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2013-03-04 8:41 AM

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DC
Subject: Lactose Intolerant

Crud, I'm now lactose intolerant. It's difficult b/c I have always had milk on my "super food" list. For those of you who are also cursed, but conti. to consume milk/milk products:

Making lactose-free milk: Using lactase drops, or mixing regular milk with lactose free milk?



2013-03-04 9:16 AM
in reply to: #4645142

Champion
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

I recently developed a (self-diagnosed) lactose intolerance. After going a few months without consuming any dairy (well, very, very little), I discovered the joy of Lactaid pills. They've made a huge difference when eating cheesy stuff and ice cream (I missed ice cream). I used to drink quite a bit of milk but have yet to have a glass of milk (or cereal with milk) since I started using the pills.

I recommend you check them out. Friends and family have had the same success with them. Good luck.

2013-03-04 9:41 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

My son is LI.  He can take the pills and cheat a little.  If he cheats a lot however not even the pills will help.

2013-03-04 9:52 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
Have you tried other milks besides dairy (does LI affect this too? I'm not sure)? There are a bunch of different kinds. Hemp milk comes closest I think to the nutrient composition of dairy milk.
2013-03-04 10:14 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
Soy milk has been a lifesaver for me.
2013-03-04 10:24 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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Supersonicus Idioticus
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

I thought I was for 2 years.  It then turned out that your gut has neurotransmitter receptors just like your brain, and that any imbalances from stress, anxiety, etc. will affect your GI system too, and not just your brain.

 

Good luck with it.



2013-03-04 10:43 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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Expert
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
I'm in the same boat.  The pills help some, but I've just tried cutting way back.  A little cheese doesn't seem to bother me, but a bowl of cereal makes for discomfort later.  I seem to do ok with yogurt too.  Even the lactose free milk leaves me feeling crampy - which I don't really understand.  It's not quite milk, but soy silk milk goes ok with a PB sandwich.  Hardly a superfood though, since part of my value for milk was the protein.
2013-03-04 10:58 AM
in reply to: #4645453

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

Zero2Athlete - 2013-03-04 9:43 AM I'm in the same boat.  The pills help some, but I've just tried cutting way back.  A little cheese doesn't seem to bother me, but a bowl of cereal makes for discomfort later.  I seem to do ok with yogurt too.  Even the lactose free milk leaves me feeling crampy - which I don't really understand.  It's not quite milk, but soy silk milk goes ok with a PB sandwich.  Hardly a superfood though, since part of my value for milk was the protein.

 

Have you looked at the various non-dairy types of milk? My son (18 months old) started to throw up his bottles so we tried to find some other types of milk that would still give him the fat/protein he was getting. The best one we found hemp milk oddly enough.

2013-03-04 11:05 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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Got Wahoo?
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

As someone who's been LI for quite some time, here's a few tips. It's different for everyone, however, so you will have to experiment:

1. Fat free lactose free milk is quite sweet and actually pretty food

2. If you can keep eating not altered dairy in some doeses, keep doing it. When I've stopped dairy completely, reintroducing it without the pills is a bad idea. As it is now, as long as I've had a couple meals, I can sneak in small amounts of cheese, queso, etc... I stress small. Translation, I can usually eat dairy in the evening without the pills. Empty stomach and dairy = trouble.

3. Creams will totally sneak up on you. A sauce, or some type of soup with cream in it are often the culprits with me. Deserts too. Some of the really good stuff has some seriously condensed cream Stomach starts up and I'm like "I haven't had any...ohcrap, the soup had cream in it.

4. Lactose Intolerance is often diagnosed when Gluten is the real underlying problem. Self diagnosis is inexact.

5. The pills vary in strength WIDELY. Some I can take 2 pills and eat half a pizza. Others, I would need 6-10 pills.

6. The results of Lactose on the intolerant varies widely as well. I get a stomach ache, then have to go poopers. Pretty simple and I can time it pretty well. The only thing is, the poopers will not be denied (yes, you can use as your sig line). My sister suffers a much different fate. She gets massive stomach aches and she doesn't have the outlet that going poopers affords me. She will literally suffer for hours from a small bowl of ice cream.

