Being Lactose Intolerant is a daily challenge for me.  For those of you who do not know exactly what Lactose is, it’s a sugar that is present in dairy products like milk, cheese, and butter. As people age, sometimes their bodies stop making the enzymes necessary to tolerate Lactose resulting in awful bowel related issues.  It has been said that people stop producing this enzyme around 6 years old in some cases.

 I started to have symptoms when I was 23 years old but did not realize it was dairy related until I was 31.  I was mislead because I would eat ice cream and be fine the day I ate it, but be very uncomfortable and have diarrhea the next day.  I did not realize that foods stay in your system for a couple of days.  In my case the symptoms would last a day or two and I would blame a flu bug or something of the sort. 

It is easier to avoid lactose when you stay home because you can buy foods that are Lactose free but it is very difficult to avoid lactose at a social function.  Fortunately, there are Lactose free foods available at the grocery store. Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that the host of a party will be serving lactose free food.  I have gone to people’s homes and there was nothing I could eat.  It is very frustrating.  Even when people are aware of the problem, they tend to forget and put cheese and butter in everything served.  I find that I can tolerate a little butter if I take a Lactaid pill beforehand.  Sadly, the pills only work for small amounts of dairy and lasagna is a no-no unless I make it at home. So what's next?  I like to find creative ways to enjoy great foods.