Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Dairy Free

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
    #1

    Dairy Free

    Since I was diagnosed I have gone gluten, artificial sweetener, and hfcs free. Am now considering going dairy free as well but am a little confused by conflicting information. Are we concerned with dairy as a whole, or dairy from the cow? Some sites I've gone to say that feta and goat cheese are acceptable. Is this the case? Would also like to hear from anyone who's tried any of the homemade mock cheeses with tofu etc. I'm struggling with wanting to do everything I can but like cheese wayyyyyyyyyy too much. I'm from WI after all
    Diagnosed June 2011, Avonex 7/11-12/11

    "We don't describe the world we see, we see the world we describe"
    Tags: None
    #2
    Originally posted by Tinkerbell65 View Post
    Since I was diagnosed I have gone gluten, artificial sweetener, and hfcs free. Am now considering going dairy free as well but am a little confused by conflicting information. Are we concerned with dairy as a whole, or dairy from the cow? Some sites I've gone to say that feta and goat cheese are acceptable. Is this the case? Would also like to hear from anyone who's tried any of the homemade mock cheeses with tofu etc. I'm struggling with wanting to do everything I can but like cheese wayyyyyyyyyy too much. I'm from WI after all
    Some people who can't tolerate cow's milk are able to digest goat's milk.

    From the point of view of MS, though, the protein mimicry issue is the same. Dairy products (from any animal) contain protein fragments that closely resemble fragments of human myelin. These foreign fragments can trick our immune systems into attacking our own myelin.

    http://www.direct-ms.org/sites/defau...odProteins.pdf

    That's how the theory goes, anyway. It's not proven to the satisfaction of the medical community...at least not yet.

    Tara does not advise eliminating dairy products (including cow's milk) altogether. Rather, she recommends limiting your consumption to cultured items such as yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, and...ta da!...cheese.

    As for non-dairy cheeses, I've tried a lot of them and have yet to find one I like.

    Comment

      #3
      Thanks, Sequoia! I'm still a little confused though. So I should limit, but not eliminate dairy? I thought most dairy these days is cultured- do I need to look for something special on the label? Also, some say if you don't do something ABSOLUTELY you won't reap the benefit. So if you cheat- even inadvertently, you start from square one. Is this correct? In a way it makes sense to me, but in another way seems unrealistic. Then again, maybe I'm asking for something definitive which might not be realistic either. Appreciate any help you can give me!
      Diagnosed June 2011, Avonex 7/11-12/11

      "We don't describe the world we see, we see the world we describe"

      Comment

        #4
        Tinkerbell,

        I actually really appreciate you posting this question here. I too grew up in WI (live in MN now) and LUV my cheese (yummy cheese curds!). I'm also in the same boat of since getting my diagnosis (well, "probable MS" anyway) that I want to do anything "natural" that I can. I've been considering trying to go Gluten Free (although I do love my pasta) and have also read about the dairy causing problems. So this is great information!

        Comment

          #5
          Hi Kimmy- going gluten free really hasn't been bad. If you're craving carbs rice pasta is actually pretty good. I'm not sure if I can name brands here, but I like Tinkyada- I've had their spaghetti and elbows, am going to try the lasagna next- no reason to believe it won't be good. I also found glutenfreeonashoestring.com very helpful. Good luck!
          Diagnosed June 2011, Avonex 7/11-12/11

          "We don't describe the world we see, we see the world we describe"

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by Tinkerbell65 View Post
            Thanks, Sequoia! I'm still a little confused though. So I should limit, but not eliminate dairy? I thought most dairy these days is cultured- do I need to look for something special on the label? Also, some say if you don't do something ABSOLUTELY you won't reap the benefit. So if you cheat- even inadvertently, you start from square one. Is this correct? In a way it makes sense to me, but in another way seems unrealistic. Then again, maybe I'm asking for something definitive which might not be realistic either. Appreciate any help you can give me!
            First off, no, most dairy isn't cultured. Most is pasteurized, however. It should say on the label if something is cultured...which reminds me, I forgot to put buttermilk on the list I posted earlier.

            As for the rest, it depends on whose advice you choose to follow, Kimmy. We're in somewhat uncharted waters, since there isn't a great deal of research to look at on the subject of dairy's impact on MS and there is, as yet, no consensus in the medical community.

            Tara is an excellent source of information and advice in these matters. She'll be along someday soon to respond to your questions.

            I can tell you that according to Tara the "not-even-one-bite" approach applies more to gluten than it does to dairy.

