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Healthy Eating

6 Things That6 Things ThatHappened When I GaveHappened When I GaveUp DairyUp Dairy

By POPSUGAR Fitness

Topics: vegan diet

In my 20s, I was a french-fry, soy-ice-cream, pasta-and-bread-loving vegan. I ended up

gaining 40 pounds and—surprise, surprise—always felt tired, foggy-headed, and on the

brink of another cold. After six years, I started eating eggs and dairy, and I felt a little

better, but that's probably because I was finally eating healthier, trying to lose all the

weight I gained.

Fast forward 12 years to this summer. I was sitting on my couch, flipping through Netflix,

and stumbled upon the documentary Vegucated. It takes the stance that being vegan is

better for the planet and kinder to animals, and after seeing some heartbreaking video

footage, I felt compelled to eat more compassionately and ditch dairy on the spot. I had

no idea how dramatically my life was about to improve.

Wait, Are These My Skinny Jeans?

Getting dressed one chilly September morning, I grabbed a pair of my favorite skinny

jeans and they slipped right on! Since I tend to gain a little weight in the summer, I was

expecting to have to wrestle with them for a bit, but they didn't feel tight whatsoever. I

even slipped them off to check the label to make sure they were the right pair. Yeah, you

bet I was smiling and feeling pretty awesome. Since having two kids, I'd been carrying

around a few extra pounds that were holding on for dear life (really, my youngest is now

two!), and ditching dairy made it happen in two months without any other change.

Bye-Bye Bloat

Know what the number one reason was for my Costco membership? Lactaid pills. Yep, I

popped one every time I ate because even the tiniest drop of butter in a cracker could

set me off. I wasn't always lactose intolerant, but it hit me hard when I went away to

college, which was one of the reasons I went vegan back then. I couldn't leave my house

without some trusty pills in my pocket, and I popped at least five a day. My body was

telling me not to eat dairy and here I was devouring it every chance I got. And boy, did I

pay the price. My belly was constantly bloated and I had more than my fair share of

emergency bathroom runs. It seems obvious to anyone that you should stop eating the

one thing that makes you feel horrible, but I guess I didn't realize just how bad I was

feeling until I started feeling amazing.

What's That Amazing Smell?

Sinus surgery. That was the recommendation after years of chronic and painful sinus

infections, extensive allergy testing, two CT scans, daily nasal sprays and antihistamines,

twice-daily dates with my Neti Pot, months of heavy-duty antibiotics, and

heartbreakingly having to find a new home for my two cats. The ear, nose, and throat

specialist said it was one of the worst cases he'd seen, and said surgery to remove the

congestion and widen my sinuses should be the next step. Talk about scared. There had

to be another solution.

I'd heard that dairy can contribute to congestion but considered not being able to

breathe or smell a fair trade for cheese. It's been two months of being dairy free, and

now that fall is in full swing, I should be miserable with allergy stuffiness and sinus

pressure. But I'm not. My doctor can't believe I haven't needed to refill my meds. I even

went apple picking and could actually smell the cider donuts cooking (not that I could

eat one!). I teared up. I had a moment right there in the apple orchard. And to think, I

almost went through with surgery, when all I needed to do was say no to cheese.

Did You Change Moisturizers?

Seriously, someone asked me this, and I was thrilled. My skin has never been clearer. I

didn't have a bad acne problem, but a pimple always seemed to be cropping up, which

was pretty embarrassing for someone in their late 30s. My skin is smoother, softer, and

has more of a natural glow. It makes sense, since cow's milk contains growth hormone,

fats, and sugars (yes, organic milk too), which can aggravate the skin. There's definitely

some strong data showing the correlation between dairy and acne, and although it can

take up to six months for skin to heal, I noticed a difference within a month.

Smoothies, Salads, and Sweet Potatoes

Like most people, I tried to eat healthy, but when you're in a rush or tired from a long

day, you grab the quickest thing. As a vegetarian, cheese was like its own food group to

me, and admittedly, cheesy pesto paninis, creamy pasta, and pizza were always on the

menu. I had to completely rethink my meals and found that with a little bit of prep, I was

eating so much healthier. I made green smoothies for breakfast, salads for lunch, and

got really creative with using tempeh, tofu, lentils, beans, whole grains, and all sorts of

veggies. Ditching dairy meant that I made room for foods that were much more

nutrient-packed, and I no longer felt heavy after meals.

Another Three Miles? Sure!

Eating healthier also meant I had more energy. Whether it was going for a run, bike ride,

hike, or teaching a yoga class, I felt so peppy and fired up. I had more days in the past

two months where I felt like I could keep going and going than I ever had when I was

eating dairy. Maybe this is the reason so many athletes go vegan.

Final Thoughts

I know what you're thinking. "I could never live without __________." So don't. If you want

to avoid dairy but you could never give up pizza, then give up dairy except for pizza. I will

say that for most of your favorite foods there are some pretty outstanding alternatives.

My kitchen is constantly stocked with soy milk, soy yogurt, Earth Balance buttery spread,

and my fave—almond milk ice cream. Personally, I wasn't a fan of vegan cheeses so I

just leave it off my pizza or sandwiches, or make my own using raw cashews. Please

don't mourn for the cookies and pancakes you can't eat. There are so many dairy-free

recipes that taste as awesome as ones containing milk and butter. Once you get used to

cooking and eating in this new way, it'll feel just as easy as your diet feels now. If you

can't go cold turkey, do what you can and gradually take milk out of your diet. If your

experience is anything like mine, the benefits will speak for themselves, and you'll be

inspired to eliminate dairy completely.

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COMMENTS (1) ADD A COMMENT

JANUARY 27, 2018

I gave up dairy and red meat completely and I feel extremely better with more energy, great skin

complexion and zero bloat.

REPLY

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