Yesterday, as I stood in line at Carrefour clearing my throat, I realized the irony that 8 of the 11 things in our basket were dairy products--cheese to be specific.
As a kid, I had all sorts of colds and respiratory infections. When I was about 12, I was diagnosed as having an allergy to dairy which seemed to be aggravating the problem. As an adult, especially working in public service at a university library and being exposed to every germ the students brought with them, I continued to have frequent colds.
WARNING: Possible TMI to follow
Part of the problem, is my stuffy nose and post nasal drip (let's call it PND). I know my sister and mom suffer from it and I remember noticing once when visiting my grandmother (my mom's mom) that she did, too. Hang around with us long enough and you'll hear us, "eh-eh-hem!" Plus, there's the telltale trail of Kleenex (with lotion, please). I believe this nearly constant state of irritation and stuffiness makes a cozy environment for a cold virus. I imagine a flashing welcome sign: Come in and make yourself comfortable!
What makes it worse for me is consuming dairy--I don't drink milk, but I sometimes eat yogurt and occasionally ice cream, and I l-o-v-e cheese. Although scientific studies have apparently found no correlation between increased mucus production (or, ahem, thickening) and milk in non-allergy sufferers, I have found reference to it for those with an allergy to milk.
More importantly, I know what I've experienced. When I consume more dairy products, my problem is worse. I am constantly clearing my throat after a cheese bender. When I cut out dairy, (and drink lots of water) it's much better. Less throat clearing, less choking feeling, a clearer nose.
It's funny how passionate people get about the dairy question online, arguing either side. For myself, I consume it in moderation. Sometimes a little stuffiness is worth the pleasure of eating cheese or ice cream and other times, I'd rather breathe and swallow clearly. In the end, I believe we should do what feels right for us and let the rest of the world argue the larger question.
As a kid, I had all sorts of colds and respiratory infections. When I was about 12, I was diagnosed as having an allergy to dairy which seemed to be aggravating the problem. As an adult, especially working in public service at a university library and being exposed to every germ the students brought with them, I continued to have frequent colds.
WARNING: Possible TMI to follow
Part of the problem, is my stuffy nose and post nasal drip (let's call it PND). I know my sister and mom suffer from it and I remember noticing once when visiting my grandmother (my mom's mom) that she did, too. Hang around with us long enough and you'll hear us, "eh-eh-hem!" Plus, there's the telltale trail of Kleenex (with lotion, please). I believe this nearly constant state of irritation and stuffiness makes a cozy environment for a cold virus. I imagine a flashing welcome sign: Come in and make yourself comfortable!
What makes it worse for me is consuming dairy--I don't drink milk, but I sometimes eat yogurt and occasionally ice cream, and I l-o-v-e cheese. Although scientific studies have apparently found no correlation between increased mucus production (or, ahem, thickening) and milk in non-allergy sufferers, I have found reference to it for those with an allergy to milk.
More importantly, I know what I've experienced. When I consume more dairy products, my problem is worse. I am constantly clearing my throat after a cheese bender. When I cut out dairy, (and drink lots of water) it's much better. Less throat clearing, less choking feeling, a clearer nose.
It's funny how passionate people get about the dairy question online, arguing either side. For myself, I consume it in moderation. Sometimes a little stuffiness is worth the pleasure of eating cheese or ice cream and other times, I'd rather breathe and swallow clearly. In the end, I believe we should do what feels right for us and let the rest of the world argue the larger question.
Thank you so much for this post. I can also only have dairy in moderation (for totally different reasons) but I am now wondering if my daughter's chronic cough due to PND might be related ... wonder what kind of fits she'd throw if I cut out her milk?
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