Me & My Soy

So being dairy-free for my dairy-intolerant daughter was no picnic at first. She could not have any dairy at all, so I had to avoid even the tiniest amounts if I was going to breastfeed her (without her bleeding in her diaper).

When she stopped breastfeeding, I went back to dairy. Happy to eat cheese once again. Eager to get my hands on a brownie sundae. Thankful to trade in that soy mozzarella for the real deal.

But that's when my own troubles began. Or, I guess, that's when they became clear. I'd always suspected I had issues with dairy - not lactose-intolerance, but just difficulty digesting it. And then being free and clear of it for about 8 weeks reset my system. That initial shock of yogurt, cheese, and milk sent me over the edge.

That's when I had all those issues with my tummy and angry bladder. The end result being, I have IBS. And all along, dairy has been irritating it. So there you have it. If that's not a lesson in 'things happening for a reason,' I don't know what is.

Anyway, I'm back to a very limited amount of dairy in my diet. I don't have to avoid it outright, but I'll pass on the daily yogurt and bowl of cereal with milk, thanks. Instead, I've gone right back to the soy products I grew to like. Some of them are even delicious.

For example, Vanilla soy milk in plain coffee is the most delicious "french vanilla" I've ever had, without the artificial flavor. Chocolate soy milk in coffee makes mocha! Yum!

Vegan butter takes just like the real stuff, but my tummy doesn't get angry. Same for soy whipped cream. That stuff is good! And don't get me started on Tufutti ice cream sandwiches. I was surprised how yummy those were and they have fewer calories too.

So being dairy-free has its perks. I think I might eat these alternatives even if I didn't have to. Any other suggestions for dairy-free stuff I should try?