7. I never liked the drops. Hard to regulate. Why not buy the milk already treated?

 

2013-03-04 11:06 AM
in reply to: #4645453

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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

Zero2Athlete - 2013-03-04 10:43 AM I'm in the same boat.  The pills help some, but I've just tried cutting way back.  A little cheese doesn't seem to bother me, but a bowl of cereal makes for discomfort later.  I seem to do ok with yogurt too.  Even the lactose free milk leaves me feeling crampy - which I don't really understand.  It's not quite milk, but soy silk milk goes ok with a PB sandwich.  Hardly a superfood though, since part of my value for milk was the protein.

Get checked for a Gluten alergy.

2013-03-04 11:25 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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DC
Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. Some replies:

1) Haven't tried alt milk sources. All seem very expensive. Fat-free, lactose-free milk is the bomb but crazy pricey. This ARTICLE talks about making your own w/lactese drops. Was hoping someone had experience with that. Last night, I mixed a gallon of fat-free regular milk w/a half a gallon of fat-free LF milk. Will try it tonight (24 hours later) to see if it works.

2) Soy: I've read some really bad stuff about men drinking it in excess. I would drink in excess b/c I like milk (especially when it's vanilla falvored).

3) Gluten: Haven't looked into it. Will do.



2013-03-04 11:26 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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Alpharetta, Georgia
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

I've been dairy free for 3 weeks, a self experimentation.

It's definitely a change; you have to read labels and pay attention. It's just going to come down to how good/bad you want to feel. I'm not a big fan of taking pills to mask your body's natural reaction; just my personal opinion.

I've experimented with fake cheese - some are ok, some are bad. I personally liked the almond cheese the best, and that paired with fake ricotta makes for a delicious lasagna. As for milk I always stuck to almond milk. There are some "ok" fake yogurts out there like soy and almond based. 

2013-03-04 11:36 AM
in reply to: #4645567

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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
lisac957 - 2013-03-04 11:26 AM

I've been dairy free for 3 weeks, a self experimentation.

It's definitely a change; you have to read labels and pay attention. It's just going to come down to how good/bad you want to feel. I'm not a big fan of taking pills to mask your body's natural reaction; just my personal opinion.

I've experimented with fake cheese - some are ok, some are bad. I personally liked the almond cheese the best, and that paired with fake ricotta makes for a delicious lasagna. As for milk I always stuck to almond milk. There are some "ok" fake yogurts out there like soy and almond based. 

 

To each her own. I will point out that the pills are simply the Lactase needed to digest dairy:

Lactose Intolerance

 

The small intestines produce an enzyme called lactase, which must be present for your body to properly digest lactose, the sugar that occurs naturally in milk. If you are lactose intolerant, your body does not produce enough of this enzyme, which results in the lactose not being properly broken down. The undigested lactose then mixes with your normal intestinal bacteria, which causes symptoms such as gas, bloating and diarrhea, says MayoClinic.com. If you suspect that you are lactose intolerant, there are various tests a physician can run to confirm a diagnosis. Since there is no cure, treatment involves limiting intake of foods containing lactose and using products that help the body digest this sugar.



Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/440979-are-lactose-pills-safe/#ixzz2MarbFHUX

 

2013-03-04 2:12 PM
in reply to: #4645142

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Expert
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

Me too.

I can eat small amounts of cheese and can sneak in a small serving of ice cream per week.  Soy milk gives me gas, too, though.  I use almond milk and love it.  My wife and son have also switched even though they do not have it.  The Lactaid pills do not work for me.

\

Oatmeal made with vanilla almond milk, raisins, and little cinnamon is delicious.

2013-03-04 2:35 PM
in reply to: #4645142

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Master
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

Diagnosed about 20 years ago.

 

Per the doctor, "I can give you special tests, or you can just eliminate 100% dairy from your diet for 2 weeks. If this clears up your problems, you are half-way there.  Once you are clear, take a day when you have nothing better to do and eat asmuch dairy as you want... a whole cheese pizza, a half-gallon of ice cream, whatever, have fun. By the end of the day, you will know!"

