I Scream, You Scream
One of my favorite foods in the world is ice cream. In fact, when my husband and I went to Italy in 2014 I kept “The Gelato Diaries,” tracking at least one gelato a day and sometimes more than that. In case you’re wondering, my hands down favorite flavor was ricotta e fiche (fig) from Vernazza in Cinque Terre…so creamy and the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Unfortunately, I’ve figured out in recent years that I really can’t have ice cream regularly, unless I surrender to the fact that I’ll feel incredibly fatigued for the next 24-48 hours. I have learned that lactose causes fatigue and sleepiness for me. How did I figure this out? Did a doctor tell me? Did I have an allergy test? Did I do one of those mail order food intolerance tests? No, No, and No. I figured it out for myself using food elimination, and I’m incredibly glad I did.
The Cleanse That Changed It All
Before I made this lactose discovery, I had absolutely no idea that dairy affected me in any way. I was oblivious. And it’s not even that I started all of a sudden becoming very tired or fatigued. I felt fine. “Normal.” I happened to be doing a cleanse, one that I’d done a couple times before, usually in January as a “reset” for the new year. The cleanse I have used is called “Clean” by Alejandro Junger. As a part of this cleanse, you eliminate gluten, sugar, dairy, nightshades, eggs and a few other foods from your diet for three weeks. This is because these are the main food groups that people have intolerances and reactions to (many times without even realizing it).
Those three weeks can certainly be challenging, but personally I think the hard part comes after those three weeks: you must re-introduce foods ONE at a time. This is so you can isolate any new symptoms and attribute them to that food group. This process can take an additional 2-3 weeks. It takes a lot of discipline. It is through this process that I discovered my intolerance to lactose. After being on the cleanse, I was very excited to eat ice cream and cheese once more, so dairy was the first food group I re-introduced. I had several servings throughout the day, and by about 5pm I felt like I’d been drugged. I could. Not. Keep. My. Eyes. Open. I fell into bed early and despite a good night’s rest, continued feeling fatigued for around 24 hours. It was glaringly obvious what the culprit was.
Knowledge is Power
I’ll be honest, I was seriously bummed. Would I never again be able to indulge in an ice cream cone, or partake in pizza night? I didn’t really want to live dairy-free, and panicked a bit about this new discovery.
But in the long run, I’m so happy I have this information. I don’t necessarily have to completely avoid dairy; now I simply understand what the effects will be. If my family decides to go out to our favorite Neopolitan pizza place that uses freshly imported Italian mozzarella, I arrange for us to go on a Friday night so I have two days to recover from my dairy hangover! While I do avoid dairy on a regular basis, every now and then, it’s worth it. And, there are actually a fair amount of dairy products that are low in lactose and tolerable daily like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and brie, gouda, swiss and feta cheese (and that’s just a few!)
Know Your Body
That’s a long personal story to get to this point: everyone reacts differently to different foods, and it is so important for you to know your own body. If you have never investigated if dairy, gluten, or other food groups affect the way you feel, it’s time. Like I used to be, perhaps you generally eat a variety of foods with no limitations and “feel fine.” No stomach issues, no headaches, no bloating, no skin problems, no mood swings, no aches, no sudden fatigue…you get the idea. This does NOT necessarily mean you have no food sensitivities. It means you’ve gotten so used to your body’s reactions to foods that you aren’t connecting those feelings with their actual cause.
I do not recommend the mail order food sensitivity tests to figure this out. They are very expensive and more importantly, unreliable. They often miss food triggers because if not enough of that food is in your blood sample, there won’t be any reaction to it. I know many people who have tried these test kits and gotten results that are completely inconsistent with their own observations of how they feel. And that is the key–YOU know your body best and how you feel, regardless of what a blood test says. Trust yourself.
Elimination Game Plan
One way to do this work: try a cleanse or Whole30. However, cleanses are most certainly challenging, and I don’t recommend them for anyone with a history of disordered eating. Without going on an intense cleanse, you can still do this investigating. My advice is to try isolated elimination. Remove just one questionable food group from your diet–and really stick to this, starting over if you mess up–for at least 3 weeks. Good groups to try are gluten/grains, dairy, sugar, and eggs. If there is a food you suspect is affecting you, try that! During the three weeks, you may want to keep a diary to track the way you feel physically and mentally. However, the real test is after the three weeks are over and you re-introduce that food. Eat up, and carefully look at your sleep, mood, energy, aches, digestion, skin, and health conditions. Because your body has gotten used to life without that food, any reactions will be much stronger than when you’re regularly consuming it.
To Dairy or Not to Dairy
Approximately 70% of the global population is lactose intolerant. Doesn’t this make you wonder if you are actually among them? The reason (or at least one of them) is interesting: babies are born with the enzyme that digests lactose so they can drink breastmilk. However, as we enter adulthood, many of our bodies stop producing this enzyme. So while you may have guzzled glasses of milk as a kid, it may not be the best option for you anymore.
Is Wheat Your Frenemy?
Similarly, if you live in the US, it’s highly likely your body has a problem with digesting gluten. This is due to the changes in the way wheat is processed over the last 50-100 years, including the types of wheat and chemicals used. This also explains why many gluten-sensitive people can travel to Europe and eat all the breads, pastries and pasta they want without feeling the same effects as those foods in America would create.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
If you’d like guidance in figuring out your body’s reaction to various food groups, do not hesitate to reach out! Yes, this is work that takes time and discipline, but don’t you want to know if the reason you can’t get your skin under control is because of dairy? Or if the reason you’ve been feeling joint pain is because of gluten? I want you to feel empowered in understanding the relationship between food and your body.
Be Well,
Nicole
