 DAIRY/ LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
The most common reason for needing to avoid dairy products is intolerance to lactose, the natural sugar in milk. It usually happens because the body can’t produce enough of the enzyme lactase to aid proper digestion.
SYMPTOMS
Lactose intolerance produces symptoms similar to a mild allergy, such as a nettle rash or mild digestive upsets. This makes it quite difficult to diagnose, as symptoms of a lactose intolerance often occur some hours after consuming dairy.
Symptoms can be confused with other conditions and are often misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, stress or even PMS.
DID YOU KNOW?
An estimated 1 in 10 Northern Europeans have lactose intolerance.
In communities where milk is not traditionally part of the typical adult diet, a much bigger proportion of people are affected. For example, in South America, Africa and Asia, more than 50% of the population are intolerant to lactose, rising to nearly 100% in some parts of Asia. |
