What dairy products mean for us
Although recommended as healthy and good for the body, dairy products seem to be taking a big hit lately. The government has been recommending all dairy products, especially milk, for decades. We have all been taught that we should consume dairy on a daily basis. Our parents have always taught us that milk is healthy and even necessary. What we see in commercials is that it provides us with many nutrients, vitamins, minerals and calcium. The truth, however, is much more different, and you’ll soon see what I’m actually talking about.
The truth about dairy is revealed
Although many think they are healthy and good for the body, the simple truth about dairy products is that they can do more harm than good. This especially goes for your skin, so if you are suffering from acne you should definitely consider giving up dairy, and see what happens. Going for even a month or two without dairy should start to show on your skin. Soon you’ll start to notice just how much better your skin can be. The problem with these products is that they contain inflammatory substances and growth hormones. This often leads to clogged pores on your face, and not to mention redness. That’s why dairy causes acne, and often leads to inflammation and many other skin problems.
Let’s have a deeper look at why dairy causes acne
- Milk and dairy products have an abundance of the IGF-1 hormone. This hormone is great for baby cows, but not so good for us. The hormone makes baby cows grow big, but in humans it has that effect on acne instead. The hormone also causes skin inflammation and sometimes even swelling.
- Dairy also triggers your skin to produce more sebum, which is an oil that clogs your pores and makes it easier for acne to form.
- Milk and dairy products can cause spikes in your insulin levels. This can provoke your liver to start producing even more of the hormone that we mentioned above, leading to even more and more acne.
- Dairy can also help glue together dead skin cells in your pores. This makes it harder for them to leave the pores naturally, so instead they form acne.
How do I cut down on dairy?
Although the answer to clearer skin and fewer acne may sound simple, I’m sure that for many of you cutting out dairy is not that easy. I, for one know exactly how it feels, as I was once so addicted to dairy, that I couldn’t prepare a meal without it. Nevertheless, once I realized that dairy causes acne, and is not at all good for my skin, I knew I had to try cutting it out of my diet. Even though it was an excruciating process to go through, I still managed to succeed in giving up dairy altogether. Well maybe not altogether, since I allow myself to eat a piece of full fat cheese once in a while, but that’s it!
What are your options?
You have 2 ways that you can try giving up dairy. One would be quitting cold turkey, which I could not succeed in, and the other one would be to take 3-4 weeks to gradually start cutting down on dairy products one at a time. You can start cutting them down one by one, or lower your portion sizes a bit at a time- whichever works best for you.
What giving up dairy meant for me
It has been only 4 months since I decided to give up all dairy products, and still I’ve managed to see tremendous results. I have seen and continue seeing improvements to my skin, and not just on my face, but also in general. I’ve also noticed that after I decided to exclude dairy from my diet, not once have I had a bloated stomach. All of the clothes I thought were small, now fit me better than ever – all thanks to my dairy-free diet. Although giving up dairy was one of the hardest things I had to do, I have to say that it paid off wonderfully! Choosing to leave dairy off my plate improved my health and my skin condition drastically.
What if cutting down on dairy doesn’t help my acne problem?
Even if you don’t see any skin changes after you give up dairy that doesn’t mean that it’s safe for you to eat. What this means is that there might be a different problem going on inside, that is activating your acne and causing redness and swelling. Although dairy causes acne to break out in a lot of people who consume it on a regular basis, that might not be the case with you.
You should have a look at some other factors that can lead to acne. Such factors are: an unhealthy diet, environmental toxins, and even a hormonal imbalance or poly-cystic ovaries (if you’re a woman). There are many other things which can be the cause of acne. Nevertheless, reducing or limiting your dairy intake can never be a bad thing. It can lead to improvements not only in your skin, but in your whole body as well.
In sum
Cutting down on dairy will have many positive effects on your body. It will help clear your skin from acne, swelling and redness that you might have. Is some cases it may even help improve your bowel movements, and reduce bloating, which is always a plus!
