It's rare to find someone who doesn't love cheese or ice cream. For most, these two products are a weakness and are essential when eating everyday meals.
Personally, I never went one day without eating cheese. When it came to pasta, I couldn't fathom eating a dish without my beloved parmesan tossed through every noodle in the bowl.
Unfortunately, I came to realize that dairy was impacting my health. While milk products provide much needed calcium and other benefits, too much dairy can create problems for our bodies.
Here are just a few issues related to a diet high in dairy products that you should be cautious of.
Acne
While there haven't been proven studies about the impact of cheese and acne, research has been conducted to show the connection. A 2018 study revealed that people who frequently eat dairy are more likely to have triggered acne breakouts than people who skip or don't eat as much cheese.
Diet has a huge impact on skin health, and seeing how your skin reacts with less cheese in the body could be worth it!
Allergies
According to many science journals like "The Interrelationships between Lactose Intolerance and the Modern Dairy Industry: Global Perspectives in Evolutional and Historical Backgrounds" ...as much as 75% of the world’s human population is intolerant to ingested dietary lactose.
That's a lot of people and most of us don't really do anything about it. However, the impacts of dairy allergies are there and they are even more prevalent from cheese.
These allergies can range from mild rashes, to having trouble breathing. Personally I suffer from an excess of mucus and an extremely itchy - to sore throat when I eat cheese - especially parmesan, which I love so dearly.
I couldn't handle dealing with the pain in my throat so, as sad as I was, I made the decision to remove most cheeses from my diet.
Bloating/Dirreaha
Do you ever feel like you swallowed a rock or you have to use the bathroom after having something made with dairy?
Overconsumption of dairy can cause one or the other and truth be told...neither symptom is pleasant.
What You Can Do About It
It's easy to suggest just getting rid of dairy altogether, but if you love yourself some cheese, or feel the benefits of milk and milk-based items, we say use them in moderation.
Growing up, I never took a liking to milk, so I always opt for almond, oat, or soy milk when I need it for things like cereal. These are tasty alternatives and they even have non-milk creamers available for coffee.
There are also lactose free products which can be found in any grocery store.
When it comes to cheese and ice cream, our recommendation would be to only eat the real stuff on special occasion - again, if you can stomach it. There are many vegan-based cheeses, icecream, and gelatos, which taste just as good!
You can substitute all the nutrients with other items in your diet, so you're never really missing out!
Happy Eating!