Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder. It means that you do not have enough lactase enzymes and therefore cannot properly digest foods with lactose. Lactose is a sugar found in milk and milk products like yogurt and cheese. The side effects of consuming too much of these foods if you are lactose intolerant include stomach pain, gas and diarrhea. To overcome the problem of lactose intolerance, it's essential to find what foods you can digest and which ones you can't so that you can eat what makes you feel good and avoid what doesn't. Discuss your intentions with your health care provider.
Step 1
Purchase a probiotic supplement at your local health food store. Probiotics are live organisms found in your intestines, which help you digest food. Taking probiotics daily in a capsule form may reduce the gastrointestinal distress caused by lactose intolerance and may actually make it easier to digest lactose.
Step 2
Trade in cow's milk for soy milk, almond milk or rice milk. While cow's milk is high in lactose, almond milk, soy milk and rice milk contain no lactose. They are gentle on the stomach. These beverages also contain vitamins, minerals and calcium, similar to cow's milk.
Step 3
Consume dairy products like cheese and yogurt only in small portions, up to 4 oz. at a time, and with meals. Some people with lactose intolerance can handle only small amounts of lactose in the diet while others can handle more. Eating dairy products with other foods at meals rather than alone makes it easier to digest with fewer side effects.
Step 4
Carry lactase enzyme supplements, such as Lactaid, with you in your purse or wallet for whenever you eat a product with dairy. It can be difficult to judge how much lactose a food has when you're eating out. If the food you eat has any type of cream sauce or cheese, take a lactase supplement with the first bite of food to help make digestion easier.
Step 5
Eat plenty of high-calcium, non-dairy foods such as spinach, broccoli and tofu. Almonds make a good high-calcium snack without any lactose. You may even want to buy calcium-fortified orange juice to make sure you get enough calcium since you won't be eating much dairy.
Things You'll Need
- Probiotics
- Almond milk
- Rice milk
- Soy milk
- Lactase supplements
