I Gave Up Dairy for One Week and Feel Less Bloated and More Energized—But My Skin Hasn’t Changed

I grew up having a love affair with dairy. There was no breakfast I loved like a bakery-fresh bagel with butter (I was born in Brooklyn, where the best bagels are made) paired with a latte. And when out with friends, mac and cheese, nachos, pizza, and buttery garlic mashed potatoes were among my very favorite treats.

But as time went on, I developed increasing levels of dairy intolerance that ended up impacting my health and weight.

I knew this was coming—my mom had the same trajectory. In her younger years, she counted pizza and ice cream as her favorite foods, but as she aged, if there was so much as a bit of dairy used to grease the pan that fried her egg white omelet, she would experience stomach issues.

As I entered my late 30s and noticed that a buttermilk biscuit or whipped cream left me with a gurgling tummy and other side effects, I realized my love affair with dairy was probably coming to an end. I could still easily handle cheese, but butter and cream-based products were increasingly becoming an issue. This is common, as research shows that many people develop increasing issues with lactose as they age.

Fast forward to earlier this month: For my birthday week, I dined out in style with various friend groups, starting with a delicious dinner of buffalo mozzarella and cacio e pepe. The next day, I enjoyed creamed spinach and birthday cake. It was all delicious and I don’t regret it for a second, but my body cried that it was…