Perspective is everything, including how we think about our diets. Mind you, diet isn’t a word to describe some trend we’re on to lose weight; it simply means how we eat. One might assume that someone on a lactose-free diet automatically faces a handicap. Since the natural sugar (lactose) that’s found in milk causes digestive problems for many, more and more people are going dairy-free which means dishes like ice cream, sweet dairy milk, cheese, or yogurt are out of the question. With America’s food industry being made up of these foods for the most part, not to mention us having fast food options like milkshakes, cheeseburgers, sundaes, parfaits, and frilly coffee drinks, avoiding lactose can be tricky and downright challenging. But with plant-based options available like non-dairy milk, vegan ice cream, and even non-dairy yogurt, deprivation is now a thing of the past. And since we know that the dairy industry is one of the cruelest on the market, no longer do we face the belief that milk is natural or has its place in the human diet.

The Good That Comes From Lactose Intolerance

The influx of dairy alternative products isn’t the only thing we’ve seen come from the rise of lactose intolerance – we’re also now seeing something much more beneficial. Something possibly no one expected, yet also something worth celebrating – people are suffering lower rates of cancer as lactose intolerance continues to rise. Coincidence? Proponents of the dairy industry may say so, but researchers aren’t so quick to agree. The bottom line? We now have reason to believe that less dairy intake directly results in lower rates of cancer.

How Lactose Intolerance Has Contributed to Lower Rates of Cancer

A new study suggests that those who are lactose intolerant and unable to eat most dairy foods show lower risks and rates or lung, breast, and ovarian cancer. Risks seem to go dramatically down once intake of dairy stops or dramatically slows. Since siblings and parents of the individuals in the study with lactose intolerance still had increased risks of cancer, researchers were able to pinpoint that diet alone influenced the lower risks, not genetics.

What We Know About Dairy and Cancer

We’ve been told for years by profound medical doctors like T. Colin Campbell, Joel Fuhrman, and Neal Barnard, that dairy is one of the worst foods to consume when it comes to preventing cancer naturally. The proteins found in dairy contribute to an increase in insulin growth like factors that promote cancer cell proliferation. They also contribute to weakened immune system function, which can lead to cancer even more quickly. Despite marketing claims by the dairy industry that promote milk, yogurt, cheese, and even butter these days as health products, consistent research supports the elimination of dairy to prevent cancer, diabetes, and even heart disease. Other foods like processed foods and refined sugar have also been linked to an increase in disease and even cancer, so eliminating all of these foods is the best idea instead of just singling out one over the other.

What You Can Do to Fight Cancer and Lactose Intolerance

If you’re unsure if you’re sensitive to lactose and dairy, be safe and go dairy-free just to see. Chances are you’ll not only feel better and have more energy, but your digestion may improve as a result. Since dairy is highly addictive, you may find it hard in the beginning, so be sure to choose products to replace dairy that you can enjoy instead. These include: unsweetened plant-based milks, non-dairy ice cream, vegan butter or coconut butter, non-dairy yogurt, and optimize the use of creamy foods like bananas, avocados, coconut meat, smoothies, raw nut butter, applesauce, oatmeal, and vegan puddings to replace creamy dairy dishes in your diet. Prioritize a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables every single day since eating the rainbow has been shown to prevent cancer all on its own, not to mention provide plenty of protein and calcium without the need for dairy. 

Not only will you probably feel much better on a lactose-free and dairy-free diet, but you’ll also probably be eating your way to fight cancer as a result.

What benefits have you seen from going dairy-free?

Image Source: Neil Conway/Flickr