Q: I love to eat fruits but can only eat very few due to the acidity level. Is there an over-the-counter medication that will allow me to eat fruit without burning my stomach? If so, how often can I take the medication to get my daily fruit allowance and how long should I wait after taking it to eat fruit?

Second question is similar....I love milk but am lactose intolerant. What is the best way to get the level of calcium I need to reach my daily allowance? Also, what is the best substitute for milk when it is called for in recipes?

A: The fact that you are lactose intolerant or have an insufficient amount of lactase (the enzyme necessary to digest lactose (milk sugar) could be an indication that you are deficient in other digestive enzymes such as amylase, lipase, and protease to break down your food efficiently. About 75% of the enzymes necessary for digestion come from foods in the diet and the other 25% are produced by the body. High concentrations of hydrochloric acid secretion in the stomach, stress, poor diet, illness, colds and fever, caffeine and alcohol consumption, dieting, job stress, medications, extreme weather, inadequate sleep and other lifestyle and environmental factors destroy digestive enzymes. Live enzymes in foods are destroyed in temperatures over 118 degrees. Live enzymes are in raw foods, fruit, vegetables, grains, and nuts. These foods are not a common food U.S. diet. All of these factors contribute to enzyme depletion in the body and reduced ability to properly digest food. I would recommend that you visit your local health food store and ask for a high quality digestive enzyme formula or enzyme blend that you can take that will increase the levels of enzymes in the body and make them available for digestion. A good digestive formula must contain amylase for carbohydrate digestion, protease for protein digestion, lipase for fat digestion, and cellulose for fiber digestion. There are digestive aids that contain lactase as well which would help with your lactose intolerance. Most digestive aids are taken before a cooked meal. Of course, it is also important to reduce the factors that destroy digestive enzymes and increase those foods in the diet that are rich sources of live enzymes such as fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh juice, grains, and nuts. If the problem continues I recommend that you contact your physician or a gastroenterologist to rule out medical conditions such as ulcer, spastic colon, or other gastrointestinal disorders.

Unfortunately dairy products are the best source of calcium in the American diet for calcium. I suggest you take a Calcium/Magnesium supplement (800-1000 mg/day). Magnesium is another mineral often deficient in the American diet. You can try a Lactase supplement. If it helps you can continue to drink milk, eat yogurt, and other dairy products without the discomforts of lactose intolerance. You can also try Lactaid milk, soy milk, rice milk or almond milk to drink and in the place of milk for cooking. Other lactose free products include almond, and soy cheeses.

Visit www.nomilk.com for links to more information regarding lactose intolerance.

I hope this helped.  Please contact me for further information or if you have another question!