 

I buy the Chocolate Lactose Free Milk as my recovery drink, but I have pretty much removed liquid milk from my diet.

There are plenty of generics on the market now, and only drinking for recovery keeps cost down.

 

I can eat a small yoplait regular yogurt or a single serving Greek yogurt without problems or pills.

The amount of lactose versus the amount of cultures to help me digest works out if I have no other dairy that day.

 

I buy the generic lactase pills from Costco.

Cheese is my downfall and accounts for almost all of my pill usage.

 

Even then, cumulative effect matters.

If I go awhile with no dairy, I could get away with slice of pizza.

If I eat dairy for too many consecutive days, even the pills don't help.

2013-03-04 2:44 PM
in reply to: #4645142

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Master
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

Also, pay attention to your cheese.

Some cheeses are really low in lactose.

However, make sure that you are actually eating real cheese and not some mass-produced fake cheese product.

 

Most shredded cheeses on top of mass-produced pizza is not really mozzarella.

Most fake cheese-type products are a weird science experiment with some milk solids or byproducts and oil as a base.

You should not be eating fake food anyway anyway.



2013-03-04 2:52 PM
in reply to: #4645978

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Alpharetta, Georgia
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
eabeam - 2013-03-04 2:44 PM

Also, pay attention to your cheese.

Some cheeses are really low in lactose.

However, make sure that you are actually eating real cheese and not some mass-produced fake cheese product.

 

Most shredded cheeses on top of mass-produced pizza is not really mozzarella.

Most fake cheese-type products are a weird science experiment with some milk solids or byproducts and oil as a base.

You should not be eating fake food anyway anyway.

Or maybe we shouldn't be telling others what they "should" and "should not" be eating... 

Here's a recipe for a raw almond cheese that you can make at home. That way you won't have any of the preservatives in the store-bought kind (if you are worried about that):

http://www.rawmazing.com/raw-recipe-simple-almond-cheese/

2013-03-04 3:50 PM
in reply to: #4645991

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Master
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
lisac957 - 2013-03-04 12:52 PM
eabeam - 2013-03-04 2:44 PM

Also, pay attention to your cheese.

Some cheeses are really low in lactose.

However, make sure that you are actually eating real cheese and not some mass-produced fake cheese product.

 

Most shredded cheeses on top of mass-produced pizza is not really mozzarella.

Most fake cheese-type products are a weird science experiment with some milk solids or byproducts and oil as a base.

You should not be eating fake food anyway anyway.

Or maybe we shouldn't be telling others what they "should" and "should not" be eating... 

Here's a recipe for a raw almond cheese that you can make at home. That way you won't have any of the preservatives in the store-bought kind (if you are worried about that):

http://www.rawmazing.com/raw-recipe-simple-almond-cheese/

 

I wasn't referring to alternatives to dairy cheese, but the processed stuff that is misrepresentative of what it is supposed to be... like "cheese sauce" that contains nothing that any dairy farmer could claim as cheese.

 

With that, I stand by my claim that no one should be eating that crap.

 

Now, if you want to criticize the hypocrisy of my moments of impulsive binging.

Guilty, and take that low hanging fruit if you want it.

 

2013-03-04 3:55 PM
in reply to: #4645142

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Master
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

More seriously, the reason why I made that statement is that many classical cheese-making techniques remove a lot of lactose that stays behind in the whey.

 

However, processed "cheeses" that use milk parts or by-products may have much higher lactose amounts than their traditionally made counterparts.

I would hate for someone too look up the lactose content of say, fresh mozzarella or cheddar, and then buy "shredded italian style pizza topping" or "cheddar flavored cheese product" and not realize the big surprise in the end.

