The Tribune

By Christine Carey

Got (non-dairy) milk?

SOME people find cow’s milk difficult to digest and blame symptoms like bloating, gas and diarrhoea on dairy. This may be because low levels of the enzyme lactase make it hard to digest the lactose (sugar) in dairy. Other people may be intolerant to cow’s milk protein or have a more serious allergy to dairy products. Milk is also one of the most common childhood food allergies, with symptoms ranging from skin conditions to digestive problems.

Here are a few facts about dairy:

• Dairy is linked to prostate cancer

• It’s full of saturated fat and is linked to heart disease

• Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75 per cent of people with lactose intolerance

• Dairy aggravates irritable bowel syndrome

Dairy may contribute to even more health problems, like: allergies, sinus problems, ear infections, type 1 diabetes, chronic constipation, and anaemia (in children).

From an evolutionary point of view, milk (other than human-milk) is a strange food for humans. Until 10,000 years ago we didn’t domesticate animals or drink their milk. If you don’t believe that, consider this: the majority of humans naturally stop producing significant amounts of lactase — the enzyme needed to properly metabolize lactose, the sugar in milk — sometime between the ages of two and five.

In fact, for most mammals the normal behaviour is to stop producing the enzymes needed to properly digest and metabolize milk after weaning. If you must feed your child formula from milk, don’t worry. The milk in infant formula is hydrolysed or broken down and easier to digest (although it can still cause allergies). Once your child is a year old, switch him or her to real food and almond milk.

Our bodies just weren’t made to digest animal milk on a regular basis. Instead, most scientists agree that it’s better for us to get calcium, potassium, protein, and fats from whole plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and seaweed.

Bio individuality experiment: if you suffer from any of the above health issues, try giving up all dairy. That means eliminate milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream for two weeks and see if you feel better. You should notice improvements with your sinuses, post-nasal drip, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, energy, and weight. Then start eating dairy again and see how you feel. If you feel worse, you should try to give it up for life.

So what are the alternatives? Almond, soy, rice, hemp and oat milk are popular plant based alternatives to dairy, and they’re becoming even more available in stores across the Bahamas. Each type of milk has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on a person’s diet, health, nutritional needs, or personal taste preferences.

Where to buy it? Most food stores. Liquid Nutrition sells an organic and carageenan-free almond milk for $5. Carrageenan is an inflammation causing binder found in many store bought milks.

Nutrition Facts:

• Almond milk nutrition per 1 cup:

50 calories / 4g fat / 1g sat fat / 1g fibre / 1g sugar / 1g protein / 30% calcium

• 1% Cow’s milk nutrition per 1 cup:

86 calories / 0.44g fat / 0.2g sat fat / 0g fibre / 12g sugar / 8g protein / 30% calcium

• 2% Cow’s milk nutrition per 1 cup:

122 calories / 5g fat / 3g sat fat / 0g fibre / 12g sugar / 8g protein / 28% calcium

Each day take steps that lead you closer to achieving a clear vision for your life. You are energised, fulfilled and successful.

My suggestion for this week is to try almond milk. It is made from ground almonds and is lower in calories than other milks as long as it is unsweetened. It’s also free of cholesterol, saturated fat, and is naturally lactose free. It is high in a large number of important vitamins and minerals (the foundation of a healthy body), such as vitamins E, D and B12, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, iron, fibre, zinc, calcium, selenium and more.

• All health content in this article is provided for general information only and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional.

Christine Carey is a Certified holistic health coach (www.christine-carey.com) and owner/operator of Liquid Nutrition (www.liquidnutrition.com). With over ten years of coaching experience, she works with individuals and groups to assess and define their health and lifestyle goals with a strong focus on increasing knowledge and implementing tools for success.