LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
Inability to digest the sugar (lactose) in milk
The basis for lactose intolerance is when the small intestine doesn't produce enough of an enzyme (lactase) to digest milk sugar (lactose).
Lactase helps the body break down sugar in milk.
CAUSES
Normally, lactase turns milk sugar into two simple sugars, glucose and galactose, which are absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal lining.
In lactase deficiency cases, the sugar ends up in the colon rather than the bloodstream, where it mixes with normal bacteria and ferments causing discomfort.
FACTS
• There’s no cure lactose intolerance is manageable.
• Lactose intolerance reactions aren’t life-threatening.
• The condition isn’t harmful, but it can be uncomfortable.
• Being lactose intolerant is not the same as being allergic to milk.
• Most adults around the world can’t digest milk.
• 70% of humans are lactose intolerant.
• It can also be inherited or associated with other specific diseases.
• It is common among people of an African, Asian, Hispanic, Mediterranean and Southern European background.
• It’s less common in Northern or Western Europe.
SYMPTOMS
• Gas
• Upset stomach
• Abdominal cramps
• Abdominal bloating
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Flatulence
TYPES OF LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
• Primary lactose intolerance is the most common form.
The body typically stops making lactase by about age 5.
As lactase levels decrease, dairy products become harder to digest. Primary lactose intolerance is genetically determined, occurring in a large proportion of people with African, Asian or Hispanic ancestry. The condition is also common among those of Mediterranean or Southern European descent.
• Secondary lactose intolerance is due to diseases that destroy the lining of the small intestine along with the lactase.
It can be a consequence related to an illness, injury or surgery involving the small intestine.
Celiac disease (difficulty in gluten digestion), bacterial overgrowth and Crohn's disease (chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract), are the most common intestinal diseases linked to low lactase.
• Congenital lactose intolerance is a very rare genetic disorder where both parents have to pass the gene on to their child. It is caused by a complete absence of lactase activity at birth.
• Developmental lactose intolerance occurs in premature babies and improves once the intestines mature.
DIAGNOSIS
• Lactose tolerance test measures the amount of glucose in the bloodstream two hours after drinking a special liquid containing high levels of lactose.
• Hydrogen breath test measures the amount of hydrogen in the breath after drinking a liquid that contains high levels of lactose.
• Stool acidity test for infants and children who can't undergo other tests.
• Endoscopy is the most accurate test in severe cases since the results are based on a small intestinal mucosal biopsy.
TREATMENT
Dietary adjustment is the primary form of therapy for
lactose intolerant patients.
• Reduce or restrict products containing lactose.
• Eat and drink lactose-reduced dairy products
• Reduce the symptoms by in taking lactase enzymes preparations like “Lactaid”.
• Take Lactase enzyme pills prior to eating or drinking milk diaries products.
• Probiotics are an Alternative medicine. They are available as active or "live" cultures in some yogurts and as supplements in capsule form.
Credit: Mayo Clinic, WebMed.
Stage 3 (NREM3 or N3)
Known as slow-wave sleep (SWS), during which the sleeper is unaware of any sounds or other stimuli.
Stage 3 represents around 15%-20% of total adult sleep time and occurs in longer periods during the first half of the night.
This is when the body does most of its repair work and regeneration.
REM sleep
Rapid Eye Movements
This is the stage of sleep when we dream, referred to as "active sleep".
During REM sleep, blood flow, breathing, and brain activity increases.
One enters REM sleep 90 minutes after going through all three stages of non-REM sleep.
The first REM cycle lasts 10 minutes, but each subsequent REM stage gets progressively longer as the night goes on.
REASONS FOR BAD SLEEP
• Nowadays, society has evolved in a hectic way, putting our lives under pressure and exposing us to 24hrs entertainment or work duties.
• Caffeine’s effects last for at least six hours. Excessive caffeine or drinking caffeine late in the day can cause problems, including trouble sleeping at night.
• Obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that interrupts breathing while you sleep.
• Mattress and pillow’s choice can strongly affect sleep quality.
CONSEQUENCES OF BAD SLEEP
Obesity
Diabetes
Irritability
Negative mood
High blood pressure
Body aches and pains
Bad performance at work.
Reduced immune function
WEIGHT AND SLEEP
Lack of sleep has an influence on what and how much you eat. Since hormones are regulated during sleep, when someone is sleep deprived, hunger hormones become out of whack, which increases feelings of hunger and decreases satiety.
IMPROVE QUALITY OF SLEEP
• Make sleep a priority.
• Set a sleep goal. Aim to get at least eight hours of sleep a night.
• Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time.
• Eat healthier food. When the body and mind are fatigued, it’s common to mistake fatigue for hunger and end up by eating unhealthy food.
• Bedtime routine. Create a relaxing (screen-free) bedtime routine.
• Dogs’ company, According to Mayo Clinic study, sleeping with a dog in the same bedroom will improve sleep efficiency by 83%.
CHOICE OF MATTRESS
Memory foam mattresses molds to the body in response to heat and pressure, evenly distributing body weight. It then returns to its original shape once you remove the pressure.
Kathy R. Gromer, MD, sleep specialist with the Minnesota Sleep Institute in Minneapolis, agrees that memory foam may improve sleep as it relieves painful pressure points.
According to Arand, clinical director of the Kettering Sleep Disorders Center in Dayton, Ohio, memory foam mattress reduce motion transfer, letting you lie still while your partner tosses and turns.
Credit: Sleep Foundation, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, WebMed.
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