Giving up dairy?

[AutumnDance]

I have some pain and inflammation in my body. It was recommended to me to give up dairy. Not by a doctor or a nutritionist. It was mentioned on a Facebook group to me.

Has anyone given up dairy or reduced dairy? Does giving it up work for reducing inflammation?

I would able be able to give up milk in my tea and coffee and go for alternative milks. I that would be manageable. However I am a big fan of cheese. I love cheese. I would have cheese at every meal if I could - breakfast, lunch, dinner. I also love yoghurts. I know there are dairy fee alternatives to chesse and yogurt but the vegan stuff is horrible. I tried them before.

The idea of giving up dairy doesn't appeal to me. I would be willing to try it for a week or two or a month at the most hut that's it.

Has anyone here given up dairy?

My life is turning boring now. I don't thing I have it in me to give up cheese.

I’m allergic to nightshades (tomatoes, aubergine etc)

I’ve given up:

Meat (30 years ago)

And then since last summer (for the vast majority of the time):

Caffeine
Alcohol
Dairy
Sugars (natural/refined) and sugar substitutes
Bread, pasta, rice, grains, flour
Processed food (no vegan cheeses)

And my food is far from boring!

I’m predominantly eating what humans are meant to eat and feel great for it. Non-functional foods really aren’t essential nor treats.

I don’t eat anything for between 3 and 6 days a month (usually 1x 3 day fast and 3x 1 day).

I tend to cycle dairy in and out on a 2-3 monthly basis.

I’m 3.5 stone lighter without trying and my blood tests have radically improved.

I gave up dairy for several years whilst breastfeeding my two dairy allergic babies. It's probably the healthiest I have ever felt. I didn't really like any of the alternatives much so didn't bother with them much, though therr weren't many available then anyway. I lost weight, had more energy, much better digestive system and my eczema improved significantly.
Unfortunately, I love dairy - not milk itself, but cheese, yoghurts and milk chocolate - and once I no longer had the incentive of needing to avoid things for my children's benefit, I was back to my previous bad habits.I keep thinking I should do it again but I lack the willpower. I did feel better though.
You could try it for say, a month and see what you think. A week or two is probably not long enough to know if its really working. It won't do any harm to try as long as you make sure you are getting enough calcium from elsewhere (lots of info on non dairy sources online) and have plenty of protein and enough healthy fats in your diet. If it helps, then great, if not, you're no worse off and have excluded dairy as an issue. If you do it long term, do be careful with your calcium intake though as whilst we dont need dairy it's convenient and easy and you do need to think a bit more of you don't consume it. Many of us underestimate how much calcium (and vitamin D) we need, especially post menopause when bone health is so important.

@AutumnDance

There's dairy is butter too. I love the real butter. The block of butter in foil. The idea of giving up butter kills me.

Actually, Flora Plant Butter (block)is really quite good ( salted or unsalted)b- it tastes and has the melting feel of butter. . It’s nothing like the Flora margarine. Sainsburys has it, and Waitrose - my husband bought me some other non-dairy block at the weekend - Naturli and it was like candle wax, bleugh.

I gave up dairy six years ago for ethical reasons, and it was the best thing I have ever done health-wise. It cleared up my skin and I feel so much better.
You know when you're walking through water, and there is all that resistance? But then you get onto dry land and walking is easy again? That's how I feel. It feels like I am walking without resistance for the first time in my life.

Dairy alternatives take a little time to get used to, just like any change. But now I don't miss them at all. Not a smidge. Vegan chocolate is brilliant.

My experience is the same as @AgeingDoc, after being dairy-free for 1 year and losing lots of weight and feeling so much better, I fell straight back into dairy the minute I could!

I also love cheese but I just had to buckle up and accept I couldn’t have it. I’m lucky I like black tea and coffee. Alpro soya desserts are delicious, as good as yoghurt.

Last month I had to adopt a really strict diet for other health reasons - a bit like you, I’ve quit alcohol altogether (even a small amount triggers alcohol sensitivity and it is very uncomfortable), processed foods and most red meat. The closest to a processed food I have now is a slice of turkey bacon or some Quorn. I’m also still eating 2 eggs and 2 portions fish a week, and vegetables galore, but I have to be very careful with high carb content food so bread, rice and potatoes have reduced right down.

At first I just wondered how I was going to survive and oh my life, the cravings! They still get me in the evening when I’m tired and bored, yesterday I admit I cracked and had a square of dark chocolate. I’ll start again tomorrow and eventually the cravings will stop. You can do it if you try, you really can!

I cut dairy right down and it's made a big difference. I use alternative milks daily. I have real butter but not as often as before ie no random knobs added to veg and sauces while cooking and use olive oil instead if possible. I'm always going to have butter on a crumpet but wouldn't eat this every day. I still really enjoy cheese, but I rarely have it now. I used to have a cheese sandwich daily but now choose another option. When I do eat cheese my stomach is upset, my skin breaks out and my joints hurt. It puts me off but every now and again I enjoy it. I think of it like a hang over!

Yup I have as my baby has CMPA and breastfeeding caused issues with her reflux whenever I eat dairy so have been off it for 6 months. I don’t like cheese so haven’t found it awful snd I love oat milk in coffee. Tesco do a good plant based range. It will become a habit, it’s a pain as so much has dairy in that you wouldn’t think if but alot of pubs/cafes/restaurants have lovely dairy free options

I have massively reduced dairy. I had very high cholesterol and this runs in my family; my mum had a lot of success reducing her cholesterol by giving up dairy so I thought I would try it. My cholesterol went from 7 to 4 in a few months.

