Is Dairy Okay? If Not, Why Not? by Joan Kent, PhD

According to some theories, only blond Scandinavians – really, not even brunette Scandinavians – should consume dairy. Yet many non-blond folks do, and frequently. Considering the widespread effects of milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products on a large portion of the population, it pays to look at this topic.

Reactions to dairy may fall in one of two categories:  lactose intolerance and casein reactions to dairy protein.

Lactose intolerance affects approximately 65% of the world population and manifests primarily as gastro-intestinal signs and symptoms. They include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, bloating, gas, and stomach cramps.

Casein reactions may be delayed for up to 3 days and can include:

Joint pain

Swelling of lips, mouth, tongue, face or throat

Skin reactions (hives, rashes, itchy skin, eczema, or acne)

Respiratory reactions (nasal congestion, sinus problems, sneezing, runny nose, asthma, coughing, or wheezing)

Other reactions (itchy eyes, fatigue, and weight loss resistance)

Underlying These Signs and Symptoms Is Inflammation

A client of mine had severe premenstrual symptoms and signs but couldn’t find relief until she started working with me. We traced her discomfort back to the dairy in her diet. The symptoms disappeared when she eliminated those foods.

Clearly, consumption of dairy needs to be decided on an individual basis. In the meantime, keep your diet low in sugar, white flour, and other high insulin triggers to help prevent the inflammation that may make it easy to trigger these reactions.

Dairy foods are not the only ones that trigger inflammation. Other foods can lead to other food sensitivities and health issues. If you’d like help identifying inflammation-causing foods in your diet, perfect. That’s what I do. Just visit LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Inflammation Busters Consult. Discover how easy it is to make a few changes, improve your health, and start feeling great.

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar.