Lactose is a sugar found in milk. Lactose intolerance is a condition in which the sufferer is unable to digest or absorb lactose. Also known as a deficiency or hypolactasia / lactase deficiency. This condition is seen when milk or food products made from raw milk consumption. Lactose itself is composed of glucose and galactose. Enzyme known as lactase responsible for absorption of lactose in the body.
For most people, lactose intolerance develops naturally with age due to the small intestine began to produce little lactase. The amount of lactase reduced may also be due to the small intestine is injured or there is a certain digestive diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease.
Lactose intolerance occurs when the body does not produce enough lactase enzyme, so that the body can not digest lactose well. Because it is not properly digested, lactose can cause gas problems, bloating, and abdominal pain, thereby disrupting the baby’s health.
Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance
These symptoms may appear between 30 minutes to two hours after drinking milk or eating foods made from raw milk. Hypolactasia severity depending on how severe the person is intolerant to lactose.
Bloating
Cramps
Diarrhea
Nausea
Pain or cramps in the lower belly.
Gurgling or rumbling sounds in the lower belly.
Each person can tolerate different amounts of lactose. This affects how quickly the patient experienced symptoms and how severe the symptoms. Some people may be sensitive to lactose-containing foods in small quantities, while others can be eaten in larger quantities before intolerance symptoms arise.
How to Cope Lactose Intolerance
Overcoming hypolactasia is not a difficult thing, the treatment is quite easy to do. Usually changing diet is the right way to cope this condition. But there are other factors that you should consider. It’s important to know how sensitive a person on food products that contain lactose.
You may have to experiment with what you can eat and what you can not eat. But you should not make changes directly drastically, you need to introduce a new food product for your system gradually. That way, you can more easily find what you are sensitive to food.
However, it is not advisable to completely eliminate any foods from your diet, as it can cause some deficiencies. Deficiency is the most common calcium deficiency which includes several important minerals.
If a person is lactose intolerant, it is better to consult with a health care professional, so you do not suffer in any way because of your condition. Health professionals can refer you to a dietitian, who can help you with alternatives that can be included in your diet.
Milk: Sometimes changing milk quantity in your diet is able to cope with this condition. In some cases people are able to digest milk in tea or coffee, but can not drink milk with cereal. There also are able to digest milk with chocolate. There are people who can not digest milk alone, but they are able to digest when consumed as part of a meal. There is milk available in grocery stores, which contain less lactose. If a little milk alone can trigger symptoms, you need to choose an alternative milk.
Dairy Products: Often seen that, some dairy products easier to digest than others, because these products contain less lactose than the milk itself. Fermented milk products can also be selected, because these products are easier to digest. It’s important to figure out which dairy products according to your condition and consume it regularly, because it can provide the essential nutrients required for the body.
In case you are truly lactose intolerant, you have to figure out how you can get the nutrients it needs. In order to provide the body enough calcium, you can choose to consume vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, okra, dried fruits, soy milk, tofu, nuts such as almonds, Brazil nuts, sesame seed, etc.
It’s important to remember that in order for the calcium absorption body can be better, you need to make sure that you also consume sufficient amounts of vitamin D, which can help in calcium absorption, this is the most important step of the treatment of lactose intolerance. Strongly advised to consult a health care professional to make sure you get all necessary nutrients in your daily diet.
