Want to quit non-dairy milks, but don’t know how? If you’re someone like me who finally was ready to break up with oat milk after significant health consequences from years and years of ‘dairy alternatives,’ let me teach you. 

First things first: purchase digestive enzymes. I’ve linked a $10 off coupon code in which the discount should populate at checkout. CLICK HERE for the discount link.

Digestive enzyme supplements are so important especially if you have not had dairy, or regular milk in a significant period of time. You especially want a lactase enzyme that helps your body break down the sugars that are in the dairy which can cause gut irritation and bloating. 

Secondly, start SLOW. If you’re afraid to go straight to milk, or if you’re incredibly sensitive the way I was, start with a Dairy Reintroduction Ladder:

If you are not mentally ready to opt for a raw milk option, the top options I recommend are 100% grass fed Maple Hill Creamery, Alexandre Whole Milk, or Grassmilk by Organic Valley, or if you can find an organic A2 milk without fortified vitamins/vitamin A palmitate.

While I understand there is a mental aspect to the raw dairy due to the marketing that has been shoved down our throats for years pushing pasteurization as the best way, it’s actually been proven that the pasteurization process breaks down not only the active enzymes (including lactase mentioned above) that occur naturally in raw milk, but also the native whey proteins, vitamins and nutrients. This is why you often see milk ‘fortified’ with vitamin D or other vitamins.  * you don’t want any milk that is ‘fortified’ with vitamins 

Unfortunately, there has been a vicious cycle of the fear of dairy: 

This has created a society that thinks ‘milk’ with 10+ ingredients is a healthier option than milk straight from the cow which was consumed by our ancestors for hundreds, even thousands of years. I have been this person and I understand, but there is a way and we can do better: work on gut health and gaining back the enzymes, improve metabolism, source quality dairy, introduce slowly, become aware of the psychological responses to food, take a deep breath, and BOOM *regains the ability to tolerate dairy*

I’d like to also mention the digestibility of A2 milk. Cows with the A2A2 gene produce only A2 milk. Jersey, Guernsey, Normande and Brown Swiss breeds have a higher percentage of A2 genes than Holstein. There have been claims that A2 milk is easier for humans to digest, improves health and lowers the risk for some diseases.
 

If you are curious about raw dairy, I wrote about it here. If you are not mentally ready to opt for a raw milk option, the top options I recommend are 100% grass fed Maple Hill Creamery, Alexandre Organic, or Grassmilk by Organic Valley, or if you can find an organic A2 milk without fortified vitamins/vitamin A palmitate. 

Let me know if this helped you! Send me a message or leave a comment below. 

 

*This is not medical advice, I encourage you to do your own research the way I did to make these decisions for yourself/family