How to Live With Allergies to Milk

Having an allergy to milk is very different from being lactose intolerant, and the two are often confused. A milk allergy is caused by an immune system response to the milk protein, or casein. Lactose intolerance occurs when your body lacks the enzyme needed to digest milk sugar, or lactose.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Bioflavonoid Complex
• Bromelain
• Quercetin
• Vitamin C

1. Avoid milk and all milk products. This includes yogurt, cheese, cream, butter, ice cream and sour cream.
2. Taking milk digestive aids will not help you tolerate milk if you have a true allergy.
3. Avoid processed foods as much as possible. Milk is a hidden ingredient in many items. Stick with simple, pure, fresh foods - which are more healthful anyway.
4. Read all labels very carefully. Look for the words milk solids, casein, sodium caseinate, lactose or sodium lactylate, as well as any word that begins with "lact." Stay away from products containing these ingredients.
5. Watch out for labels that say "dairy-free." That doesn't necessarily mean that they're milk-free. Many contain casein. Prime culprits are coffee whiteners and nondairy creamers.
6. Avoid products that list "natural flavors" and "seasonings" in their ingredients. They often contain milk products.
7. Call a manufacturer for answers if a product isn't clearly labeled. Many prepared foods - even luncheon meats - use milk as a filler.
8. Be wary of eating canned tuna. Most brands contain lactose in the broth.
9. Check the ingredients on medications and vitamins. Some may contain milk products; for example, a number of liquid antibiotics use lactose as a filler.
10. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure about an ingredient.
11. Take care when eating foods containing galactose. It is a byproduct of lactose, the milk sugar, and some people have reactions to it.
12. Buy vegan foods. Vegan foods do not contain any animal products, including milk.
13. Order vegan foods (if available) when traveling on an airplane. This will ensure a milk-free meal.
14. Be diligent in restaurants. Ask what the dish contains. Stick to simple recipes without heavy gravy and sauces, which tend to contain milk.
15. Buy a dairy-free cookbook, or use kosher and vegan cookbooks for milk-free recipes.
16. Remove milk from recipes: Use soy butter or margarine instead of butter, and replace milk with water, fruit juice, soy milk or rice milk. Use a vegetable oil instead of melted butter.
17. Supplement with vitamin C with added bioflavonoids, 1,000 to 5,000 mg daily, and/or quercetin, 500mg twice daily. They both help strengthen the immune system and decrease reaction to allergens.
18. Take 100mg bromelain twice daily. It enhances the absorption of quercetin.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are mildly allergic to milk, you may be able to try milk products again. First abstain from all milk products for at least six months, and then try a small amount. If you don't have a reaction, you may be able to tolerate it occasionally.
• If you have a severe allergic reaction, with symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, or swelling of lips, mouth or throat, get immediate medical help.
• If you have had a severe reaction to milk, do not attempt to reintroduce it. You may be faced with a life-threatening reaction.