Casein Free

[7-cody]

Hello everyone, I was diagnosed by Enterolab for gluten sensitivity. Now I'm doing one on casein and malabsorption.

I noticed that dairy makes me feel horrible. I've been eating extra dairy lately on purpose to see how it would affect, and let's just say it hasn't been pretty. On Friday I drank TWO large shakes in one night. Let's just say the next day, at work, I couldn't even think straight. I was trying to tell someone how much a house was worth and I kept say 180k, instead of 290k. etc etc. It was to the point where I didn't think I should drive and had an even harder time than usual focusing and reading. Let's just say I always feel this way except not as bad as that day.

So now I'm doing an enterolab stool test for casein. After I send the stool back to their lab, I'm going to start the diet before I even get my results. I'm curious to what the result is but I'm going to try casein-free anyways.

I have severe constipation, sometimes I go 10 days plus without pooping. I have the worst brain fog ever. I have absolutely NO ENERGY.... I was told brain fog and constipation can be caused from dairy (casein) as well as gluten.

Now to the point of this thread, does it sound like I should go dairy free? I've heard going casein free is harder than gluten. GOing gluten free has already been a **** so far.

Also, I'm wondering if you guys can give me as much advice on going both GLUTEN and DAIRY (casein) free at the same time. I haven't looked up reading casein ingredients and ingredient hiding yet. So I'm not sure how to read labels on casein yet... it's hard enough w/ gluten as it is (I'm new to it) but please any advice you guys have and anything you guys can tell me would be awesome. Thank you so much!

[tom]

YES!!! GO DAIRY-FREE!!!!!

At least for a week. I bet you'll feel a ton better.

Actually since my FINAL food intolerance test took 10days (soy) somehow to be definitive, maybe I should always recommend a wk & a 1/2.

I can't recommend soymilk anymore. For cereal I use almond milk or hazelnutmilk, both by Pacific Natural Foods.

Don't try Rice Dream ricemilk - it has gluten. A small amount, but it has some.

I've been dairy-free since 10-04, and gluten-free a while b4 that.

They are awful sneaky w/ casein.

I could barely believe, w/ casein such a common celiac problem, Stanford's Head of Gastro and celiac "expert" had that alleged "non-dairy" creamer powder in his waiting room.

It's not non-dairy, it has a form of casein.

(Sodium caseinate I think)

There are entire sites devoted to dairy-free where I found lists of all the chemical names to watch out for. Milk-free is also a good term for googling - maybe one of the better sites in '04 had milk-free in the name, I'm a little fuzzy on that.

Anyway, the lists for casein have all sorts of things you don't expect.

Convenience foods are hard enough gluten-free, but cheese is in soooooooo many.

I had to completely revamp how I eat.

BTW, it's all finally truly WORKED for me - I feel fantastic(!) nearly every minute of every day, tho just since also quitting soy 7-8 wks ago.

Much of the revamping how I eat was due to other celiac-related conditions - candida & leaky-gut. I don't know how much u cook, but I had to learn and now I make great food. Once you get going, it is THE best way to know what you're eating.

Simple, quality foods, can taste fantastic. I'd put my salmon up against anyone's - and it takes only 8min, maybe 15 total.

Grocery trips used to be so depressing. Reading ingred labels on & on, and almost always finding things I can't have.

But buying quality individual unprocessed ingreds and making something myself solved all that.

Brain fog and C can easily both be from dairy.

I think you should start the dairy-free test today.

If it goes how I think it will, w/in a week, you'll feel better than you have in years and you'll wonder why the heck u didn't try dairy-free long ago.

[Piccolo]

Cody,

I agree with Tom go dairy free. I have been since 2005. I am very sensitive to it. It sends me to the pot too many times in a day. You also have to watch for the fake cheeses as these contain some milk ingredients.

Susan

[hathor]

Since milk is one of those allergens that have to be listed on labels, you can always look for that. But just google ... there are assorted lists of ingredients to avoid for casein sensitivity. The main thing is to avoid anything than mentions obvious dairy-type things (milk, cheese, whey, cream, yogurt, etc.) or says "casein" or "caseinate." I don't find it that complicated.

Some people don't react to butter, because it doesn't contain much casein. But I do and I don't think it is healthy to begin with (not to get into an argument here with butter fans -- maybe if I could eat the stuff I would think it just fine LOL ) I can handle ghee, though. I've read that this is so clarified it is pretty much pure fat & the protein is all gone. Some folks cook with it, but I haven't. It looks kind of disgusting in the store ... but this doesn't stop me from going to Indian restaurants all the time You will see butter & ghee listed in the "avoid" lists ... but these are usually formulated for those who are allergic, not intolerant.

