About Dairy
I know many enjoy yogurts and I believe that a little ORGANIC natural yogurt and some cheese on occasion is harmless to those who can tolerate it. However here is a little explanation as to why DAIRY is eliminated from the cleanse programme.
Most dairy products are highly refined by processes known as homogenisation and pasteurisation in order to prolong the “shelf life”.
Pasteurisation is used to kill off bacteria, and during this process milk enzymes and vitamins are destroyed, so nutritional benefits become void! Homogenisation gives milk a creamier consistency but it changes the size and shape of milk fat and has been associated with creating more inflammation in the body.
80% of the protein in cows milk comes from casein which is a difficult protein to digest. Casein is added to some non dairy alternatives such as rice milk as a preservative so always check labels!
It´s the casein that is one of the issues with dairy for this programme: Exposure to high levels of casein has the same immune response of inflammation as to gluten.
If the gut wall has any damage along it´s lining, the milk proteins can make it worse:
- It stops the formation ofglucosaminein the gut lining, thereby creating a leaky gut. This creates systemic inflammation as items can then pass through the gut wall to the bloodstream that would normally remain in the gut. (Glucosamine is known to help repair the mucosal-lining defensive barrier in our small intestine.)
- It impairs immune system development in the gut and the maturation of important immune cells known asT helper cells– this can lead to autoimmune disease, asthma, allergies, diabetes.
Other symptoms related to casein: Skin reactions such as hives, a rash, or red, itchy skin. Nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing, or wheezing.
- It may create a mucous “slime” in the lining of the gut thatprevents the absorption of some nutrients as well as causing gut inflammation.
Dairy can be high in saturated fats which can make it harder for your liver to do its job. Over time it may lead to higher triglycerides, too much of the negative type of cholesterol and inflammation,
With regards to the supporting the liver during the cleanse, dairy is suggested to be omitted as it may aggravate gallbladder problems by slowing down the release of bile.
Dairy tends to thicken the bile and making it less fluid and creating a “sludge” and therefore it has a harder job moving toxins out of the body. This is a big focus during this cleanse.
See if you can make the switch to a plant milk more regularly and if you like cheese, eat as a treat rather than daily consumption and/or moderate portion sizes. Basic nut milk recipes are available on the internet.
There are plenty of good vegan cheeses around and nutritional yeast can replace a parmesan in pesto etc during your cleanse.
Organic butter has very few milk solids so is tolerated more easily, but try switching to ghee, olive, coconut and nut based oils during your cleanse.
My favourite yogurt is by Abbot Kinney and available at many health food stores. They make a greek coco natural yogurt and a lighter version. The coconut taste is not too strong and it can easily be used to make dressings for your meals. Of course, there are many alternatives available so find a natural plant based yogurt that works for you.
