Dairy Dilemma

Allergies are brought on by the consumption of normally harmless substances that the body incorrectly recognises as foreign for some reason (such as lactose). This in turn causes the release of antibodies to fight off their presence in the body. Consequently, the body will release chemical triggers such as histamines to alert the body to the invading ‘enemy’, which can result in inflammation. Allergies can range in severity, and at their most intense can result in anaphylactic shock, which can be life threatening if left untreated.

Food intolerances, on the other hand, don’t involve the immune system directly. Intolerances result when an enzyme needed to digest certain substances doesn’t exist in the body, or only in very small amounts. Those suffering from lactose intolerance don’t have sufficient amounts of the enzyme ‘lactase’, which is responsible for breaking lactose down in the small intestine. Without the necessary amount of lactase, the lactose gets sent straight into the large intestine, causing a range of digestive problems such as gas, bloating, stomach cramps and diarrhea.

Unlike dairy allergies, which many children grow out of, lactose intolerance generally worsens as we age. This is because, as we get older, the amount of lactase our body produces naturally decreases. In fact, in the great majority of the world’s populations, lactase activity declines dramatically in adulthood, to about 5 to 10 % of the activity that was present at birth. This translates to only a relatively small amount (about 30%) of people in the world who produce enough lactase to digest and absorb lactose efficiently throughout adult life!

When more lactose is consumed than the available lactase can handle, molecules remain undigested in the intestine, attracting water and causing bloating, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea – the classic symptoms of lactose intolerance. The undigested lactose becomes food for intestinal bacteria, which multiply and produce irritating acid and gas, further contributing to the discomfort and diarrhea. Thanks a million, greedy bacteria!

The most reliable testing method for dairy sensitivity is the elimination diet, which involves the avoidance of all casein (the main protein found in dairy),  lactose-containing foods and processed foods for two weeks.

After the two-week period you should begin individually re-introducing plain, organic dairy foods. If, after two days, you begin to notice any of the above symptoms, you most likely have a dairy intolerance. If, however, you experience no adverse symptoms after the two days, you may continue slowly re-introducing other dairy products until you either start to get symptoms, or you’re back to a normal diet.

In many cases, lactose intolerant people can actually tolerate fermented milk products such as yoghurt and some cheeses. This is because bacteria in these products digest lactose for their own use, which means that the lactose content of these foods is reduced. Hard cheeses and cottage cheese are often well tolerated as much of the lactose is removed with the whey during processing. So you love your smelly blue cheeses? Good news…lactose continues to decline as the cheese ages to the point of mould…so, basically, the smellier the better if you can tolerate it!

If you’d like to do something about your allergy or intolerance, treatment options range depending on the severity of it.  For example, those with a mild intolerance to lactose may still be able to consume limited amounts of dairy products with the use of a digestive aid, such as a lactase enzyme.

Simple avoidance, however, is generally the most reliable form of treatment. At the same time, since dairy is our primary source of calcium intake, if you take on a dairy-free diet, you must be sure to substitute alternative sources of calcium so you don’t become susceptible to deficiencies.

You need to be mindful that dairy (whey, casein and lactose) is used in the manufacturing of many foods. This means making a conscious effort to read labels carefully and identify ingredients. Here’s a good general guide;

Other Names for Dairy Products:

• Butter & Buttermilk
• Casein / Caseinates
• Cheese including cream, curd & cottage
• Cream – all varieties
• Creme fraiche & Fromage Frais
• Ice Cream
• Lactalbumin, Lactic Acid (E270)
• Lactose
• Liquid Milk of all kinds
• Milk solids & Skimmed milk powder
• Whey / Whey protein
• Yogurt           
• Where Dairy is Often Found (that you may not expect!):
• Artificial cream
• Batter (for pancakes, waffles, fish fingers etc)
• Biscuits – most include butter or margarine
• Breads – enriched breads often include butter and/or milk – and scones
• Cakes – most use butter & many use milk
• Cheese-flavoured chips
• Creme caramel / Creme Patissiere / Custard
• Chocolate/chocolate products
• Desserts – many different kinds
• Ice creams – most types
• Ready meals – most types
• Rice pudding & most other baked puddings
• Sauces – all white sauces and many other ready made sauces
• Sweeteners

A wide variety of dairy alternatives are being churned out into the mainstream market and with most options having slightly different properties for drinking and cooking, be prepared to sample a variety to figure out which taste and consistency suits you best.  Below is a taste of the most popular alternatives and when you’re done, check out the great video link underneath for the low down on pros and cons of the different options.

• Coconut milk
• Oat milk
• Rice milk
• Lactose-free dairy milk
• Hemp milk
• Almond milk

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/milk-alternatives-10692003

May you milk the many health rewards that dairy-free alternatives can offer!

Live long, live well, live naturally