Olwen Anderson's Blog

"Oh, you must be lactose intolerant" is a phrase I've heard a few times over the last couple of weeks. After the inevitable 'why?' question we talk some more, and it becomes obvious that the person I'm talking to doesn't know the difference between lactose and dairy intolerance – a sure sign that I should include an article about it on my blog post.

2. Lactose intolerance first: All milk contains a form of natural sugar, lactose. To digest this sugar, our intestines produce an enzyme, lactase. But not everyone can produce this enzyme naturally. If you're missing lactase, the milk sugar lactose tends to draw fluid back into your intestines, and the bacteria that live in your colon ferment the sugar. The result? Diarrhea, bloating, flatulence and abdominal cramps. 

Some lactose intolerant people can get away with drinking a small amount of milk and not get any symptoms. Others find that they can eat certain types of dairy, but not others. There's no "one size fits all" with food intolerances.

If you suspect you could be lactose intolerant, a simple test you can do at home is to simply remove all dairy food from your diet for a week, and see what happens with your bowel motions. Or visit your doctor for a breath test or lactose intolerance test.

2. If you're dairy intolerant, your immune system doesn't like the milk protein and sets up a reaction. What kind of reaction varies with individuals. Some common dairy intolerance symptoms are eczema, chronic sinus problems, hay fever-like sneezing that doesn't vary with the seasons. And mood disorders like depression.

If you suspect you may be dairy intolerant, try rigorously removing all dairy foods from your diet for six weeks. Some people tell me that they've already tried this, but on talking further we find that they had 'just a little icecream' or 'cheese doesn't count, does it?' (yes it does). Professional assistance is the best way to find out whether you're really dairy intolerant. We can sit down, talk about your diet and your symptoms, and explore the best way to discover whether its dairy intolerance or something else.

P.S. If you'd like me to explain why you don't need to eat dairy to keep your bones strong, leave a comment below and I'd be happy to write an article about it!

It’s the problem even your closest friends have trouble mentioning.  Excuse me ………but your breath ……well ………..it’s not too sweet!

Bad breath can originate from several places in the body, but wherever it comes from, its all about bacteria.

Teeth or gums in bad condition, particularly teeth that need filling, are a breeding ground for some very odorous bacteria. If you haven’t had a dental check up for a while, or don’t floss regularly, this is the place to start your investigation.

One of the most common causes of bad breath however is what’s happening in the intestines. 

People with bad breath are often constipated. Generally speaking, you should have a bowel movement every day. If you don’t, take a look at some aspects of your diet:

- are you drinking enough pure water? (You need at least two litres every day)

- are you eating enough fibre? (You need 25-35g every day, from a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains.)

- Are you relaxed? Muscle tension from stress, particularly emotional stress, can affect the bowel muscles, and the production line that is our digestive process comes to a halt.

An effective way to check your bowel transit time is to eat some cooked beetroot – about 200-300g. The beetroot will colour your faeces, but won’t harm you. Ideally, you’ll see the results within 12-24 hours. Less than 12 hours means your bowels are too fast, more than 24 hours is too slow. (Keep in mind that beetroot will colour your urine temporarily red too.)

Intestines are heavily populated with bacteria – some are good, actively helping the digestive process along. Some bacteria are not so helpful. In an unhealthy bowel, the conditions are right for bad bacteria and fungi can grow unchecked. If digested food remains too long in your digestive tract fermentation starts, creating some very unpleasant smells.

Naturopaths approach the treatment of bad breath originating in the intestines like you would approach an overgrown garden – where there are unwanted weeds all over the place, and the conditions aren’t right for the good plants to grow. But get rid of the weeds, and improve the soil and feeding, then the good plants will bloom. The right herbs and probiotics bacteria are the tools we use.

A final test – have a look at your tongue in the mirror. Is it heavily coated with fur, particularly yellow fur?  If so, it’s probable that your metabolism is out of shape and your liver is struggling. This can contribute to bad breath too.

A cup of peppermint tea can help mask any bad breath, but if you’ve developed this unfortunate condition, its time to start investigating where it has come from.