What Lactose Intolerant Means

Someone who is lactose intolerant is someone whose body can't digest lactose which is a sugar commonly found in milk and dairy products. Lactose intolerance is not an allergy.

How do you know if you're lactose intolerant? 

It's best to see a doctor to determine whether you are lactose intolerant or not. Many people experience symptoms when eating dairy foods. 

Feeling sick

Diarrhoea

Bloating

Wind
Stomach cramps

These are all symptoms that people may suffer from after eating dairy. 

Try to eliminate dairy from your diet and see if your symptoms get better. If they do, you are probably lactose intolerant (still better to get a doctor to confirm this). Once you've eliminated dairy, try and reintroduce it in small steps to find out how much lactose your body can cope with. 

Being lactose intolerant doesn't mean you can't eat any dairy at all. Some people can handle more lactose than others. For example someone who is lactose intolerant may be able to consume a chocolate bar but if they had to eat cheese they may become ill.