Dairy-free update...

I think I'm about 3 weeks into this diet and I suspect it's going to be permanent.  Not because my gut problems have magically gone away or that I feel tremendously better.  It's really simpler...I stopped coughing, at least most of the time. My nose isn't draining down my throat and my gut does feel a bit better.  I'm going to back up a minute here...

When I was in first grade, the doctor told my mom that I was allergic to milk because it caused congestion but I might outgrow it.  For years we tried substitutes which, at that time, were really gross powdered products.  I never got in a habit of drinking milk because of that.  By the time I reached middle school, I was sick of trying the alternatives and we just stopped and hoped I was over my allergy.  Of course this long abstinence from milk products probably contributed to my lactose intolerance which was diagnosed after I graduated from college.

Now... fast forward to today...My "allergy" symptoms sound eerily similar to the current symptoms that have now gone away on my dairy-free diet. My gut feels better because it's no longer rushing milk products through my system.  Of course, these weren't the symptoms we were trying to treat.  I'm still dealing with gas and constipation but I don't feel as bloated and it isn't happening as often (especially when I remember to take the correct amount of fiber tablets). When I get paid, I am going to invest in some probiotics but I'll have to be careful to get the ones that don't include milk.  It may be that the flora needs to be reconstituted.

It isn't easy to eat this way, especially if I try to maintain a lower refined carb diet as well. Because my finances are tight, I haven't had a lot of chance to try substitute products and that's probably ok in some ways.  Many substitutes aren't all that healthy or necessary.  And gluten free products do contain more gums than are good for me most of the time.

I have found a few simple recipes that work for quick dinners- Shake n Bake has become a good ally in that.  It provides a simple solution that avoids dry meat.  Pork chops and chicken both work very well this way. Many commercial breads have milk products added.  However, I've found that the baguettes at my local store do not.  They can't become a main ingredient in my diet but toasted and combined with an herbed olive oil and balsamic vinegar, they are a tasty treat.  I made a paleo-ish chili (I didn't worry about grass fed beef).  It has made good lunches this week and I've alternated with pork chops and steamed vegetables when the spices sound like too much.  Trudi and I had egg flower soup last night made with a Tom Yum soup starter by Pacific.  It was tasty and would be good with a little added chicken, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms.  I found a soy yogurt by WholeSoy & Co. that is good, really tastes like yogurt, and, even better, it's available at the local grocery outlet store right now. For breakfast, I've been eating gluten free granola and it's very filling.  I find I don't need much of a snack before lunch when I eat it.  The, now non-vegan, dairy-free brownie recipe was perfect when I substituted 2 eggs for half a cup of oil.  It's a little more cakey but moist and flavorful.

The paleo cookbooks have some really nice sounding recipes but I don't have some of the basic ingredients yet.  I've gotten some coconut and almond flours but I still need to buy a lot of the other ingredients.  I purchased some nutritional yeast but I don't quite know how to use it.  Someone said it could impart a cheesy flavor to things and it does seem to have that flavor but I just don't know how to add it in.

All in all, I'm finding a little more balance but it can still be very aggravating and disappointing and I'm not looking forward to the holiday meals.