I've never been a big fan of cow's milk for a variety of reasons. My girls have, for a long time now, consumed almond milk (original for Livie, vanilla for Ella) much to my pediatrician's dismay.
However, they loved their cheese and yogurt and ice cream. I mean, really, who doesn't love cheese and yogurt and ice cream? Nothing says ahhhh like a glass of wine, crackers and aged Gouda.
After Ella was diagnosed I read many articles about the possible link between cow's milk and Type 1 Diabetes. But seeing as how her insulin-producing beta cells had already taken a lickin' a quit tickin', I didn't really see the point in proactively avoiding dairy.
Until we got Livie's TrialNet Results.
And I decided we were going dairy-free because I don't want ever want to look back and ask myself
What if?
Am I grasping at straws? Maybe. But who cares? What have we got to lose?
The more I research, the more I'm pretty much convinced this is the right thing to do for my family.
Having studied Public Health for my Master's Program, I find it interesting that Harvard's School of Public Health's "Healthy Eating Plate" is noticeably void of dairy. While this is in conflict with the USDA's My Plate, I have to say that if given the choice between trusting Harvard or the USDA, I'll take my chances with Harvard.
And you know what? Dairy-free is quite delicious.
So Delicious Almond Milk Ice Cream Treats are amazing. And cashew sour cream is delicious with chili. And I even found a vegan ranch that the girls like just as much as their previous favorite Bob's Big Boy dressing. Out with the Fiber One Bars and in with Envirokidz Crispy Rice Peanut Choco Drizzle Bars (dairy AND gluten-free).
Friday night we went to a local pizza place and had a dairy-free pizza (made with daiya cheese) and treated the girls to some dairy-free gelato. Ella said the pizza was better than Toppers. Awesome.
This whole dairy-free thing has been WAY easier than I thought and I am discovering so many wonderful alternatives that don't taste the same but are just as delicious. Did it make packing up my collection of delicious organic cheeses and handing them over to the neighbor any easier? Yeah, a little.
Tomorrow we have a birthday party at Chuck-e-Cheese to go to. I am going prepared with a delicious dairy-free pizza and dairy-free, gluten-free almond flour banana and chocolate chip cake.
Ten bucks says my stuff is WAY tastier and better looking than Chuck's.
I never was a fan of his pizza but DANG can I rock the virtual jump rope.
The more I research, the more I'm pretty much convinced this is the right thing to do for my family.
Having studied Public Health for my Master's Program, I find it interesting that Harvard's School of Public Health's "Healthy Eating Plate" is noticeably void of dairy. While this is in conflict with the USDA's My Plate, I have to say that if given the choice between trusting Harvard or the USDA, I'll take my chances with Harvard.
And you know what? Dairy-free is quite delicious.
So Delicious Almond Milk Ice Cream Treats are amazing. And cashew sour cream is delicious with chili. And I even found a vegan ranch that the girls like just as much as their previous favorite Bob's Big Boy dressing. Out with the Fiber One Bars and in with Envirokidz Crispy Rice Peanut Choco Drizzle Bars (dairy AND gluten-free).
Friday night we went to a local pizza place and had a dairy-free pizza (made with daiya cheese) and treated the girls to some dairy-free gelato. Ella said the pizza was better than Toppers. Awesome.
This whole dairy-free thing has been WAY easier than I thought and I am discovering so many wonderful alternatives that don't taste the same but are just as delicious. Did it make packing up my collection of delicious organic cheeses and handing them over to the neighbor any easier? Yeah, a little.
Tomorrow we have a birthday party at Chuck-e-Cheese to go to. I am going prepared with a delicious dairy-free pizza and dairy-free, gluten-free almond flour banana and chocolate chip cake.
Ten bucks says my stuff is WAY tastier and better looking than Chuck's.
I never was a fan of his pizza but DANG can I rock the virtual jump rope.
Have you tried Tofutti Cuties? They are delish!
ReplyDeleteI had a true milk allergy as a child (not just intolerance) but have mostly outgrown it. I can handle any kind of processed milk product (cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc), but I still react a little to plain old milk.
There's no harm in trying!!
ReplyDeleteWe did the dairy free thing for a while, but UG loves his cheese too dang much. ;) And Bean would be lost without it.
Gotta do what's right for your family. Support that 110%!!
I know this is an old post.
ReplyDeleteI totally get doing it rather that looking back in regret. My youngests is 4 and my oldest, who is my type 1 is 15. When my youngest was born we did everything reasonable that research suggested may contribute to t1, especially his 1st year of life...
When he HAD to have formula for 2 days at 1week old (he wasn't nursing right and was getting nothing or close ti nothing, my flow dropped, he'd lost 2 pounds and was becoming dangerously dehydrated and at serious risk of having a seizure because of it - I hated it but was necessary) I bought nutramigen (the formula used Many years ago in the cow milk study. Other than this 1-2 days it took me to get my flow back and pump feed him bm, he was exclusively nursed till 10mo and nursesd to 3½. I gave him vit d, zero dairy till after 1yr (incl cross-contamination) avoided the rest if the top 8 allergens, incl wheat (also suggested as contributing to type 1)till 1 (not as diligently as dairy though) he was in the TEDDY study at birth and tested neg to whatever genes they tested for. Really did all the things that I looked at and felt if I didn't do them, with the info that I had, and he developed t1, I'd regret.
Really, he's one kid who shouldn't get type 1, right?
Well, yesterday, we got the Trialnet call, on him (not our 11yo who was 2 when oldest was dxd, so didn't try much with her - really the milk theory was the only one then add they were still recruiting for it then)..
... 3 positive antibodies...
I'm glad I did all that though, I can honestly look back and know I did everything I had the power and control to do. :)
they are all different, and these precautions might help, but not necessarily.