I have oat milk in coffee and tea, it's nicer in coffee especially the barista stuff. Oatly whole is quite nice in tea. I also love cheese but get round it by a) occasionally having some, for example yesterday I went to to Pizza Express and had a cheese pizza, and b) not having meals where cheese would normally feature. So not as much pasta, jacket potatoes etc.

Love the replies, thanks for starting this thread.
I became dairy free ten years ago for vanity reasons. My little pouch belly disappeared in a month or two and I felt soooo much better.

Tricky to find dairy free protein powder that didn’t taste like saw dust mixed with manure.

I can tolerate a little bit of dairy but straight on milk will be akin to medieval torture, twisting my insides and painful stomach coupled with extreme tiredness but unable to sleep comfortably. Thoroughly unpleasant. It usually last 3/5 days. The reaction is so severe I now associate diary with pain.
Had to learn to cook Mediterranean and Asian (Japanese Chinese) food to keep life interesting.

Definitely worth your while to try it for a couple of months. Then learn a set of new skills to go with your new diet.

Inspired by the fasting effect mentioned here, reminds me how good I used to feel when I did it. Will start a 24h today! 3 day fast sounds terrifying to me. I cannot even imagine how that would feel. I don’t think I have ever gone without food ever for more than 24 hours.

@Rupertpenrysmistress my favourite milk for tea was cashew. It was the closest I found to real milk, my DH still having dairy would tolerate it too. Otherwise, I found rice milk also pretty good as a flavour neutral alternative for tea.

I gave up dairy for 1.5 years while breastfeeding my CMPA baby. I didn't find any health benefits for me from it. For cooking, the oatly creme fraiche is pretty good. I really missed cheese. You can get a mozarella alternative called mozarisella which is pretty good for pizza, and they do a blue cheese version which vaguely satisfied blue cheese longings. Nut cheeses are actually really good and did satisfy the cheese longings, they are just really expensive, I got mine from www.tynechease.com/ . As soon as I could, I went straight back to having dairy ones though.

I gave up milk, unsweetened soy in tea and oat in coffee
Butter, crap but I use avacado instead now
Cheese - didn't kick this - i just eat less
Yogurt-
Never eat it anyway
Cakes - sunflower oil instead of Marge
Choc- lots of lovely stuff I like the aldi range best

I have also given up meat during the week and now opt for the fake chicken from the aldi plant based range

My gut is so much healthier - in fact when I have slipped and had a pizza I get really bad sickness

@roastedsaltedpeanut

Love the replies, thanks for starting this thread. I became dairy free ten years ago for vanity reasons. My little pouch belly disappeared in a month or two and I felt soooo much better.

Tricky to find dairy free protein powder that didn’t taste like saw dust mixed with manure.

I can tolerate a little bit of dairy but straight on milk will be akin to medieval torture, twisting my insides and painful stomach coupled with extreme tiredness but unable to sleep comfortably. Thoroughly unpleasant. It usually last 3/5 days. The reaction is so severe I now associate diary with pain.
Had to learn to cook Mediterranean and Asian (Japanese Chinese) food to keep life interesting.

Definitely worth your while to try it for a couple of months. Then learn a set of new skills to go with your new diet.

Inspired by the fasting effect mentioned here, reminds me how good I used to feel when I did it. Will start a 24h today! 3 day fast sounds terrifying to me. I cannot even imagine how that would feel. I don’t think I have ever gone without food ever for more than 24 hours.

Protein powder try awesome nutrition- honestly hands down better than whey for texture or if you get a cheap one blend in a smoothie

I noticed when I gave up dairy for January how much healthier my gut health was- prior I would have explosive episodes and take ages to digest, now I'm like a sheep, no mess and no pain (sorry if it's tmi)
Also my farts don't smell

3 day fast sounds terrifying to me. I cannot even imagine how that would feel. I don’t think I have ever gone without food ever for more than 24 hours.

It’s a lot easier than it sounds, but you do need to prep for it. As I’m caffeine and sugar free anyway it’s not too taxing. If you’re eating a “normal” western diet you would have withdrawal symptoms from those things. So definitely don’t attempt it without research.

I 16:8 naturally most days anyway - my body just really likes fasting!

From my experience of giving up dairy there is no alternative to cheese that is actually nice! Sheese is alright melted on top of stuff. But coconut based yoghurt tastes almost exactly the same as dairy.

@AgeingDoc

I gave up dairy for several years whilst breastfeeding my two dairy allergic babies. It's probably the healthiest I have ever felt. I didn't really like any of the alternatives much so didn't bother with them much, though therr weren't many available then anyway. I lost weight, had more energy, much better digestive system and my eczema improved significantly. Unfortunately, I love dairy - not milk itself, but cheese, yoghurts and milk chocolate - and once I no longer had the incentive of needing to avoid things for my children's benefit, I was back to my previous bad habits.I keep thinking I should do it again but I lack the willpower. I did feel better though. You could try it for say, a month and see what you think. A week or two is probably not long enough to know if its really working. It won't do any harm to try as long as you make sure you are getting enough calcium from elsewhere (lots of info on non dairy sources online) and have plenty of protein and enough healthy fats in your diet. If it helps, then great, if not, you're no worse off and have excluded dairy as an issue. If you do it long term, do be careful with your calcium intake though as whilst we dont need dairy it's convenient and easy and you do need to think a bit more of you don't consume it. Many of us underestimate how much calcium (and vitamin D) we need, especially post menopause when bone health is so important.

This is why I gave up dairy. I didn’t feel healthier for it or lose weight and opposite isn’t true now I can have it again.