Non-Dairy and Loving It! Say What?

About a month ago I decided to cut out dairy to see if it would help my allergies (stuffy nose, headaches).  Allergies to dairy does run on my Mom's side of the family.  Little did I know going into this little experiment, that it really would work!  I went off dairy for about three weeks.  I didn't know how it was really working because I had had a sinus/ear infection and was on antibiotics for two of the three weeks.  The antibiotics make me feel terrible.  After three weeks, I babysat my friends kids and she brought over a pizza with the works on it...oh boy, did that pizza look good.  I thought I would go ahead and have a slice or two.  I was rather excited...I sat down and started eating a slice of pizza.  It tasted so very good.  I was quickly saddened ... before I even finished my first slice of pizza, my stomach started feeling weird and my head started hurting.  Surly this couldn't be?!  I went to bed later that night, when I woke up the next morning,  I was all stuffed up and my hands were swollen.  I don't know exactly what that means, dairy allergy?...dairy intolerance?...not sure, but I do know I am sensitive to dairy.  I just can't believe my test worked!
I do know one thing, as much as I love dairy...I love feeling better!  As long as I stay off dairy, I do seem to feel better.  I don't like that bloated feeling.  I can't stand feeling stuffed up every day.  I know dairy won't kill me, but I have found that it is worth it to feel better by cutting it out.  On Christmas I will  probably eat some dairy, but I will get right back on track!
Oh, one huge bonus...the last three weeks, I have lost six pounds with-out even trying!  Cutting out dairy has forced me to make much better choices in what I eat.  I don't feel like I'm on a diet, nor do I plan on going on any type of diet, but lifestyle changes work!  This sure hasn't been easy, but it worked!