Is DAIRY bad for Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis?
For the most part people who suffer from IBD’s do not tolerate dairy products very well. If they do consume them they usually do best with 24hr yogurt aka SCD Legal yogurt, butter, and some aged cheeses. I have heard of people having success with Raw milk (cow and goat products). If you have tried RAW milk products than please make sure to let me know how it worked for you.
I’ve been med free remission for close to 10 years and I still do not tolerate dairy in large doses. Yes I do consume half a cream in my delicious Americano everyday without issue. But if I was to have 2 creams in my coffee I would notice that my nose might start to run and I would experience post nasal drip which results in me making gross hacking noises. I get away with having some desserts during the holidays that were baked with dairy, or have cool whip. If I was to eat 5 pieces of pizza, or drink some milk I would experience some crappy side effects. These side effects would be some of the following: looser bowel movements, smelly farts, mucus, and nasal back up. My wife is against me eating excessive dairy products because she’s stuck sleeping with me… can you say dutch oven.
Should you consume Dairy if you have an Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
The best advice I can give is to be mindful of how you feel when you consume dairy products. I’ve spoken with many people who say they handle dairy without issue. Then I pry further I find out they have skin rashes. I suggest that they should discontinue the dairy for a week or two and see how they feel. They come back to me saying that it’s amazing their skin cleared up. Dairy is one of the leading culprits for: skin issues, chest phlegm, runny nose, and nasal congestion so please keep this in mind.
Dairy Alternatives for people with IBS, Crohns, and Ulcerative Colitis
I know it might seem difficult to stay away from dairy when we live in a cheese crazy country. But there are so many alternatives such as:
- Almond milk
- Coconut Milk/Cream (ice cream)
- Vegan Cheeses
As I mentioned earlier people tend to do better with fermented products (predigested), yogurt scd legal 24hr, goats yogurt, raw milk, and aged or old cheeses. Each person might have a different tolerance to dairy so be mindful of how it makes you feel when you eat it.
Also if your early on in your healing journey dairy might completely set you off and that is completely normal. In this case stay away from it initially and only try 24hr yogurt, and butter.
If your looking to improve your IBD and change your life, check out my free healing guide.
