Some people who suffer with lactose intolerance mistakenly think they have food allergies. However, there is a difference between the two. A food allergy is an immune system response to a certain food that develops after you are exposed to the food your body thinks is harmful. This natural response triggers antibodies to fight the unwanted food, causing your system to develop allergy symptoms. When my daughter, April, was younger, she would eat a banana, and immediately, her throat would swell and start itching. Eating just a small amount of the food can trigger food allergies.
However, lactose intolerance is more the inability to digest or breakdown certain foods – usually dairy products. Lactose intolerance usually causes nausea, stomach pain, cramps, gas, bloating, heartburn, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches and irritability. Some people experience just one or two symptoms, while others might experience all of them.
Symptoms of lactose or food intolerance mightnot occur unless a large amount of the food is consumed, like a large glass of milk.
There are many reasons people suffer from lactose intolerance, but usually it is the absence or low production of enzymes, the chemicals necessary to properly digest lactose.
Normally, when a person eats something containing lactose, an enzyme called lactase, which lines the cells in the small intestine, breaks down the lactose into simple sugars called glucose and galactose. These simple sugars are then easily absorbed into the bloodstream and turned into energy.
However, if you do not produce enough lactase to digest the ingested lactose, it just sits in your stomach, causing problems like gas, bloating, cramps and diarrhea. Not all people deficient in lactase have symptoms associated with lactose intolerance, but those who do are lactose intolerant.
Lactose intolerance doesn’t seem to be partial to gender or age; however, due most Asian and Native American diets containing less dairy products than others, they seem to have more problems. Children are less likely to be lactose intolerant because usually the problem develops over time. After about age 2, the body begins to produce less lactase, though most people will not notice symptoms until they are much older.
Secondary lactase deficiency occurs when there is injury to the small intestine or digestive diseases such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease interferes and reduces the production of lactase.
Calcium is absorbed and used only when there is enough vitamin D in the body, so people who exclude dairy products should make sure their diet includes enough calcium and vitamin D. Many non-dairy foods like dark green vegetables and fish with soft, edible bones, like salmon and sardines, are high in calcium. Also, spending several minutes in the sun two or three times a week will allow the body to produce vitamin D on its own.
Even though lactose intolerance is common, it is not a threat to good health. People with lactose intolerance should learn which dairy products and foods they can eat without causing discomfort. Many people can enjoy milk and ice cream, if eaten in small amounts or if they eat other foods at the same time. Others can use lactase liquid or tablets to help digest the lactose.
Also, learn to read labels. Although milk and foods made from milk are the only natural sources of lactose, it is sometimes added to prepared foods, such as:
• Bread and other baked goods
• Processed breakfast cereals
• Instant potatoes, soups and breakfast drinks
• Margarine
• Lunch meats (other than kosher)
• Salad dressings
• Candies and other snacks
• Mixes for pancakes, biscuits and cookies
• Powdered meal-replacement supplements