Dealing with lactose intolerance?

So, what are the actual symptoms of lactose intolerance, really??? I’ve been scrolling through those previous posts and reading everything mentioned there, but nowhere did it say that one of the symptoms is feeling like your stomach is just bloating up immediately when you go to drink some milk... Does that count as one of them, or maybe...???

Kyle Nguyen16 said:For those of us living with lactose intolerance, it honestly doesn't matter whether milk is considered healthy or not, since we aren't consuming it anyway.

And that pretty much sums up my final thoughts on this whole thread. 👍

So, I felt like I needed to write this up, haha
Basically, I think Mother Nature got it right. Babies drink milk because it’s essential and super healthy for them—and obviously, I mean breast milk!
You get exactly what you need from it, and then—boom—you're good to go.

I honestly feel like nobody would be any less healthy if they stopped drinking milk once they grew up, but maybe those who *do* keep drinking it might be worse off... A lot of people deal with lactose intolerance probably because nature never intended for our bodies to spend our entire lives breaking down something we only really needed as infants... I think, for instance, that many people in certain parts of Asia don't drink milk at all, simply because they didn't evolve to produce lactase.

Anyway, I guess that's all I had to say! 😬

👋

ah, I just felt the need to write this out.
basically, I think Mother Nature did her job. babies drink milk because they need it and it's incredibly healthy (obviously I'm talking about breast milk!).
you get what you need from it, and then—goodbye.

I don't think anyone would be less healthy if they stopped drinking milk once they grew up; if anything, it's the people who keep drinking it... a lot of people deal with lactose intolerance simply because nature never intended for our bodies to spend a lifetime breaking down something we only needed during infancy... I think, for example, that many people in India don't drink milk at all because, evolutionarily speaking, they just don't have lactase.

anyway, I'm done.

I think we can all agree on this 🙂 if you like it, keep drinking it, but those of us who can't really don't have much of a choice...
I read somewhere that 97% of people in Taiwan can't handle milk.

I recall reading somewhere—perhaps even here on this forum—that soy milk is generally considered unhealthy due to certain toxic or carcinogenic components, suggesting that one should opt for fermented versions instead.

I happen to be one of those fortunate individuals who enjoys both dairy and soy milk, whether it's fermented or sweetened.
For the most part, I have grown to reach 6 feet in height, largely due to my habit of overindulging in yogurt and milk.
When one also takes into account that I possess the vitality and intellect of an ubermensch, we might reasonably conclude that it truly is a healthy food item.😁

It is quite interesting how everyone seems to point toward certain lobbies that fund research, which inevitably transforms into nothing more than blatant propaganda.
We are essentially witnessing an all-out marketing war between these two industries.
In truth, it wouldn't be such a bad thing if prices actually dropped.
However, they maintain a tight duopoly, keeping costs artificially high.
It really is a disgrace that a single liter of soy chocolate milk costs so much.$5.00😠
And yet, it is so delicious.🙂
Not to mention those puddings.😍

Betty Ward6 said:I believe I read somewhere (perhaps even right here on this forum) that regular soy milk is generally considered unhealthy due to certain toxic or carcinogenic components, which is why one should opt for fermented versions instead.

I happen to be one of those fortunate individuals who truly enjoys milk—both dairy and soy, whether it is fermented or sweetened.

I would kindly ask the health experts here to provide their perspective on the claim mentioned above.
Ever since reading that unfermented soy might be quite detrimental to one's health, I have refrained from drinking standard soy milk for months now, despite how much I genuinely enjoy it.

So now we're saying Soymilk is bad too? 🤣

I’ve read most of this, but not all. I'm definitely on the same page as Naomi and Stef. Also, I'm not sure if anyone else has picked up on this, but lactose intolerance is actually not the same thing as a dairy allergy.

So, back when I was talking to my doctor maybe 8 months ago, she mentioned that recent studies suggest you can basically "train" your body to handle certain amounts of dairy if what you're dealing with is lactose intolerance .
My advice? Start small—maybe some yogurt, then move on to cheese, a little ice cream, stuff like that. You’ll probably feel pretty stuffed after just a few cubes of cheese or more than one scoop of ice cream, but just give it time and keep trying.

Light-skinned Europeans tend to have way fewer issues with lactose intolerance compared to people from the Mediterranean or Asia—it's probably an evolutionary thing involving Vitamin D, sun exposure, blah blah blah. Apparently, Greeks, Turks, Moroccans... they eat tons of yogurt, and Italians swear by their cheeses... you just have to put in a little effort.

By the way, tofu is also a killer source of protein and calcium.
Anyway, just see how it goes for you... 😬

Sandra King86 said:I’m also not sure if anyone else has picked up on this, but lactose intolerance isn't quite the same thing as having a dairy allergy.

So, what's actually the difference there? How can you tell which one you're dealing with...

For me, intolerance shows up on my skin—redness, swollen eyes, and things like that. It usually hits a couple of days after I consume it. I was diagnosed using a VEGA device; it’s different from those standard allergy tests (the ones with the pinpricks) because they aren't quite sensitive enough to catch this specific type of intolerance.
By the way, I’ve tried just about every soy milk out there, and most of them were incredibly bland. I could never get used to that chalky, floury taste (isn't it basically just liquid flour?😛)... Honestly, the Alpro brand is the absolute worst. Just yuck.
I stumbled upon Soymilk at a local health food store by total chance, and it is seriously delicious (not an ad for the store!🤣). It doesn't have that typical soy milk flavor at all, and it works beautifully in coffee, hot cocoa, and more. Plus, it's super creamy and tasty.

