If you’re one of the lucky ones whose body can easily digest lactose, you probably have no clue how much of a pain and struggle it is to live on without dairy. Even a minuscule amount of dairy can turn someone’s day into a living hell, and they are often stuck with subpar substitutions. If you had any doubt about how terrible an experience it is to suffer from lactose intolerance, here are some things people with the condition have to deal with on a daily basis.
People think they are neurotic and dramatic
People with lactose intolerance often have to put up with friends and family members who give them a hard time for taking forever to decide on a menu item or poking fun at them when they feel uncomfortable when they accidentally eat dairy. They are often considered as difficult, and some even think lactose intolerance is just simply being gassy. No, it is not.
They have to spend way too much time at grocery stores
Grocery shopping is never fun for people with lactose intolerance because they have to read the label of everything that they need or that piques their interest. Sometimes some products that are supposedly lactose-free even turn out to be unpleasant experiences. If there is something they love that is traditionally made with dairy, they always have to hunt down the best lactose-free product instead of widely available options.
They have to make difficult decisions
People with lactose intolerance know they must avoid consuming dairy at all costs because they will get unbearably sick. But they still want to eat a slice of pizza after a night out or a tub of ice-cream while binging on a tv show. So they constantly have to check themselves and choose to deprive themselves of what they actually want. Considering we often want what we can’t have more, the struggle is real.
Their safest bets at restaurants are salads
Most restaurants use butter, and they are often generous with it. Veggies and chicken are often cooked with butter because they just taste better. Bread is not an option as milk is one of its main ingredients. So ordering a nice salad is often the safest bet because even special requests don’t yield results sometimes. Of course, the option to see if the odds are in your favor and have something on the menu prepared without dairy is always there.
They have to avoid some of the most delicious things in life
Chocolate bars. Cheeseburgers. Ice-cream. Pizza. Fettuccine Alfredo. Lasagna. These are some of the amazing things that are big no-nos unless they plan on rendering a small space inhabitable while experiencing excruciating pain. When the time is right, and they don’t have to be around people, those delicious things can be worth suffering the consequences.
They can never enjoy their food at celebrations and parties
It is not like they can make a request for lactose-free snacks and dishes or bring their own, so parties, dinner parties, and special occasions are often a lot less fun for people with the condition. Go ahead, everyone, enjoy your cake. Unless their coworkers and employer are very considerate, office snacks, fresh baked goods, potluck dinner are also not as exciting to those who suffer from lactose intolerance.
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