Why I'm Done with Dairy
I stopped eating dairy.
I quit because I've had a hunch for some time now that I would reap the most health benefits from removing dairy from my diet, as opposed to going vegetarian, vegan, hardcore paleo, anorexic, etcetera, etcetera. Also, I don't think I'll ever have as much dietary willpower as I do now, months before my wedding, so I'm going with it! Dairy-free I will be.
I went vegan for a month or so in college after reading Skinny Bitch, but it didn't really work for my lifestyle. I like enjoying family dinners and not freaking out over what I can or can't eat at a restaurant.
However, I was always pretty certain that if I kept eating meat and stopped eating dairy, it would be manageable enough in my day-to-day life while still benefiting my health.
Dairy just doesn't really serve a dietary purpose for me. Everything I can get from dairy, I can get from other food sources. Protein, fat, and probiotics? Chicken, nut butters, and miso! And okay, I am still eating eggs and ghee, because I do see dietary benefits for both. (Breakfast protein, good cholesterol, and omega 3 fatty acids.)
And even though that What The Health documentary was mostly propaganda with super one-sided interviews and evidence, the part about dairy being mostly animal puss really made me consider my milk consumption.
I didn't even really think I was eating that much dairy before, but once I cut it out, I realized that I was having like 3 to 4 servings per day! I'd have a little in my morning coffee, maybe some yogurt or cereal for breakfast, then some cheese on a salad for lunch, and then maybe a dairy sauce or some more cheese with dinner. Wowza! That's a lot of puss.
Since cutting out dairy a few weeks ago, the biggest benefit I've noticed is:
SKIN!
And the second biggest benefit I've noticed is:
SKINNY!
Going dairy-free has totally cleared up my complexion! It's fucking awesome. And, my tummy is flatter, which as you know, is the ultimate bridal dream.
Did you know that most of the people in the world are actually lactose intolerant?
And, I mean....all those people who think they're the first person to make the point about how humans are the only species to drink the milk of another species and that we are big baby grownups who still drink milk intended for baby calfs kinda have a point. Plus, cows are pretty cute.
I think I'm gonna try to keep it up at least until our wedding next year. But I won't be a complete nightmare about it. I'll eat dairy maybe once a week when it's either unavoidable or just too damn delicious.
Don't worry. I still eat plenty of scrumptious things without dairy. Here's some of what I've been having lately:
- 3-ingredient protein pancakes
- My own version of bulletproof coffee
- Chicken & greens salads with tahini dressing
- Sun Basket paleo dinners (they have plenty dairy-free options)
- Kite Hill almond milk yogurt
- Kelly Leveque's Fab Four smoothies
- Umm, hi. Oysters
- Tootsie Pops
- Freezer fudge
Basically any recipe can be turned into a dairy-free recipe with a little tweaking and will power. And anyway, now when I do eat a little bit of dairy, I get a tummy ache, so it's almost, almost enough to make me never want to eat it again.
