED pizza in my life and when a chocolatier in France offers you a three layered slice of heaven, you eat it and deal with the bloating later because LIFE!!
Another thing that happens when I travel is the ongoing conversations as to why I’m dairy free, what changed, how do I feel and what do I eat?!
It’s understandable because so much of our American Diet is steeped in dairy. The idea of giving it up can be scary and confusing…but potentially a massive game changer in your energy, skin, and weight.
I’m not getting political here or talking about animals, this is solely focusing on health.
Should You Go Dairy Free?
I’ve gone in depth on the difference between food allergies and intolerances previously, so I won’t rehash that here. When I was in the midst of trying to figure out why I felt so bad in Miami, a holistic doctor recommended removing dairy and eggs to help with my constant stomach pain.
An added bonus for many runners is that it helps to alleviate runners diarrhea! No one wants to talk about it, but that’s such a common issue!
Within 10 days of taking them out of my diet:
- My nose acne cleared up. – It was never bad, but I was always broke out along the sides of my nose and had begun fighting it on my chin. I tried ProActiv with no results because the issue wasn’t my skin, it was my gut. Now only break out after having too much sugar or dairy/eggs {usually when traveling}.
- My whole body is less bloated. – Weight that I was baffled about over that year of feeling unwell seemed to just go away and all of my clothes got looser. That I’m so stuffed feeling also went away, so I could enjoy my food.
- My energy skyrocketed. – I hadn’t had that much energy in the previous year. While I had been sleeping 9-10 hours a night for a LONG time, suddenly 8 was plenty.
- In other words, I knocked out the constant inflammation in my body and I simply felt better overall.
Let’s take a few steps back…
What is dairy?
Food that is made with milk products from a cow. The easiest of which to spot is a cartoon of milk or a block of cheese, but I find when I say dairy free a lot of other foods are forgotten (especially dining out):
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Many protein shakes
- Yogurt
- Latte’s, Half and Half
- Custard, ice cream, mousse, gelato
- Most dressings and dips are a dairy base
- Scrambled eggs and oatmeal often include milk
- Whey protein
- Kefir
- Chocolate (YUP!! I stick to one’s like Green and Black’s which are dairy free)
- Nutella (checkout my alternative)
Eggs are not included in the dairy list, though some think they are. It’s two separate allergens.
Why does it bother some people?
About 75% of people actually have some level of lactose intolerance, they just don’t realize that dairy is what’s causing their stuffy nose, bloating. lethargy or too full feeling.
Lactase is the enzyme needed to digest the sugar in milk and most people simply stop producing as much of this enzyme. Others notice it after hormonal changes (raises hand) or major gut dysfunction.
Could going dairy free clear up your skin? Help you lose weight? Find out Share on XCan’t you take something?
Since I’ve now gotten this question from every person I’ve talked to about going dairy free, let’s address it.
While I am taking a high quality pro-biotic, this is not a cure all or a free pass to eat dairy. It does seem to allow me to have a cookie or my beloved classic crust sausage pizza slice once in awhile without stomach pains later. However, I have found that my face still breaks out a little and I will notice a dip in energy a couple days later.
I’m ok with that trade off for now because it means feeling good and not deprived ever.
Should Everyone Go Dairy Free?
I’m not of the mindset that any one dietary shift is good for everyone (besides vegetables). I think each of us needs to see how our body feels when we make changes, especially a change that eliminates an entire food group.
Giving up dairy wasn’t awful, BUT I believe that’s because I had a lot of information to go with it. I am a person who likes facts and science to prove that the decisions I’m making are the right one’s for me. There are alternative foods like Daiya on the market (tastes awesome), but I’m aiming to stick to whole foods and not try to replicate it with fake foods.
BONUS — Read more about why our digestion impacts our health, mood and more >>
What about calcium?
Calcium and protein are two of the biggest concerns when we opt out of a food group that so many find integral to a healthy diet. I mean it takes up a whole spot on the government’s healthy food chart!
