Dairy free diet - the commonest diet I use for children

[UPDATED JUNE 2022]

Introduction

Cow's milk is one of the commonest foods to cause allergic disease. There are no reliable blood or hair tests for milk allergy and the best way to find out if cow's milk is the cause of symptoms is to do without all milk and beef products for at least one month. Since goats and sheep are related to the cow, these milks are not suitable substitutes and should also be eliminated from the diet for the time being.

Apart from avoiding all milk products in the home you must get into the habit of checking all labels on manufactured goods before purchase. Labels may be confusing since many foods have milk in them in various guises. Look out for mention of lactose (milk sugar), whey (present in many margarines), casein and caseinates (present in whiteners such as Coffee Mate). Non-milk fat on a label does not necessarily mean milk free. Many medications contain lactose as an excipient.

Foods to avoid

A complete list of all foods containing milk would be very long; but such a list would be the obvious MILK (dried, tinned, skimmed, low fat), BUTTER, CHEESE, YOGURT, CREAM, ICE CREAM. Also BAKERY PRODUCTS that are unlabled (milk or butter is added to many breads, cakes, biscuits, ready-made puddings, pastry, and crumbles), CONFECTIONARY (chocolate, toffee, fudge, caramel), SAUCES, BATTER, BEEF (sausages and salamis, beef spreads, suets, Bovril, Oxo, gelatin), STOCK CUBES (check the label), PATES (many contain lactose or milk proteins), some FLAVOURED CRISPS (smokey bacon!) and so on.

Completing the diet

To test milk properly you should remain on the diet for one month. Unless it is done strictly, the diet is useless - you must not cheat! If you do break the diet then you'll have to start all over again. You may worsen on the diet before seeing improvement and get withdrawal symptoms, but these usually clear up after the first few days. If you find you are milk allergic, try testing goats milk. Most milk allergics can tolerate a certain amount of milk occasionally, but get into trouble if they take it on several days in succession. Some people can be desensitised to milk (EPD - see Enzyme Potentiated Desensitisation (EPD) - how it works ), a few respond well to taking Nalcrom before a meal containing milk. However, this is an expensive drug, which should be reserved for special occasions. Some people react to milk because they cannot digest it. Using lactase (either added to milk before drinking - lactaid, or as a digestive supplement with milk), an enzyme to digest the milk sugar, lactase, can help this.

Calcium

Many people worry about calcium intake when dairy products are avoided. Actually there is plenty of calcium in meat and vegetables, the problem is absorption. To absorb calcium you need vitamin D and the best source is sunshine. The daily requirement is one quarter of that time necessary to tan or turn pink on arms and face. This is achievable in summer but not winter. Either use a sun lamp, or a winter holiday, or vitamin D as cholecalciferol 2,000i.u. daily. Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common and partly responsible for our epidemics of immune disorders, osteoporosis, cancer and heart disease! See Vitamin D - most of us do not get enough

Other advantages of dairy-free

Dairy products may cause serious health problems for reasons other than allergy. It has been estimated that 30% of the population make antibodies against cow's milk protein which cross reacts with platelets to make them more sticky - not desirable if you wish to avoid thrombosis and embolism. Furthermore, milk is meant for calves, which are fast growing and milk contains growth promoters. This is undesirable if you wish to avoid cancer! For more information, and a good read, look out for "Your Life in Your Hands" by Prof Jane Plant. See Amazon Link for "Your Life in Your Hands"

IMPORTANT - Paleo-ketogenic diet

Actually nowdays I nearly always recommend a Ketogenic diet - the practical details. Please see also My book - Paleo-Ketogenic: The Why and The How and the following links -

• The Paleo Ketogenic Diet - this is a diet which we all should follow
• The Paleo Ketogenic Diet - meals which require no cooking or preparation
• The Paleo Ketogenic Diet - PK Bread
• The Paleo Ketogenic Diet - PK Dairy
• Diet - what you need to eat to slow the normal ageing process

I explain the reasons for recommending the Paleo-ketogenic diet in My book - Paleo-Ketogenic: The Why and The How and also, with respect to babies and children (and mothers!) in Our Book Green Mother - families fit for the future

Related Articles

• My book - Paleo-Ketogenic: The Why and The How
• Our Book Green Mother - families fit for the future
• Ketogenic diet - the practical details
• The Paleo Ketogenic Diet - this is a diet which we all should follow
• The Paleo Ketogenic Diet - meals which require no cooking or preparation
• The Paleo Ketogenic Diet - PK Bread
• The Paleo Ketogenic Diet - PK Dairy
• Diet - what you need to eat to slow the normal ageing process
• Enzyme Potentiated Desensitisation (EPD) - how it works
• Vitamin D - most of us do not get enough

External Link

• Amazon Link for "Your Life in Your Hands"

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