Lactose intolerance is a condition that refers to an insufficient ability to digest lactose sugars found in milk. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, gas, diarrhea, and nausea. Himalayan herbs are used in a system of medicine, called Ayurveda that focuses on improving digestion, which are used to treat these symptoms.
Causes of Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is developed by a deficiency in the digestive enzymes called lactase, which breaks down lactose in your body, and turns it into simpler sugars; glucose and galactose, and afterward assimilated into your bloodstream. Lactose deficiency builds slowly, starting when you're two years old, when the body slows down its production of lactase. Even though the road to lactose intolerance begins early, you would like not experience any symptoms until adolescence or adulthood.
Other Causes
Lactose intolerance can also be caused by damage to your small intestines that occur from such ailments as celiac disease, Crohn's disease, chemotherapy, or even severe diarrhea. Usually only infants are susceptible to lactose intolerance from injury. There is a higher incidence of lactose intolerance in certain ethnic groups, such as those of African American, Asian, Hispanic, or Native American descent.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is a system of medicine that originated in India, but is practiced worldwide, primarily as a form of preventative medicine. As a means of treatment, it uses diet, exercise, lifestyle adjustments, and herbs to manage all non-emergency ailments. According to Ayurvedic philosophy, lactose intolerance is caused by poor digestion, and is susceptible to people with Vata body types, characterized by being rather tall and skinny, and Kapha body types, characterized by a tendency towards stocky, or overweight builds. For both body types, practices like regular exercise and eating well-cooked, rather than raw, foods that are spicy will help in the digestion of lactose. The Kapha body type should never be expected to be able to consume a lot of milk products.
Herbal Remedies
Himalayan herbs that are frequently used to help with lactose intolerance are herbs that build heat. Ginger has been called the "universal medicine", used in many digestive ailments, and is used to treat all of the symptoms caused by lactose intolerance. Triphala, a combination of the herbs amalaki, hartiaki, and bibhitaki, is used to treat constipation and diarrhea, and is generally thought to be able to mend all non-severe digestive disorders over time. Saffron is another herb that is used to help cleanse the body, and aid in digestive disorders, such as diarrhea, aid in mending the symptoms of lactose intolerance. It should be noted that no herbs, by themselves, are meant to be a sole treatment for lactose intolerance.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Lactose Intolerance
- Herbal Reference Guide
- "The Ayurvedic Cookbook: A Personalized Guide to Good Nutrition and Health"; Amadea Morningstar, Urmila Desai; 1990
