Dr Oz: Are You Allergic To Dairy?
Dr. Oz explained that for some people, consuming dairy products could cause a lot of problems, and could possibly be an allergy. So how do you know if you’re allergic to dairy?
Dr. Oz explained that a food allergy is caused by your immune system. He showed that when you eat dairy, the food particles affect immune cells and cause an allergic reaction that could cause rashes on the body. The reaction also goes into the lungs, causing them to get red and spastic, until they eventually close down, which causes problems with breathing and vomiting.
Dr. Oz explained how to tell if you have a dairy allergy and what unexpected foods you should avoid if you do. (Valentyn Volkov / Shutterstock.com)
Dr. Oz referred to the nursery rhyme about Little Ms. Muppet, who ate curds and whey, and explained that when milk curdles, it gives off a solid component, which is one of the main things that can cause a reaction. Whey is the protein that’s left behind after the milk curdles. The curdles, or casein, and the whey, are the two proteins found in dairy that can cause allergies. The symptoms can be hard to find because they’re subtle.
Dr Oz: Dairy Diary & Elimination Diet
In order to figure out if you’re allergic to dairy, you could use what’s called a dairy diary. Dr. Clifford Bassett, the medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, explained how to keep a dairy diary. He said that if someone is having issues with dairy, on day one, you should log you symptoms, write down what you’re feeling and do a full-body skin check. By doing a visual inspection, you can see a warning sign for a dairy allergy.
On day two, you should identify your sources such as foods with cow’s milk in them, or other hidden sources. Dr. Bassett said you should be a label detective and determine if there are certain dairy products or protein sources like casein or whey in the products you’re eating.
For day three of your dairy diary, you should eliminate all raw sources of dairy like milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. Day four is the hard part because you should eliminate all the hidden sources of dairy. Dr. Bassett said if you’ve done this correctly and you actually have a dairy allergy, you should be feeling the effects of the elimination.
Dr Oz: Unexpected Sources of Dairy
He said if you do have an allergy, you want to be careful to avoid anything that could cause it, but also see an allergist who is trained to keep you out of harm’s way. Dr. Oz wanted to share a few surprising sources of dairy allergies that many people may not know about. Some food products that have dairy in them are cold cuts, chocolate, breads, cookies, chewing gum, and many cosmetic products.
Dr. Basset said that it’s important to see an allergist in order to get a full checkup in order to make sure they’re getting the right education and information.
Leave a Reply