The Milkman always rings twice

As I had nothing big planned for today, I went to the city centre anyways to take a walk and do some window shopping. I decided to check out one of the big malls as well. I don’t really know what had gotten into me. Going to a mall without any person to stop me should I slip at the shopping ban!? I was totally insane. And man did I spend money!! Wanna see my haul? I don’t feel the least bit guilty. Totally to the contrary.

It was amazing to go home with a big bag full of lactose-free products :) 

I have been lactose-intolerant for a while. Probably I have had it for as long as I can remember. This health issue slowly develops over the course of growing up. Your body produces an enzyme to split up the milk sugar (lactose) into pieces that can be digested. When your body stops producing the enzyme, you cannot digest lactose anymore. Eating food containing lactose results in stomach cramps, diarrhea etc. Let’s just say it isn’t fun.

I found out about my intolerance after my move from Finland. Almost all Finnish milk products are at least low lactose as 70% of the inhabitants have the intolerance. Life there is easy and the products almost cost the same, the choice is quite big and it tastes good.

In Germany, life is quite hard with the intolerance. The companies use lactose almost everywhere. They use it as an alternative for sugar and call it “sugar free”. There is almost no choice when it comes to the products, the prices are often double compared to the “normal” palette and you get it only in a limited number of shops. Today, I went to the shop with the biggest choice and the companies seem to have broadened their range of products.

If I wanted something special before, I needed to import it from Scandinavia. Now it seems that my main cravings will be satisfied (for a while at least!!).  

Do you have any allergies or intolerances? How do you live with them?