Lactose is an enzyme found in milk and other dairy products. Some people have issues consuming products that contain lactose. This difficulty may be part of a medical condition called lactose intolerance. If you are lactose intolerant, your body lacks or has deficient amounts of lactase. Lactase is the enzyme that breaks down and helps your body process lactose. As a result, you can experience a variety of symptoms, including some that contribute to stomach inflammation.
Symptoms
Mild symptoms of lactose intolerance include nausea and bloating. As symptoms progress, you might experience increased gas or diarrhea. These symptoms often originally manifest as stomach inflammation. For example, you might have a stomach ache or experience the sense of "butterflies in your stomach" while you are eating food products with lactose. In other cases, you may experience stomach inflammation just shortly after. Some people don't experience stomach inflammation or other symptoms until hours or a day later when the foods are being digested because your body struggles to process the lactose.
Medications
With your physician's approval, you can take the lactase enzyme in pill or liquid form to break down lactose in the body. Taking medications for stomach inflammation related to lactose intolerance is considered a proactive approach. Lactase medications in pill form are usually taken prior to eating foods that contain lactose to diminish the likelihood of stomach inflammation once the foods are consumed. Lactase drops are usually added to milk to reduce the effects of the lactose.
Dietary Adjustments
By monitoring your intake of products such as milk, cheese and dairy products, you can determine which foods trigger symptoms for you. You might find that you can eat reduced quantities of lactose and not experience any negative symptoms. On the other hand, if you experience severe symptoms of lactose intolerance, you may need to eliminate foods containing lactose from your diet. Dairy products contain significant amounts of calcium, so reducing or eliminating them from your diet can be problematic. However, dark green leafy vegetables, fruit such as oranges, fish and soy-based products are all non-dairy sources of calcium.
Digestion Relief
While you are experiencing discomfort, you can take simple steps to alleviate your stomach inflammation. For example, sipping cool water periodically introduces more liquid into your colon and can help increase the efficiency of your digestion. As the food digests, the stomach inflammation should dissipate. If you have severe abdominal cramps or pain, ask your physician which pain medications are best to take because many of them can cause damage to the lining of your stomach. Avoid consuming additional lactose or foods that are high in fat to prevent increasing the inflammation of your stomach.
