7 Signs You Have a Dairy Allergy or Intolerance
For my husband and I the answer is a definite yes, well, for him anyways. It is easy for me to stay away from the dairy and enjoy the benefits when my main focus is on keeping my husband healthy; I hate to be reason he is stuck in bed dosed up on benadryl, both of us crossing our fingers that's as bad as it gets. But when he's out of town of town at one Scout camp or another, I'll admit, it's a whole different ball game. What can I say? I like my macaroni cheese! (Among many other things).
So how does one know when it's time to give it up? Hopefully these will help.
1.) Constant gas, bloating, or digestive issues
Ever wonder why you are bloated, all the time? Well, it might just be the dairy. Often times, an aversion to dairy comes from the body's lack of ability to digest it well. Our bodies naturally stop producing the enzymes that aid in digesting dairy as we get older. It is our bodies way of naturally weaning itself off of mother's milk, yet we continue to put more and more in our bodies, causing the bloating, and gas, and problems with digestion. An easy way to know whether or not this is you, go off the dairy for a week or two. If the problem persists, chances are it's something else, but if the problem subsides, chances are you should continue the dairy free diet.
2.) Congestion Issues
I mentioned clearer sinuses as a benefit in my last post, so I wont spend too much time on this one. Pay attention to your body, do you constantly have to clear your throat? Is your nose stuffed all the time, or do you get frequent sinus infections? The main cause of excess mucus in the body is inflammation, so it makes sense if one has a dairy allergy, their body is going to be inflamed, causing all sorts of mucus issues.
3.) You Get Sick Real Easily
This goes along with the idea that dairy is harmful to the immune system, which is especially so if one has an allergy. With an allergy, it just makes the issue that much worse. If your immune system isn't working all that great, it's probably a good idea to get rid of anything that harmful to it, including dairy. It is important to let your body focus on getting rid of things like viruses and bacteria, rather than your favorite milk or cheese.
4.) Skin Rashes
If it's an allergy, as opposed to an intolerance, it is important to stay completely away from dairy, not only in the diet. My husband had an experience when he first started working at his current job. His face was broken out, and his arms were red, and irritated, and covered is some sort of rash we weren't sure what to call at first. Come to find out, the soap at his office had milk in it, and he often washed his hands and face at work. The soap caused an allergic reaction on his skin, so he had to ask for the soap to be changed in the bathrooms, or he would have had to start bringing his own. Aside from topical use, the intake of certain allergens can still cause skin problems. The body often uses the skin as a path for detoxification, which can cause skin rashes when dairy, or other allergens, are consumed.
5.) Chronic Acne, Scarring, and Boils
Aside from the very lucky few, just about everyone struggles with acne at one time or another, but how do we know when enough is enough? As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the body often uses the skin as a path for detoxification. We know that the skin is the largest organ on the body, so the skin is a great way to read one's health. If you or someone you know has constant acne struggles, it could be caused by dairy. Both my husband and cousin and a few other family members have struggled with the kind of acne that leaves their face almost raw looking, like it would hurt even to touch. I'm not talking the average zit covered face, but pustules, and boils, and owwwwwww. Acne medication, after medication, after medication, and nothing. Turns out, it was the dairy causing an allergic reaction. Once my sweet cousin decided to reduce and eliminate her dairy intake her skin cleared right up, and now I swear she is the prettiest little red head I have ever seen, and as for my husband, he is as handsome as ever (I might be a little biased on that one).
6.) Headaches
Headaches are another symptom of a dairy allergy. The body has many ways of telling us that something is wrong, what better way than a headache? It's a sure way to get a persons attention, as it inhibits our ability to pay attention to anything else.
7.) Bad B.O.
This has to do with the skin and detox topic. If your body doesn't like dairy, it's going want it out. Give your body less crap to get rid of, and it just might start smelling better. Funny enough, after being married over a year, and knowing my husband for, what, two? I don't ever remember him smelling bad. AT ALL. Even after working out at the gym and being covered in sweat. He still smells normal.
If you have more than one of these problems, I highly recommend trying a dairy free diet. Thirty days is ideal, as it takes at least that long for your body to get rid of what's already there. It is important when doing a dairy cleanse though, to avoid ALL dairy. That means quickly checking labels, most will say down at the bottom of the ingredients list, contains: dairy, or may contain: dairy. I suggest even avoiding the may contains or processed in the same facility as labels. Watch our for things like whey, or casein, as those are products of dairy as well. After that thirty days, you should know whether or not you have either an allergy or intolerance.
**For anybody who is interested, please feel free to comment with questions about how to's, tips, good substitutes, where to get probiotics if not from dairy etc, I will answer back asap.
Deciding to Go Dairy Free? Follow this link: http://blog.allthingstristen.com/2018/03/so-youve-decided-to-go-dairy-freenow.html
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