In fact, research has actually shown that we better absorb calcium from plant based sources! Say, what?!
Not all calcium that we consume is absorbed, in fact we only absorb about 32% from milk products. So you aren’t in the hole by choosing not to have dairy, instead you need to have a good variety of plant based calcium foods in your diet.
The recommended daily allowance is 1,000 mg for men and 1,200 mg for women. Here are some ideas for upping your intake:
- Spinach, kale, leafy greens, bok choy
- Bone Broth
- Fortified cereals (like Cheerios)
- Figs, oranges
- Beans
- Almonds, sesame seeds, tahini
- Chia seeds
- Canned Salmon or Sardines (for the non-vegans)
- Milk alternatives
Can’t we just supplement?
Do so with caution, there is a lot out there to say that calcium supplements aren’t actually beneficial to bone health and can cause a number of other problems (like that bloating we just got rid of).
Easy ways to get your calcium sans milk! #dairyfree tips for better absorption Share on XBonus Tip
It’s not just about eating the calcium sources, you actually need to ensure you have adequate levels of Vitamin D and Magnesium to ensure your body can process the calcium. Turns out the low Vitamin D was likely one of my own issues for absorbing calcium.
Resources
Lucky for me, my friend and expert on dairy free living, Alisa was kind enough to mail her book Go Dairy Free…freaking amazing! Tons of information about how allergies manifest, how many people are effected and so much more…including of course recipes and products that are dairy, egg and gluten free!
Read Next:
Dairy Free Alternatives for Beginners >>
High Protein Dairy Free Meal Plan >>
Looking for ideas? All the recipes on RTTF are dairy free and geared towards fueling athletes.
Are you dairy free?
Do you have any food intolerances?
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Ivanna
Thank you SO much for this. I mean this came right on time. I just learned that I have to go COMPLETELY dairy free and this post is so refreshing to read and makes me hopeful. Great information here. Thanks Amanda
amanda
Yes it can feel completely overwhelming at first!! Let me know if there is anything at all I can help with!! You’re so great with following plans, i have no worries it will feel easy to you soon
Tracie
Such good tips! I think, for a lot of people (myself included), it takes a really long time to realize and accept that they’re lactose intolerant. And we probably don’t want to admit we’d feel much, much better if we gave up the cheese. :) But going dairy-free seriously helps with skin conditions, bloating, and even allergies. Definitely worth it!
amanda
Truly if that dr hadn’t recommended it and I hadn’t felt so bad, I would have blown it off. But once I tried it there was no denying I felt better.
Katie
I definitely pay attention to vegan options anytime I eat out because I’m mostly vegetarian but also dairy free. I’ve had to be dairy free since I was a kid and truthfully, as I got older, the less and less I could tolerate it in any amount. Now, I basically have to avoid it like the plague because it can lead to such brutal side effects. I also appear to have an intolerance to gluten and soy, but thankfully those aren’t nearly as severe. I don’t necessarily think that everyone needs to avoid it 100% but I do think people need to pay better attention to how it effects them and know that there are other ways to enjoy pizza, ice cream, or mac and cheese that don’t have to entirely rip apart your digestive system.
Laura @ This Runner's Recipes
Great information! I’m not lactose intolerant, but I definitely am sensitive to it and try to avoid it for hormonal reasons. It made a world of difference for my stomach when I cut out milk and ice cream. I’ll eat fermented dairy like yogurt and certain types of cheese that are low in lactose (like sheep and goat), but cheese is a treat. It is so true that other foods can provide calcium and by incorporating those into my diet, I probably have healthier bones than when I was younger and relied just on milk.
Irina
I love this post! Thanks for sharing all this info:)
irinathayer.com
Mary
I had similar results when I gave up high glycemic index carbs. More energy, less sleep needed, and fewer stomach aches for sure. I do still get the occasional breakouts though. Maybe eliminating dairy and eggs as well will turn me into some sort of super human!