Vegetarianism and Milk? What the hell!?!
Jake
Answers: So, I've always had problems drinking milk. The problems do fluctuate, however. It seems like it's been years since I last noticed that drinking milk messed up my stomach. But for the past month or so, every time I drink milk, I go running to the bathroom about 5 or 6 hours later. It ALWAYS seems to be about 5 or 6 hours after I drank the milk. Also, for the past month or so, I've decided to cut out all meat in my diet. Does anybody know if milk and a strict vegetarian diet can mess up one's stomach? Or, does anybody notice the same thing? It just seems to be milk, not other dairy products. Or am I just going through one of those phases I've always had? It doesn't happen often because I don't drink a lot of milk. Not like it really matters... I've decided to cut milk out of my diet too because of this situation. Thanks!
Jake
I think you might be Lactose Intolerant.
Lactose is the sugar found exclusively in milk. When we are children, our body produces Lactase, the enzyme which breaks down Lactose, so that we can use it for energy. For some people, as they grow into adulthood, they stop producing Lactase, and so this results in Lactose not being absorbed by your stomach. The lactose will then go to your small and then large intestine. Lactose will be broken down by bacteria in your large intestine, which will cause gas, bloating and diarrhea.
Other dairy products have different levels of Lactose, so they may not present the same problem.
If its not lactose intolerance, then the problem may be due to a protein deficiency.
Humans use protein from food to make their own proteins, which are needed to carry out a whole host of necessary functions in the body, which includes the stomach. Proteins are made up of smaller components called amino acids, which are the building blocks of its structure. There are 20 different amino acids that we need, 10 of which we can make ourselves, but 10 necessary ones have to come from our diet. Meat, Fish, Eggs, Milk have all 20 available, so thats why its important to consume these products.
Other vegetarian sources of protein i.e. nuts, bread, beans etc., do not have the complete amount of amino acids needed for making proteins in our bodies, and are deficient in different ones from one another. Therefore, all that is required for vegetarians, is to ensure they are getting protein from a variety of vegetables, legumes, and beans, so they fill in the gaps that a single source of food will have.
I suggest not cutting out milk or protein from your diet. Milk is a necessary source of calcium, vitamins, protein and minerals not found anywhere else. You may wish to try soy milk, or pre lactose digested milk, which would avoid problems you may be having if you have lactose intolerance.
Well I became lactose intolerant after I got a very bad case of food poisoning and almost died. That was also the time that I stopped eating meat. Most adults/teenagers lose the ability to digest milk as time goes on. Also, African Americans and Hispanics have a harder time digesting milk (I'm Hispanic so I know this to be true).
It's easier to just cut milk out entirely. I suffered for years eating dairy products just because I thought I couldn't give them up. Well now I have and I haven't felt better. It is not worth the constant nausea, gas, bathroom visits, and pain in the stomach.
You're lactose intolerant. Don't feel badly, as about 70 to 75% of the world's adults have similar problems. Most people can handle a small amount of milk or dairy, even if they're lactose intolerant. I wonder if you are drinking more milk and eating more dairy products in order to compensate for the meat you have quit eating. If so, you may have exceeded your body's threshold for lactose consumption, and you are experiencing an exacerbation of your problem.
Your 5 or 6 hour later discussion makes sense, as that is about how long it takes the milk, with its undigested lactose, to get to your large intestine. While it's there, at least 2 things happen to create your symptoms: (a) bacteria go to work on the lactose, causing gas and cramping, and (b) undigested lactose causes the intestine to absorb water into the intestinal contents, causing them to become watery, et voila, explosive diarrhea.
Some suggestions: If you are going to consume dairy, be sure not to have too much. You may need to consume both dairy and nondairy milk. Or, if you're one of those cheesy vegetarians, enjoy your cheese and forgo all liquid milk, substituting it with grain or soy milk. Try to consume fermented dairy products rather than unfermented ones. And of course there are lactose-reduced milk products on the market.
your lac-toas-and tolerant that means your stomach can't process the milk get soy andi am also lac tos i really don't no how to spell it though
Some strict vegetarians who give up milk later develop lactose intolerance as a starter and then other food allergies develop as one gets older. You may have to give up more than milk down the road. Allergy to anything with any kind of grain in it is the usual one. Hope that doesn't happen to you. Good luck.
I've heard that as people age they loose the ability to break down milk...we are the only species that drinks another animals milk...it probably is not something that is good for us.
I recently went vegan and noticed that my body did some serious detoxing for the 1st week or so.
Milk is more concentrated than other dairy products too, that is probably why it is so painful on your system. Goode luck with your milk free diet. Check out milksucks.com
It sounds like you are most likely lactose-intolerant, but you might also want to consider fats as well. I don't have a problem eating dairy unless there is too much fat in it and my system severely complains, this is even an issue with non-dairy fats as well. If I keep to fat free or lowfat dairy foods I'm fine, but even those I can't eat a lot of because it plugs up my nose. (Yes, I know that sounds weird.)
The other people are probably right, but I thought I'd give you another piece to look at for a broader perspective.