The Strange Reason This Gut Expert & MD Avoids Dairy In The Spring

Springtime comes with a variety of shifts: As your body adjusts to the changes in sun, temperature, food, and habits, it's important to edit your routine to meet those natural ebbs and flows. You might, say, switch up your skin care routine, give your home a proper dusting, or celebrate the passage of time with a special ritual. 

After years of experimentation, he has found that dairy revs up his inflammation levels during spring, fall, and winter—but in the summer he feels totally fine. "I do love cheese, and I love certain dairy-related desserts and things," he notes but especially during the springtime, that gut inflammation doesn't make him feel his best. 

Now, the research on dairy and inflammation is quite mixed. Some report that dairy foods do not 1increase biomarkers of chronic inflammation1, while others have linked milk consumption to an increase in IGF-1 levels2 and acne (all acne stems from inflammation, for what it's worth).

The point is that everyone's guts are different—and according to Pedre, your own gut is a dynamic system that can change and evolve throughout the year. So just because you can generally tolerate dairy doesn't mean you're completely off the hook; make sure you keep listening to your body's cues.  

We repeat: Everyone's bodies are different, and you should always listen to your own signals. If you feel just fine eating high-quality dairy products, please, proceed! Pedre just wants to make sure you know that dairy intolerances can show up in subtle, sneaky ways—not all of them having to do with digestion itself. 

That also doesn't mean you should absolutely start introducing dairy in the summer months. Always talk to a health care professional before making any tweaks to your diet, especially if you have a sensitivity or allergy. But if you've ever noticed that you can handle—or even crave—dairy products during certain times of the year, you and Pedre might have something in common.