The Dairy-Free Life
Have you ever thought about going dairy-free for a week? Month? Year? I know this sounds crazy and trust me, I get it. Dairy is life. Cheese, milkshakes, ice cream, yogurt – the list could go on forever. But did you know that cheese is a high-calorie product loaded with fat, sodium, and cholesterol? Me either. My favorite snack to make after school was chips with melted shredding cheese on top. I loved sour cream on my tacos and could finish a whole pint of Ben and Jerry’s in a sitting.
It wasn’t until college that I started to realize that when I ate cheese I felt lethargic, bloated and downright disgusting. My skin was breaking out and I wasn’t seeing results in my workouts. I decided it may be a good idea to eliminate certain foods from my diet. Dairy was on the top of my list. I am going to be 100% honest and say this wasn’t easy.
I would accidentally (jk we all know I wanted that pasta with alfredo sauce) consume dairy products. It took me a couple months to fully remove it from my diet and make a purpose of choosing dairy-free alternatives.
Did you know that the enzymes within dairy cause digestive problems for the 75 percent of people with lactose intolerance? So if you are experiencing any tummy issues, try removing dairy from your diet. You can receive probiotics from food-substitutes like Kombucha, Kimchi and pickles.
Once my new diet became a lifestyle, it became simple. I replaced cow’s milk with almond milk, coconut cream for ice cream, and even started to make my own cheeses. I can confidently say that removing dairy from my everyday diet has helped my body tremendously. My stomach feels less bloated, I am able to see results from my workouts faster, my skin has cleared up and I have boosted my energy levels.
Two years later and I still try my best to practice living dairy-free. I have become less as strict, especially when it comes to things like pizza or gelato. There are days where I eat something that has had dairy prepared within it, so I make sure to drink a lot of water and not to fuss over it. It is important to maintain balance and listen to your body. If your body says no dairy, then don’t touch it. If you want a bite of that pizza though, take a bite girlfriend.
If you are thinking about dropping dairy and have any questions, feel free to comment below! And if you are someone who just can’t get dairy out of your system, make sure you purchase whole, organic dairy products.
