I get fresh, RAW dairy products…yogurt, whole milk, ghee, butter, cream, farm made cheeses, etc. from the dairy farm down the road and don’t have any reaction to them at all.  I used to react to the processed dairy products…The fact that they are raw seems to make a big difference for me.

The dairy question is in some ways bio-individual and dependent on what your health history and current symptoms are. There are some benefits to cultured unsweetened yogurt and kefir rich in probiotics, but the benefits do not outweigh the consequences for some. Most of us (about 70%)  do not produce the enzymes to digest lactose (milk sugar) after our first five years of life, so it can be highly taxing to the body to try to break it down without enzymatic help. That being said, most cheese is low in lactose and can be more easily digested than milk, and cheese from goat or sheep is easier for humans to digest, as the protein profile is much more similar to that of human milk.

Take away: Aim for raw, organic sheep or goat dairy products whenever you are choosing to eat them, and remember casein (a high allergen for many people) is still present in cheeses, so keep consumption moderate or avoid completely if you have been found to be allergic or highly sensitive. Ghee (clarified butter) has no lactose or casein and is a great substitute for butter.