Lactose intolerance is becoming an increasingly common problem that people are encountering. Eating junk foods and fat rich diets have made the digestive system unable to cope with milk or dairy products. A person who is lactose intolerant is unable to digest milk or dairy products and natural cures are a very effective way to deal with this problem.
Lactose intolerance can easily be overcome through the use of natural remedies which help in easing the gastric disturbance and indigestion that results from lactose intolerance. However, you should also consult a doctor and nutritionist about this condition as well. Natural cures can aid in easing the problems faced during lactose intolerance. In this article, we will discuss some of the best natural cures for lactose intolerance.
Various Cures For Lactose Intolerance
Yoghurt
Research has demonstrated that people who are allergic to dairy products can get their calcium from yoghurt or curd. Bacterial enzymes in yoghurt make it possible to improve the digestion and avoid the gastric disturbances linked to lactose intolerance.
Yoghurt that contains live cultures can even help in digesting lactose. This is why yoghurt is a very good natural cure for lactose intolerance. Care should be taken that only yoghurt with live culture is being consumed. This is because if you take yoghurt that does not contain live bacteria to aid digestion, you will get no benefit at all from this natural cure.
Take A Walk
Exercising is very important for releasing the gas building up in the stomach due to lactose intolerance. Research shows that exercise improves digestion. Walking is especially useful as it loosens tightened intestines and helps to combat flatulence resulting due to lactose intolerance.
Regular walking can even improve the health of the stomach and enable a lactose intolerant person to become healthier. It can also aid in improving the capacity of the stomach to digest milk and dairy products.
Consume Cocoa Drinks
Cocoa has the special ability to help lactose intolerant persons digest lactose by lessening the pace at which the stomach empties itself. This is specifically useful because the slower the rate is at which the stomach becomes empty, the less amount of lactose will enter your system.
So you can consume milk and dairy products after taking cocoa drinks. You can get natural cocoa powder which is extracted from the cocoa plant and mix it with your drinks to boost your ability to ingest lactose.
Eat Sardines
Sardines are especially rich in calcium. If you are not having any milk or milk products, you have to ensure that you are eating calcium rich foods. Sardine is a fish which is especially high in nutrients such as calcium and protein. Sardine can be grilled lightly and consumed regularly to increase the level of calcium in your body.
This ensures that your teeth and bones are in healthy condition. Sardines are better when eaten fresh. Canned sardines lack the nutrients because they undergo changes in composition due to preservatives.
Drink Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is a herb which has many curative properties. Besides being used as a relaxant, this herb also aids the digestion process. For good digestion and especially to soothe the stomach and improve its digestive capabilities, you should drink Chamomile tea regularly.
Add dried leaves of this herb to boiling water and add the tea leaves and sugar. Drink this tea 2 or 3 times in a day to promote good digestion and ease gastric disturbances caused due to lactose intolerance. Chamomile also helps in releasing toxins in the stomach and soothing the lining of the stomach. It eases gastrointestinal disturbances caused due to lactose intolerance.
Use Licorice Root
Licorice is a herb which is definitely effective in relieving the indigestion caused due to lactose intolerance. It helps to counter the effects of consuming dairy products and milk for a person who is lactose intolerant. Licorice root is especially beneficial in healing the stomach and improving the digestion.
You can crush Licorice root and add it to boiling water. Strain the water through a clean cloth. Drink the strained liquid regularly to benefit from the effects of Licorice root.
Be Alert About Your Eating Habits
Some products such as cereal, salad dressings and baking mixtures contain milk in significant percentages. You should make sure you check the label on these products to ascertain if they contain any milk or dairy products. Hidden lactose can be a real problem, as you may consume the product without realizing that it contains a high amount of lactose.
Without even knowing it, you will increase the severity of how lactose intolerance impacts you. So do check the nutritional labels on these products otherwise you may suffer from the ill effects of lactose intolerance such as flatulence, nausea and gastric disturbances.
Stick To Low Fat Dairy Products
Another important natural cure is that you should take low fat dairy products such as skimmed milk instead of creamy milk. Researchers have found that low fat dairy products do not aggravate the symptoms of lactose intolerance such as gas formation and indigestion. Therefore, it is better that you take such low fat products in order to avoid the complications of ingesting high fat dairy products and rich, creamy milk.
You need to cut down on excessive consumption of milk and dairy products rich in fat. Keep smaller portions when you are eating dairy products such as cottage cheese. This is because while you may not be able to digest high proportions of milk and milk products, you can definitely ingest smaller proportions of them.
If you are lactose intolerant, it is best to try and eat small amounts of fat rich dairy products as well. Foods that are low in lactose such as cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese may be substituted for foods high in lactose, so that you do not develop calcium deficiency due to lactose intolerance.
Combine Milk Based Items Along With Other Foods
You can combine solid foods with dairy products in certain proportions to lessen lactose intolerance or even eliminate it. For example, you can combine cereal with milk, by adding about half a small cup of milk to 500 grams of cereal.
This ensures that you will be able to digest the milk as it is in a very small percentage compared to the cereal. Thus, by devising appropriate combinations of foods, you can overcome the problem of lactose intolerance.
Caution: Please use Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.