Reintroducing Dairy Into Diet

[runnerkat]

I've been gluten-free for 9 months now, and I'm beginning to reintroduce dairy into my diet, since I'm hoping that I can digest lactose again now that my villi should have healed. I'm slightly desperate for this to work, as I've recently found out that I am also intolerant to soy, so right now I feel like there are so many things I can't eat, especially protein-wise (since I'm a vegetarian). I'm trying to take it slow, since I was worried that going to fast might be bad since my body isn't accustomed to making the lactase enzyme. As of right now, all I've eaten is plain Stonyfield yogurt (one yesterday and one last Sunday) and both times I was completely fine with it and felt great. I was thinking that from here maybe I'd try some hard cheese with low levels of lactose, but I was wondering if anybody else had any insight into what worked for them. Has anybody else successfully added dairy back into their diet? What's the best way to do it?

Thanks in advance!

[mushroom]

I've been gluten-free for 9 months now, and I'm beginning to reintroduce dairy into my diet, since I'm hoping that I can digest lactose again now that my villi should have healed. I'm slightly desperate for this to work, as I've recently found out that I am also intolerant to soy, so right now I feel like there are so many things I can't eat, especially protein-wise (since I'm a vegetarian). I'm trying to take it slow, since I was worried that going to fast might be bad since my body isn't accustomed to making the lactase enzyme. As of right now, all I've eaten is plain Stonyfield yogurt (one yesterday and one last Sunday) and both times I was completely fine with it and felt great. I was thinking that from here maybe I'd try some hard cheese with low levels of lactose, but I was wondering if anybody else had any insight into what worked for them. Has anybody else successfully added dairy back into their diet? What's the best way to do it?

Thanks in advance!

Just to be clear, there is a difference between dairy (casein protein) and lactose (milk sugars). Some of us right from the start can tolerate casein but not lactose, since the lactase to digest the lactose is found on the very tips of the villi which are flattened by the gluten. So once the villi are healed the lactase should return. Others are intolerant of the casein which may or may not be permanent.

If you are intolerant of only lactose, you should be able to handle yogurt and hard cheese right from the start, which was my case, since these have cultures which digest most of the lactose for us.

In my case, I could handle the casein. I am 15 mos. gluten free and can now handle the lactose in a capucchino without problem. I haven't pushed it any further yet. I think you are doing the right thing in starting the way you are, and taking it slow. I am not sure from your post if you had problems with casein also. At any rate, a challenge should reveal what you can and cannot tolerate right now. But don't overdo it. Try one thing at a time.

[runnerkat]

I don't believe that I have a problem with casein, but I always had a problem with yogurt and cheese before, even though they have low levels of lactose. My lactose breath test was crazy (they said they'd never seen such a bad case) so my doctor told me that I just must be an exception and my body really couldn't tolerate any levels of lactose, even trace amounts. I'm hoping that's changed now!

[ravenwoodglass]

If your tolerating yogurt okay try adding in a hard cheese like cheddar. If that is well tolerated after a couple of weeks then add in some of the wetter cheeses, perhaps american or mozzarella.

The same villi that are damaged by celiac produce the enzyme to digest lactose so if you have healed enough you may be okay with dairy again.