            Comment

              #7
              I hope you can still eat cheese and yogurt...Dang, that would suck if you cant. I really have never liked milk to drink(I actually would rather drink water.lol) unless it was chocolate so I am OK in not drinking milk. Almond milk has been a nice creamer for coffee and tea though.
              But, I love my cheese and yogurt.

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by diomed View Post
                I hope you can still eat cheese and yogurt...Dang, that would suck if you cant. I really have never liked milk to drink(I actually would rather drink water.lol) unless it was chocolate so I am OK in not drinking milk. Almond milk has been a nice creamer for coffee and tea though.
                But, I love my cheese and yogurt.
                If you go all the way dairy free, as some MS diets (Best Bet, MS Recovery) advise, that means no cheese, and the only yogurts you can have are those made with non-dairy milks (coconut yogurt is really good).

                I love cheese myself, but I choose not to eat it for spiritual/ethical reasons as well as for the possible beneficial effect on my MS.

                Each person has to make her/his own decision which dietary path to follow.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Tinkerbell65 View Post
                  .... Also, some say if you don't do something ABSOLUTELY you won't reap the benefit. So if you cheat- even inadvertently, you start from square one. Is this correct? In a way it makes sense to me, but in another way seems unrealistic. Then again, maybe I'm asking for something definitive which might not be realistic either. Appreciate any help you can give me!
                  Cheating with dairy is not the same as cheating with gluten.
                  The damage from gluten can easily last 6-8 weeks. And there continues to be much debate if the damage is permanent.

                  Dairy can create symptoms for days but it will not cause the 'same' damage to the intestinal villa, as with gluten.

                  If you're unsure, try goat products; cheese, kefir, yogurt.
                  Goat has a smaller protein molecule and is easier to breakdown than cow.
                  NutritionTara
                  Eat better, feel better and be richer for it.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Thanks Tara, good to know!

                    For those of you who are interested, I've found great recipes for making your own almond milk- not hard and definitely cheaper than buying it

                    I'm a little scared that I might be turning into crunch Betty Crocker or something
                    Diagnosed June 2011, Avonex 7/11-12/11

                    "We don't describe the world we see, we see the world we describe"

                    Comment

                      #11
                      I would like to say thanks for all the help in figuring out the best course to at least start on for diet. From everything I've read (both here and elsewhere) gluten free is really one of the best options. I've actually done gluten free once (back in 2002) when doctors thought I had celiac and then tests showed no. But I've continued to have stomach issues since then. So maybe I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

                      I have a friend who's diet is even more restrictive (no gluten, no sugar, no yeast, no dairy) and she can't eat a whole lot. She's been such a great support through all this and I know she'll gladly help me with going gluten free too. Dairy doesn't necessarily seem to bother me, but I think the best thing for me (and for my stress level) is to take it all in stages and not push too many changes at once.

                      Thank you again everyone! I absolutely love this site and being able to speak with so many people who have experience and are willing to help others!

                      Comment

                        #12
                        I went GF before dairy free and after DF, the sx subsided dramatically within days. In my opinion, it´s worth it. I´ve gone to zero dairy. Read studies that it is the casein component that is the problem. There are research studies decades old that have spotted some sort of link between dairy and MS. So, I made sure I ate a REALLY good piece of cheese as my last piece. The hard part was no 1/2 and 1/2 in the coffee and cheeseless pizza. Gotta say that the upside is a phlegm free voice when singing. When tempted (rarely now), I just ask myself, "Cheese or mobility?" and mobility wins every time. Go dairy free and see if it makes a difference. I did tell myself that if the next MRI showed progress, I was going out for a cheese pizza. But... no new lesions, so no pizza.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          I know anything is worth a try,but I just can't give up my milk,so my DD who I lived w/ swtiched the whole family to organic milk.Than she slowly worked the family up to almost 100o/o organic ,dairy,meats,fruit & vegs.She has a son who is Autistic,& she's been doing this now for about a year.It is amazing to see the changes in everyone in the family,we have NO picky eaters,well people do have thier likes & dislikes,my oldest GD woun't eat chicken on the bone,my DD woun't eat greenbeans,my S-I-L will eat Nothing w/ celery in it.I woun't eat Broccoli YUK! but the changes in Jack are so hopeful.I have to feel it's getting all the chemicals out of our food,
                          God Bless Keep us posted, Nona Judy

                          Comment

                          Previous template Next
                          Working...
                          X