Lactose Intolerance

Do you have trouble drinking more than one glass of milk? Not because you don't like it but because it make you feel bloated. Many people do have this trouble. It is more common that you think. According to a research conducted, among those over the age of five, approximately 90-95% of black individuals and 20-25% of white individuals throughout the world will have a partial or complete lactose intolerance. Most often people of African, Asian, and Mediterranean descent have it.

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance means that you cannot digest foods with lactose in them. Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk and other dairy products. It is broken down by an enzyme called lactase, produced by cells in the digestive tract which can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. At birth, all mammals produce the lactase enzyme and can therefore drink their mother's milk without any problems. After weaning however, mammal infants stop producing lactase and prepare for an adult diet. And that's when the problem starts.

As the unabsorbed lactose passes through your stomach and into your large bowel, the bacteria present in your large bowel ferment the lactose, producing fatty acids, such as acetate, and gases, such as hydrogen and methane. This leads to symptoms such as stomach bloating and flatulence (wind).

What are the foods that have lactose?

Basically everything related to milk has lactose like:

• Ice Cream
• Cheese
• Cream
• Cream Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Chocolate
• Butter

People with lactose intolerance often find that they can eat cheese and yogurt without any problems that's because cheese contains much less lactose than milk.

What are the symptoms of Lactose Intolerance?

Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include:

• pain and swelling in the tummy,
• irritability,
• failure to gain weight,
• abdominal bloating,
• Diarrhea,
• Nausea,
• Abdominal cramps,
• Floating stools,
• Foul-smelling stools,
• Gas (flatulence),
• Malnutrition,
• Slow growth,
• Weight loss.

Do I have lactose Intolerance?

It's quite easy to say. It you get the above symptoms within 15 minutes to 2 hours after eating or drinking milk, you may have lactose intolerance. Sometimes doctors order a hydrogen breath test, a blood sugar test, or a stool acidity test to confirm the diagnosis. These simple tests check to see if you are digesting lactose normally.

What can I do about it?

Although your body cannot be forced to produce more lactase but the symptoms of lactose intolerance can be managed with dietary changes. Here are a few:

• Removing milk products from the diet usually improves the symptoms. However, that's not a full proof plan as it can lead to a shortage of calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, and protein.
• Drink small quantities of milk at one time mostly with meals to balance it out. Eating dairy foods with other foods slows the release of lactose into your body. This makes it easier for your body to digest and breakdown the lactose.
• Stick to dairy products that are naturally low in lactose, such as swiss cheese and cottage cheese.
• Although yogurt is a milk product, many people with lactose intolerance do not experience symptoms after eating yogurt because of the live bacteria contained in it.
• Read the food labels carefully. If milk is listed, you know that you want to avoid or eat in small amounts.
• One of the biggest concerns for people who are lactose-intolerant is making sure they get enough of calcium. So you need to supplement your diet with other calcium sources like spinach (palak), eggs, almonds (badam) etc. Also, Drink juices and soy milk that are fortified with calcium.
• Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium; therefore a diet should provide an adequate supply of vitamin D. Sources of vitamin D include eggs, liver as well as sunlight.
• Just before you eat dairy products, you can also take a lactase enzyme supplement (such as Lactaid). These can be taken in drops or tablets and even added directly to milk (they tend to make milk taste a bit sweeter if left for a long time).

So now that you are aware which food contain lactose and which don't, you should be able to adjust your favorite recipes to eliminate lactose from your household if you are lactose intolerant. There is little need to alter your lifestyle when eating at home and that's all. Lactose intolerance does not have to make life impossible, only a little careful.