Week 4 – Ditching the Dairy
Week four of my 52 week journey is here, and this time I am focusing on removing dairy from my diet for good. Last week, I cut out sugar and immediately felt the benefits: fewer energy crashes, less bloating, and clearer skin. Now it’s time to tackle another major inflammatory Devil: DAIRY
Years ago I switched to plant-based milks and yogurt, but my true weakness has always been cheese. I love a good creamy Brie or if anyone has tried Boursin, its a French creamy garlic and herb cheese AND its to die for. It takes me back to my time in France. Amazing how memories can trigger a sensory experience and can light up the amygdala and take you back to beautiful memories, another word for that is emotional eating! Unfortunately, as much as I adore cheese, it doesn’t love me back.
We are talking inflamitory foods and over the next 4 weeks I will be cutting out the main culprits. I have already ditched gluten because of a severe allergy that triggers intense stomach pain, diarrhea, skin rashes, and overwhelming fatigue. Dairy and gluten are both on the list of highly inflammatory foods, yet most people don’t connect the dots between their daily fatigue, bloating, skin issues, joint pain, and those very foods. Some people experience a milder intolerance, digestive discomfort or low energy, while a true allergy can manifest with more extreme reactions, like mine. Inflammation shows up in all sorts of ways, and many just accept these symptoms as “normal” without realising they could be caused by what they’re eating.
For years, I knew how dairy affected my body but kept eating it anyway, telling myself I will deal with the aftermath later. That bloody voice inside myself telling me it will be alright. After indulging, I would feel painful digestion, gas, and an upset stomach, over and over again. It might sound silly, but habit and nostalgia are powerful forces! Now, I am giving my immune system a break by cutting dairy completely, removing one more inflammatory trigger from my daily life. This will help my intestines start to heal and start building my immune system.
This journey is more than a simple food experiment. It’s about finally respecting what my body has been telling me for years. I am also wrapping up my nutrition studies, and it’s been fascinating to see the science behind everything I have been experiencing firsthand. Each week, I am either adding or removing a habit to align with what I’ve learned academically and what I feel intuitively. I hope that by sharing my own challenges and successes, I can encourage others to tune in to the signals their bodies are sending and maybe even try removing potential triggers to see if they feel better too.
If you are curious about gluten allergies or intolerances, I’m happy to share more of my experience. Living with a severe gluten allergy can be overwhelming at first, but once you figure out the source of your symptoms, life gets a whole lot easier. Of course, it’s imperative you see a GP to start testing if you suspect you have food sensitivities. Our bodies are pretty remarkable at giving feedback when something’s off, we just have to listen.
So here’s to Week 4: ditching dairy, standing firm against gluten, and giving my system the break it deserves. Stay tuned for updates on how this decision impacts my energy, digestion, and overall well-being. When we remove what inflames us, we make room for genuine healing and that’s what this entire journey is all about.