Anyway, there are plenty of manufacturers making soy puddings out there. That same health food store even carries soy yogurt, though I personally don't care for it (I'm not much of a yogurt person anyway), soy ice cream (homemade style!), chocolate spread (think Nutella, but without the milk), mayonnaise... See?! A life without milk is totally doable, haha...

For me, the intolerance shows up in my skin—redness, swollen eyes, stuff like that—usually a few days after I eat it. I was diagnosed using a VEGA device, so it’s not really related to those standard allergy tests (the finger pricking and whatever) which aren't quite sensitive enough for this kind of intolerance.

Anyone else dealing with symptoms like that? It sounds more like an allergy, though I guess I don't know enough about the specifics to be sure.

@ Emily Evans7
You'll get used to the Soymilk eventually. As for that yogurt from the organic market, I tried it once—it was gross.
Why are you buying mayo there? There isn't any milk in mayo. And regarding whipped cream, you can find plant-based options at any grocery store—like Oops, for instance—and I think they're actually way cheaper than the soy version.

Does Chocolate Pudding not bother you? It has powdered milk or milk chocolate in it—I forget the exact details, but it definitely contains lactose.

Hey everyone, I could really use some help here....
I've been wondering if what I'm dealing with is an actual allergy or just an intolerance, so if anyone would be kind enough to break down the typical symptoms for both, I’d be so incredibly grateful.... (And hey, if you help me out, coffee is on me—just make sure it's a coffee without milk 😉...

silverfalcon7 said:But what’s the actual difference? Like, how do you tell them apart?

Check out this solid article.
Let me know if you need a hand translating anything from English... 🙂

Supposedly, a milk protein allergy shows up as stomach cramps along with bloody stools and intense vomiting—they also mention Enteropathy and Heiner's syndrome. Oh, and people with that allergy can't handle soy products either since they're supposedly allergic to those too.

Lactose intolerance is more like bloating, gas, and stuff like that...

If you want to be 100% sure, I can run a breath hydrogen test for you just to confirm or rule out the intolerance once and for all...

Look, I’m no doctor, so I can't speak to what the "typical" symptoms of intolerance are... I only know what happens to me and how it manifests in my own body. Besides, don't you think there's no such thing as universal symptoms? If there were, wouldn't conventional medicine have solved it by now? When you realize something just isn't right, you look for alternatives—like homeopathy, or perhaps other options out there. That's where the individual approach comes in, and honestly, that's the trick. Every person is their own unique case.😎
From what I understand, and based on my conversations with my physician, here is the general breakdown: an allergy hits immediately, almost right after you eat the food. It's easy to catch through standard testing with an allergist or a dermatologist...
An intolerance is different. It doesn't show up instantly; symptoms might not appear until two or three days after consumption. And they aren't even always obvious: a bad mood, a headache... those can also be consequences of food intolerance.
If you suspect a certain food is bothering you, the best move is to go get it checked out.

As for that plant-based blend you find at the grocery store, I much prefer the Soymilk version, obviously...🙂

Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but I have this feeling that I've been eating a bit healthier since I switched from cow's milk to Soymilk! The only thing I miss is Cheese.🙄

So, some recent studies actually show you can train your body to handle small amounts of Cheese if we're talking about classic intolerance. Just start super slow alongside other foods. You should be fine in a few weeks—I mean, just a cube or two every couple of days...
If you’ve got the patience and give it enough time by pairing the Cheese with other stuff, you might even be able to handle pizza soon. 🙂

Anyway, regarding LI symptoms: Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating or drinking milk or milk products, so if this pops up two days later, it's probably not LI—it's either something else entirely or just some weird combo that doesn't sit right with you.

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddise...ance/#symptoms

Regarding pizza🙂, it’s interesting to note that you can find dairy-free cheese substitute in almost any local grocery store (I actually stumbled upon this by pure chance). It’s plant-based, so there is absolutely no milk in it. It’s specifically designed for pizzas and toasted sandwiches, according to the packaging. It comes under the name Mediteran, Formaggio... (here in the States). I suspect they might use regular dairy on pizzas at restaurants, but you can never be entirely sure. That’s why I prefer making my own pizza at home using this cheese. Honestly, there is no difference at all.

As for trying to eat in small portions? Even I have thought about that a few times. I tried eating cheese and things like that normally, but as soon as that redness and swelling hits me after a couple of days, I stop immediately... I just don't have any self-control when it comes to food.😛

quote:
So, what exactly are the symptoms of LI? Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating or drinking milk or milk products.If you notice that specific sensation popping up for two days straight, it probably isn't lactose intolerance. Could it be something else? Or perhaps just a different combination of things that doesn't sit right with you?

Honestly, if those symptoms hit that quickly? It sounds like a textbook allergy to me.

Emily Evans7 said:sorry, but this sounds like a textbook allergy to me—especially if it hits that fast!

I think there’s a real consensus among the pros here. Even WebMD and basically all the stuff I’ve read points to the same thing...

Symptoms of lactose intolerance can be mild or severe, depending on how much lactase your body makes. Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating or drinking milk or milk products

Maybe you misheard the doctor? Or maybe you have other allergies that just flare up more when you deal with dairy proteins...

Emily Evans7 said:I tried that whole "small portions" thing once—it actually crossed my mind to just eat normal amounts of cheese and stuff again—but as soon as that redness and swelling hits me a few days later, I'm totally out... I just don't have any self-control when it comes to this...😛

😲
Then don't...