Mukunda dasa <mukunda.dasa@prabhupada.org.uk>
Re: hinduism and neophytes

Lactose Intolerance – Ayurvedic Perspective

Posted on October 12, 2017 by pv

Lactose Intolerance means allergy to milk and milk products. People who are lactose intolerant might suffer from allergic reactions such as rashes, swelling, gas bloating, vomit, diarrhea or sometimes life-threatening allergic response within 2 hours of consuming any dairy products. Milk allergy is quite different from Lactose intolerance, in which, people with milk allergy will only have problems with consuming milk (sometimes even when milk touches the skin)  and not with other dairy products like yogurt, butter, cheese etc.

From western perspective

Lactose is the sugar present in milk. In order to digest the lactose, it has to be broken into simple sugars called glucose and galactose. In our body, the small intestine produces an enzyme called Lactase to break and digest Lactose. Lactase level will be more during infancy and gradually reduces as we get older. Premature babies, those who are born before 32 weeks of pregnancy, will be lacking in Lactase and hence would find it difficult to digest milk.

How good is milk, Ayurvedically?

From Ayurvedic perspective, Milk is a Rasayana- a rejuvenator which has anti-aging property. Milk is considered sweet, heavy, clogging and nourishing. It pacifies Vata and Pitta but aggravates Kapha. If digested properly, cow’s milk has the ability to nourish all the bodily tissues a.k.a Dhatus within 24 hours. Milk improves Ojas, the pure essence of all 7 Dhatus, which gives immunity to the body. Milk, when consumed with certain herbs and spices, has good medicinal properties.

How to enjoy milk without side-effects?

People with too much Kapha (water and earth elements) or those suffering from cold, congestion, fever, Obesity, indigestion, etc should avoid milk. Otherwise milk can be enjoyed with spices like cinnamon (to metabolize sugar in milk), cardamom(to digest the protein in milk), black-pepper, dry ginger, etc to digest milk better.

Which milk to choose?

100% Organic Grass-fed Raw cow’s milk is the best. In case of non-availability, one can choose 100% organic pasteurized, non-homogenized grass-fed cow’s milk(whole milk).  1% or 2% milk is not advisable as the process involved in reducing the fat makes the milk even more difficult to digest. If you do not prefer drinking full-fat milk, just dilute the milk with some water and then boil. This process of diluting is different from store-bought 1% or 2% milk. Whatever milk you choose, it has to be boiled with appropriate spices to make it easier to digest. Grass-fed milk is preferred due to the reason that if the cow is fed with grains, for example Soy, and if the person is allergic to Soy would find it difficult to digest milk. Hence Grass-fed milk is always preferred.

For Lactose Intolerant?

People who are lactose intolerant should not face any issue in consuming pure cow’s ghee(ghee made with cultured butter). By increasing the gut bacteria(aka friendly bacteria or good bacteria),the person can slowly start drinking Takra(Ayurvedic buttermilk) only during lunch and in room temperature and then gradually to diluted milk. The transition has to be done slowely by watching for any symptoms.

Should we really need milk?

Well, from Ayurvedic perspective, milk is nourishing and helps in building all the tissues. But when a person is not able to digest milk properly, then there is no use in consuming milk. Undigested food will only lead to Ama, toxin formation. There are better alternatives to get your calcium & protein from other natural foods such as green leafy vegetables, sesame seeds, almond, lentils etc. Moringa leaves are rich in calcium.

What else to do to digest dairy products better?

Avoid incompatible combinations like milk with fruits, vegetables (including leafy greens), yogurt, salt, sour foods, horsegram. Avoid drinking cold milk. Also avoid dairy products in the form of ice-creams, frozen yogurt, cheese etc. These are very difficult to digest. Most of the time, people will be suffering from gas and bloating due to wrong intake of milk.

Warm milk with proper spices, Rice & milk kheer with appropriate spices, fresh Takra and Ghee are the best.