The jury is still out on whether or not dairy products cause inflammation — or help counteract inflammation in the body.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information cites an intensive study concluding that “Dairy products, in particular fermented products, have anti-inflammatory properties in humans not suffering from allergy to milk, in particular in subjects with metabolic disorders.” And the Arthritis Foundation said that, while there are conflicting research findings, “some people with arthritis and related conditions find that avoiding certain foods can reduce flares.”
When I began switching to an anti-inflammatory diet, I didn’t know what to think. I was desperate to stop the consuming nerve pain in my legs, so I thought I’d give a non-dairy diet a try. And it worked. I gave up most dairy products and shortly after began incorporating more whole grains into my diet, while ditching some processed foods. And my nerve pain is down. The diet helps! I can’t pinpoint what exactly is helping reduce inflammation, but it sure is having a positive effect on my body.
I’m not perfect, and I definitely sneak ice cream here and there. But for the most part, giving up dairy was a lot easier than I expected. Here’s how I made the switch:
I transitioned to soymilk.
It took me a while to identify a healthy milk substitute. I like the taste of soymilk the best, though it’s often vanilla-flavored and loaded with sugar. so I started drinking Organic Unsweetened Silk Soymilk, which has a slightly nutty taste and none of the added sugar. I began using it as milk for my cereal and creamer for my coffee. Since it’s soymilk, rather than cream, I require a lot more in my cup to soften the edge on my husband’s notoriously strong coffee. I don’t mind though; the coffee tastes great and, since soymilk is a great source or protein, I feel full after drinking it. I will warn you — soymilk does not taste good on all cereals! You know that delicious taste of milk and Crispex? Yeah, you can’t replicate that with soymilk. I switched to cereals like Kashi GoLean Crunch! Honey Almond Flax Breakfast Cereal and soymilk makes it taste amazing. As an added benefit, soymilk has as much calcium as dairy milk. Give it a try!
I gave up yogurt.
To be frank, this transition was super easy for me. I hated yogurt to begin with — the tangy taste, the creamy texture — so it was easy for me to say “Oh damn, this is dairy. Guess I can’t eat it!” Before I gave it up, I was force-feeding myself this stuff in an attempt to “eat healthy.” It felt good to know I’m no longer eating it. Soymilk helps balance out the loss of protein from my diet, what I would have received from my daily yogurt, and I’m eating bananas to add in potassium. Also, as yogurt is a source of B-12, I’m now taking Methyl B-12 vitamins. My friend, Jill Peterson Ingwell, is an occupational therapist and heard from her patients that this vitamin helps them manage nerve pain, so I incorporated it into my daily nighttime medicine routine.
I replaced butter with olive oil.
This is the best part of giving up dairy. I have come to discover that olive oil is SO. DAMN. GOOD! Truly. I began thinking of all my daily butter uses — on toast, on popcorn, I could go on for days. Instead, substituting butter for olive oil has been amazing. It turns out, olive oil is great for almost any kind of cooking. I use Bertolli’s Mild Olive Oil to season my popcorn or cook veggies on the stove. This olive oil has an extremely mind taste, and it doesn’t influence the flavor of what you’re eating too much. I use Bertolli’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil when the olive oil will not be added to heat, like for dipping bread or splashing on toast. If you’re adding olive oil to toast, add a dash of kosher salt. It’s magnificent. If you grab Bertolli’s, they list how each flavor can be used on the labels of their bottles. Having a few different kinds around is helpful during the transition away from butter, so you don’t get turned off by the taste.
I switched to sorbet.
I’m definitely not perfect here; I still have a scoop of cookie dough ice cream from time to time. However, when I’m out and about, visiting with friends or trying out a new place for dessert, I found that sorbet is an excellent alternative. Or, better yet, specialty ice cream shops often have a soy-based ice cream available. Believe it or not, it’s better than you’d think! I recently tried a black raspberry soy-based ice cream during a trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was excellent. Plus, if you pop on some sprinkles or fruity pebble bits on top, you’d never even know the difference. No matter what non-dairy frozen treat you try, make sure to eat sparingly. Extra sugar doesn’t help reduce inflammation in your body either.
I ceased eating cheese… mostly.
I feel so much better about myself now that I’ve cut most cheese out of my diet. Though I’m definitely not perfect. My husband and I still indulge on Papa Murphy’s after a long week at work. Transitioning away from foods like queso, nachos and pizza not only helps inflammation but it helps my weight as well. I lost about 10 pounds since I started this non-dairy diet, and I’m pretty pleased with that. I began small, like removing the Parmesan from my spaghetti or the Swiss from my sandwiches. If you don’t want to give up cheese entirely, try using primarily cheddar cheese on your foods. It has a stronger flavor than other cheeses, so you need far less to make an impact.
Have you switched to a non-dairy diet? How did it work for you? Let me know in the comments below.
