ribeirasacra

Chlorinated chickens. We don't allow them in Europe either.

kerouac

That's completely off topic, but I confess that I wonder sometimes if Americans know what a non chlorinated chicken tastes like.

However, back <b>on</b> topic, in France there is a brand of milk for lactose intolerant people called <i>Matin Léger</i>. So lactose intolerance does exist in Europe, and I would not want anybody to think that it is just an American (or GM world) fantasy. I have often read in France that lactose intolerance should be considered normal because milk is something produced for <b>baby</b> animals, not adults, who have different dietary needs. But since we insist on consuming dairy products, we have evolved to tolerate them. This is apparently what is now happening in Asia, particularly China, but people are suffering quite a bit as they adapt.

bvlenci

I once read that if people continue drinking milk after infancy, they usually retain the enzymes needed to digest milk. If their diet is low in lactose, they're likely to lose those enzymes.

The commercially produced chickens in Italy are not noticeably superior to those produced in the US. I notice a big difference between supermarket chicken and those I buy from a local farmer. However, even the local farmers often use commercial feed for their chickens that I wouldn't consider to be healthy, and certainly not natural.

By the way, it's relatively easy to find naturally raised free range chickens in the US. And not all chicken sold there, even by mass producers, has been treated with chlorine. Some producers use ozone or other methods.

quiltingmamma

Having 2 children with food sensitivities and having developed them myself later in life, one really has to think about whether it is North America's modified foods that are causing this. I was recently in Spain, and sure, there were plenty of packaged items in the store but not the same sort of things as packaged 'at home'. Being a solo traveler in an apartment, it would be easy to pick up something off the shelf to reheat, but this was very hard to find. Some pizzas, and a few freshly made pasta dishes...not the mac and cheeses, TV Dinners, chicken nuggets or anything else we have to make a quick meal in a microwave. I can eat bread in Europe whereas I can't eat it here. I still have some reactions to dairy there, but not the same as here.
I see an MD who deals with environmental illnesses and he often says it is the lack of chemicals and processing that makes eating elsewhere so much easier than in North America.
One only needs to think about what we do to our land and food to figure out there has to be a correlation between that and the increasing prevalence of allergies, asthma, hyperactivity, and immune related illnesses.

thursdaysd

"not the mac and cheeses, TV Dinners, chicken nuggets or anything else we have to make a quick meal in a microwave"

You really eat that stuff? Have you read the labels?

Christina

TV dinners? I didn't think they even sold those any more. I've seen plenty of frozen foods in European grocery stores, including all kinds of main courses, etc. I have never eaten chicken nuggets in my life and while I think American parents feed their children terrible diets nowadays, I really don't think chicken nuggets is the bulk of the frozen food aisles in the US.

YOu can find frozen foods in Spanish supermarkets like El Corte Ingles. They do have pizza and pastas as well as meats and poultry, of course, but they also have the same type of stuff you could buy in the uS -- say a combination of shrimp and pasta, lots of frozen fish (simple), fruit, etc
what's this? Oh, chicken nuggets sold at El Corte Ingles
https://beta.elcorteingles.es/superm...estuche-350-g/


I do not make quick meals in the microwave out of chicken nuggets or mac and cheese, actually, but I do use my microwave quite a bit. Believe it or not, you can use it to heat frozen vegetables, make pasta (such as Bertolli pasta with sauces), bake a potato or many other things that are much healthier and better tasting for dinner. Most of my quick meals are done on the stove or real oven, it doesn't take any effort at all to put some fresh fish in the oven at 350 and bake it 20 minutes.

phil_mcl

I am from Europe and usually did not have issues with milk in Europe. I did test for lactose intolerance but it was negative.

I have travelled a lot in the US and now latin america. US was not a problem but in some latin countries I don't seem to get along with the milk. Now I am in Peru and it seems especially bad here. I am trying lactose free milk now and maybe almond milk too...

anyway it could be that it has to do with local ways of processing or additives in the food for the cows... who knows but I can only think of that. Unless I developed lactose intolerance very recently.

maddylw

I just got back from a trip to London the other day. I usually ask all coffee shops to make my drinks with almond milk since milk usually gives me an upset stomach all day and other horrid happenings after I drink it.
however, I forgot to ask the coffee shop in London to make my chai latte with almond milk but decided to try a sip before having them remake it. It was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted in my life! So naturally I just decided to give it a go since it was delicious and didn't have that "oh God this has milk in it" flavor that usually sends my taste buds on danger mode. I had NO ISSUES! I then tried the ice cream, yogurt, more chai drinks and teas all with the added milk in them and there was no stomach ache or aftermath!
I am now trying to figure out how I can get my hands on something similar here in the US because I already miss it so so much!

