PUNCH
Our skin has given the baton to our kidneys in water elimination from the body. Do you notice that you sweat less now that the weather is cold, unlike when the weather was hot? Our urine output has also increased. You must have noticed that the urge to drink water has also decreased. You do not get thirsty like when the weather is seriously hot. Even if it means taking warm water, make sure you stay hydrated at all times.
I am sure that questions like “Does she want us to be taking milk after she said we should not” must have gone through your minds after reading last week’s article. The reason I sat on the fence was because Lactose intolerance is synonymous with milk, there is no way one will talk about lactose intolerance without mentioning dairy products. So, my opinion about milk does not count.
However, this week, just like I pointed out the dangers of taking milk in 2021 when we had a series on fermented foods and plant-based or non-dairy milk alternatives, I will shed more light on reasons you should stop taking milk.
Last week, we stopped on tips to manage lactose intolerance.
Let us continue:
6: Try probiotics
For some people, probiotics can ease symptoms of lactose intolerance. Probiotics are live microorganisms, usually bacteria, that restore the balance of “good” bacteria in your digestive system. They can be found in foods like yogurt or kefir.
- Explore plant-based milk alternatives. We already had a series on them.
8: In situations where symptoms of lactose intolerance are very severe, I strongly recommend that such persons should avoid all dairy products.
According to Barbara Baron, RDN, owner of Barbara Baron Associates in Old Bridge, New Jersey, known as The Family Meals Dietitian, “Lactose intolerance is a condition in which people have gastrointestinal disturbances such as bloating, diarrhea, and gas after eating or drinking milk or milk products. She went on to say that gastrointestinal disturbances occur after eating an amount of lactose that is greater than the body’s ability to digest and absorb. When not digested, the healthy bacteria ferment the lactose in the intestinal tract. This fermentation produces uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, stomach pain, or bloating.”
A study titled Kefir Improves Lactose Digestion and Tolerance in Adults with Lactose Maldigestion by Steven R Hertzler et al concludes that because kefir improved lactose digestion and tolerance in this study, its use may be another potential strategy for overcoming lactose intolerance.
Mrs Adeloye Opeoluwa Adejumoke, a microbiologist at OAUTHC, ile ife, osun state chatted me up after last week’s article. She said “My daughter has total lactose intolerance right from birth. How she was able to tolerate breast milk fully is still a miracle. She was given baby formula from day 1 and she closed her mouth and cried. She vomited the little that entered her mouth almost immediately. It is so bad that she does not even want to perceive the smell of milk at all. She runs she flees from anything milky or chocolatey. She is eight now and it is not getting better at all” I found this hilarious. I assured her that there was nothing to worry about and that she should just make sure that the girl eats a good diet consisting of vegetables and fruits. She should count herself lucky that the baby rejected baby formula, already, these baby formulas have been shown to increase the risks of so many diseases.
While on a fermented food series, I shared the story of how Jane Plant, a scientist, switched to a dairy-free, Asian-style diet virtually overnight while also undergoing chemotherapy and within six weeks, the lump in her neck disappeared. I also talked extensively about what the problem with milk is. We had a series on plant-based or non-dairy milk alternatives too and I explained at length why you should choose these alternatives over cow’s milk. I also cannot forget that my readers who love milk so much wore their boxing gloves once again.
This time, let us see what Dr. Chidi Ngwagba, a physician who specializes in lifestyle medicine
has to say about milk. I once talked about him here. He said that in the 1970’s, the premier of China was dying of liver cancer and as he was dying, he did something interesting, he wanted to find out why people were dying of cancer. He surveyed China, it was the largest study ever done on human beings about health. The study was so large that it involved 880 million people and 650 researchers.
