Digestion Problems Continued

Another thing to be aware of with digestive health is that 30-50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. One has to wonder if this is because of all of the antibiotics and hormones given to cows so that they will produce more milk. The fact of the matter is that many people really cannot tolerate milk.

There are some ethnic groups which have very high rates of lactose intolerance, such as Asian-Americans, where as many as 90% are lactose intolerant. About 80% of Native Americans and African-Americans are lactose intolerant.

The symptoms can be either diarrhea or constipation. If either of these is an issue for you, start by cutting out diary and see if you improve. You can use lactose free milk, or there are supplements to help you digest lactose.

Raw Milk and Lactase

Thank you for the question about raw milk and lactase. Raw milk - that is milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized - does contain bacteria and enzymes, lactase being one of them. More importantly, the bacteria in raw milk produces lactase which breaks down the lactose. This is why lactose intolerant individuals can drink raw milk. It is also why raw milk is better for our body in that it contains enzymes which help the body digest it and get the nutrients the body needs.