If you suffer from chronic sinus problems and infections, you may want to also consider whether or not dairy foods may be causing your suffering. You may have a milk allergy or be intolerant of lactose or casein and not even realize it!
Just as we wrote about gluten intolerance being a common underlying cause of sinus problems, milk can also be a trigger for many people. Why this is has not been researched enough, but there are many different theories.
Some believe that when you have an intolerance to dairy foods you develop what is called a “leaky gut”, which can cause toxins to permeate the intestines and be absorbed into the blood stream. Others suggest that the body constantly fighting foods you are eating can greatly weaken the immune system, making you more likely to catch viruses and colds that can result in chronic sinus infections.
It’s important to understand exactly what types of sensitivities exist to dairy and milk based products. A milk allergy typically results in very obvious effects, and may include hives, rash, difficulty breathing, as well as congestion or stomach cramps. Lactose intolerance is when you cannot digest the lactose found in milk and other dairy foods, which can result in what’s called a “leaky gut” or other stomach problems. Casein is a protein found in milk, and while it’s thought to be rare, many people if tested are surprised to find their body may be producing antibodies against this protein.
Diagnosing a milk allergy or intolerance is easier than many other foods. A true allergy can easily be tested with a skin test by your doctor. Blood tests can sometimes reveal antibodies being produced against casein as well. For others, following an elimination diet of no dairy foods for two weeks and then drinking a small glass of milk can sometimes be all you need to do to know whether you may need to restrict milk from your diet.
Many chronic sinus sufferers have reported that by cutting out dairy foods their problems have significantly improved, and some have even found they go away all together. Why this is still needs more scientific based research, but if it works and it helps, it is certainly worth researching further.
If you’ve suffered nonstop from chronic congestion, even after trying many of the natural sinus cures discussed on this site, then doing a trial elimination diet is the way to go. You will need to not only stop eating all obvious sources of dairy, such as milk, yogurt, ice cream, and cheese, but you’ll also need to be very careful about foods that contain dairy. A bag of cheese flavored potato chips or even your favorite salad dressing may have dairy lurking in it.
After you successfully go two weeks with no dairy, you’ll want to consume a very small glass of milk. (Or heck, if this is the last time you have dairy, why not go all out and have some ice cream?) Having a small amount is important, because after two weeks if you are intolerant of it your symptoms may be severe by just that small amount. If you notice also after those two weeks that you see an improvement in your sinuses and have not tried anything else new, it is also likely that dairy foods could play a role in your constant suffering.
Eliminating dairy from your diet is not guaranteed to work or cure any disease, and if you need medical attention you should certainly talk to your doctor. If everything else you’ve tried has been unsuccessful, talking to your doctor about dairy intolerance may be a step in the right direction in finding the reason why you are feeling sick all of the time.