Milk (Lactose) Allergies

Milk is one of the most common food allergies. This condition affects millions of people.

Symptoms

Symptoms can range in severity and intensity. Some people may have a milk allergy and not even realize it because their symptoms are so mild, such as gas. Other symptom can include:

• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Hives
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Rashes
• Watery eyes
• Ear infections
• Hyperactivity

Coming into contact with it can also exacerbate other health issues such as acne, eczema and asthma.

What are the Causes?

It’s usually caused by one of the proteins in the milk or the sugars. Lactose is the culprit in approximately 70% of the cases. This is commonly known as lactose intolerance, which means there is a problem with the body not being able to break down lactose during digestion.

Other causes include an allergy to whey and casein, which are two of the proteins found in milk. Casein is the curd of the milk, and the whey is the watery part. Nearly 80% of the cow’s milk is casein. This is also the ingredient that is in cheese. The harder the cheese the more casein it contains.

Treatment Options

The following are some of the most common treatments

· Avoidance: This is the most widely used one, however it can be difficult because milk is found in so many foods such as cheese, cream based sauces, yogurt, chocolate, etc.

· Medicines: There are over-the-counter drugs that can help in the digestion of lactose. The most popular one is Lactaid.

· Allergy Based Treatments: There have been some studies that suggest if you introduce small amounts of milk based products into your diet on a daily basis you can eventually build up the lactase levels so your body is no longer affected.

· Other remedies: Every situation is different. In many cases it’s simply dependent on how the food is consumed. For example, some people have found that by adding chocolate syrup to milk, it becomes easier for them to digest.

Alternatives to Milk Products

The best alternative available is soy products. If you are making the “yuck” face right now, you need to know the soy products of today are better tasting than ever before. For example, now soy milk comes in different flavors.

An alternative to cheese may be tofu. There are many other products on the market that offer you truly tasty alternatives to their dairy counterparts.

RECOMMENDED Milk allergy relief RESOURCES

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