How is lactose intolerance treated?

My patients with lactose intolerance say "I love dairy, but it doesn't love me!" The best "treatment" for lactose intolerance is to find ways to include nutrient-rich dairy foods in your diet. Research has identified simple strategies that may help make dairy foods easier to digest for those with lactose intolerance so they can enjoy the great taste and nutritional benefits of dairy foods.

Try these tips to enjoy dairy:

1. Try lactose-free milk and milk products. Lactose free milk is real milk with the lactose broken down already for you. It contains the same 9 essential nutrients as regular milk.

2. Try drinking small amounts of milk with meals. This may make it easier to digest and you may be able to slowly increase the amount you can tolerate.

3. Mix milk with other foods such as soups, cereal, or fruit to help slow digestion and allow the body more time to digest the lactose.

4. Try natural cheeses such as cheddar and swiss - they are low in lactose.

5. Enjoy yogurt. Many people can tolerate yogurt well because the live, active cultures help digest the lactose.

The treatment of lactose intorlerance depends on the severity of your symptoms and which foods actually trigger those symptoms. Most people discover their lactose intolerance when consuming milk. However, they may be able to consume yogurt, cheese, and ice cream with no symptoms. Others cannot consume any dairy without symptoms. I would challenge those that have symptoms when drinking cow's milk to try organic cow's milk. Some individuals have been surprised to see that they do not react to organic milk and may not actually be lactose intolerant.