JUST SAY NO (to cheese?)!

"The belly rules the mind"

-Spanish Proverb

I heard some grave news today.

I'll first start by explaining that I have had problem skin for the past several years.  I wouldn't call it full fledged morbid acne, but for at least the past 10 years I've had AT LEAST one SERIOUS blemish at all times.  I've tried everything from Tetracycline, to Proactiv, to glycolic based cleansers/toners,  to birth control pills, to egg/garlic based masks, to simply dove soap, to Retin-A, to 100% natural make-up-and back again-And NOTHING has made a whole lot of a difference.  I don't even want to think about how much money I have spent on skin care in my short lifetime.  The number would be sickening.  

As of yesterday, I read in TWO different publications (Cosmo and Women's Health aka the bibles) that DAIRY (!?!?!?!?!) is often the culprit behind breakouts.  After researching further, I couldn't exactly pinpoint the specific reason why milk based products cause acne (most sources linked it more or less to hormones in the cow), but the sources were unfortunately pretty scientific-which must mean that there is at least some truth to it.

Ok.  I've seriously got a problem here.

Let me put this in perspective.  If I had to choose to NEVER eat either cheese or chocolate EVER again in my life, I would HAPPILY forgo tasting chocolate (CHOCOLATE!) in favor of being able to continue to enjoy cheese.  I consume more dairy products than probably 90% of American children.  I've drank a glass of milk almost every day since I can remember.  If I'm starving at 3 am I ravage my mom's refrigerator in search of a cheese slice.  The only way I can stomach salad is if there is some sort of crumbled cheese on it.  My favorite dessert is cheesecake.  Macaroni and cheese comprises a good 20% of my weekly meals.  Cheese goes beautifully with my drink of choice: wine.  My most favorite dishes have at least some element of cheese in them.  I literally get at least 3 cheese cravings a day.

I really don't know what to do.  I tried to avoid cheese all day.  My efforts were unsuccessful.

BREAKFAST:  I poured myself some cereal.  

"Damn!  I'm WAY past the sell-by on this carton (hey, I've been out of town), oh wait...I'm not supposed to be drinking milk anyway."

LUNCH: My mom made me a sandwich.

"Mmmmmm, ham and cheese...wait...UGH!"

DINNER:  I was on my break at work.  A little carton of "easy mac" was batting is promiscuous eyelashes at me from my purse.  

"Easy mac...or go buy something else.  I'm broke...besides, I bet everything I could possibly BUY has dairy in it.  Good justification, Katie."

So yeah... O and 3

I seriously need some advice.  This is maybe more tragic than Hillary losing to Obama.  And if you know me at all, you'd know that I cried that day.

And I've mercilessly ridiculed vegans my whole life.  Karma is such a bitch.

I took this picture in Colorado.  Probably after eating some god damn cheese.

I'm hungry.