Introduction:
Did you try eating a gluten-free diet without seeing significant improvement in your health? Yesterday, in my post, I spoke about one of the possible reasons for this. Removing corn from your diet is important in order to truly be “gluten-free.” Today, I want to explain another reason some people don’t see improvement in their persistent health problems simply by eliminating gluten from their diet… dairy. Removing dairy from your diet is another important step in order to truly determine if a gluten-free diet is key for your healing.
Researchers have identified that dairy proteins can affect as much as 50% of those with gluten problems. A quote from a research study is listed below:
“Patients with celiac disease (CD) on a gluten-free diet may still have gastrointestinal symptoms. On clinical grounds cow’s milk (CM) protein sensitivity may be suspected…A mucosal inflammatory response similar to that elicited by gluten was produced by CM protein in about 50% of the patients with celiac disease. Casein, in particular, seems to be involved in this reaction.”
Source: Clin Exp Immunol. 2007 Mar;147(3):449-55.
Reasons Why Dairy Causes an Inflammatory Reaction:
- Processing of dairy alters the casein protein creating a molecule that resembles gluten, thus creating an inflammatory response.
- Cows eat large quantities of GMO corn and grain based foods. It is likely that these grain based proteins (including gluten) make their way into the milk, thus creating an inflammatory reaction.
- Gluten can cause intestinal permeability. When this happens, people often times become allergic to the foods that they consume most often. Dairy is often a major staple used by those on a gluten-free diet and therefore, many develop an allergic response to dairy.
- Those with gluten induced intestinal damage tend to have a hard time breaking down the sugars and proteins in dairy. This can cause tremendous GI distress, gas, distention, bloating, and pain. The undigested dairy materials can rot in the gut. This can also lead to disruption in the healthy bacterial counts of the gut.
Should You Eat Dairy Products on a Gluten Free Diet?
I would encourage a dairy free diet for at least 6 months when initially going gluten-free. This will allow time for your digestive system to heal.
Guidelines to Follow if You are Going to Include Dairy in Your Gluten Free Diet:
- Buy grass-fed dairy only.
- Be sure your dairy comes from animals who are antibiotics and hormone free.
- Buy dairy in the raw form. If you want to pasteurize it, heat it up yourself on your stove at home.
Closing:
Remember, just because your doctor’s test did not show you have a sensitivity to gluten, there’s no guarantee that gluten is not slowing down your healing. Health is a choice we make every moment – what we choose to put in and around us, conversations we choose to listen to, things we choose to eat and drink – all impact the rate at which we heal. You have the power to choose the rate of your healing by the simple choices you make every day.
Through Applied Kinesiology, I can determine the foods most optimal for your healing – what to limit and what to avoid completely.
Source: Gluten Free Society
