If I asked you to create a list of foods you love, what are the chances that most would contain some form of #dairy? (I'll go ahead and assume over 50%). For many people, having dairy in their diet is a staple. Whether it's milk, or cheese, it's something that is processed into many of our favorite foods. What do you do though when you love dairy, but perhaps your body doesn't? When you suggest going dairy free, most tend to think that it's either hard or foods won't taste as good.
For approximately 60% of people dairy tends to do one of few things that does not include "making them feel good on the inside".
First what does Lactose Intolerant mean? Simply put, it means a person cannot properly digest lactose. It also means that someone could be lacking the enzyme lactase. It can also be noted that while you might be deficient in lactase, but be able to tolerate small amounts of lactose. (For example, I can tolerate yogurt but not other dairy products). Another thing too is that we are born with the enzyme and can become intolerant as we grow up due to not incorporating enough lactase into our diet.
Signs of a possible lactose intolerance include:
Nausea
Bloating
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Passing gas
When deciding to switch to an all dairy free diet, or even making simple swaps it doesn't have to be the end of all things tasty.
Here are some of my suggestions / favorites for easy dairy free swaps:
SO Delicious yogurt- Lots of flavors to choose from
Cliff or RX bars- Great tasting / protein friendly
Halo top or Ben & Jerry's dairy free ice cream
Silk unsweetened almond milk
Amy's dairy free pizza
Daiya for cheese or other dairy free options
Being dairy free doesn't have to be a chore, it's more getting educated on what options there are / what you like. The best part is that most of these options are all found at HEB, Walmart, Target, easy grocery stores you would still be shopping at daily.
When it comes to your body, be smart and listen to the signs it's giving you. I personally stopped doing dairy over 5 years ago, and feel great. My calcium is still where it needs to be, and the stomach issues I had from consuming dairy have stopped. If you think you might have a lactose sensitivity I would eliminate one dairy product at a time. Perhaps you can tolerate small doses of it, or perhaps it is one item specifically making you not feel too hot.
Hopefully this helps you realize though that there are plenty of food options that can leave you feeling satisfied while reaching the goals you've set with your nutrition.
-Taryn
Nutrition coaching: Transformwithtaryn.com
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