I went dairy-free, here's what happened

Sinusitis, which is the result of infected or inflamed sinuses, has been a thorn in my side (or nose) for years. I regularly struggle with discomfort, pressure and headaches, which paracetamol and ibuprofen don’t come close to fixing.

I’ve tried everything: tablets, sprays, rinses. I even had surgery. But the problems persisted.

When friends suggested ditching dairy, I quickly shot the idea down. The evidence didn’t seem to be there (and also, you know, cheese!).

As the headaches persisted, though, and my children seemed to get louder, I decided to give it a go to rule it out once and for all.

You probably know where this is going. After just a week of no dairy, my headaches vanished and my sinuses felt clear.

And it seems I’m not alone. There’s a chorus of people online claiming that eliminating dairy also resolved their sinus issues.

Anecdotal evidence aside, there is no rock-solid link between dairy foods and sinus problems. But some small studies have found a connection.

It’s a common belief that dairy increases the amount of mucus the body makes and is linked to inflammation.¹ But according to Jenny Boss, Nutritionist and Bupa Health Insight Specialist, there’s not a lot of evidence to back these claims.

“In fact, a large review study found the opposite; that unless you have an allergy to dairy, it’s largely anti-inflammatory,” she says.²

Despite the lack of evidence, Boss says there’s no harm going off dairy as long as you compensate with other calcium-rich foods.

“Pain is there for a reason, it’s like an alarm system letting you know something is wrong, and if you’re not making any progress from everything you’ve tried, it may be worth trying a supervised elimination diet to see if you get some relief.”

Boss says my sinus’s relationship to dairy is likely an intolerance or sensitivity rather than an allergy.

A food allergy is an immune response where the body reacts quickly to even a tiny amount of food.³ Symptoms can include hives, vomiting, digestive issues and wheezing. In extreme cases, it can cause a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.

An intolerance affects the digestive system and usually comes down to how much you’ve consumed of something. It tends to have less serious or immediate symptoms, like diarrhoea, bloating and cramping.

Food intolerances can develop later in life and, unlike an allergy, you might be able to eat a small amount of the food without issue, or you may be able to tolerate it again over time.

Why food intolerances occur is still being studied. But Boss says our gut microbiome (the bacteria in our digestive system) could play an important role.

“Food intolerances can develop when the bacteria in our gut gets out of whack, perhaps in response to an illness or something else that impacts on the bacteria,” says Boss.

An intolerance won’t show up on an allergy test⁴, so it’s a matter of being attuned to your body (plus a little trial and error).

“If you suspect you have an intolerance to a particular food, the most reliable test is to try an elimination diet which is best performed under the supervision of an Accredited Practising Dietitian and medical practitioner,” Boss says.

This involves eliminating a specific food for a few weeks to see if there’s any effect. If you notice your symptoms settling, give it a month or 2 and try to slowly re-introduce the food.

“If it’s dairy, that might mean starting with a small amount of cheese,” Boss adds. So, those deliciously gooey French cheeses may not be off the menu after all!

Dairy (milk, cheese and yogurt) is one of the richest sources of calcium in your diet. But, Boss says, most Australians don’t get enough calcium.

About 6.2 million Australians over 50 are living with osteoporosis or osteopenia.⁵ And consuming plenty of calcium is one way to help keep your bones healthy.

So, if you’re dropping dairy, Boss recommends instead eating:

• calcium-fortified soy or other plant milk
• calcium-set tofu (look on the label for calcium sulphate (E516) or calcium chloride (E509)⁶)
• broccoli
• spinach
• almonds
• sesame seeds (and tahini)
• dried figs
• canned salmon with bones.