Just starting out, though, you probably want to avoid everything.

Constipation and brain fog can definitely come from dairy, as well as other unpleasant symptoms. Before I was diagnosed, I had a slice of cheesecake. It was Thanksgiving. I usually didn't eat dairy but I felt it was a special occasion and a young relative had worked hard & was very proud of this dessert. Well, I was sick for a solid week. So much for lusting after THAT particular dessert for the rest of my life ...

(In a similar vein, I can handle soy lecithin, but not soy. Enterolab itself told me that it thought soy lecithin would be OK. Some soy allergy sites say that certain folks can handle the lecithin or even some types of soy oil.)

I had heard that Rice Dream was going to change its formulation to eliminate the trace gluten. Anyone interested in the product might check on that. But there are other rice milks out there ... and it isn't my favorite anyway. I can't have soy either. First I was having almond milk, but I recently found I prefer the flavor of hemp milk. This seems more milk-like in flavor & contains omega 3's and none of the additives that I didn't like in the almond milk. Of course, some energetic folks make their own milks

For cooking, you can experiment with different milks -- soy (if you can handle it), rice, almond, hemp, even coconut.

I've found recently that I can tolerate goat's milk cheese. Keep that in mind as a possibility once you feel like your gut has healed. For someone who can't handle casein, it probably wouldn't be good to have it before you no longer have a leaky gut (don't want to create antibodies to it) or to have it all the time or in large quantities. But occasionally and in small quantities (a little does go a long way), it may be doable. I just mention this as a possible bright spot in your future Folks should be careful with feta, though, making sure it is made with sheep's or goat's milk. In the EU it has to be, but here (and stuff the EU exports to us I believe it is ...) it might be from cow's milk.

Yes, I've gotten some blank stares at restaurants when I ask what kind of milk they make their feta from. If they don't know, I skip it.

I've yet to hear if casein-intolerant folks can sometimes handle buffalo milk mozzarella. Sounds like an internet research project for me when I don't feel like doing something productive, or perhaps a new thread ...

[tarnalberry]

yes, you most likely should try it.

like gluten free, it's as easy as your adaptability makes it. (note that I didn't say 'fun and enjoyable' - there is no substitute for cheese, truly, but we can live without it, and that is ok.)

it's best, just like with gluten-free, to minimize how much pre-processed, pre-packaged foods you eat, because the risks of missing an ingredient on a label and getting contamination go up. there are some things you may have to give up or adapt your tastes around - like cheese, ice cream, and yogurt. but you can do that, as long as you remind yourself not not constantly pine over what you can't have and be glad for what you can have. but it's another learning curve to get through.

as noted, however, it's a little easier, since dairy is one of the eight major allergens!

[Nancym]

You want to look for anything containing "milk" in the ingredients list, it should be listed as "milk" because it is one of the 8 allergens. Other words are casein, caseinate, whey, lactose. That's all I can think of.

Yeah, giving up dairy is harder. I decided to just completely change the way I eat when I gave up dairy. So I adopted the Paleo diet. I also eat a lot of SE Asian food because they don't use dairy or (much) wheat. So I got a good Thai cookbook and that helped loads. I'm getting a little tired of Thai food though, I think I need to branch out into vietnamese cooking next!

It has taken awhile but I've developed lots of new favorite recipes and things to eat that don't have dairy products (or gluten). For instance, for breakfast my favorite thing is a Thai omelet!

[7-cody]

At least for a week. I bet you'll feel a ton better.

In just one week! Well I wouldn't be surprised, it seems to me like the "good days" I have every once in a great while (were I feel pretty good) are probably just because for a few days I coincidentally didn't eat any dairy. Which is possible, since for example I never drink milk... I hate milk anyways. But cheese and ice cream... yum. Is there a dairy free ice cream btw?

I can't recommend soymilk anymore. For cereal I use almond milk or hazelnutmilk, both by Pacific Natural Foods.

Is almond milk pretty good? I bet my health store has one.

BTW, it's all finally truly WORKED for me - I feel fantastic(!) nearly every minute of every day, tho just since also quitting soy 7-8 wks ago.

You really feel THAT good? Maybe the same thing can happen to me... how did you feel before that?

4)Grocery trips used to be so depressing. Reading ingred labels on & on, and almost always finding things I can't have.

But buying quality individual unprocessed ingreds and making something myself solved all that.

Brain fog and C can easily both be from dairy.

I think you should start the dairy-free test today.

