Signs you should consider cutting out dairy

From the Insider on MSN

Whether you've been diagnosed with lactose intolerance or a milk allergy or not, dairy could be having some adverse effects on your body. The symptoms of lactose intolerance or sensitivity can be sneaky. Here are just a few signs that cutting out dairy could be good for you.

1). Constipation could be brought on by dairy intolerance. There's some evidence that dairy can cause constipation in some people due to inflammation of the digestive tract.
     "Dairy protein (not the fat or sugar) causes severe constipation in many people," Dr. John McDougallwrote.
In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1998, 65 severely constipated children said they'd only had one bowel movement every 3 to 15 days, Dr. McDougall recounts, adding, "they didn't even respond to strong laxatives." "Forty-four of the 65 (68%), however, found relief of their constipation when taken off the cow-milk," Dr. McDougall writes.  Of course, you should always talk to your doctor first, as constipation can have some other (and more alarming) causes.

2). If you frequently experience painful and/or noisy indigestion, dairy could be the culprit. The Mayo Clinic has a list of gas-producing foods and, fun fact, dairy is on it. "[Dairy] can definitely cause gas and bloating for some people," Karen Ansel, R.D.N., author of Healthy in a Hurry: Simple, Wholesome Recipes for Every Meal of the Day, told SELF. If you cut out dairy, you might cut out your gas pain along with it.

3). For some people, dairy can cause acne. The data on dairy's connection to acne is not totally conclusive, but for some people, dairy can cause skin issues. When it comes to acne, "not only does the bacteria living in your pores cause inflammation, but what you ingest, like milk, can also promote inflammation, making your skin even worse," according to Men's Health.  Still, it appears milk and ice cream can cause acne while cheese and yogurt might not, according to Men's Health. Everyone's body will react differently to different foods, so trial and error, along with careful observation, is probably the best bet.

4). If you’re tired for no good reason, cleansing dairy from your diet could help. This might be unexpected, but people who don't tolerate milk or dairy well might become fatigued when they eat it. "Milk allergy is a reaction to the casein proteins in milk and other dairy products. When people with milk allergy consume these foods, the body mounts an immune response by producing antibodies to the protein and releasing histamine into the blood," according to Amy Liddell, who holds a PhD in biological and biomedical sciences from Harvard University.

This can cause a fatigue response after the allergic reaction subsides. "Unfortunately, many foods contain hidden sources of milk, including processed meats, candies, and soy products. As a result, it may be difficult to identify this allergy simply by tracking your response to dairy foods," Liddell wrote.