Lactose Intolerance (LI) is viewed at as a disease by many people. Those who have lactose intolerance mention it with a mournful look and those who listen to this fact receive it with sympathy. But truth is far from the “mourning†expended by both the parties. Lactose Intolerance is not a disease. It can never be one. This is because it is a natural process like aging. If aging is to be looked at with sympathy, then LI should also be treated with the same kind of emotion. But perspectives are changing and people are beginning to look at LI in a new light. Lactose Intolerance is slowly being accepted as the norm and lactose persistence is being positioned as an abnormality caused by genetic mutation.
Why is lactose intolerance not a disease?
1. It is natural: Simple. Human beings have been tuned to produce lactase enzyme only till the weaning period. This genetic tuning in human beings is just like the one in all mammals. After the weaning period, that is after 2 to 4 years, the lactase enzyme in the intestine is programmed to be off. This is to facilitate consumption of nutrient-rich, solid diets. When the lactase enzyme is off, there is lactose intolerance in adults or even children. Such an intolerance is normal and common among all mammals and there is nothing to be worried about in such a genetic conditioning.
Dr. Marie Boyle and Dr. Sara Long have mentioned in their research book, Personal Nutrition that, about 70% of the world population is lactose intolerant. The incidence of LI is found in most of the races – Native Americans, Africans and Asians. 80% of Blacks and African Americans, 80 – 100% of Native Americans, and about 90 – 100% of Asians are lactose intolerant. This statistics shows that lactose intolerance is not an odd disease, but a natural, genetic condition. Moreover, as mammals, it is but natural for us to be conditioned to drink milk only till the weaning period. Lactose Intolerance, in a way, indicates the normal and healthy functioning of the digestive system and not a horrible disease that has to be looked at with sympathy.
2. Symptoms are not that horrible: Unlike many horrifying diseases, symptoms of lactose intolerance indicate only a maldigestion of lactose in the intestine. There is nothing but intestinal discomfort and that even can be controlled with proper diet. Lactose-free diet will alleviate the symptoms and reduce any cramps caused. It is not incurable or un-treatable like cancer or AIDS. Hence, medically speaking, it is nothing more than a gastrointestinal condition.
3. Dairy food is stupidity – Veganism: With the advent of veganism, the very idea of consuming the milk of another species sounds stupid. Doing it as adults sounds silly and unethical. Added to that, vegans have pointed out the cruelties done to animals in dairy farming and converted many people to a non-dairy, not-sickening diet. As a Vegan blogger points out, “For me, after all the extremely compelling reasons to go vegan were presented to me the one thing that stood out to me the most (and what is ultimately the reason I went vegan) was what an unnatural process it is for an adult mammal to drink the milk of another species. What makes it even more appalling is the cruelty associated with the production of cow’s milk to feed a population that is literally being made sick by it.â€
All the above factors point out at the changing perspectives about lactose intolerance. ‘Lactase Persistence’ is now viewed as a condition that is found in a few who have undergone genetic mutation, while lactose intolerance is beginning to be accepted as the norm.
