By Geoffrey Anderson Jr.
Copy Editor
I love ice cream. Whenever I'm in the mood for a sweet treat, I head to the nearest Cold Stone Creamery or Ben & Jerry's. And if I'm a lazy mood, I'll eat a little of my mint chocolate chip pint at home. There's one problem with me eating so much ice cream (aside from the potential weight gain): I'm lactose intolerant.
About 30 minutes after my taste buds get their share of dairy delight, my stomach gets a mind of its own. Although the epic sounds coming from my gut aren’t a problem in a private setting, an unwelcome gastric concert at the weekly office meeting -- or on a date -- can be embarrassing, let alone disastrous.
Bloating and gas are just a few of the symptoms that accompany being lactose intolerance, a condition affecting between 30 to 50 million Americans. People who are lactose intolerant aren't able to digest lactose easily, due to the lack of an enzyme called lactase. As a result, your settled stomach becomes very unsettled each time you down a glass of milk, eat some yogurt or consume anything else with lactose.
All hope isn't lost, however. Even though there's no cure for the lactose intolerant, there are ways to avoid turning all shades of red at the next board meeting. Here’s what has worked for me:
1. Limit your dairy intake. This is pretty obvious: If you consume a large amount of dairy products, cut back a little and see whether you still have a problem. I used to drink two glasses of milk daily, but now I only have a glass a day -- and no problems.
2. Opt for non-dairy substitutes. For people who can't stomach even a bit of dairy, non-lactose alternatives for products such as milk and cheese are available. Can't handle cow milk? Try your morning cereal with soy milk or rice milk. Can't cut the cheese? Cheese derived from soy or nuts can calm your craving.
3. Take a lactase supplement like Lactaid. Having one of these supplements with your first bite (or gulp) of dairy will help you avoid any embarrassing symptoms. The problem is that you have to take them each time you're about to eat something with lactose.
No matter how you choose to handle your lactose intolerance, remember to take a make sure you're getting enough calcium. Because you're not eating as much dairy, you need another source of the mineral in your diet.
Looking for more information on what to eat if you suffer from lactose interlance? eDiets has a Lactose-Free Plan that includes a variety of calcium and vitamin-rich foods to help you maintain bone health while eliminating all dairy products. Eating the right foods can make all the difference in how you feel!
If you like this post, we think you'd also enjoy:
-- BREAKfast: 5 Quick, Healthy Ways to Start Your Day
-- 4 Things to Know about Supplements
-- Ode to Cheese
Labels: diet, health, lactose-intolerant, nutrition
Comment: Thursday, September 11, 2008 6:35:00 AM - 
said...
Thanks for this, my daughter was born with lactose intolerance and not being able to eat ordinary ice cream and other dairy desserts cheese, butter,etc is hard for a 9 year old. She is not on a reducing diet and takes a calcium supplement for the doctor but any more suggestions on interesting and tasty alternatives are always welcome!
G.B.D. {U.K}
Comment: Thursday, September 11, 2008 10:41:00 AM - said...
Lactose free milk is also a very good substitute. It tastes just like regular milk with absolutely no bloating or gas. Also, yogurt has digestive enzymes that aid in healthy digestion. Yogurt is an excellent source of vitamin D without the bloating and gas.
Comment: Thursday, September 11, 2008 11:00:00 AM - said...
Gross picture you posted for this article!
Comment: Thursday, September 11, 2008 4:22:00 PM - said...
I started using Soy milk in place of regular milk in my latte, sure made a BIG difference. Altho yogurt has enzymes that are suppose to aid in digestion, for me the bloating and gas is still an issue. Thanks for addressing this issue, more people are lactose intolerant and don't even know it.
Comment: Friday, January 09, 2009 7:44:00 AM - said...
Sounds like you don't have the full blown case of Lactose intolerance since you can eat ice cream and not end up with diarrhea!
I am lactose intolerant and use Lactaid before eating ANy dairy. The Target brand is the easiest on my stomach. No lactaid helps if there is heavy cream in the food. About an hour and a half after I eat I end up in the bathroom. I love cheese and continue to eat it, as well as Dannon non-fat yougurt. My daughter was lactose intolerant when she was little and we gave her Lactaid treated milk. You can get the drops and treat regular milk overnight or buy it already treated. It is too sweet for my taste, so I stick with the yogurt. There are also chewable lactaids that your daughter may tolerate so that she can eat the cheese and pizza that her friends are having. In the U.K. you may have to ask the pharmacist? I know that in Sweden they stopped carrying lactaid.
Comment: Monday, January 12, 2009 10:56:00 AM - said...
You didn't mention trying goat milk as a substitute for cow's milk. It's made a big difference for me.
H
Comment: Friday, May 15, 2009 11:24:00 AM - said...
Ganeden has a wonderful product for those with lactose intolerance. Both my son and I have it. His is really bad. He used to take 3 Lactaide pills whenever he wanted anything with dairy in it. The Ganeden Lactose Intolerance pill is taken daily and he has had no problem with his lactose intolerance since he started using it. So, whenever the urge strikes you to have some dairy, you don't have to fish around in your purse or pocket and hope you have a lactaide pill. You can buy it online through drugstore.com. I highly recommend it.
Comment: Friday, August 07, 2009 12:00:00 PM - said...
I only have gas when I drink cow's milk and eat too much ice cream, but not from cheese. Interesting.
Comment: Saturday, August 08, 2009 7:52:00 PM - 
Ken said...
the best substitute is GOATS MILK products no lactose in GOATS MILK but everything else only more so. Much better for you it is easily digested and everything else like ice cream etc tastes great!!
RSS/XML
