Blog Post #3b: Lactose Intolerance

Now that we have discussed dairy, let’s talk about lactose intolerance. In this blog post, we will discuss:

- what is lactose intolerance? 

- how do I avoid it? 

What is lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance means the body is unable to digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and other dairy foods). See the previous blog post to read up on dairy!

When one has lactose intolerance, one will more than likely have a deficiency in lactase, a digestive enzyme found in the body. Lactase is needed to digest lactose, but if you do not have enough of the enzyme, then your body is unable to digest lactose. If you eat lactose with a lactose intolerance, you may experience symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea. So the intolerance really makes you uncomfortable, but it will not send you to the hospital (usually). Usually, people will self-diagnose themselves with lactose intolerance. This is generally fine, but it is beneficial to get an allergy test done, to make extra sure if you are truly allergic or intolerant to foods/ingredients. If you are going to test yourself on if you have this intolerance, keeping a food journal will help identify what foods cause any discomfort. That way, if you look back to last Tuesday and see that you had bad cramps after eating ice cream, then you can see if cutting back on dairy, or switching to lactose-free dairy products, is the better choice for you.

How do I avoid it?

To avoid discomfort if you have lactose intolerance, you would need to get lactose-free dairy products. Usually, the food product will advertise on its packaging if it is lactose-free, but it helps to check the food label as well to make sure. Usually, your doctor will also provide you with a pill or medication to take if you do consume dairy. The medication will help provide your body with the enzyme lactase, so your body can break down lactose without causing discomfort. One can develop lactose intolerance from aging, other medical issues such as Crohn’s disease, UC, and celiac, as well as mediations, cancer therapy/treatments, surgery, and prolonged absence. Make sure to check out eatright.org for more information.

You can eat other foods to get nutrients that are also found in dairy. For example, some green vegetables have calcium, and regular sunshine can provide your body with vitamin D. So do not let lactose intolerance get you down!

Practical Steps towards a “Peachy” Living:

1) Make sure that you have lactose intolerance or not, by reaching out to your doctor. You can take an allergen test and see

2) Keep a food journal of all of your meals and snacks. This journal can be a week long, or a month long. Draw a star by any times or foods when you experience symptoms of lactose intolerance.

3) See what lactose-free dairy options are available at your supermarket