Long story short, US milk makes me sick the milk in the UK did not.

maddylw

Yes I am also looking for milk in the US that is similar to milk in the UK. Had no problems with milk in the UK (sadly I only figured this out the last two days of my trip ::'( )

I've been sensitive to milk in the US for 6 years now, can't have milk, cream, ice cream, yogurt or anything that's got milk in it that's not cooked well enough (although I can still eat cheese here in the US)

The milk in the UK gave me no problems at all I could also eat ice cream ansac and cheese without any issues. It didn't have that "oh God this is going to make me sick" flavor to it either.

Anyone know of milk in the US that is produced in a similar process as the UK? Does it exist??

AJPeabody

A theory: The milk sensitivity may fade after prolonged abstinence. Then, on vacation, milk is tried without problems until the sensitivity reactivates over time. Returning home, the reactivated sensitivity reasserts itself. The test of this theory could include staying in Europe for a long time while drinking milk to see if sensitivity returns. Or, try milk at home after prolonged abstinence and see if nothing happens.

Traveler_Nick

Did you have fresh milk or UHT milk?

In Europe I think most fresh milk is lightly pasteurized. That's why the best before date is only a few (five?) days. In North America check your labels but "fresh" milk will likely have a best before of over two weeks.

UHT milk which is common in Europe is heavily cooked. UHT is Ultra High Temperature. If you had this it's possible the process changed the milk enough to make it safe for you.

Problem is you'll need to do some tests. Come back and check what sort of milk you had

bilboburgler

In much of Europe you can buy "raw" milk which is fresh un pasteurised milk (so for example not legal in Scotland)
everything else is pasteurised (no such thing as lightly pasteurised but it can be pasteurised at a lower temperature)
UHT is pasteurised at a very high temperature

Sue_xx_yy

https://www.nationalchickencouncil.o...icken-nuggets/

Sue_xx_yy

https://www.nationalchickencouncil.o...en-processing/

****************

The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines report no adverse effects from the ingestion of chlorinated water.

https://www.cancerwa.asn.au/resource...e-cancer-myth/

AJPeabody

The chlorine is OK. It's the chlorinated organics that form if there is any organic material to combine with the chlorine that are nasty.

5alive

As someone raised on a farm it occurred to me right away when I saw this thread: What breed of cows are used in Europe versus the USA?

And sure enough, the US strongly uses the Holstein, whereas that breed is far less used in Europe. I found a Mother Jones article that discusses it. And yes: It is related to the A1 & A2 proteins mentioned above. Furthermore, this is something US Dairy breeders can track and are moving to change by breeding for the A2 in their herd. But it will take a decade to do.

For those living in Oregon and Washington, I have a suggestion for you: Try Garry's milk in the glass bottles at New Seasons grocery store. It is all Jersey milk.I get it occasionally when I go to New Seasons. We don't have an allergy--we just love the milk. It is definitely different than mainstream dairy products here.

https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/a1-milk-a2-milk-america/

kerouac

In most American supermarkets, in the tiny section that has powdered milk, condensed milk, etc., there is also UHT milk by Parmalat, imported from Italy. It's the only kind of milk that my parents would drink after resettling in the US.

penneloppy

Hi all, thank you for starting this thread. Indeed these issues are mysterious, but this dialogue helps me, both in researching new aspects of these issues as well as in just knowing I’m not alone. That’s priceless for me.

My issues involve migraines which started several years ago. I’ve been doing experiments on myself for some time, and here is what I have found through keeping my food journal:
- the migraines seem to come on about two days after consuming dairy in the US
- also have sensitivity to gluten which can also manifest in headaches and anxiety
- no symptoms at all in Europe - tried in Poland, Austria and now heading to Italy as well and will keep a journal there too
- tried locally sourced, organic goat feta from farmers market and still got headache (but will be trying this again after I’m clear of symptoms since that might have been a cross contaminated week for me from another dairy exposure)
- I recently found a pizza place in my town here in the US that uses flour and cheese from Italy and was FINE! (Which was an incredible event!!!)
- then I found a second restaurant that uses Italian flour and was fine. Went back to it and tried their pizza with the local (US organic cheese) and got a reaction
- have just purchased the Italian flour to try to bake a bread at home and will experiment to see if I get triggered
- will also try to purchase a feta cheese from Greece to try it
- and then I also learned about the A2 milk here and the different types of cows, so will try A2 milk.

So yes, continuing to experiment and curious to hear from those of you who are dealing with this what effects you’re finding with your own experiments. Maybe if we all try different things we might be able to help each other piece this together.

AJPeabody

Interesting. The classic way to determine food allergies of the non-lethal kind is to use an elimination diet. You are doing the next step: Elimination followed by controled addition with observation. I am sure your results could be very worthwhile, although self-inducing migraines is a bit masochistic.

thibaut

'although self-inducing migraines is a bit masochistic'

Not so sure... I know I have a risk of migraine after drinking wine. I still do though.