I had to give up dairy because I am completely lactose intolerant. Personal experience

Mira Mamedkhanova

administrative manager at “Championship”, a fan of healthy lifestyle

“I spent my childhood at my grandmother’s house in the village. She had a cow, and my favorite food was, of course, molochka: warm milk from under the cow, cheesecakes, dumplings with cottage cheese, kaimak, katyk (a fermented milk product common among Turkic peoples) and cottage cheese”.

For breakfast there was always yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese and porridge on milk. Later, when I got into fitness and started to actively train, my coach and everyone around me told me that I needed more protein in my diet, i.e. protein bars and cottage cheese. I ate them literally kilograms.

Nevertheless, the swelling on my body did not go down, it remained loose. In addition, I began to have problems with the gallbladder and pancreas, because the load on digestion was enormous. Also my skin became more and more oily – every day there were new painful rashes, comedones. However, at that time I did not connect it with milk.

Over time, I began to track that after my favorite cappuccino there is an unpleasant feeling of heaviness and rubber in the stomach. So I decided to give up coffee to begin with, thinking that it was the problem. At that time I did not exclude other dairy products from my diet.

Later on vacation I tried Turkish black coffee, and there was no discomfort. When I returned home, I returned cappuccino to my morning ritual, but the story repeated itself. Then I started looking for answers on the internet and found out that you can try replacing regular milk with lactose-free milk. So I did.

Since then, for about two years I intuitively started to eat less dairy products, eat consciously, take care of myself, listen to my body and trust my choices.

I’ve often had to justify my choices: at the coffee shop with friends, ordering coffee on lactose-free milk, at restaurants, studying the menu, and even at home. I was blamed for being obsessed with eating right. However, in my case, it wasn’t an effort to follow the trendy trend of eliminating dairy.

It was more complicated than that. After taking a genetic test, I was confirmed to have lactose intolerance (lactase deficiency). As it turns out, the likelihood of this condition increases with age.

Was it difficult for me? Yes. The power of habit is great, and I had no idea what it would be like to give up my favorite foods. But the feeling that you are in control of your life, your health, motivates you to change your taste preferences and helps you to reorganize your diet.

Now I’m 34, and my diet is more vegetables, greens, fruits – simple and simple foods that give energy and lightness. I have forgotten about skin and GI problems. At the same time, I did not eliminate the usual dairy products, but simply replaced them with lactose-free ones.

Yes, of course, there are less dairy products in my diet than before. However, not because I demonize dairy, but because of my new taste preferences. I always have lactose-free butter, cheeses and yogurt in my fridge. I often buy cottage cheese and mascarpone for my favorite desserts.

Now I study the compositions on food labels more carefully, I don’t hesitate to check the composition of dishes in cafes and restaurants. I have not eliminated lactose 100%, it is contained in minimal amounts in some products.

I discover new flavors and cook with a lot of love and care for myself – this is my favorite home routine, it’s what helps me feel good every day.

My diet is so varied that I don’t have breakdowns, and if the urge to close some flavor gestalts arises, I cook at home. My favorite things are pizza, Ossetian pies with cheese and khachapuri, fragrant charlotte. They can be easily prepared using lactose-free dairy products.

There are no absolutely harmful or useful products. Everything should be in harmony with the body, spirit and genetics.

What should you do if you discover symptoms of lactose intolerance?

Brand Chef

“This feature of the body is more common than one might imagine. I myself closely monitor my diet as my loved ones have experienced lactose intolerance. Here’s what you can do if you start to feel discomfort after consuming regular milk and milk-based products.”

Experiment

You should minimize your lactose intake, even if you are not found to be intolerant. It is important not to eliminate dairy products completely, but to replace them with lactose-free products, as they contain many important micronutrients for the body. I once gave this advice to my father, and after a while we noticed that his well-being improved significantly.

Immerse yourself in the topic

My other recommendation is to research the topic thoroughly, take an interest in the latest research about dairy products and constantly study articles and resources from experts to better understand your body.

Consult a professional

Well, the most important thing is to take tests and visit a doctor. In today’s world, lactose intolerance is easy to diagnose and doctors will provide helpful recommendations.

Cheese buns with tapioca recipe from Brand Chef

Lactose-free mozzarella is used to prepare this dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg – 1 pc;
• mozzarella for sandwiches – 100 g;
• water – 100 ml;
• tapioca starch – 180-200 g;
• olive oil – 30-40 ml;
• salt – to taste.

Preparation:

1. Mix the egg with the mozzarella and hot water.
2. Add tapioca starch, olive oil and salt. Stir.
3. Place the resulting mixture in molds, send to an oven heated to 200 degrees Celsius and bake for 20 minutes.

Doctor’s opinion

gastroenterologist

“Dairy products and the microelements contained in them are very important for human health. Refusal of them can lead to an increased risk of developing certain diseases.”

For example, osteoporosis is often found in women who exclude dairy products from their diet, which is rich in calcium and other useful substances. Moreover, milk contains the amino acid tryptophan, from which serotonin, the hormone of happiness, is formed.

Today, even identified lactase deficiency is not a reason to cut out all dairy products from the diet, subjecting the body to stress because of the refusal of favorite dishes. For people with lactose intolerance there is a wide range of lactose-free dairy products. In terms of their qualities and benefits, they are identical to the classic one.

How are lactose-free products produced?

Unagrande Company Chief Technologist

“To create the lactose-free range of mozzarella, mascarpone and creamsicles, regular premium milk is used. First, it is pasteurized and normalized so that the cheese is the correct fat content. It is then ripened in a special tank and transferred to the cheese maker. While the cheese is cooking, a starter and an enzyme that breaks down the lactose are added.”

The resulting cheese mass is matured and kneaded without any additives. That is why the flavor remains natural, and the cheese is absolutely identical to the classic cheese in terms of its qualities and benefits.

Lactose-free products open a wide range of possibilities for those who live with intolerance – it is not difficult at all to adapt the usual recipes to the individual characteristics of the body. In preparation, such products behave in the same way as conventional products and do not require special conditions or knowledge.