If it goes how I think it will, w/in a week, you'll feel better than you have in years and you'll wonder why the heck u didn't try dairy-free long ago.

Yes grocery shopping IS depressing.... because I don't cook much and don't know much about food. Where is the best way to get food in bulk like rice, etc? Maybe I should just load up on veggies, fruits, rice, potatoes and what not. Are the steaks and chickens and meats at grocery stores such as Harmons usually okay? I know they're pumped w/ hormons and what not, but hell, I gotta get my meat.

Since milk is one of those allergens that have to be listed on labels, you can always look for that. But just google ... there are assorted lists of ingredients to avoid for casein sensitivity. The main thing is to avoid anything than mentions obvious dairy-type things (milk, cheese, whey, cream, yogurt, etc.) or says "casein" or "caseinate." I don't find it that complicated.

Oh yeah... okay, so dairy is easier to avoid than gluten but it sucks more to avoid dairy foods than gluten foods because they're in more foods. Am i right?

Some people don't react to butter, because it doesn't contain much casein. But I do and I don't think it is healthy to begin with (not to get into an argument here with butter fans -- maybe if I could eat the stuff I would think it just fine LOL ) I can handle ghee, though. I've read that this is so clarified it is pretty much pure fat & the protein is all gone. Some folks cook with it, but I haven't. It looks kind of disgusting in the store ... but this doesn't stop me from going to Indian restaurants all the time You will see butter & ghee listed in the "avoid" lists ... but these are usually formulated for those who are allergic, not intolerant.

I see... I don't really use much butter anyway.

Just starting out, though, you probably want to avoid everything.

That's what I was thinking. But I have NO idea what to eat for breakfast and lunch. Dinners I can make steaks. I guess lunch I can make salads. What are some other mean ideas?

Yes, I've gotten some blank stares at restaurants when I ask what kind of milk they make their feta from. If they don't know, I skip it.

Honestly eating out is the part that sucks the most... I eat out all the time. I guess now Outback Steakhouse and Chili's are my favorite restaurants=p

yes, you most likely should try it.

like gluten free, it's as easy as your adaptability makes it. (note that I didn't say 'fun and enjoyable' - there is no substitute for cheese, truly, but we can live without it, and that is ok.)

it's best, just like with gluten-free, to minimize how much pre-processed, pre-packaged foods you eat, because the risks of missing an ingredient on a label and getting contamination go up. there are some things you may have to give up or adapt your tastes around - like cheese, ice cream, and yogurt. but you can do that, as long as you remind yourself not not constantly pine over what you can't have and be glad for what you can have. but it's another learning curve to get through.

as noted, however, it's a little easier, since dairy is one of the eight major allergens!

Wheat isn't a major eight allergen?

It has taken awhile but I've developed lots of new favorite recipes and things to eat that don't have dairy products (or gluten). For instance, for breakfast my favorite thing is a Thai omelet!

That sounds yummy!

So yesterday my Mom just told me that as a kid I would react badly with milk. she didn't know better back then and said she made a mistake, but she said my head would swell up etc when I drank milk. Sounds dairy could definitely be a problem for me!

Also, I need help with grocery shopping and things to make. Any ideas or any example grocery shopping lists would be awesome! I have no idea, for example, other than an omelet what the heck I can make for breakfast.

Thanks guys!

[confusedks]

I am Gluten-free Casein-free also. It is really hard when you're away from home. For breakfast I don't really eat a lot of "breakfast" foods because eggs bother my tummy. If I'm in a rush, Gorilla Munch cereal is good or sometimes Van's Waffles. FOr lunch I eat leftovers from dinner the night before. It's an adjustment, but it's not THAT bad. My mom has been my whole life, so I get to see ways to substitute foods. You can also have gluten-free pasta with marinara sauce (watch out because some have dairy in them.) In answer to your ice cream question, there are dairy free ice creams, they are made out of either soy or rice. I'm not too sure which ones are gluten-free, but if you bring the forbidden list, I'm sure you could figure it out. Maybe you could post an example of a day's food that you would eat and we could help you makde dairy free substitutions.

Also, a lot of gluten-free baking mixes, etc. are casein free also. A lot of dark chocolate and semi-sweet is dairy free.

Kassandra

[tarnalberry]

the reason that we're saying that dairy is easier to catch in labels than gluten because dairy is one of the eight major allergens is because gluten isn't just found in wheat. sure, you can look for wheat on the allergen list to try to avoid gluten, but you might still get glutened by rye, barley, or oats, so that allergen warning doesn't do you any good. the dairy allergen warning is, however, sufficient.