Are you still feeding your child cows milk or other dairy products?  Do they suffer ear infections, bloated tummys and other symptoms that can’t be explained?

At 38 my mum told me that I was always ill when I had milk, yet because she believed that it was good for me, she carried on giving it to me.  I also suffered from recurrent ear infections and once was rushed to hospital because of an infection in the mastoid.

This news was something that changed my life.  I cut out milk and reduced other dairy from that point on.  I no longer experienced bad stomachs, bloating or ear infections.

Don’t leave it until your child is 38 to sort out their diet…..

So what is dairy insensitivity?

Dairy sensitivity can be either lactose – sugar or protein – casein.

Lactose Intolerance is a person’s inability to digest Lactose, the sugar found in milk, which is broken down by an enzyme called lactase.

Casein is the main protein found in milk and is also used in many food products as a binding agent.  Whey is the other. The curd that forms when milk is left to sour, is called casein. The watery part which is left after the curd is removed, is called whey.

Basically anyone experiencing problems with dairy products could lack the necessary enzymes to break these down.

What is lactose intolerance? 

Lactose intolerance is a set of symptoms resulting from the body’s inability to digest the milk sugar called lactose. Lactose is commonly found in dairy-based foods and beverages, and is digested in the intestines by the enzyme lactase. Lactase breaks down lactose so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. When the body does not produce enough lactase, lactose cannot be digested which may result in lactose intolerance. Individuals may have varying degrees of intolerance to lactose.

Many people do not produce adequate amounts of the lactase enzyme, and therefore may experience some or all of the symptoms of lactose intolerance.

What are the symptoms?

Depending on the individual, the symptoms may vary, including:-

• allergic “shiners” (black eyes)
• runny nose
• recurrent ear infections
• sneezing
• itchy rash
• cramps,
• bloating,
• gas,
• diarrhoea, and nausea

If you experience these symptoms after eating dairy products, talk with a registered dietician or doctor for an accurate evaluation and appropriate management.

Remember these could be symptoms of other food allergies.

How can I manage lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance can be easily managed. Because some individuals may produce small amounts of lactase, they may be able to consume small servings of dairy products or other foods that contain lactose without experiencing discomfort.

Consider the following suggestions:

• Swap cows milk for rice or oat milk
• Try hard cheeses that are low in lactose, like cheddar. (however, the harder the cheese the more casein in it)
• Try yoghurt with active cultures, switch to goats or sheeps yoghurt.
• Take lactase enzyme tablets before eating or with dairy products.
• Add lactase enzyme drops to regular milk.

Do other non dairy foods also contain lactose?

Some non dairy foods may include ingredients that contain lactose. The ingredient list on food packages informs you of lactose or lactose-containing ingredients in the food. Although dairy products are the most common sources of lactose, some non dairy processed or baked foods contain smaller amounts.

Individuals who experience symptoms of lactose intolerance with small amounts of lactose-containing foods should look for words such as “whey,” “lactose,” “non-fat milk solids,” “buttermilk,” “malted milk,” “margarine,” and “sweet” or “sour cream.” Some breads, dry cereals, cookies, instant soups, breakfast drinks, and milk chocolate contain small amounts of lactose. Ask a pharmacist if medications you take contain lactose.

Does lactose-reduced milk contain the same nutrients as regular milk?

Lactose-reduced milk contains the same amounts of protein, vitamins A, D, and riboflavin, and the minerals calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium as regular milk. Some lactose-reduced milk is also calcium-fortified. Check the Nutrition Facts label for the amounts of nutrients in milk. Dairy products are a significant source of calcium and other minerals needed for healthy bones and teeth. Two to three servings from the milk, yoghurt, and cheese group help provide the calcium and other minerals you need each day.  So if you cut these out you must find other ways to replace them.

What is casein?

Casein is a milk protein commonly used in processed foods.  It is present in the milk from all mammals., and is found in dairy products such as cheese, milk and yogurt and is also used as an emulsifying and binding agent in lots of processed foods.

Look for the word casein or caseinate on labels.

If you suspect an allergy to this, then testing by your doctor is one way to confirm it. If you have a true casein allergy, then no mammals milk will work for you.

What are the possible reactions to casein?

• hives
• difficulty breathing
• rashes

If you experience these symptoms after eating dairy products, talk with a registered dietician or doctor for an accurate evaluation and appropriate management.

Remember these could be symptoms of other food allergies.

Note on switching to other animal milk products

All animals milk has a milk sugar, proteins and other components.  When coming off cows milk products, leave a period of time before trying other animals milk.  As an immediate alternative, rice and oat milk are great substitutes.

Ensuring that you get your nutritional needs met

When removing any product from your diet you must ensure that the missing components are replaced.  One of the reasons we have dairy products is to get calcium.

Calcium is found in:-

• Salmon
• sardines
• watercress
• figs
• rhubarb
• almonds and other nuts
• milk alternatives are usually fortified with calcium (read the labels)
• Green vegetables – broccoli and kale

Notes from research

From: http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html

“There is only an 85% overlap in milk protein makeup across different species so people who have an unusual milk allergy, or who are merely lactose intolerant, may find that a milk other than cow’s milk is digestable. Also, remember that since each mammal has protein and sugar variants in their milk, it’s possible to be allergic to the milk of only one, or one set of, mammals.”

From: http://www.dgc.co.nz/about.html

“Apha-s1 is the major casein protein present in cow milk and has been identified as one of the major cow milk allergens. By contrast the major casein in goat milk is ß-casein, and alpha-s2 casein is the main alpha casein present.”

From: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032400.asp

“Unlike cow’s milk, goat’s milk does not contain agglutinin. As a result, the fat globules in goat’s milk do not cluster together, making them easier to digest. Like cow’s milk, goat’s milk is low in essential fatty acids, because goats also have EFA-destroying bacteria in their ruminant stomachs. Yet, goat milk is reported to contain more of the essential fatty acids linoleic and arachnodonic acids, in addition to a higher proportion of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids. These are easier for intestinal enzymes to digest.

The link between ear infections and milk allergy

http://drpingel.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/the-link-between-dairy-allergies-chronic-ear-infections-and-asthma/

http://www.lucyburney.co.uk/articles/ears.html

http://milkmyths.org.uk/health-nutrition/ear-infection

Resources

http://www.foodintol.com/dairy_sensitivity

http://bodyecology.com/articles/sensitive_to_casein_in_dairy.php

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html MUST READ – LOTS OF RESOURCES AND ADVICE

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032400.asp

http://www.dgc.co.nz/about.html

This article was written by Jacqui Malpass.  Coach, writer and trainer.  She is the inspiration behind www.millionstoriesproject.com set up to motivate a million people to write their life stories.