Dairy Allergies: No Dairy Products Ever Again?

The moment you find out you have dairy allergies, it is almost devastating. At least it is for those who love their dairy products. Can you imagine being told that you can't ever have milk, cheese or any other dairy product ever again without suffering? That suffering varies from person to person when it comes to dairy allergies. For instance, one person could get major migraines after they drink a glass of milk while another gets very bad intestinal pain. Depending on the severity of your dairy allergies, you should be able to enjoy dairy by following a certain dairy allergy diet and prevention plan.

What Is Dairy Allergies?

Medical professionals define this type of allergy as hypersensitivity to milk or egg protein. The allergic reaction to these otherwise harmless types of food can be quite crippling for some people. The most common symptoms of this type of allergy are diarrhea, wheezing and vomiting. Children who are prone to dairy allergies should never be given these types of foods to avoid any medical complications. Milk is known to be mucus forming, thus, people who are suffering from asthma should limit their intake of milk or simply do away with milk.

Shouldn't children be given milk and eggs to help them grow? Yes, your children needs eggs and milk to help them grow but if they are allergic to these food, you just have to find other types of food for your children. Instead of giving your children milk based products, you might want to give them more fresh fruits and vegetables. There is really no point of tempting fate is so if your children manifest allergic reactions to milk and eggs, ovoid giving them these types of foods to reduce the possibility of allergic reactions and medical complications. Always remember that it is best to be safe than sorry.

Dairy Allergy Diet And Prevention Plan

First of all, you have to determine if you are, in fact, allergic to dairy products. The first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with an allergist. An allergist will test you to determine if you have dairy allergies. They will test you with small amounts of dairy products to see if you have a reaction.

If you do have a reaction, usually your skin will turn red and inflamed, that's when your allergist will inform you of your specific allergy and should give you a dairy allergy diet and prevention plan.

The most common dairy allergy diet and prevention plan is to refrain from the dairy products that cause you the most discomfort. This is different for each person with dairy allergies. For example, some people may have dairy allergies when it comes to milk but they may be fine when they eat ice cream. That would mean that there is something specific in the milk you're drinking that might not be in the ice cream you're eating that is causing you to have a dairy allergy reaction.

Your allergist may also prescribe certain dairy allergy supplements, such as products for those with lactose intolerance. This may help in some cases, but again, it all depends on the severity of the dairy allergies.

Lactose Intolerance Versus Allergies

Many parents mistake lactose intolerance for dairy allergies. According to medical professionals, these two are really not the same. While dairy allergies are the negative reaction of the body against the nutritional components of dairy products, lactose intolerance is simply the inability of the body to digest the sugar found in milk.

In most cases, lactose intolerance will cause stomach cramps but it does not really trigger the other symptoms associated with allergic reactions. However, although the symptoms of lactose intolerance are not really serious, the effects of lactose intolerance can be quite uncomfortable. To avoid discomforts, especially when you are traveling or working in the office, it would still be a good idea to avoid milk based products if you have lactose intolerance.