Dairy-free for a week

This is what I'm doing this week. It was something I had been contemplating, because I couldn't help but notice that every morning after I would have my tea with milk in it, I'd be coughing and hacking up nasty globs of green stuff way worse than what I had been before. Getting rid of this last cold (yes, I was STILL dealing with it!) was my main goal. My yoga teacher asked me one day after class what has been up with me, because she couldn't help but noticed that I'd missed a few classes and that when I was there, I was coughing and having a hard time breathing, etc. She implored that I must give up the dairy until I get rid of it. So, I knew it was time to do it. But it's one of those things that makes you go... oh, man... am I going to be able to do this????

Well, I started Monday morning. I had to switch out my daily yogurt snack for an apple...but I could handle that. After that, I found it easier than I thought I would! Dinner Monday was samosas from the Indian restaurant next door. Tuesday's dinner was a highly successful stir-fry made with chinese cabbage, snow peas, tofu, dark and light soy sauce, sesame and peanut oil and a dash of sugar. It was delish! Tonight will be left over stir-fry or french fries and meat-less meatballs (which I found in Stockmann yesterday.... they come in a can, so lets hope they're good!).

By Tuesday night I noticed (and so did my yoga teacher) that I was coughing much less, and was breathing easier. Not even a full two days! I also noticed that I was feeling lighter, not so much in weight, but like, less dense. Does that make sense?

So I'm wondering... if this experiment turns out positive results as to how much better I feel without dairy, will I continue? I have to say, the feeling good aspect makes it seem like a great idea! On the other hand, I live in the country of meat, potatoes and dairy products. Latvians eat sour cream like it's going out of style. And cheese is a major part of most vegetarian dishes in local restaurants. I already use soy milk on my cereal, so that's easy. And we also use an olive oil spread instead of butter. But when JS and I make tacos or nachos... no sour cream!??!? And there aren't any dairy free choices available here (unlike in the States, where soy sour cream would be the simple and tasty solution.)

So I'm thinking... there is no reason to create a hard rule. If I know I feel better when I avoid dairy, I can make it a guideline for most days. Stockmann also carries a product that is like a yogurt, but made from oats... it's dairy free, and while I had a berry flavored one that I didn't like, I just had the peach passion one today, and it was GREAT! Pasta without cheese seems almost criminal to me. So that might be a time when I have to step this way of the guideline. Actually, nachos or tacos without sour cream also hit me the same way, like, what's the point? But I have to say, those are the only two things that I can think of where losing dairy seems like the worst idea ever.

I will also soon receive a container of nutritional yeast that I have on order in the States (which has to be sent to my mom, and then to me). I have read several ideas about how nutritional yeast can be used as a cheese sub (flavor wise) on pasta, in sauces and other foods.

So who knows, maybe this will be an easier change to make than I thought. And maybe it will be another change to my diet that will continue to resonate with my body long after it's made.

You know what they say about milk anyway... it's for baby cows! ;)

P.S. Later that night... I had the meatless meatballs for dinner... and while they were salty, they were otherwise very good! :)