Fleming - Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living

The content provided in this book is for educational purposes only. The information supplied is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease; nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult a physician regarding any health problem and before altering your diet, starting an exercise program, making changes in prescribed medications, or taking supplements of any kind.

Fleming Ink has published this book to provide information in regard to the subject matter covered. Fleming Ink cannot predict or guarantee the effectiveness of any information in the content of this book or the results obtained by any particular user who relies on it. The information is provided to the public to inform and educate users, and should only be used as a research tool. Fleming Ink further provides the information with the understanding that Fleming Ink along with the companys officers, employees, publisher, and authors are not liable for the use of the information provided.

Fleming Ink believes that the information provided in this book is complete, current, and accurate, but Fleming Ink cannot guarantee that all information provided in this book is complete, current, and accurate. Fleming Ink, its officers, employees, publisher, and authors shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused by the information contained in this book.

The information presented herein is in no way intended as a substitute for medical counseling. Specific medical advice should be obtained from a licensed health care practitioner.

Copyright 2008 by Alisa Marie Fleming

Cover Designed by Andrea Schaaf

Cover Photography by Hannah Kaminsky

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage retrieval system without the sole, written permission from the author or publisher.

ISBN-10: 0-9791286-2-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-9791286-2-2
Printed in the United States
Published by Fleming Ink
Henderson, Nevada

Over the years, so many of you have been kind enough to email me with your dairy-free stories. You have even allowed me to post them on www.godairyfree.org, offering others a place for inspiration. I feel it only fair that I share my story with you, now

At the age of 33, as I was in the midst of working on this guidebook, my father handed me a baby book he found while cleaning out some boxes. It was mine, but I had never seen it before. As it fell open in my hands, the first words I laid eyes upon were 4 months Allergic to milk. I am not sure whether I was more amazed that it flipped right to that page, or that it took me decades to discover this fact for myself, the one that was so casually and plainly written in those memoirs.

My parents knew that I had a milk allergy as an infant, but the doctors assured them that such a thing is always quickly outgrown, not lasting past that first year no testing required. In my childhood, it was never spoken of.

You might be wondering, how someone could live so long with a milk allergy and not know it. Fortunately, I hated almost all dairy; milk, cheese (yes, seriously), and cream ranked at the very bottom of my food-craving list. I naturally avoided most dairy on my own, instinctually unless it was out of my control; I was a child after all.

Plus, there were symptoms, many symptoms during those uncontrollable times. Ear infections (including surgery), eczema, frequent and often violent illness, gastrointestinal symptoms, sudden bouts of weakness, and sporadic breathing difficulties all written off as an unlucky childhood, though I missed more days of school than any of my classmates. In fact, during the final quarter of my senior year in high school, the vice-principal called me in to offer a kind word of warning that I was one missed school day away from not graduating, even though I liked school, was active in sports, and maintained good grades.

Yet, I still wasnt prepared for what lay ahead, in my twenties, when the doctors insisted that I must increase my dairy intake for the sake of my bones. I reluctantly obliged, adding tolerable things like frozen yogurt and chocolate milk to my daily regime, and slowly working myself up to cheese. The next five years brought a continuous downward spiral in my health. During everyday activities, I would suddenly become severely ill, followed by weakness and pain, and if I tried to stand, I would lose consciousness. On a few unfortunate occasions, I had convulsions. My trips to the emergency room were becoming more frequent, until not a week passed without a visit. Yet, the doctors had no answers. There were blood tests, MRIs, EKGs, and heart monitors, but I was deemed healthy. I was scared, and my husband could no longer hide his own fear.

It was only by luck that I stumbled across a western doctor who believed in alternative medicine and diet as treatment. In my first visit he sat with me for a full 90 minutes, asking all types of questions, from medical to psychological. At the end of the time, he said, Have you tried cutting out milk? I thought he was insane. Thats it? I am having what feel like near death experiences, and thats all youve got?! I nearly walked out, but my husband said, Why not? We should give it a try. Yes, that wonderful man went dairy-free with me.

Within three days, all of my symptoms ceased, and to this day, over five dairy-free years later, they have not returned. It felt like nothing short of a miracle. Of course, since I still wanted real proof (stubborn as I am) the doctor ordered a food allergy test. Sure enough, I was in fact allergic to milk, specifically casein (milk protein). Those test results could have brought on disappointment and stress, but I was elated. I had an answer and I felt better than I had in years.

I began researching the dairy-free diet like a madwoman. At that time, the data was actually quite difficult to find, but I wanted to know everything about how to live healthfully and actually enjoy a life free from dairy.

In all honesty, many external factors did make the transition difficult. My stint on a dairy-rich diet quickly created an ice cream addiction that I had to overcome. Plus, grocery shopping, dining out, and social gatherings with friends added some unexpected complications.

The good news is that it all became easy, very easy. My dairy cravings gradually melted away, and my diet is now rich with more delicious foods than I ever would have imagined. Just like riding a bicycle, living dairy-free has become very natural and virtually effortless. Yet, even after I felt my own life was well under control, I knew there was still some purpose for all of the information I had gathered. Thinking that perhaps a few others would find my data and recipes useful, I created www.godairyfree.org to be an online information resource for living without milk.

It seems I was right, but perhaps I did underestimate things just a bit. From July 2006 to June 2008 (I didnt have any website data prior to that time in 2006), www.godairyfree.org received half a million visitors and over 2.5 million hits, as people stuck around to read various pages. Each month, as the word gets out, the traffic continues to grow. It is so exciting to see how many other people this information is helping. Though I could have been content with working on the website, I knew that a more in-depth, offline resource could aid even more people and thus, this guidebook was born.