Dairy is in more foods than you could imagine!


Cows dairy is a horrid nasty allergen. One that causes flare ups in eczema sufferers quicker than you could say the word, Boo! The main culprits are milk, butter and cheese – all of which are classed as being dairy and made from cows milk. Cows dairy products are very much like sugar and wheat in the sense that they all cause catastrophic damage to the gastrointestinal tract lining, causing huge problems for the body’s immune system.

Through constant exposure and aggravation tiny microscopic holes are created in the intestinal walls which allow food particles to leak out into the blood stream. The immune system incorrectly responds to these harmless food particles as a threat and releases a chemical called Histamine. This triggers a flare up across the outer skin and joints and causes intense itching and scratching. This is why all crispy coatings on frozen and non frozen foods as a general rule are banned in Dillons Diet. 

They contain cows milk and if not milk then a milk extract.  Foods like biscuits and crisps also contain milk extracts as do the crumb coatings on fish fingers and chicken nuggets etc.  You can click on the following link to see how I prepare a crumb coating for Dillons homemade fish fingers and chicken nuggets – Click here for dairy free recipes.  Cows milk is hidden in more foods than you could imagine, foods such as white sauces, cottage cheese, cheese sauces, Cream, including sour cream, Custard, Milk, including buttermilk, powdered milk, and evaporated milk, Yogurt, Ice cream, bread, cookies, crackers, cakes, Cereal, Chewing gum, Chocolate, Malted milk, Margarine, Mashed potatoes, canned and processed meats, Nougat, Salad dressings and Sherbet.  It’s therefore really useful to keep a food diary.


Frankenstein’s milk!


On top of all this, a growth hormone called Bovine is pumped into cows to get them to produce larger quantities of milk which is also causing more and more children and adults alike issues with dairy products.  So a question I asked myself was, “Is it normal to drink milk from another species like we do”.  No other mammal on this planet does this.  We as humans we are told to drink cows milk without a second thought.  Milk that has gone through a tough pasteurisation process where most of the health benefits have been killed off.  Leaving you with a hormone filled white liquid that causes humans skin and digestion problems and has me asking the question whether it’s time to scrap cows milk in favour of a more plant based milk or something that is more genetically similar to our own make up.

Dillon and I have been using goats milk for little over a year and a bit now. It’s a little lower in lactose which makes it easier to digest and is said to be similar in composition to human breast milk, which is another reason it is easier to digest. The enzyme Lactase helps break down lactose, a sugar in milk which gives it it’s sweetness. Eczema sufferers have low levels of Lactase in their bodies which is why going onto a more plant/nut or grain-based milk was more suitable. These types of alternative milks are fortified and provide more calcium, vitamins, iron, zinc, and protein but without the cholesterol.

If you have to stay off dairy products altogether you don’t want to end up with a calcium problem.  If you’re worried about getting enough calcium then seaweed, watercress and parsley are fantastic plant alternatives. Calcium deficiency can cause eczema.  You could try a calcium supplement called Skin Friend.  A scoop mixed into water or food will quickly calm down the itch.  Try taking a calcium powder with magnesium and glycine to help calm down the worst of attacks.