2/19/2009

Alternative Ways to Enjoy Milk If You Suffer From Milk Allergy

Suffering from an allergy against milk and dairy products? Then, no more full-cream milk, cottage cheese, cream cheese and you can also say goodbye to pizza! These are only some of the numerous types of food you have to do without if you develop milk allergy.
Although milk is good for your health, there are people who develop adverse pathological reactions when they take milk or any food product that contains milk. These people have to do without the world’s number one food drink. Most common of the reactions is skin irritation (which is considerably benign), which completely goes against the dietary benefits of drinking milk. However, not all is lost because there are means you can employ to avoid developing or strategies you can use to go around milk allergy that can allow you to still enjoy the benefits of highly nutritious milk. First, you have to know some basic information on milk allergy in order to properly manage and cope with the situation and in the process, enjoy its benefits regardless of the allergic condition you may have.

What is it?
A milk allergy is the pathological bodily response to any food product that contains milk or dairy products. The reaction however is not to milk as a whole but to one of the major protein component present in cow’s milk – the most commonly used milk product in the market. Cow’s milk contains two protein compounds – whey and casein; casein accounts for 80 percent of the protein content in cow’s milk which makes food products that contain cow’s milk an almost overwhelming obstacle for individuals with this particular type of allergy and sensitive reactions.

However, medical studies reveal that infants who initially have an adverse reaction to milk, intriguingly enough develop their resistance in due course and grow up to enjoy the benefits of milk and other dairy products. Then again, there is still the remote chance that they may exhibit the same allergy reaction to milk later in their adult life; there is no clear-cut explanation why or how this occurs later in life.

Symptoms
Common symptoms of allergic and sensitivity reaction to cow’s milk are signs that affect the skin, the body’s respiratory system, including the gastro-intestinal system. The most common symptomatic reactions are skin-related and digestive-system related physiological reactions although in very rare cases there are also people who exhibit aggravated respiratory symptoms, which is highly dangerous.

The Answer?

Unfortunately, the only solution to milk allergy is to entirely avoid cow’s milk and products that contain derivatives of cow’s milk as ingredients and supplements. Nevertheless, there are substitute milk products that are now widely available in the market that is not from cow that allows you to enjoy the nutritional benefits of cow’s milk. There are food products that are produced using soymilk and lactose-free milk instead of the traditional cow’s milk. These products can still make you enjoy your milk and cookies; however, the saddest part is foregoing the cream on your strawberries but it’s a lot better than not having the benefit of a milk substitute at all!

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