Cut out the dairy?

[KnottedYet]

I have trouble with lactose, which I finally made a real effort to eliminate from my diet a couple years ago.

I've gained 30 lbs since then.

Bummer....

[doggrrl]

I was having inflamation issues in my foot from running. A wellness doctor suggested I give up dairy for 3 months because it might be contributing to my inflamation. Dairy is the #1 cause for allergic reactions, people think it's nuts or soy, but it's really dairy products, specifically cow dairy.

Yeah I know, it's sort of "out there hippie" finding a cure for my plantar faciitis by changing my eating, but the doctor had a point about the food we ingest. Think of it as clean fuel vs. not so clean fuel, both will still work, but your body will definitely function better with cleaner fuels.

Once I gave up dairy I dropped 15 lbs in 6 weeks. I have to say, it wasn't just dairy that did it. I switched out my proteins to be more fish oriented, ate more veggies, etc. I seriously felt physically better. However, to me it was probable that dairy did bad things to my body that I didn't even notice--minor inflamation, minor aches and pains. My body just didn't like dairy on a large level. (I will still have a slice of pizza or ice cream on occassion)
However to be fair, the weight loss could have made it easier on my joints and now my aches and pains are less. Who knows? I just think it's dairy.

Then I started to look into epigenetics--the thought being, our body genetics are driven by the diet of our ancestors. They ate what was available in their area and then genetics followed to adapt to those foods (through the generations) Since I am of Asian desent, I should eat more foods from the sea and more rice and typically Asians are lactose intollerant, so cutting out dairy made even more sense.

Anyhow, my 2 cents worth about weight loss.

[Natural Beauty]

well....if 8oz of plain no fun chocolate included 2% milk has 121 calories....and if i were to drink 29.75 of those that would be 1lb worth of calories.
So...allergens and steroids/hormones aside....I guess between a 20oz mocha, milk on my oatmeal and any cheese or other dairy.....I could kill a pound in 2 weeks??? sigh.
mocha vs. more pushups.

[kjay]

You might try low-fat chocolate soy milk, which is fabulous, in my opinion. I quit drinking cow's milk many years ago, but I have no clue what it does or does not do for weight loss. Chocolate milk (soy milk, in my case) is so darn refreshing.

Somewhere I read and found it interesting that we're the only species that drinks milk from another species. Cows drink cow's milk, goats drink goat milk, camels drink camel milk, and on and on. Not that this is of any significance, I just thought it interesting.

[alpinerabbit]

We are also the only species that has left natural selection behind. We are the only species that farms food. So you can't really compare us with other animals.

I still hold that while some individuals may get some benefit from not consuming dairy, some won't, and you can't blame dairy for everything. I have a suspicion that eliminating certain types of food has a beneficial effect because you start watching what you eat overall.

Weight gain, weight loss, for me it's junk in-junk out.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I don't know where I got the idea from but about 2 years ago I stopped drinking 'regular' milk and started drinking hormone free milk as well as switched to eating little to no meat. I eat fish most of the time, or chicken that is as close to free range as I can get.

The reason I did was because I just noticed that I didn't feel right around my period, and somehow I made a connection with hormones in milk. I can't really remember the how and why.

I also started drinking soy milk more and noticed I feel better. I can't put my finger on it, but I just feel less agitated?

As for weight loss, everyone is different. I do find that if I drink more milk or I hit starbucks for a latte instead of making it myself, that I am more apt to either gain or not lose. I count calories like crazy so I think as far as going to starbucks or another coffee place, they might use more milk than what I am accounting for.

[LBTC]

Then I started to look into epigenetics--the thought being, our body genetics are driven by the diet of our ancestors. They ate what was available in their area and then genetics followed to adapt to those foods (through the generations) Since I am of Asian desent, I should eat more foods from the sea and more rice and typically Asians are lactose intollerant, so cutting out dairy made even more sense.

Interesting concept. I like the idea, but I've found that I don't do well with wheat and other gluten producing grains, and my family is of European descent - with the strongest link with the Ukraine- the bread basket of Europe. Not quite a fit with the theory.

Back to dairy, though. I can't tolerate dairy (found this out in the last two years), and feel so much better without it in my diet. I do miss it: cheese, ice cream, cream sauces....but when I think about it - the way I was adding dairy to my fuel, it was just that - added. Something was always better with cheese on it. Fruit or pie was always better with ice cream. The lovely salad was better with a creamy dressing. I'm sure that some of the weight I've lost has to do with not adding those extra calories from dairy.

And, I've actually invented the solution I would like to have. I'd love to have a pill that would allow me to eat dairy with no consequences - no bloating, pain, etc - whenever I want. Take a pill, eat dairy in the next few hours. But I want it to be expensive. I would need the motivation of not wanting to spend an extra $10 just so could eat dairy that day....so I saved it only for special occasions. I just know that if I could eat more dairy, I would, and I'd have to ride and exercise that much more to make up for it!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[KnottedYet]

LBTC - is it the casein or the lactose that bugs you? There is a pill for the lactose available here in the US (Lactaid). I could mail you some if you want to try it. I don't bother myself, just because it's easier for me to have soy or rice milk. (every espresso stand and every grocery around here has soy and/or rice)

Gluten and various dairy intolerances seem to go hand-in-hand. So far, I think my only dairy problem is the lactose, but I've been avoiding most dairy anyway due to my crazy damm cholesterol levels.

[LBTC]

Thanks for the offer, Knot. I don't think it's lactose as Lactaid pills did nothing for me years ago....I doubt they would work now. Besides, I don't want a *cheap* pill! I don't have enough time to exercise that much!!

H&B
~T~

[KnottedYet]

Well, at least you've had a chance to try the Lactaid.

Hey, have you tried soy yogurt? My groovy grocery store has several brands. The little fruit flavored cups are really good. Yesterday I bought a big tub of plain soy yogurt. It's not as tart as cow yogurt, but very nice all the same. The same company that makes my favorite yogurt (Whole Soy & Co.) makes really good frozen soy yogurt. Mmmm, hazelnut and chocolate...

And you get all the benefits of live cultures (and they're not grown on dairy media).

ETA: has anyone tried making their own soy yogurt? Is it as easy as making cow yogurt?

[shootingstar]

Guess for some people, a person's body chemistry changes over time. I grew up on drinking 1-2 glasses of milk daily, and had a slice of cheddar cheese several times weekly often enough as a child.

This was part of a childhood and teenage diet that was 80% Asian in home cooking. Butter was used sparingly at home, it just wasn't part of the cooking style/palate to have lots of butter in our dishes.

However in the past few decades, I've been less lactose tolerant. But still am happy and fine with just milk daily to flavour all my teas and coffees (I have 4-5 cups daily) since I never taken sugar in either beverage. I still eat cheese, goat cheese, regular brie, etc. but that tends to be for special dishes prepared at home or at restaurants. I have some milk in my microwaved oatmeal nearly everyday. I only buy skim milk. I can now really TASTE homogenized milk...now it tastes too rich for me.

No I don't drink soy milk often at all. But do buy fresh tofu often enough for cooking. Slicing pieces of tofu in a soup consomme and letting it cook for 5-10 min. is such an easy thing to do. Mindless.

On a regular basis, we both eat soy cheese often. There is a good Canadian brand that doesn't taste rubbery.

For weight control, my challenge is not dairy, it's more desserts.

I found out last year to have 2 huge milky lattes in a row, is not a good thing for my bowel and me.