2013-03-05 9:11 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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DC
Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant

Wonderful discussion. Although the the original message got lost. Anyway, in that spirit, I'm glad to report that my experiment worked. For those of you who can tolerate LF milk & love it  but are turned off by the price...:

I mixed a full gallon & a quarter of regular non-fat milk w/a half of gallon of fat-free LF milk. Left it in the fridge for 24 hours. It worked! Had some last night & even this morning before my 12 mile run. No lactose intolerance symptoms. I have heard that you can mix upwards of 5 gallons of regular milk w/half a gallon of LF. I'll slowly increase the amount of regular to the formula.

So there you have it. Enjoy you MILK & continue paying into your kids' college fund!

2013-03-05 11:35 AM
in reply to: #4645142

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Master
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
Wait! What? There was an original question?


2013-03-05 1:49 PM
in reply to: #4645394

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Master
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
So Fresh So Clean - 2013-03-04 11:24 AM

I thought I was for 2 years.  It then turned out that your gut has neurotransmitter receptors just like your brain, and that any imbalances from stress, anxiety, etc. will affect your GI system too, and not just your brain.

 

Good luck with it.

This.  Food intolerances, unlike allergies are generally temporary.  An allergy to a food will be obvious and will cause swelling, severe stomach pain, you won't be questioning it, you'll know.

An intolerance to a food means that your gut flora is out of balance and your gut is not able to properly digest things it should be able to digest.  This can often be remedied by simply removing the food or foods from your diet for 3-6 months and taking a probiotic to balance out the gut health.

Most RD's will recommend that after 3-6 months that you slowly begin to introduce the food back into your system and most people will again be able to tolerate it at least in some quantity.

2013-03-05 4:05 PM
in reply to: #4647433

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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
noelle1230 - 2013-03-05 1:49 PM
So Fresh So Clean - 2013-03-04 11:24 AM

I thought I was for 2 years.  It then turned out that your gut has neurotransmitter receptors just like your brain, and that any imbalances from stress, anxiety, etc. will affect your GI system too, and not just your brain.

 

Good luck with it.

This.  Food intolerances, unlike allergies are generally temporary.  An allergy to a food will be obvious and will cause swelling, severe stomach pain, you won't be questioning it, you'll know.

An intolerance to a food means that your gut flora is out of balance and your gut is not able to properly digest things it should be able to digest.  This can often be remedied by simply removing the food or foods from your diet for 3-6 months and taking a probiotic to balance out the gut health.

Most RD's will recommend that after 3-6 months that you slowly begin to introduce the food back into your system and most people will again be able to tolerate it at least in some quantity.

Except for Lactose Intolerance. Humans produce less Lactase as we get older. It's not something that get's better after 6 months, and it has nothing to do with Gut Flora other than lining the small intestine...if present at all. A probiotic will not solve Lactose intolerance.

2013-03-05 5:40 PM
in reply to: #4647653

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Master
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
tmwelshy - 2013-03-05 2:05 PM 

Except for Lactose Intolerance. Humans produce less Lactase as we get older. It's not something that get's better after 6 months, and it has nothing to do with Gut Flora other than lining the small intestine...if present at all. A probiotic will not solve Lactose intolerance.

 

I get your point, but the nerd in me wants to address the fact that the symptoms are directly related to your gut flora... as they are the ones that digest the Lactase that you do not.... while releasing a lot of gas and water in their digestive process.

All of the lit that I have read states that maintaining as much dairy in your diet as you can tolerate helps fend off more loss of lactase production a la use it or lose it.

2013-03-05 6:02 PM
in reply to: #4645142

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Master
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Subject: RE: Lactose Intolerant
I saw a nutritionist in my 20's over a number of issues including lactose intolerance and she suggested I try yogurt and hot milk (no, not together!)--the cultures in yogurt help to break down the lactose, as does heat to some extent, apparently.  This may not work for people who are severely intolerant, and definitely not for those with an actual food allergy.  While cold milk, ice cream, and cheese still give me cramps, "runs", etc. I can usually tolerate hot milk and yogurt. In either case, though, I get an upset stomach if the hot drink or yogurt has too much added sugar. So I generally stick with lattes and plain yogurt. Both are good ways of benefiting from the calcium and protein available in milk, if you can tolerate them.
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