Lactose is a sugar found in milk. Lactase in an enzyme produced in the upper intestinal tract that helps the body metabolize lactose. When the body stops producing lactase, you become lactose intolerant. The colon then tries to digest lactose and fails with the following results:
• Abdominal cramping
• Gas
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
Dairy Allergy:
A dairy allergy is caused by an immune response to any of the dozens of proteins found in milk. The most common allergen found in milk is called casein. During an allergic response, the body can react in any of a number of ways.
• Hives or other skin rashes
• Digestive distress
• Respiratory distress (wheezing, coughing)
• Migraine
• Anaphylaxis (full body allergic response, can be deadly)
The symptoms can be the same for either a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance. The way to tell which one you have is to get tested for dairy allergies.
Dairy products include anything made with cow, sheep or goat’s milk. Some people report that they can digest goat or sheep’s milk or cheese made from them but cannot handle cow’s milk products. This is due to the difference in the proteins found in the various milks.
A number of persons with lactose intolerance have found that they can assimilate raw cow’s milk without incident. This is due to all the natural enzymes being present in raw milk that help break down the lactose. Most milk is pasteurized to kill potentially harmful bacteria. This process also kills the helpful enzymes that are naturally in milk to help in digesting it.
If you would like to stay away from animal milk altogether, there are a number of options available on the market today. You can find these milk substitutes at most grocery stores.
• Almond Milk
• Rice Milk
• Soy Milk
• Hemp Milk
• Coconut Milk
Whether you have a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance or both, continuing to consume dairy products can cause very serious long term damage to your digestive tract and your entire system with links to serious diseases like arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.
If you are interested in recipes that are dairy free, see my book, Done with Dairy. Giving up Gluten or go to my website at www.deliciousandhealthy.com.
