Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is the sugar found naturally in milk. To digest, the human organism requires the enzyme lactase which is normally produced in the intestinal mucosa, which converts lactose into smaller units (glucose and galactose).
Lactose intolerance is due to the decrease or absence of lactase in the digestive tract. The cause of lactose intolerance can be congenital, a very rare error of metabolism, in which the lactase is missing from birth or acquired.
The latter may be partial or total and may begin in childhood, adolescence or adulthood. May be due to a progressive decrease of lactase in the intestinal mucosa cells from two or three years, without knowing the cause, or following an attack on the intestinal mucosa by a virus, bacteria, antibiotics or chemotherapy, infectious diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, excessive alcohol intake, etc..
Some diseases can cause the insufficient production of lactase as gastroenteritis, viral or bacterial infections can also manifest after intestinal surgery.
Among the most common symptoms include:
- Abdominal cramps
- Swelling
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
- Weight loss
- Slow growth (in children)
- Foul-smelling stools
It is a dangerous medical condition, but care is needed, especially in the case of children, because if it definitely suppresses milk in the diet can cause a shortage of calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin and protein.
Symptoms usually appear 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating lactose-containing foods, usually accompanied by flatulence, intestinal colic and diarrhea. The symptoms disappear between 3 and 6 hours later. These are due to lactose is not digested in the small intestine, passes into the bulk and that is fermented by bacteria in the intestinal flora to produce hydrogen and other gases.
Folk Remedies
Remedy # 1 Boil the milk will take and add a pinch of salt.
Remedy # 2 Eat ½ cup plain yogurt with 2 tablespoons maple syrup or maple syrup.